PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Benjamin Kueller (ranked 1934 p4p, 82 weight class) and Mukinio Tambua (ranked 1065 p4p, 47 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kueller
vs
Tambua

201 cm
24
265 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

196 cm
25
265 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Benjamin Kueller!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mukinio Tambua!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Columbo Gatti and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kueller will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tambua fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Kueller avoids it really well and circles away.
Benjamin Kueller seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice uppercut there from Tambua.
Kueller throws the kick towards the body but Tambua avoids it.
Tambua darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Kueller doesn't manage to clinch there - Tambua circles away.
Kueller throws a head kick but Tambua moves out of range.
Tambua moves out of range of the strikes.
Tambua lands with a cross.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kueller thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tambua if he has to take too many more of those.
Kueller takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Kueller looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Kueller takes a swing at Tambua's ribcage but misses.

Kueller shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Tambua is trying to defend but Kueller finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tambua trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tambua is looking for a sweep. Kueller is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tambua gets full guard.
Tambua looking for a sweep. Not yet Tambua, not yet.
Kueller tries to free his leg and advance position but Tambua is retaining full guard.
Tambua utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kueller with a nice head shot there.
Kueller trying to control but Tambua is working from the bottom.
Tambua is looking to sweep but instead, Kueller has passed into half guard.
Tambua wants to get back to full guard.
Kueller lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Kueller connects with a nice short shot to Tambua's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kueller is trying to control. Tambua wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Tambua is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tambua is not content to let Kueller control the position.
Tambua is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tambua wants to control but Kueller is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tambua moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Kueller postures up and lands a big shot to Tambua's brow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tambua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kueller is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kueller keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tambua's head.
Tambua tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Kueller slips nicely into half guard.
Tambua wants to improve his position but Kueller is controlling well.
Kueller looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Tambua with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Tambua is trying to get back to full guard.
Kueller wants to free his trapped foot but Tambua is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kueller working Tambua over with strikes.
Tambua trying to hold on to Kueller's head to control him but Kueller postures up.
Kueller frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kueller lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Tambua hang on?
Tambua sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Tambua is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Kueller's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Kueller's back!
Kueller wants to escape the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Tambua working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Tambua has the hooks in. Kueller is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Tambua is persistently looking for the submission but Kueller is defending it well.
Tambua keeps control of the position as Kueller tries to break free.
Tambua avoiding Kueller 's attempts to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benjamin Kueller dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tambua throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Kueller was covering up waiting for the punch and Tambua finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Tambua postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kueller is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Tambua, into his guard.

Kueller is in close to Tambua's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Tambua wants to sweep here but Kueller controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kueller advances position into side control!
Kueller trying to control the action but Tambua is working from the bottom.
Tambua is trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tambua regains half guard.
Kueller is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Tambua tries to get to full guard but Kueller has control of the leg.
Benjamin Kueller overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Kueller is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Tambua tries to get to full guard but Kueller has control of the leg.
Kueller trying to control from half guard but Tambua is working away.
Tambua has hold of Kueller's hands but Kueller slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tambua is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kueller working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tambua is looking for a sweep. Kueller is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kueller working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tambua gets back to full guard.
Kueller is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Tambua doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Kueller advances position into side control!
Tambua tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Kueller presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kueller tries to control but Tambua wriggling away.
Kueller is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tambua can do to turn this around?
Kueller looking to finish Tambua with some ground and pound. This is bad for Tambua!
Kueller lands a nice shot to the head.
Tambua is trying to escape the mount.
Kueller lands a big shot there that rocks Tambua but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

It looks like Mukinio Tambua has been cut.
Kueller raining down hammerfists from mount.
Kueller fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Tambua gets back to half guard.
Tambua moves into full guard.
Kueller is working Tambua over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kueller pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tambua is keeping the position for now.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Kueller passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Kueller cracks Tambua with a big right hand but Tambua just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Kueller tries to advance to mount but Tambua denies him.
Kueller is working hard here to advance position.
Tambua tries to bench press Kueller off him but Kueller keeps the position.
Kueller trying to control the action but Tambua is working from the bottom.
Tambua regains half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benjamin Kueller dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mukinio Tambua's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. 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.

Kueller tries to clinch up.
Tambua throws a right and a left that both miss.
Kueller walks into a left hand.
A head kick misses from Kueller.
Tambua scores with the left hand. Kueller knows he should have avoided that one.
Kueller throws a sloppy head kick and Tambua moves out of range easily.

Tambua looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Tambua is working for a kimura but Kueller is defending it quite comfortably.
Kueller manages to get to full guard.
Tambua throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kueller looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tambua is one step ahead there.
Tambua is looking to work some ground and pound but Kueller has wrist control.
Tambua throws a strike but Kueller rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Kueller chips away with some ground and pound.
Kueller postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Kueller preventing the sweep.
Tambua doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Tambua wants to sweep but no luck.
Tambua bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Kueller's guard.

Kueller is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tambua got a little sloppy there for a moment and Kueller has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tambua has managed to get both his arms back between Kueller's legs - danger averted.
Kueller controls Tambua momentarily but Tambua frees himself.
Tambua throwing strikes but missing.
Tambua throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kueller works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Tambua throws a big right hand that misses.
Tambua sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Kueller's guard.
Tambua thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Mukinio Tambua has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tambua prevents Kueller from improving his position.
Tambua not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kueller actively working from the bottom here.
Tambua lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Kueller is looking to improve his position.
Kueller manages to get to full guard.

Kueller had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Tambua defends it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tambua with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tambua throwing strikes from guard but Kueller blocks nicely.
Tambua working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Kueller has his foot on Tambua's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tambua works his way back into a safe position though.
Tambua is looking to work some ground and pound but Kueller has wrist control.
Kueller utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tambua throwing strikes but missing.
Tambua is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Benjamin Kueller is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kueller looking for a sweep. Not yet Kueller, not yet.

Tambua is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Tambua working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mukinio Tambua comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kueller has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Benjamin Kueller!
An out of breath Benjamin Kueller thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.