PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Manu Tuilagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Keiji Numa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Numa has chosen You're Going Down as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tuilagi
vs
Numa

174 cm
35
183 lbs
26 - 13 - 0

169 cm
45
188 lbs
24 - 40 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Decent elbows
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 26 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Manu Tuilagi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 40 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Keiji Numa!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Chris Dean and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Numa closes the distance and clinches up with Tuilagi, looking for a takedown. Numa pushes Tuilagi against the cage but Tuilagi circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Tuilagi is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Numa misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A swing and a miss from Tuilagi.
Tuilagi looks to score with a jab to the body but Numa is just out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Numa.
Numa shoots and misses
and Tuilagi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Manu Tuilagi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Keiji Numa.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tuilagi.
Numa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tuilagi avoids it really well and circles away.
Tuilagi fires out a quick counter leg kick but Numa just manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Numa misses with an uppercut. Tuilagi saw that one coming.
Keiji Numa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tuilagi slaps away a takedown attempt from Numa, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Numa misses with a low kick.
Tuilagi's jab looks to have found its range, popping Numa under the eye.
Numa blocks a leg kick.
Numa shoots for a takedown but Tuilagi saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Numa looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Tuilagi lands a nice shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi blocks a head kick by Numa.
Tuilagi swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Numa will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Numa fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tuilagi avoids it really well and circles away.
Tuilagi feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Nice sprawl there from Tuilagi as Numa shoots in.
Numa misses with a takedown attempt
and Tuilagi counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tuilagi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Numa on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Tuilagi.
Tuilagi moves out of range of the strikes.
Tuilagi stuffs the takedown attempt from Numa. Numa gets slowly back to his feet.
Numa defending well as Tuilagi loads up on a big left hand.
Numa scores with a head kick.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Tuilagi enables Numa to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Tuilagi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Tuilagi controls Numa momentarily but Numa frees himself.

Tuilagi looking to try and escape his hips here, looking for a submission. It looks like he's going for a triangle but Numa is defending well. Tuilagi quickly switches to an armbar and extends the arm! Numa has no choice but to tap, to a very quick submission! Wow, that was lightning fast! Tuilagi celebrates on the cage, with the crowd.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Manu Tuilagi!
Manu Tuilagi really struggled to get his t-shirt on before his hand was raised. Making sure that HERITAGE Threads logo gets some air time is pretty tricky when you're all sweaty.