PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Boyce Larson (ranked 8343 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tama Tonga (ranked 9259 p4p, 0 weight class). Tonga has chosen Lockjaw 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.

Larson
vs
Tonga

151 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
185 lbs
1 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Enjoys gardening

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Boyce Larson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tama Tonga !
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Valeri Chadov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Larson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Tonga pulls guard successfully.
Tonga is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Larson is controlling him.
Tonga looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Larson wants to control from the top but Tonga keeps moving.
Tonga trying to control the position here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Larson wants to get up but he can't break Tonga 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Larson got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tonga has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Larson has managed to get both his arms back between Tonga 's legs - danger averted.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Larson trying to control the position from guard on top but Tonga is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Larson stuffs the takedown.

Tonga has managed to clinch.

Tonga pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Larson gets a takedown into half guard.
Larson tries to stand and escape but Tonga is controlling the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonga wants to get back to full guard.
Tonga trying to control from the bottom.

Larson stands up out of the half guard.

Tonga changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Larson looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Larson tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Larson might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Larson can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larson looking for a sweep but Tonga has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Larson wants to hold on but Tonga pushes him away.
Tonga trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Larson tries to reverse the position but Tonga maintains control.
Larson tries to lock up and control but Tonga gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Larson is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Tonga avoids the attempt from Larson to control.
Tonga looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonga working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Tonga controlling the position easily from mount.
Tonga putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Larson working to try and regain half guard.
Tonga controlling the pace for now.
Larson is trying desperately to improve position.
Larson could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larson tries to hold on but Tonga postures up.
Larson is breathing heavily.
Tonga controlling the position easily from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tama Tonga dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tonga has Larson up against the cage in a clinch.

Tonga turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Tonga manages to end up in side control.

Larson sneaks out the side door and pushes Tonga away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Larson tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Tonga defends well and Larson ends up having to push Tonga into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

Tonga clinches with his opponent.
Tonga tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tonga has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Larson prevents the takedown attempt.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Larson prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonga is pressed up against the cage. Larson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Tonga down to the mat. Tonga avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Larson shoots for a takedown but Tonga saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Boyce Larson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tonga has taken the fight to the clinch.
Larson tries to pull guard but Tonga forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Larson working hard to break the clinch.

Tonga breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sloppy strikes from Tonga . Those never looked like landing.

Tonga shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Larson is trying to defend but Tonga finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Tonga takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonga tries to stand but can't do so whilst Larson controls his leg.
Tonga takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Larson is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Tonga jumps into side control!
Tonga tries to stand but Larson is controlling his head.
Larson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Larson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tonga pulls his head out easily.
Tonga is controlling the pace.
Tonga is nestled in close to Larson, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonga lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Tonga is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Larson looking for submissions off his back.
Larson trying to hold on to Tonga 's head to control him but Tonga postures up.

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.
Tonga is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Tama Tonga has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tonga works his way into full mount!
Tonga tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Tonga avoids the attempt from Larson to control.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Tonga cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Larson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Larson is bucking up trying to escape but Tonga cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Tonga sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tama Tonga showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Larson is looking to clinch but Tonga is avoiding it.
Tonga shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Larson as he jumps to the side.
Larson misses with a wild body shot.
A shot to the body from Larson misses
and Tonga counters with a one-two to the body.
Larson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tonga tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonga lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Tonga lands with a right that hurts Larson. Larson looks to clinch but Tonga throws a short knee that drops Larson. This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punch and Knee). Tama Tonga !
Tama Tonga was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.