PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hiro Tanaka (ranked 4048 p4p, 393 weight class) and Anthony Pettis (ranked 5276 p4p, 479 weight class). Hiro Tanaka could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Anthony Pettis's chin.

Tanaka
vs
Pettis

176 cm
29
164 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

178 cm
29
164 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hiro Tanaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Anthony Pettis!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Thiago Cunha and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tanaka fails to land with a series of punches.
A big right from Pettis misses.
Tanaka appears to be looking for a big counter.
Tanaka rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pettis moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tanaka works over Pettis's head and body with a nice combination.
Tanaka throws a right hand that Pettis ducks under and follows up with a left that Pettis also avoids with ease.
Pettis misses with a hook. Tanaka ducked under it nicely.

Pettis gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Pettis fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A nice left hand lands by Pettis.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Pettis.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pettis lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tanaka backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pettis.
Pettis tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tanaka is trying to break the clinch but Pettis has him pressed against the cage.
Pettis tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pettis lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Pettis as Tanaka tries to tie him up.
Tanaka blocks an uppercut.
Pettis tries a body shot but Tanaka blocks it.
Pettis swings wildly with an uppercut but Tanaka uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pettis fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pettis swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pettis throws a head punch that misses.
Pettis misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pettis tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Pettis lands a body punch.
Pettis swings wildly with an uppercut but Tanaka uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pettis goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tanaka blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A hook to the body from Pettis.
Pettis misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tanaka wants to stall.
Tanaka takes a shot to the head.
Pettis swings wildly with an uppercut but Tanaka uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice body punch from Pettis - that landed with a thud.
Pettis lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pettis lands a nice uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pettis fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pettis.
Pettis lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tanaka backwards.
Pettis lands a hook that snaps the head of Tanaka backwards.
Pettis swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pettis misses with a punch on the inside.
Pettis lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Pettis scores with a shot to the side of Tanaka's head.
Pettis misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pettis pushes Tanaka back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Pettis misses with a punch on the inside.
Pettis misses with the head strike.
Pettis misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Pettis misses with the head strike.
Pettis has a couple of punches blocked by Tanaka.
Tanaka blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pettis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Pettis lands with a left to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pettis working aggressively here.
Pettis managing to block the knees to the body from Tanaka.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Pettis.
Pettis doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Pettis tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Pettis dominated that round.
That's time! Tanaka's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Tanaka misses with a double jab.
Tanaka displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Pettis misses with a looping left.
Tanaka is looking for a counter combo.
Tanaka looks to land a combination but Pettis avoids it well.
A big right from Pettis misses.
Tanaka is looking for a counter combo.
A combination from Tanaka does no damage.
A telegraphed right hand from Pettis misses the target.
Tanaka appears to be looking for a big counter.
Hiro Tanaka seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pettis works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Pettis connects with a crisp jab.
Tanaka misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Oooooh!!! Tanaka has knocked Pettis down with a huge combo! Tanaka steps away and waves a wobbly Pettis back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Pettis is rocked!
Tanaka moves away from the strike by Pettis.
Pettis is still on wobbly legs! Can Tanaka finish him?
Pettis lands an uppercut out of nowhere! Tanaka falls backwards - clearly groggy! Pettis dives in and finishes the fight with more strikes for a TKO finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:40 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anthony Pettis!
During a confident post fight interview, Anthony Pettis thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.