PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Morgan Schwartz (ranked 6196 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tama Tonga (ranked 6919 p4p, 0 weight class). Tonga comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Lockjaw kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! 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.

Schwartz
vs
Tonga

188 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
185 lbs
4 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 St Petersburg, Morgan Schwartz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tama Tonga !
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Schwartz tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Tonga manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Schwartz tries to close the distance and clinch but Tonga swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Schwartz fails with a takedown attempt.

Schwartz gets caught flat footed, as Tonga shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Schwartz tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tonga works over Schwartz with some ground and pound from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tonga is pushing down on Schwartz's leg trying to pass to half guard. Schwartz is fighting to maintain full guard but Tonga has managed to sneak the leg through.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Schwartz is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tonga 's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tonga 's back!

Schwartz is persistently looking for the submission but Tonga is defending it well.
Tonga is trapped and Schwartz is scoring with shots to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonga is trying to stand back up.
Tonga is trying to break free.
Tonga just trying to survive but Schwartz is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Tonga is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Tonga tries to break free.
Tonga manages to reverse the position and now he's in Schwartz's guard. Nice work there by Tonga .
Schwartz is looking to stand up but Tonga isn't so interested in that idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tonga stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Tonga shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Schwartz 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 is taking a breather. Schwartz says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Tonga drops an elbow to the side of Schwartz's head.
Tonga content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Schwartz is trying to maintain the position but Tonga is very close to passing his half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schwartz is in trouble now - Tonga has advanced to mount!
Tonga manages to capitalize on a mistake by Schwartz to take his back!
What can Schwartz do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schwartz tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Schwartz wants to control but Tonga is having none of it.
Tonga tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Schwartz is desperately trying to improve his position but Tonga has a good base and remains in mount.
Tonga unloading with bombs!

Tonga goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Schwartz is on top in guard.
Tonga wants to improve his position but instead Schwartz has moved into half guard.
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.

Schwartz misses with a takedown attempt

and Tonga moves into the clinch.
Schwartz is trying to break the clinch but Tonga has him pressed against the cage.
Schwartz tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Tonga smiles and moves away.
Tonga avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Schwartz gets caught napping as Tonga dives in and scores a takedown. Schwartz manages to retain guard.

Schwartz had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tonga defends it easily.
Tonga wants to stand but Schwartz is controlling his posture from full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schwartz is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Tonga dives into side control.
Tama Tonga has got the better of the ground game so far.
Schwartz is looking to reverse the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tonga remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Tonga 's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Tonga tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
The referee asks Tonga politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tonga prefers to stall for the moment though.

Tonga is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Schwartz is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Tonga tries to stand but Schwartz is controlling his head.
Schwartz tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tonga wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tonga decides to stand back up.
Schwartz doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Tonga counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Morgan Schwartz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tonga advances position into side control!
Tonga scores with a couple of short elbows.
Tonga wants to stand but Schwartz has his arm trapped.

Tonga tries for a kimura but Schwartz is defending well.
Tonga moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonga has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Schwartz is looking to improve his position but Tonga isn't that keen on the idea.
Tonga takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tonga in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
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.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Tonga looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Schwartz!
Schwartz can't do much from the bottom here.
Schwartz is letting Tonga control him for a moment.
Tonga trying to control the action but Schwartz is working from the bottom.
Tonga has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tonga content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Schwartz regains half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonga slows the pace down in half guard.
Tonga scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Tonga trying to pass the guard but Schwartz defending well.
Tonga takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Schwartz is looking to control Tonga 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Schwartz avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Schwartz kicks off Tonga and gets to his feet.

Tonga moves into the clinch.

Tonga manages to pull guard.
Tonga is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Schwartz got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tonga has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Schwartz has managed to get both his arms back between Tonga 's legs - danger averted.
Schwartz throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Schwartz stands and steps away. Tonga gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Tonga drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tonga not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

Schwartz is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tonga defends well.
Tonga stops Schwartz from standing up.
Schwartz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonga is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Tonga won't allow Schwartz to sweep him here.
Tonga pushing down on Schwartz's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Tonga is controlling the pace.

Tonga decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Morgan Schwartz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tama Tonga is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Tonga drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tama Tonga comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tonga has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tama Tonga !
Tama Tonga decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.