PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexi Taiga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Cage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taiga's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, King Ring. Alexi Taiga could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Luke Cage's chin.

Taiga
vs
Cage

201 cm
20
266 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

198 cm
22
300 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Alexi Taiga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Luke Cage!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Illya Tyunina and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taiga dodges the punch combination from Cage.
A punch combination from Cage misses.
Taiga is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Cage lands a jab to the nose.
Cage missing with a left hand there. Taiga was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Jab by Cage.
Taiga is looking to clinch but Cage is avoiding it.
Cage throws a jab when Taiga was well out of range.
Cage scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Cage looks to land a combination but Taiga avoids it well.
Cage misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Taiga lands a nice looking body kick.
Taiga takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Taiga is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cage throws a shot from downtown. Taiga moves away and avoids it.
Cage takes a swing at Taiga's ribcage but misses.
Taiga moves out of range as Cage strikes.
Taiga throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cage misses with an uppercut. Taiga saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage just misses with a punch to the body.

Cage gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cage can do anything to dispel that myth.
Taiga throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taiga tries to free his leg and advance position but Cage is retaining full guard.
Taiga postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Cage keeping moving, preventing Taiga from controlling successfully.
Taiga throwing strikes from guard but Cage blocks nicely.
Taiga wants to pass the guard but Cage is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taiga works over Cage with some ground and pound from guard.
Taiga trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cage drops Taiga with a right and a left! Cage comes rushing in but Taiga regains his composure and manages to keep Cage in guard.
Oh Taiga is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cage controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Cage wants to control from the top but Taiga keeps moving.
Cage must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cage preventing the sweep.
Taiga seems to have got his legs back now.
Cage stays in close to Taiga's body and controls the position.
Taiga throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Taiga preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Taiga is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Taiga looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Cage has picked Taiga up and slammed him! Taiga can't keep hold of the triangle and Cage manages to pass to side control!
Taiga is breathing heavily.
Cage taking a breather here.
Cage really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taiga. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cage wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taiga keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taiga is trying to get back to half guard.
Taiga manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Taiga wants to get back to full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Taiga gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cage looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cage lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Taiga at a distance.
Cage drops Taiga with a left and a right! Oh, Taiga is hurt - Cage dives into side control looking to finish!
Cage just content to control the position.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Taiga gets back to half guard.
Taiga is trying to get back to full guard.
Taiga lands a couple of sideways elbows.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cage is controlling the pace.
Taiga wants to improve his position but Cage is controlling well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Cage dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Jab, jab by Cage - just one landing.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taiga looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cage circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cage swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Taiga.
Cage takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Luke Cage seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taiga wants to clinch.
Cage throws a series of punches but Taiga moves out of range.
Luke Cage is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Taiga closes the distance and clinches.
Cage wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Taiga looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Taiga tries to score a body lock takedown but Cage shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Taiga tries to land knees in the clinch but Cage avoids the damage to the body.
Taiga drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Cage gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cage manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Taiga trying to land knees to the body.
Taiga drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cage pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexi Taiga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Taiga keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Taiga tries to clinch up but Cage circles away and keeps his distance.
Cage will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Taiga avoids a punch combination nicely.
Cage throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cage tries to bum rush Taiga with a series of wild strikes but Taiga uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cage misses with a few strikes there.
Cage keeps the fight on the outside.
Taiga takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Taiga tries to clinch but Cage moves out of range.
Taiga wants to clinch up but Cage keeps it at a distance.
Cage gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Taiga.
Taiga tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Taiga has Cage up against the cage in a clinch.
Taiga is working for takedown but Cage is calmly controlling the position for now.
Cage wants to break free but Taiga has control.
Cage can't break the clinch.
Cage has had enough of the clinch but Taiga keeps him there for the moment.
Cage wants to break the clinch but can't.
Cage wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Taiga slows down the pace here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taiga trying to land knees to the body.
Taiga tries to stall but Cage uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Taiga manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Cage just leaning against Taiga, taking a breather.
Taiga looking to throw knees to the head but Cage is blocking nicely.
Taiga misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cage.
Taiga missing with knees to the body.
Cage wants to get back to striking at distance but Taiga won't allow it.
Taiga with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nice elbow from Taiga.
Taiga changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cage fights it off and pushes away nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cage avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Taiga tries to clinch there but Cage circles away.
Luke Cage is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Cage throws a right and a left that Taiga avoids nicely.
Taiga is looking to clinch but Cage is avoiding it.
Cage misses with a two punch combination.
Cage fails to land with a series of punches.
Taiga throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Luke Cage seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Cage misses with a series of wild punches.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taiga looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Cage swings widly with a right hand

and Taiga counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Cage's guard now.
Cage manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Taiga manages to get himself to full guard.
Taiga keeping moving, preventing Cage from controlling successfully.

Taiga isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Cage stacks Taiga on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Cage!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexi Taiga dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Taiga is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cage.
Cage keeps the fight on the outside.
Taiga tries to clinch but Cage is having none of it.
Taiga doesn't manage to clinch there - Cage circles away.
Cage throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Cage looks to land a combination. Taiga sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Cage throws a big shot that misses.
Taiga misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cage.
Cage misses with a combination

and Taiga counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Taiga content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Cage stops a takedown attempt from Taiga.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cage leaning his opponent against the cage.
Taiga manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage managing to block the knees to the body from Taiga.
Cage stops a takedown attempt from Taiga.
Cage wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cage wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Taiga has him pressed against the cage.
Cage wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cage wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Taiga has him pressed against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Taiga takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Cage is trying to break free.
Taiga throws an elbow that misses.
Taiga misses with a knee to the head.
Taiga lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Taiga goes for a takedown in the clinch but Cage prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexi Taiga. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cage wants to break free but Taiga has control.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Cage takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The referee calls for Taiga to work.
Taiga creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Taiga stalling in the clinch but Cage improves position.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Taiga just misses with a elbow thrown towards Cage's brow.
Cage wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cage prevents the takedown attempt.
Cage content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Taiga missing with knees to the body.
Cage on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cage stalling in the clinch.
Cage tries to break the clinch but Taiga is controlling the position.
Taiga misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cage.
Cage is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Cage has had enough of the clinch but Taiga keeps him there for the moment.
Cage wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Taiga trying to land knees to the body.
Taiga misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Cage.
Cage wants to break free but Taiga has control.
Taiga scores a nice knee to the body.
Taiga keeps control of Cage as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Cage gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Taiga.
Cage taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Cage tries to break the clinch but Taiga is controlling the position.
Taiga throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Taiga missing with knees to the body.
Cage wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Cage gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Taiga.
Cage controlling the action here for a moment.
Taiga is trying to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cage has had enough of the clinch but Taiga keeps him there for the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luke Cage comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cage 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luke Cage!