PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mara Tantor (ranked 1067 p4p, 1263 weight class) and Tama Ruiha (ranked 157 p4p, 189 weight class). Ruiha has chosen Polynesian Traditional Music as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Tantor
vs
Ruiha

196 cm
24
212
4 - 0 - 0

180 cm
26
205
7 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Beachside Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mara Tantor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tama Ruiha!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Daniel Franklin and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Tantor. Ruiha does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tantor lands a really nice looking cross but Ruiha seems unphased.
Tantor connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Ruiha's hands.

It looks like Tama Ruiha has been cut.
Ruiha missing with a left hand there. Tantor was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tantor scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tantor staying out of range there.
Tantor missing with a left hand there. Ruiha was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tantor lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Ruiha at a distance.
Tantor throws a right hand that misses
enabling Ruiha to counter with a crisp jab.
Tantor looks to land a left hand but Ruiha moved out of range nicely.
Tantor swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ruiha pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
A swing and a miss from Ruiha.
Ruiha throws a right hand that misses
and Tantor counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tantor throws a good cross that connects.
Tantor moves out of range as Ruiha strikes.
Tantor appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Ruiha has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Ruiha scores with a nice head shot.
Tantor pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tantor throws out a powerful jab.
Tantor avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Ruiha takes a swing at Tantor's ribcage but misses.
Ruiha throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Tantor stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tantor. Ruiha does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tantor looks to score with a jab to the body but Ruiha is just out of range.

Ruiha has Tantor up against the cage in a clinch.
Ruiha lands a shoulder strike.
Ruiha working aggressively here.
Ruiha swings wildly with an uppercut but Tantor uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tantor scores with a shot to the side of Ruiha's head.
Ruiha prevents a body shot from Tantor.
Tantor blocks an uppercut.
Good body shot from Ruiha.
Come on Tantor - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Ruiha misses with a punch to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ruiha.
Tantor misses with a hook from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tantor.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Tantor as Ruiha tries to tie him up.
Tantor lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Ruiha backwards.
Ruiha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tantor tries to throw a body punch but Ruiha avoids it by throwing Tantor back against the cage.
Ruiha working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Ruiha has a couple of punches blocked by Tantor.
Ruiha misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A right handed body shot lands from Tantor.
Ruiha lands with a left to the head.
Ruiha works on Tantor's body with a couple of short punches.
Still in the clinch, Tantor scores with a nice short uppercut.
Ruiha misses with the head strike.
Tantor throws a punch but it's blocked by Ruiha.
Tantor misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tantor will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Ruiha up against the cage.
Ruiha has a couple of punches blocked by Tantor.
Ruiha misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tantor lands a hook to the side of the head.
Tantor pushes Ruiha back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Tantor has had enough of the clinch but Ruiha keeps him there for the moment.
Ruiha has a couple of punches blocked by Tantor.
A short right from Tantor.
Tantor misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tantor doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tantor blocks an uppercut.
Ruiha keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Tantor's efforts to push away.
Tantor blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Tantor lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Tantor misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ruiha throws a head punch that misses.
Tantor slows down the pace here.
A short right from Tantor.
Ruiha misses with the head strike.
Ruiha misses with the head strike.
Tantor swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ruiha throws a punch but it's blocked by Tantor.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tantor misses with a punch on the inside.
Tantor lands an uppercut.
Tantor struggles to land a body shot inside as Ruiha controls his hands.
Still in the clinch, Tantor scores with a nice short uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Ruiha fails to land.
Ruiha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tantor throws a head punch that misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tantor.
Ruiha goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tantor lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mara Tantor dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Tama Ruiha's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Ruiha doesn't manage to clinch there - Tantor circles away.
Tantor pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tantor rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ruiha moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tantor throws a lazy uppercut
and Ruiha counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ruiha scores with a hook to the body. Tantor takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Mara Tantor is winning the standup battle so far.
Ruiha throws a series of punches but Tantor moves out of range.
Tantor scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Ruiha ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Ruiha wants to clinch up but Tantor keeps it at a distance.
Tantor keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ruiha.
Tama Ruiha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tantor uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Ruiha has time to react.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruiha lands a glancing blow to the side of Tantor's head.
Ruiha throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tantor moves away from the strike by Ruiha.
Tantor throws a lazy uppercut
and Ruiha counters with a stiff right hand.
Ruiha throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tantor counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ruiha keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tantor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tantor jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A countering left hand to the body from Ruiha misses.
Tantor fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Ruiha pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ruiha misses with a looping left.
Ruiha misses with an uppercut
and Tantor counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tantor throws a hook but Ruiha avoids it easily.
Tantor swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ruiha throws a looping overhand right but Tantor ducks down to avoid it.
A swing and a miss from Tantor.
Tantor throws a right hand that misses
and Ruiha counters with a stiff right hand.
Ruiha throws an off balance right hand
and Tantor counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
A slow jab from Tantor misses its intended target.
Tantor misses the jab.
Tantor stuns Ruiha with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tantor throws a lazy right hand but Ruiha sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tantor fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Tantor is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ruiha can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ruiha throws a lazy right hand but Tantor sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A combination from Ruiha does no damage.
Tantor scores with a shot to the body.
Ruiha tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Tantor manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Tantor scores with a punch to the head.
Tantor darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

