PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Taneyev (ranked 18 p4p, 123 weight class) and Oliver Lancaster (ranked 4 p4p, 23 weight class). Oliver Lancaster has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Taneyev
vs
Lancaster

186 cm
27
209
15 - 4 - 0

188 cm
27
220
18 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Core Combat
Conviction

SynCity Fightwear
Core Combat

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Valentin Taneyev!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Oliver Lancaster!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lancaster lands a body shot.
Valentin Taneyev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lancaster clinches up against the cage.
Lancaster tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Taneyev blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Lancaster misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lancaster struggles to land a body shot inside as Taneyev controls his hands.

Lancaster drags the fight down to the ground.
Lancaster is controlling Taneyev's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taneyev tries to stand but Lancaster is controlling from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taneyev sizes up Lancaster with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Taneyev has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Randall's Top Team in the buildup to the fight.
Taneyev walks into a jab.
Taneyev tries to clinch but Lancaster is having none of it.
Jab by Lancaster.
Taneyev jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Taneyev misses with a wild body shot.
Lancaster lands with a hook. Taneyev tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Taneyev throws a right and a left that Lancaster avoids nicely.
Lancaster sizes up Taneyev with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Taneyev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lancaster counters with a lovely shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taneyev throws a shot from downtown. Lancaster moves away and avoids it.
Lancaster looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Lancaster is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Taneyev.
Taneyev is looking to counter punch.
Lancaster takes a swing at Taneyev's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lancaster misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taneyev.
Taneyev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taneyev avoids the body shot from Lancaster.
A jab from Lancaster does it's job there.
Taneyev throws a sloppy head kick and Lancaster moves out of range easily.
Taneyev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lancaster.
Jab, jab by Taneyev - just one landing.
Decent striking displayed by Taneyev there.
Lancaster throws out a loose jab but Taneyev uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lancaster lands with an uppercut that bounces Taneyev off the cage and back into range.
Lancaster throws a combination. Taneyev tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Lancaster throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Lancaster takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good standup being displayed there by Taneyev as he connects with a hook.
Lancaster blocks a head kick by Taneyev.
Lancaster lands with a shot to the body.
Taneyev tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
It seemed like Lancaster was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Lancaster misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taneyev.

Taneyev moves into the clinch.
Lancaster misses with some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Taneyev.
Lancaster tries a body shot but Taneyev blocks it.
Taneyev makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Lancaster tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taneyev's elbow.

Taneyev breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lancaster scores with a hook to the body. Taneyev takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Lancaster keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Taneyev.
Taneyev lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

It looks like Oliver Lancaster has been cut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lancaster uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Taneyev.
Taneyev throws a hook but Lancaster avoids it easily.
Lancaster moves out of range as Taneyev strikes.
Taneyev avoids a punch combination nicely.
Taneyev swings for the body but Lancaster moves out of range.
Lancaster moves away from the strike by Taneyev.
Lancaster blocks a head kick by Taneyev.
Lancaster uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Taneyev.
Lancaster wants to counter with a clinch but Taneyev pushes him away.
Lancaster ducks under a wild hook from Taneyev.
Lancaster misses with a wild body shot.
Lancaster loads up on a big right hand but Taneyev slips the punch.

Taneyev has Lancaster up against the cage in a clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Oliver Lancaster will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Oliver Lancaster's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Taneyev, as that shot connected.
Lancaster avoids the body shot from Taneyev.
Taneyev lands with an uppercut that bounces Lancaster off the cage and back into range.
Taneyev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lancaster.
Lancaster bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Taneyev's head.
Taneyev looks to land a right hand but Lancaster moved out of range.
Lancaster looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Lancaster looks to score with a jab to the body but Taneyev is just out of range.

Taneyev closes the distance and clinches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lancaster misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lancaster tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Taneyev's elbow.
Lancaster blocks a body shot from Taneyev.
Lancaster tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lancaster lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lancaster.
Taneyev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lancaster misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taneyev wants to stall.
Taneyev blocks a body shot from Lancaster.
A head punch on the inside from Lancaster fails to land.

Lancaster has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Taneyev uses from the top position.
Lancaster has a closed guard, preventing Taneyev from standing up.
Lancaster is pulling down on Taneyev's head to control his posture.
Taneyev trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lancaster's guard.

Taneyev gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Taneyev connects with a looping right hand.
Taneyev misses with a head kick.
Valentin Taneyev is winning the standup battle so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev throws a looping overhand right but Lancaster ducks down to avoid it.
Lancaster swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Lancaster avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Taneyev uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Lancaster has time to react.
Taneyev throws a looping overhand right but Lancaster ducks down to avoid it.
Lancaster takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Lancaster throws a big overhand right that connects, sending Taneyev tumbling to the canvas!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lancaster stops Taneyev from standing up.

Lancaster decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Lancaster moves out of range of the strikes.
Taneyev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Lancaster avoids the head kick by Taneyev.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Lancaster! But no joy.
A jab from Taneyev misses.
A countering left hand to the body from Lancaster misses.
Taneyev throws an off balance right hand
and Lancaster counters with a huge overhand right that connects right on the temple, sending him crumpling, face first to the floor! This one is all over! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Oliver Lancaster!
Oliver Lancaster is the new light heavyweight champion!