PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Tae Larkin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Avital Shafir (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Larkin
vs
Shafir

159 cm
25
135 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
27
140 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Namunamu Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tae Larkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Avital Shafir!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Larkin connects with a looping right hand.
Shafir throws a nice looking combination but Larkin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Larkin misses with a body shot.
Shafir throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Larkin throws out a loose jab but Shafir uses good head movement to avoid it.

Larkin clinches up against the cage.

Larkin breaks the clinch.
Shafir moves out of range as Larkin strikes.
The fighters circle momentarily. Shafir darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Shafir takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
A slow jab from Larkin misses its intended target.
Larkin takes a kick to the side of the head.
Shafir ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Larkin lands a glancing blow to the side of Shafir's head.
Shafir takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

Shafir is rocked!
A clash of legs there as Shafir blocks the low kick.
Shafir is still on wobbly legs! Can Larkin finish him?
A swing and a miss from Larkin.

Larkin closes the distance and pushes Shafir back into the cage.

Larkin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Larkin works the jab nicely.
Shafir takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larkin avoids a punch combination nicely.
Larkin has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Shafir misses with the combination.
Shafir throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Larkin rushes Shafir and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Larkin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Shafir checks a leg kick.
Good leg kick by Shafir there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Shafir throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Larkin misses with a leg kick.
Shafir scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Shafir seems to have recovered his senses.
Shafir throws a right and a left that both miss.
Larkin scores with a three punch combo!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Larkin gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Larkin gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Shafir is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Larkin defends well.
Shafir preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Shafir working for a triangle but Larkin defends it easily.
Larkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Shafir is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Larkin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Shafir works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Larkin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Larkin cracks Shafir with a solid left hand.

Shafir is looking for a triangle but Larkin pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larkin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Shafir's guard.
Shafir is trying to control but can't.
Larkin knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Shafir on the ground.
Larkin wants to pass the guard but Shafir is defending well.

Shafir is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Larkin pulls his head out easily.
Larkin takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Larkin is thwarting Shafir's attempts to control the position.
Larkin thows a huge punch but Shafir dodges it nicely.
Shafir avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Larkin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Larkin working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Shafir wants to control but Larkin is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Shafir wants to get back to his feet.
Larkin performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Shafir looks like he's trying to stand up.
Shafir trying to control but Larkin postures up.

Shafir manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Larkin keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Shafir is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Larkin breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tae Larkin dominated that round.
That's time! Larkin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Shafir lands a high kick!
Larkin throws a right and a left that both miss.
Shafir lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Tae Larkin is winning the standup battle so far.
Shafir swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Larkin jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Shafir lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Shafir uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Larkin.
Shafir misses with a double jab
and Larkin counters with a crisp right that sends Shafir to the canvas! Larkin follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Tae Larkin!
After the big win, Tae Larkin made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Namunamu Clothing and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.