PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Samwell Lance (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tangaroa Ngata (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ngata has chosen Soundcritters - Haka War Chant as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Lance
vs
Ngata

186 cm
29
191 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

185 cm
30
187 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Samwell Lance!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tangaroa Ngata!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ngata is looking to clinch.
Ngata has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Lance is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Ngata tries to clinch there but Lance circles away.
Lance swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Ngata moves into the clinch successfully.
I was talking to Lance's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Ngata lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lance blocks an uppercut.
Ngata throws a head punch that misses.
Lance digs a right hand into Ngata's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Ngata's gas tank.
Ngata misses with a punch to the body.
Lance lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Ngata.
Ngata lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Lance backwards.
Ngata prevents a body shot from Lance.
Ngata blocks a body shot from Lance.
Ngata misses with some punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ngata misses with a punch on the inside.
Ngata takes a shot to the head.
Ngata tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lance's elbow.
Ngata prevents a body shot from Lance.
Ngata lands a hook that snaps the head of Lance backwards.
Ngata misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Ngata manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lance moves into the clinch.
Lance leaning against his opponent.
Ngata fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lance tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Ngata smiles and moves away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ngata tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lance's elbow.
Ngata scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Ngata scores with a shot to the side of Lance's head.

It looks like Samwell Lance has been cut.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ngata.
Ngata misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lance working aggressively here.
Lance blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Ngata pushes Lance back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lance fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lance doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lance misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lance is working Ngata over against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lance lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ngata misses with the head strike.
A shot in the inside from Ngata.
Lance misses with some punches.
Ngata misses with a punch on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Lance.
Ngata lands a hook that snaps the head of Lance backwards.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Lance lands a nice shot to the body.
Lance has a couple of punches blocked by Ngata.
Ngata tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lance tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lance blocks a body shot from Ngata.
Ngata working aggressively here.
Lance misses with a short punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Ngata.
Ngata misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lance has a couple of punches blocked by Ngata.
Lance lands a body shot in the clinch.
Lance misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ngata lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Lance breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ngata misses with a straight right.

Lance instigates a clinch.
Ngata tries a body shot but Lance blocks it.
Lance misses with a short punch on the inside.
Lance is trying to maintain a safe position but Ngata gets an underhook and turns Lance into the cage.
Lance throws a punch but it's blocked by Ngata.
Ngata makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Lance is rocked!
Lance has a couple of punches blocked by Ngata.
Oh Lance is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Ngata lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Lance.
Ngata stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Ngata creates a bit of space for himself and rocks Lance with a big uppercut! Lance tries to clinch up but Ngata pushes him back against the cage and lands another monster strike that crumples Lance to the mat! Lance covers up and Ngata unloads with more strikes until the referee steps in to end the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:41 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Tangaroa Ngata!
During a confident post fight interview, Tangaroa Ngata thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.