PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Tidd (ranked 2451 p4p, 4113 weight class) and Frankie Skinner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Skinner's choice of entrance music: Kanye West . Joe Tidd has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Tidd
vs
Skinner

155 cm
36
149
18 - 13 - 0

175 cm
25
147
3 - 1 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Conquer
Urban Fighter

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Tidd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Frankie Skinner!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tidd drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Skinner tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tidd wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Tidd is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Skinner will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Skinner is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Tidd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skinner keeps working.
Tidd throws an elbow but Skinner slips to the side and avoids it well.
We've been hearing good reports from Tidd's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tidd is looking to take a break and control but Skinner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tidd lands a few punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tidd fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Skinner tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Skinner wants to control but Tidd postures up.
Skinner is trying to get back to half guard.
Tidd wants to control but Skinner is keeping him busy.
Tidd taking a breather here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tidd grinds an elbow into Skinner's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tidd is looking to take a break and control but Skinner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tidd happy to just control the position for now.
Skinner struggling a bit here.
Skinner tries to buck Tidd off but Tidd is having none of it.
Tidd throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tidd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skinner keeps working.
Skinner is looking to reverse the position.
Skinner seems a little lost for a moment, as Tidd dominates the positioning.
Tidd wants to control but Skinner is keeping him busy.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Skinner tries for a takedown but Tidd sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Skinner gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Skinner has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Uncle Nastys Training Shack. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Skinner can't keep his opponent in guard - Tidd advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Tidd is nestled in close to Skinner, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Tidd wants to pass to mount but Skinner is defending the position.
Skinner on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tidd is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Skinner trying to control but Tidd postures up.
Skinner wants to improve his position but Tidd is controlling well.
Tidd controlling the action here.
Skinner is trying to control but can't.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tidd wants to pass the guard but Skinner is defending well.
Tidd is figuring out what he wants to do next.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Tidd dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Skinner lands a jab-cross combination.

Tidd closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tidd lands in his opponent's guard.
Tidd missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tidd tries to free his leg and advance position but Skinner is retaining full guard.
Tidd scoring with punches to the head and body.
Skinner trying to control the position.
Tidd tries to free his leg and advance position but Skinner is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Skinner keeping moving, preventing Tidd from controlling successfully.
Skinner can't keep his opponent in guard - Tidd advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tidd seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Skinner does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tidd missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Tidd wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skinner keeps working.
Tidd 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.
Skinner slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Skinner trying to control the position.
Tidd lands a couple of digs.
Skinner trying to keep a closed guard but Tidd is proving a slippery customer.
Tidd showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

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.
Skinner avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Tidd is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Skinner can do to turn this around?
Tidd passes into half guard.
Tidd lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Skinner avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Tidd.
Skinner wants to control but Tidd is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tidd is trying to control the action in half guard but Skinner is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tidd wants to free his trapped foot but Skinner is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Skinner on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tidd scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Tidd content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Tidd trying to control the action but Skinner is working from the bottom.
Skinner moves into full guard.
Tidd stands and throws Skinner's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Tidd tries to score with some ground and pound. Skinner controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Tidd content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skinner gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Skinner is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tidd's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tidd's back!
Tidd tries to break free.
Skinner throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Joe Tidd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Skinner struggling to keep hold of the position.
Tidd rolls, trying to escape but Skinner keeps control of the position.

Tidd fending off the submission attempt from Skinner.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tidd can't escape the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Tidd 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.

Tidd shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Tidd was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tidd is looking to take a break and control but Skinner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Tidd is trying to get an arm triangle but Skinner is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tidd trying to control the action but Skinner is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tidd fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Tidd in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Tidd scores with punches from side control.
Skinner struggling a bit here.
Tidd is looking to take a break and control but Skinner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tidd taking a breather here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tidd is looking to take a break and control but Skinner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tidd tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tidd trying to control the action but Skinner is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Tidd shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Tidd scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Skinner is staying active underneath Tidd, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tidd is controlling the pace.
Tidd trying to control the action but Skinner is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tidd takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Tidd wants to control but Skinner is keeping him busy.
Tidd controlling the action here.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tidd trying to pass the guard but Skinner defending well.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Tidd showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tidd, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 30:26
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joe Tidd!
Our winner, Joe Tidd, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.