PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joesph Walls (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tiki Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Walls
vs
Tanaka

214 cm
18
278 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

198 cm
25
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Joesph Walls!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tiki Tanaka!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Taro Takaoka and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Walls fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Tanaka to the ground. Walls is now in Tanaka's guard.

Tanaka pushes Walls off and gets back to his feet.
Walls avoids a kick to the body.

Tanaka closes the distance and clinches.

Tanaka breaks the clinch.

Tanaka moves into the clinch successfully.

Tanaka escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Walls shoots in looking for a takedown but Tanaka manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Walls's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Walls on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Tanaka. Tanaka obviously looking to wear him down.
A head kick misses from Tanaka.
Walls shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tanaka defends it nicely.
Tanaka shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Walls defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Walls scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Tanaka kicks off Walls and gets to his feet.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tanaka or perhaps it was just good defense by Walls, which made it look bad.

Tanaka clinches with his opponent.
Tanaka lands an elbow just above Walls 's eye.

It looks like Joesph Walls has been cut.
Tanaka is trying to drag Walls to the mat but Walls just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Joesph Walls has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tiki Tanaka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka is pressed up against the cage. Walls has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tanaka down to the mat. Tanaka avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Walls drives through with a takedown into Tanaka's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Tanaka manages to escape and get back to his feet.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tanaka shoots for a double leg takedown but Walls sprawls well. He's pushed Tanaka's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Walls avoids the body shot from Tanaka.
Tanaka bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Walls's head backwards.
Tanaka looks for a takedown but Walls sprawls well.
Walls tries for a takedown but Tanaka circles away easily
and Tanaka counters with a three punch combo that has Walls backing up. Walls nods at Tanaka to acknowledge the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Walls.
Walls controls the position.

Walls has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Tanaka misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Tiki Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanaka defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Walls.
Tanaka has a takedown stuffed.

Tanaka has Walls up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walls is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Tanaka is defending well.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Tanaka putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Walls in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Tanaka is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Walls is breathing heavily.
Walls is defending well against a takedown attempt.

Tanaka pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Walls leaves Tanaka with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tiki Tanaka dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joesph Walls's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Tanaka takes the fight into the clinch.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Tanaka. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

Tanaka successfully pulls guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Walls won't allow Tanaka to sweep him here.
Walls stays in close to Tanaka's body and controls the position.
Walls wants to get up but he can't break Tanaka's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Walls content to stall in guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tanaka is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tanaka is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Walls defends well.
Tanaka has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Walls preventing the sweep.
Walls controlling from the top position.

Tanaka is working an open guard so Walls takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Tanaka stuffs the takedown.

Tanaka looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Walls has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Tanaka off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Walls shoots in for a takedown but Tanaka shows good takedown defense.

Walls looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Tanaka!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tanaka tries to improve position but can't.

Walls stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Tanaka rushes Walls and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Walls tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Tanaka smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joesph Walls. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tanaka throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka lands a jab to the head.

Walls shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Tanaka's guard.

Walls gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Tanaka closes the distance and clinches up with Walls, looking for a takedown. Tanaka pushes Walls against the cage but Walls circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
As Tanaka backs away, Walls returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Tanaka is breathing heavily.
Walls fails with a takedown attempt.

Tanaka instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tanaka.
Walls jumps guard but Tanaka stands there with Walls around his waist. Walls gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Tanaka pulls guard.
Tanaka is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Walls wants to control from the top but Tanaka keeps moving.
Tanaka is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tiki Tanaka will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Joesph Walls's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Walls dives in for a single leg takedown but Tanaka sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Tanaka stuffs the takedown attempt from Walls. Walls gets slowly back to his feet.
Tanaka shoots in but no luck this time.
Walls shoots in looking for a takedown but Tanaka manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Walls's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joesph Walls. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A thudding body kick lands there by Tanaka!
Tanaka misses with a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tanaka takes the fight into the clinch.
Tanaka gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Walls.
Walls is trying to pull guard but Tanaka has him pressed against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka jumps guard but Walls turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Tanaka manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Tanaka pushes Walls off and gets back to his feet.
Tanaka looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Walls stuffs the takedown attempt from Tanaka. Tanaka gets slowly back to his feet.
Tanaka does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Walls is looking for a counter combo.
Walls fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka goes for a double leg but Walls avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Walls continues to drive forward.
Walls darts in looking for a takedown but Tanaka gets double underhooks and turns Walls into the cage.
Tanaka closes this distance looking for a takedown but Walls circles away.
Tanaka throws a nice inside leg kick.
Walls shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tiki Tanaka seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tanaka dips to his left and cracks Walls with an uppercut!
Horrible takedown attempt by Tanaka or perhaps it was just good defense by Walls, which made it look bad.
Walls appears to be looking for a big counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Walls changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Tanaka tries to avoid it but Walls manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Tanaka to the ground. Tanaka escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Tanaka tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Walls half committed to a counter leg kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Walls.
Tanaka fails to land the takedown.
Walls goes for a double leg but Tanaka avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Tanaka continues to drive forward.
Tanaka dives in and grabs Walls's left leg, looking for a takedown. Walls pushes down on Tanaka's head and hops out.
Walls shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Tanaka sprawls well. Tanaka wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Walls gets slowly back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walls tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Tanaka defends well and Walls ends up having to push Tanaka into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Tanaka dives in for a single leg takedown but Walls sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Walls stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Walls wants it to stay on the feet.
Walls is looking to counter with head kicks.
Walls throws a big shot that misses.
No luck for Walls with that takedown attempt.
Joesph Walls has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tiki Tanaka is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Joesph Walls is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tanaka closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Walls quickly recovers to half guard.

Walls makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

And that's the end of the fight!
Joesph Walls showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tanaka has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 28:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Tiki Tanaka!