PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tommy Tonga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Christian Neffgen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tonga
vs
Neffgen

190 cm
21
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
187 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tommy Tonga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Christian Neffgen!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, David Hoff and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neffgen slaps away a takedown attempt from Tonga, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Neffgen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tonga.
Tonga shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Neffgen as he avoids it easily.
Neffgen lands a high kick!

It looks like Tommy Tonga has been cut.
Tonga shoots for a double leg takedown but Neffgen sprawls well. He's pushed Tonga's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Tonga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Neffgen goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Neffgen fails with an attempt to clinch.

Tonga forces Neffgen back against the cage and clinches.
Neffgen tries to break the clinch but Tonga is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonga tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Neffgen just stands there and leans against the cage.
Tonga manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Neffgen has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tonga works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Tonga controlling from the top position.
Neffgen utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Neffgen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Tonga looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonga wants to control from the top but Neffgen keeps moving.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Tonga misses with a head kick.
Tonga misses with a body kick.
Neffgen drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Tonga defends it well.

Tonga has Neffgen up against the cage in a clinch.
Neffgen is trying to break the clinch but Tonga has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonga tries for a takedown but Neffgen manages to get underhooks.
Tonga is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Neffgen is defending well for now.
Tonga is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Neffgen is defending well for now.
Neffgen has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Neffgen tries to break free but Tonga pushes him back against the cage.
Neffgen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tonga has him pressed against the cage.
Tonga is struggling to control the position.
Neffgen is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
A frustrated look appears on Tonga's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Tonga wants to break the clinch but can't.
Neffgen is trying to break free.
Neffgen prevents the takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
A frustrated look appears on Tonga's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Neffgen looking to slow down the pace here.
Tonga leaning against his opponent.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Tonga seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Tonga tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Neffgen smiles and moves away.
Neffgen wants to clinch up but Tonga keeps it at a distance.
Neffgen is looking to clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Tonga has closed the distance and engaged Neffgen in a clinch.
Tonga has Neffgen pressed against the cage, preventing Neffgen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tonga misses with some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy Tonga dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tommy Tonga's cut.
That's time! Tonga's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tonga swats away the attempt to clinch by Neffgen.
Neffgen tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Tonga swivels and escapes.
Neffgen slaps away a takedown attempt from Tonga, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Neffgen lands a jab to the nose.
Tonga throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Neffgen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Neffgen has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Tonga is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Neffgen closes the distance and clinches up with Tonga, looking for a takedown. Neffgen pushes Tonga against the cage but Tonga circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neffgen avoids a kick to the body.
Neffgen let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Tonga avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tonga throws a quick counter head kick but Neffgen was just out of range.
Neffgen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Neffgen wants it to stay on the feet.
Tonga throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A countering left hand to the body from Neffgen misses.
Tonga shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Neffgen but Neffgen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Tonga. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonga avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tonga keeps the fight on the outside.
A jab lands there for Tonga.
Tonga circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tonga shoots in and drives through. Neffgen sprawls well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Neffgen tries to clinch there but Tonga circles away.
Tonga feinted with a counter takedown.
Neffgen tries to clinch but Tonga moves out of range.
Neffgen is looking to clinch but Tonga is avoiding it.
Neffgen circles away from the clinch attempt.
Christian Neffgen seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Tonga closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Tonga is trying to force a seperation but Neffgen has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Neffgen.
Neffgen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Neffgen prevents a takedown attempt there.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tonga keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Neffgen's efforts to push away.
Neffgen wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tonga has him pressed against the cage.
Neffgen lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Tonga prevents Neffgen from breaking the clinch.
Tonga jumps guard but Neffgen turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Tonga ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Tonga no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Neffgen trying to control but Tonga is working from the bottom.
Tonga tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neffgen prevents Tonga from getting back to his feet.
Neffgen wants to stand but Tonga has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tonga preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Neffgen is looking to stand up but Tonga won't let him.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Neffgen tries to clinch but Tonga is having none of it.
Neffgen tries to close the distance and clinch but Tonga swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Neffgen tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Neffgen fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

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

Neffgen breaks the clinch.
Neffgen tries to clinch but Tonga is having none of it.
Neffgen defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Tonga.
Tonga looks for a takedown but Neffgen sprawls well.
Neffgen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tonga gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Neffgen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Neffgen is looking to clinch but Tonga is avoiding it.
Tonga throws a quick counter kick to the body but Neffgen avoids it.
Neffgen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tonga but Tonga pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Christian Neffgen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Tommy Tonga's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Tonga stuffs the takedown attempt from Neffgen. Neffgen gets slowly back to his feet.
Tonga shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Neffgen defends it nicely.
Tonga avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
A head kick misses from Tonga.
Neffgen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Tonga closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neffgen wants to get back to striking at distance but Tonga won't allow it.
Tonga tries to pull guard but Neffgen holds him up against the cage and eventually Tonga drops back down to his feet.
Tonga is trying to pull guard but Neffgen turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tommy Tonga. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonga fails to pull guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Neffgen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Neffgen trying to land knees to the body.
Tonga tries to pull guard but Neffgen holds him up against the cage and eventually Tonga drops back down to his feet.
Neffgen looking to stall.
Neffgen is trying to stall.
Neffgen misses with a hook to the ribs.
Neffgen looking to slow down the pace here.
Tonga is trying to break the clinch but Neffgen is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tonga drops down looking for an ankle pick but Neffgen pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tonga misses with a takedown attempt - Neffgen sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Neffgen wants to clinch up but Tonga keeps it at a distance.
A punch lands to the side of Tonga 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Neffgen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Tonga tries to clinch but Neffgen is having none of it.

Tonga closes the distance and clinches.
Tonga is looking for a takedown.
Neffgen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Neffgen trying to control the position but instead, Tonga has worked for underhooks and has pushed Neffgen into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Neffgen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Neffgen shoots in for a double leg but Tonga sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Neffgen fails with an attempt to clinch.
Neffgen tries to close the distance and clinch but Tonga swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Neffgen shoots in looking for a takedown. Tonga tries to sprawl out of it but Neffgen keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tonga manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Tonga shoots in looking for a takedown but Neffgen manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Tonga's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Tonga shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Neffgen pinned against the cage. Neffgen gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Neffgen.
Tonga shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Neffgen defends it nicely.
Neffgen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Neffgen is defended easily by Tonga.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Horrible takedown attempt by Tonga or perhaps it was just good defense by Neffgen, which made it look bad.
A nice side step and Neffgen releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

And that's the end of the fight!
Christian Neffgen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Neffgen 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 29:28
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Christian Neffgen!