PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Oleg Liguy (ranked 20505 p4p, 649 weight class) and Edward Tonu (ranked 5585 p4p, 525 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Liguy
vs
Tonu

170 cm
38
185 lbs
12 - 21 - 0

182 cm
28
185 lbs
8 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Good chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 12 - 21 - 0, fighting out of New York, Oleg Liguy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Edward Tonu!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Robert Twigg and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tonu throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Liguy was covering up waiting for the punch and Tonu finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tonu looking to pass the guard.

Liguy is working an open guard so Tonu takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Tonu shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Liguy is trying to defend but Tonu finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Tonu looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tonu is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Liguy has managed to free his arm - good work.
Liguy is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonu trying to mount his opponent but Liguy defends it.
Tonu content to control rather than advance.
Tonu is looking to advance position but Liguy won't allow it.

Tonu is looking for a kimura but Liguy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tonu to get the leverage.
Tonu throwing shots but Liguy is blocking nicely.

Tonu is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Tonu is looking to advance position but Liguy won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tonu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Liguy keeps working.
Liguy is looking to escape.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Tonu seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Liguy fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Liguy throws a hook to the side of Tonu's head but Tonu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Liguy drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tonu is pulling down on Liguy's head. It's preventing any offense from Liguy, at least for the moment.
Tonu is trying to keep Liguy in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liguy works over Tonu with some ground and pound from guard.
Tonu wants to sweep here but Liguy controlling him for the moment.
Liguy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Liguy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tonu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Liguy throwing strikes from guard but Tonu blocks nicely.
Liguy throws a big elbow that misses.
Tonu pulls Liguy in close to his closed guard and prevents Liguy from doing any damage or advancing position.
Tonu looking to control but Liguy passes into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liguy stops Tonu from getting back to his feet.
Liguy 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.
Liguy seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tonu does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Liguy lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Liguy is trying to control the action in half guard but Tonu is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tonu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tonu taking some punishment here, with Liguy in his half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tonu wants to improve his position but Liguy is controlling well.
Tonu preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Edward Tonu will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tonu gets the takedown into side control.

Liguy throws Tonu to one side and escapes!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Liguy enables Tonu to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Liguy manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Tonu wants to pass the guard but Liguy is keeping the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Liguy is pulling down on Tonu's head. It's preventing any offense from Tonu, at least for the moment.
Tonu wants to control from the top but Liguy keeps moving.
Tonu sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Liguy's guard.
Tonu is looking to take a break and control but Liguy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liguy is looking for a sweep. Tonu is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Liguy is defending against the submission attempts here by Tonu.
Tonu throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tonu is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Tonu trying to control the position from guard on top but Liguy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tonu preventing the sweep.
Tonu must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Liguy can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tonu controls the pace.
Liguy keeping moving, preventing Tonu from controlling successfully.
Tonu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Liguy looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Tonu looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tonu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tonu working a defensive guard here.
Tonu working a defensive guard but Liguy manages to pass into side control anyway.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liguy connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Tonu some visible discomfort.
Oleg Liguy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tonu can't do much from the bottom here.
Tonu is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Liguy looks up at the clock and then as Tonu takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Liguy smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Liguy cracks Tonu with a big elbow.
Liguy misses with the ground and pound.
Liguy is working Tonu over with some ground and pound from side control.
Liguy working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Liguy advances nicely into full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonu tries to hold on but Liguy pushes him away.
Tonu can't escape the position.
Tonu holds on for dear life, controlling Liguy's posture momentarily.
Tonu tries to hold on but Liguy pushes him away.
Liguy trying to control but Tonu is having none of it.
Tonu regains half guard.
Tonu wants to improve his position but Liguy is controlling well.
Tonu taking some punishment here, with Liguy in his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oleg Liguy dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! 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.

Liguy tries to sprawl but Tonu drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Tonu tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Liguy.
Tonu trying to control the action but Liguy is working from the bottom.
Tonu content to control rather than advance.
Liguy is not content to let Tonu control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tonu is looking for a kimura but Liguy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tonu to get the leverage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonu wants to free his trapped foot but Liguy is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Tonu shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Liguy's guard.
Liguy wants to sweep but no luck.
Tonu looking to pass the guard.
Tonu trying to control but Liguy is working from the bottom.
Tonu is looking to advance position but Liguy has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Tonu is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonu is bucking up trying to escape but Liguy cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Liguy postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Tonu looks a forlorn figure.
Liguy punishing his opponent with strikes.

Liguy is working for a guillotine from mount but Tonu frees his head quite easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Liguy prevents Tonu from getting the reversal.
Liguy with the ground and pound from mount.

Tonu is rocked!
Liguy landing strikes, looking to finish!
Tonu is still in real trouble! Can Liguy finish him?
A big strike lands for Liguy! That's really hurt Tonu and he's turned his back - Liguy keeps firing away and the ref dives in to stop the fight! Liguy jumps to his feet to celebrate the victory!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Oleg Liguy!