PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between David Tua (ranked 1274 p4p, 160 weight class) and Hank Holmes (ranked 2276 p4p, 274 weight class). Hank Holmes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tua
vs
Holmes

178 cm
26
235 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

172 cm
35
265 lbs
19 - 14 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, David Tua !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hank Holmes!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holmes missing with a left hand there. Tua was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Holmes missing with a left hand there. Tua was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tua went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Tua lands a really nice looking cross but Holmes seems unphased.
A big right from Tua misses.
Holmes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Holmes connects with a body shot.
Holmes listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Tua thuds his right hand into Holmes's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Tua is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Holmes takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Holmes avoids the head kick by Tua .
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tua punishes Holmes's body with a nice straight punch.
Holmes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tua manages to avoid it.
Holmes throws a series of punches but Tua avoids them all with ease.
Tua lands a head kick!
Nice shot lands for Holmes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holmes misses the jab.

Holmes cracks Tua with a big right hand and Tua goes down!

Tua is rocked!

It looks like David Tua has been cut.
Holmes passes Tua 's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Oh Tua is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Holmes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Tua defends it well.

Holmes seems to be working for a kimura but Tua defends the submission attempt.
Tua seems to have got his legs back now.

Holmes is trying to work for a kimura but Tua is defending well.
Tua is looking to control Holmes's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Tua avoid being mounted?

Holmes is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Tua sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holmes is looking to take a break and control but Tua is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tua trying to control from the bottom.

Holmes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Tua defends it well.

Holmes is trying to work for a kimura but Tua is defending well.
Tua keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Holmes is pressing down on Tua 's thigh, looking to free his foot. Tua is holding on for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Holmes is looking for a kimura but Tua is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Holmes to get the leverage.
Tua regains full guard. Nicely done.

Holmes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Holmes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Holmes drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Tua dives on top into guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Holmes keeping moving, preventing Tua from controlling successfully.
Tua sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Tua has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Holmes is proving hard to escape from.
Holmes is trying to control the position but Tua postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Holmes is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tua defends well.

Tua avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Holmes looking to control.
Holmes has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Holding Cell. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Holmes is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Holmes holds on and takes a little breather.
Tua has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Tua slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Tua continues to stall.
Holmes trying to keep a closed guard but Tua is proving a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hank Holmes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on David Tua 's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tua blocks a jab.
It looked like Tua was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Holmes.
Holmes misses with an uppercut. Tua saw that one coming.
Tua lands a lovely overhand right.
Tua throws a hook but Holmes blocks it.
Holmes is looking for the big counter here.
Holmes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tua manages to avoid it.
Holmes throws a predictable looking body shot
and Tua counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Hank Holmes has been cut.
Holmes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Holmes throws a right hand that Tua ducks under and follows up with a left that Tua also avoids with ease.
Tua looks to land a right hand but Holmes moved out of range.
Holmes moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Holmes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tua was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Tua jabs at Holmes's body.
Holmes throws a big shot that misses.
Tua throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A combination from Tua does no damage.
Holmes throws an overhand right that lands on Tua 's shoulder, as Tua tries to avoid the shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tua throws a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tua lands a big uppercut and Holmes crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Holmes looks OK. Tua waves Holmes back to his feet!

Holmes is rocked!
Tua knocks out Holmes with a massive right hand! The ref tackles Tua before he can follow up with any more strikes and that's it everyone. Tua picks up the big W with a huge KO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:09 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). David Tua !
After winning the bout, David Tua thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.