PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Har Ambe (ranked 731 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Tucker (ranked 1656 p4p, 0 weight class). Ambe's entrance music is Rittz - For Real. A fine choice. Tucker has chosen Ace of Spades 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.

Ambe
vs
Tucker

169 cm
26
142 lbs
10 - 2 - 0

169 cm
26
150 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Experienced

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Har Ambe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Tucker!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Bart Greer and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tucker tries to clinch up but Ambe circles away and keeps his distance.
As Tucker backs away, Ambe returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Ambe, as that shot connected.
Ambe jabs Tucker right on the nose. Tucker blinks but takes it well.
Tucker throws a solid leg kick but Ambe takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Tucker.
Ambe ducks under a wild hook from Tucker.
Tucker fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ambe darts in looking for a takedown but Tucker gets double underhooks and turns Ambe into the cage.
Ambe has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Tucker.
Ambe closes the distance and clinches up with Tucker, looking for a takedown. Ambe pushes Tucker against the cage but Tucker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Tucker shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Tucker was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tucker is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Ambe is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Ambe is trying to control Tucker's posture but Tucker avoids it.

Tucker goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Ambe has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Tucker but great work by Ambe.
Ambe throws a strike aimed at the side of Tucker's head but Tucker avoids it well.
Ambe lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Ambe lands some shots froms side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tucker is trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ambe looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Tucker is avoiding damage well.
Ambe creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Ambe controls the position from side control.
Tucker throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Ambe misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Ambe wants to control but Tucker is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee asks Ambe politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Ambe prefers to stall for the moment though.
Tucker tries to strike but it doesn't land.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tucker can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ambe trying to control the position but Tucker is working away.
Tucker is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The strikes coming from Ambe are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Ambe controlling the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tucker wants to control but Ambe postures up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Tucker scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Tucker trying to control the position but Ambe is working away.
Ambe tries to bench press Tucker off him but Tucker keeps the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tucker sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Ambe is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Ambe gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Tucker with the ground and pound but Ambe uses the opportunity to regain guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Har Ambe will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Tucker tries a head kick but it misses.
Tucker tries to clinch but Ambe is having none of it.
Ambe keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ambe throwing a counter right hand but Tucker manages to avoid it.
Ambe misses with a hook.
Ambe darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Ambe throws a hook but Tucker blocks it.
Tucker lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

Tucker breaks the clinch.
Tucker shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ambe defends it nicely.
John Tucker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker throws a sloppy head kick
and Ambe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tucker tries to clinch but Ambe moves out of range.
Ambe connects with a looping right hand.
Tucker fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Har Ambe has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Tucker.
Tucker tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ambe manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ambe misses with a hook.
Tucker tries to clinch but Ambe is having none of it.
Ambe swats away the attempt to clinch by Tucker.
An attempted straight right counter from Ambe misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ambe misses with a straight left.
Ambe is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Tucker misses with a series of wild punches.
Tucker will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
We've been informed that Tucker has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tucker keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ambe.
Tucker wants to counter the offense by Ambe and move into the clinch position.
Tucker on the wrong end of a nice hook.

Tucker scores with a takedown into Ambe's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ambe can't keep his opponent in guard - Tucker advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Tucker is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Ambe on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

Ambe looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Tucker wants to work for an arm triangle but Ambe is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Tucker is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Tucker must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Tucker wants to pass the guard but Ambe is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tucker lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Ambe has a closed guard, preventing Tucker from standing up.

Ambe working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tucker doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tucker manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Ambe is looking for a triangle but Tucker pushes his legs off easily.
Ambe has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Tucker connects with a couple of short punches.
Tucker in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tucker accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Ambe is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Ambe bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tucker's guard.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Har Ambe dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Ambe loads up on a big right hand but Tucker slips the punch.
Ambe waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Tucker.
Ambe connects with the punch.
Tucker slips a jab from Ambe.
A swing and a miss from Ambe.
Tucker unleashes a big counter combination but Ambe bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Tucker misses with an attempted mid kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ambe fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tucker on the side of the head.
Ambe displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tucker.
A little feinted left hand from Ambe on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker tries to clinch but Ambe moves out of range.
Ambe throws a looping overhand right but Tucker ducks down to avoid it.
Ambe chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tucker can pounce on him.

Tucker clinches.
Tucker is trying to maintain a safe position but Ambe gets an underhook and turns Tucker into the cage.
Ambe swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ambe misses with a punch on the inside.
Ambe blocks an elbow strike.
Ambe lands with a right to the head.
Tucker wants to take the fight to the mat but Ambe manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Tucker tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Ambe misses with a short punch on the inside.

Tucker breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tucker uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Ambe.
Tucker moves out of range of the strikes.
Tucker takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Har Ambe is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sloppy strikes from Tucker. Those never looked like landing.
Ambe clobbers Tucker with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Tucker looks to land a combination but Ambe avoids it well.
It looked like Ambe wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tucker slips a jab from Ambe.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tucker looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Ambe.
Ambe is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tucker can do to turn this around?
Tucker throws a jab when Ambe was well out of range.
Tucker misses with a head kick.
Tucker doesn't manage to clinch there - Ambe circles away.
Ambe pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ambe looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tucker is fending him off so far but Ambe persists. Nope, Tucker circles away and we're back to standing.
Ambe throws a lazy right hand but Tucker sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tucker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tucker wants to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
John Tucker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tucker tries to work over Ambe's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tucker tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Tucker misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Ambe.

And that's the end of the fight!
Har Ambe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ambe, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight for Har Ambe!
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight for Har Ambe!
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight for Har Ambe!

Har Ambe wins by unanimous decision!
Har Ambe bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.