That has opened up Tama Ruiha's cut even more.
Ruiha gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Tantor.
Ruiha misses with the combination.
Tantor slips a straight right by Ruiha.
Good exchange - Tantor coming out on top.
Tantor throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tantor feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Ruihas jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Ruiha connects with a looping right hand.
Ruiha misses with a left hand
enabling Tantor to counter with a crisp jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Ruiha. Those never looked like landing.
Tantor throwing a counter right hand but Ruiha manages to avoid it.
Ruiha staying out of range there.
Ruiha dodges the punch combination from Tantor.
Ruiha scores with a nice right hand.
Ruiha might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Ruiha thows a left - swing and a miss!
Ruiha takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Ruiha throws a hook but Tantor blocks it.
Tantor appears to be looking for a big counter.
Ruiha misses with the combination.
Tantor misses with an uppercut. Ruiha saw that one coming.
Ruiha misses with a right hand
and Tantor counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

The cut above Tama Ruiha's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Tantor tests Ruiha's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tantor lands a right hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tantor tries to keep at a distance but Ruiha has taken the fight into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tantor tries to work over Ruiha's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Ruiha slows down the pace here.
Tantor tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ruiha's elbow.
Tantor misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Ruiha misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Tantor fails to land.
Ruiha throws a head punch that misses.
Mara Tantor has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A head punch on the inside from Ruiha fails to land.
A shot in the inside from Tantor.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ruiha working aggressively here.
Ruiha misses with a punch on the inside.
Tantor blocking some punches.
Tantor tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ruiha's elbow.
Ruiha blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mara Tantor dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tama Ruiha'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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ruiha throws a combination that misses
and Tantor counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tantor works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Tantor misses with a looping right.
Ruiha misses with a left hand
and Tantor counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ruiha tries to clinch but Tantor moves out of range.
Jab, jab by Ruiha - just one landing.
Ruiha ducks under a wild hook from Tantor.
Tantor is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Tantor ducks under a wild hook from Ruiha.
Ruiha scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Ruiha scores with a jab to the body.
Tantor throws a series of punches but Ruiha moves out of range.
Ruiha with a hook.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ruiha takes one to the side of the head.
The crowd cheers as Tantor lands an impressive looking overhand right. Ruiha doesn't seem phased though.
Ruiha with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tantor to score with a decent uppercut.

Tama Ruiha's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Tantor misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ruiha.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ruiha tries to move into range but Tantor moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Ruiha tries to clinch
letting Tantor counter with a right hand.
Ruiha slips under a jab.
Tantor keeps the fight on the outside.
Tantor appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Ruiha takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Ruiha missing with a left hand there. Tantor was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tantor throws a hook but Ruiha avoids it easily.
Ruiha swings widly with a right hand
and Tantor counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Tama Ruiha's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Mara Tantor!
During a confident post fight interview, Mara Tantor thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.