PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tigran Sikhouasvili (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Taufiqul Haq (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Sikhouasvili might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Eye of the tiger. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Taufiqul Haq enters the cage!

Sikhouasvili
vs
Haq

201 cm
28
291 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

190 cm
27
255 lbs
5 - 4 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Underworld Clothing

AnonymouS
Fury Nutrition Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Tigran Sikhouasvili!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Taufiqul Haq!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, James Glass and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Haq throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Sikhouasvili was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Haq slips a straight right by Sikhouasvili.
Sikhouasvili falls off balance throwing a combination
and Haq counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sikhouasvili throws a right hand that misses
enabling Haq to counter with a crisp jab.
Sikhouasvili tries to clinch up but Haq circles away and keeps his distance.
Sikhouasvili steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Haq.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sikhouasvili is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Haq.
Haq slips a straight right by Sikhouasvili.
Tigran Sikhouasvili seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sikhouasvili throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haq slips a jab and a cross from Sikhouasvili.
A little jabbing left from Haq on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Sikhouasvili misses with a wild combination.
Haq swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Haq bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Sikhouasvili's head backwards.
Jab, jab by Haq - just one landing.
Haq has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Sikhouasvili looks to land a combination but Haq avoids it well.
Sikhouasvili throws a right hand that misses
enabling Haq to counter with a crisp jab.
Sikhouasvili misses with a hook. Haq ducked under it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sikhouasvili swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Haq swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Sikhouasvili fails to land with a series of punches.
The crowd cheers as Haq lands an impressive looking overhand right. Sikhouasvili doesn't seem phased though.
Haq slips a jab from Sikhouasvili.

Sikhouasvili drives through and clinches with Haq against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Haq tries to break the clinch but Sikhouasvili is controlling the position.

Sikhouasvili pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Haq connects with a good right hand that stumbles Sikhouasvili. Sikhouasvili circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Haq lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sikhouasvili fails in his attempt to clinch.
Sikhouasvili throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sikhouasvili looks to land a left hand but Haq moved out of range nicely.
Haq throws out a counter right but Sikhouasvili avoids it with no problem.
Haq is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Sikhouasvili had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Haq thuds his right hand into Sikhouasvili's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Sikhouasvili lands with a nice combination. Haq backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Taufiqul Haq has been cut.
Sikhouasvili throws a right and a left that Haq avoids nicely.
Haq walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Haq loads up on a big right hand but Sikhouasvili slips the punch.
Sikhouasvili went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Sikhouasvili throws an off balance right hand
and Haq counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sikhouasvili paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That has opened up Taufiqul Haq's cut even more.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Sikhouasvili misses with a lunging right hand
and Haq counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Haq misses the jab.
Sloppy strikes from Sikhouasvili. Those never looked like landing.
It seemed like Haq was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Sikhouasvili moves out of range of the strikes.
Sikhouasvili misses with a lunging right hand
and Haq cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Haq looks to land a left hand but Sikhouasvili moved out of range nicely.
Haq lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Taufiqul Haq will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Taufiqul Haq's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Sikhouasvili fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
A little jabbing left from Haq on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Haq shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sikhouasvili defends it nicely.
Sikhouasvili falls off balance throwing a combination
and Haq cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sikhouasvili falls off balance throwing a combination
and Haq counters with a straight right hand.
Nice defenses there by Haq.
Taufiqul Haq seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sikhouasvili falls off balance throwing a combination
and Haq counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Haq walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Haq on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Haq bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Haq showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sikhouasvili.
Sikhouasvili falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Haq to counter with a crisp jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sikhouasvili gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Sikhouasvili throws a left and a right that both miss
and Haq makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Sikhouasvili really felt that one!
Sikhouasvili darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

The cut above Taufiqul Haq's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Haq avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Sikhouasvili throws a jab when Haq was well out of range.
Haq throws out a counter right but Sikhouasvili avoids it with no problem.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Haq.
Sikhouasvili misses with a left hand
and Haq counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Haq misses.
Sikhouasvili misses with a series of wild punches.
Sikhouasvili is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Sikhouasvili pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Sikhouasvili tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Haq counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Sikhouasvili misses with an uppercut
and Haq counters with a nice uppercut.
Haq ducks under a wild hook from Sikhouasvili.
Sikhouasvili doesn't manage to clinch there - Haq circles away.
Some wild striking there from Sikhouasvili.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Haq! But no joy.
Sikhouasvili has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sikhouasvili slips a jab from Haq.

Sikhouasvili closes the distance and clinches.
Haq wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Sikhouasvili's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Haq walks into a straight right hand from Sikhouasvili.
A jab from Sikhouasvili misses.
Haq looks to land a left hand but Sikhouasvili moved out of range nicely.
Sikhouasvili staying out of range there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tigran Sikhouasvili will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Taufiqul Haq's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Haq lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Haq showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sikhouasvili.
Tigran Sikhouasvili is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Haq throws a looping overhand right but Sikhouasvili ducks down to avoid it.
Haq tries to clinch but Sikhouasvili is having none of it.
Haq waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sikhouasvili.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sikhouasvili throws a right hand that misses
and Sikhouasvili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Haq's corner calls for a 1-2. Haq obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Haq cracks Sikhouasvili with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Tigran Sikhouasvili is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haq scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Sikhouasvili misses with a double jab
and Haq counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Haq fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sikhouasvili, pushing him back against the cage.
Sikhouasvili presses Haq against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Haq.
I was talking to Sikhouasvili's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.

Sikhouasvili breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Haq throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Sikhouasvili on the side of the head.
Sikhouasvili throws a right hand that misses
and Haq makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Sikhouasvili really felt that one!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sikhouasvili tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Haq counters with a stiff right hand.

Haq has Sikhouasvili up against the cage in a clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Sikhouasvili breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Sikhouasvili throws a predictable looking body shot
and Haq counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Haq uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Sikhouasvili.
Sikhouasvili throws a combination that misses
and Haq counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Sikhouasvili. Those never looked like landing.
Haq throws out a counter right but Sikhouasvili avoids it with no problem.
Haq misses with a straight left.
As Haq looks to move away, Sikhouasvili throws a big counter combo bu Haq just gets out of the way.
Haq lands a jab to the nose.
Sikhouasvili throws a predictable looking body shot
and Haq counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Haq steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Sikhouasvili.

Haq scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Haq wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sikhouasvili keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haq sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Haq missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sikhouasvili keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Haq wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sikhouasvili keeps working.
It looks like Haq is going to stand back up.
Sikhouasvili is not content to let Haq control the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Haq circles away from the clinch attempt
and Sikhouasvili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taufiqul Haq comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Haq has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Glass scores the fight 28:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taufiqul Haq!