PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tanner Velez (ranked 8300 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maurice King (ranked 4857 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Tanner Velez has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Velez
vs
King

166 cm
24
279 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
24
225 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tanner Velez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Maurice King!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

King scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Velez flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Velez wants to improve his position but King is controlling well.
Velez could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Well, if King is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velez trying to control here.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
King is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Velez moves into the clinch successfully.

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

Velez gets a trip takedown into half guard.
King moves into full guard.
King keeping moving, preventing Velez from controlling successfully.
King is trying to keep Velez in close.

King looking for a guillotine here but Velez defends easily.
Velez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velez lands a couple of digs.
King wants to sweep here but Velez controlling him for the moment.
King keeping moving, preventing Velez from controlling successfully.

King is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Velez defends well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Velez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
King looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
King thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
King not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
King trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
King keeping moving, preventing Velez from controlling successfully.
King bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Velez's guard.

King working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Velez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Velez looking to hit a scissor sweep but King is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Maurice King will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

King fails to land with a series of punches.
It looked like Velez was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Velez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in King's half guard.
King wants to improve his position but Velez is controlling well.
King throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King wants to get back to full guard.
Velez is stalling here. King is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Velez seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and King has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
The referee asks King politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. King prefers to stall for the moment though.
Velez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velez is looking for a sweep.
King fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The strikes coming from King are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

King working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
King is breathing heavily.
Velez is looking for a sweep.
King looks up at the clock and then as Velez takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, King smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velez is not content to let King control the position.
Velez tries to escape but King is in control.

King goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Velez has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for King but great work by Velez.
You can see the frustration on King's face as Velez controls the position.

Velez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velez working away.
King is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Velez is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Velez throwing strikes here but King is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
King is trying to escape the mount.
King is trying to stand up.
King tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velez working the ground and pound effectively.
Velez blocks King's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
King is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
King takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
King really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Velez content just to control the position here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tanner Velez dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Velez feints a jab promting King to slip. Velez then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. King slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

King gets a takedown into half guard.
Velez wants to stand back up but King manages to pass into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
King tries to advance position but instead Velez slips a leg back in to half guard.
King performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Velez is looking for a sweep. King is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Velez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
King wants to control from the top but Velez keeps moving.
King takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
King is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

King drops back looking for a leg! Velez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Velez manages to kick King off! King jumps back into Velez's guard.
King trying to control but Velez is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velez looking to hit a scissor sweep but King is one step ahead there.
King looking to pass the guard.
King passes into half guard.

Velez is defending against the submission attempts here by King.

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.
King passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Velez!
Velez's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
King fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
King dominating with strikes here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maurice King comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think King has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maurice King!