PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mfer Phol (ranked 2581 p4p, 3184 weight class) and Tom Tuttle (ranked 98 p4p, 115 weight class). Tom Tuttle acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Phol
vs
Tuttle

210 cm
24
300
12 - 7 - 0

225 cm
30
300
8 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Mfer Phol!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Tuttle!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Frank Dennis and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tuttle wants to clinch.
Tuttle is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Nice jab there from Tuttle.

It looks like Mfer Phol has been cut.
Phol listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Tuttle fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Phol manages to avoid it.
A slow jab from Phol misses its intended target.
Tuttle throws a head kick but Phol moves out of range.
Phol swings for the body but Tuttle moves out of range.
Tuttle wants to clinch
and Phol counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Phol looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tuttle tries to clinch there but Phol circles away.
Phol swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Tuttle counters with a one-two to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Phol. Tuttle does a little dance to reset his feet.
Phol defending well as Tuttle loads up on a big left hand.
Phol was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Phol avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tuttle rushes Phol and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Tuttle works on Phol's body with a couple of short punches.
Phol's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Tuttle tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Phol's elbow.
Tuttle with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Phol manages to break the clinch.
Tuttle uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Phol.
Phol throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tuttle tries to close the distance and clinch but Phol swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Phol wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Phol lands a nice shot to the body.
Tuttle looks to land a combination but Phol avoids it well.
Tuttle slips a straight right by Phol.
Tuttle closes the distance but Phol moves to the side
and Phol counters with a one-two to the body.

Tuttle fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Phol, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Come on Phol - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Tuttle trying to land knees to the body.
Tuttle misses with a punch to the body.
Phol lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Tuttle or not.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tuttle pushes off an throws an elbow but Phol leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Phol stalling against the cage.
Tuttle goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Phol is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Phol's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Tuttle tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Phol avoids it.
Tuttle struggles to land a body shot inside as Phol controls his hands.
Tuttle misses with an elbow over the top.
Tuttle tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phol leaning against his opponent.
Phol avoiding damage as Tuttle throws knees to the body.
Phol presses Tuttle against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Phol lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tuttle backwards.
Phol stalling against the cage.
Tuttle tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tuttle with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A short right from Phol.
Tuttle trying to land knees to the body.
Phol working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Phol blocks an elbow strike from Tuttle.
Tuttle trying to land knees to the body.
Phol throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Tuttles head.
Tuttle tries to throw a body punch but Phol avoids it by throwing Tuttle back against the cage.
Phol lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Tuttle backwards.
Tuttle pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
The referee calls for Phol to work.
Phol stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuttle digs a right hand into Phol's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Phol's gas tank.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A short left from Phol.
Tuttle throws a head punch that misses.
Tuttle trying to land knees to the body.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Phol.
Phol avoids a wild elbow strike from Tuttle.
Tuttle throws an elbow that misses.
Phol works on Tuttle's body with a couple of short punches.
Phol stalling against the cage.
Tuttle trying to land knees to the body.
Phol takes an elbow to the forehead.
Phol avoids a wild elbow strike from Tuttle.
Phol stalling the fight.
Stalling in the clinch from Phol.
Tuttle misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tuttle misses with a hook to the ribs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mfer Phol will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Mfer Phol's cut.
That's time! Phol's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Phol ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tuttle moves away.
Tuttle throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A punch lands to the side of Tuttle 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Phol throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tuttle counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Phol swats away the attempt to clinch by Tuttle.
Phol lands a jab to the nose.
A cross from Phol lands.
Phol swats away the attempt to clinch by Tuttle.
Tom Tuttle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Phol keeps the fight on the outside.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tuttle avoids the body shot from Phol.
Tuttle tries to close the distance and clinch up but Phol swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tuttle walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Phol connects with a jab.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tuttle creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Phol has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuttle tries a body shot but Phol blocks it.
Phol leaning against his opponent.
Phol managing to block the knees to the body from Tuttle.
Tuttle throws an elbow that misses.
Tuttle misses with a body punch.
Phol misses with a hook from the clinch.
Tuttle tries a body shot but Phol blocks it.
Tuttle misses with a punch to the body.
Phol will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Tuttle up against the cage.
Phol avoiding damage.
Phol stalls.
Phol blocks an elbow strike.
The referee is keeping an eye on Phol - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Tuttle lands a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuttle lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Phol.
Tuttle doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tuttle tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tuttle misses with a short punch on the inside.
Phol slows down the pace here.
Phol takes an elbow to the forehead.
Phol displaying some good clinch control by pressing Tuttle up against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Mfer Phol.
Phol scores with a one two! Tuttle had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Phol gets tackled into the cage by Tuttle. Tuttle maintains the clinch.
Phol working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Phol is pushing Tuttle up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Tuttle tries a knee to the head but Phol blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuttle throws an elbow but it misses.
Tuttle tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tuttle throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Phol is pushing Tuttle up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Tuttle misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tuttle creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Phol lands with a light punch inside.
Phol cracks Tuttle with a nice body shot.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Phol.
Phol stalling.
Phol lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Tuttle misses with some punches.
Tom Tuttle seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Phol scores with a nice hook to the head.
Phol avoiding damage as Tuttle throws knees to the body.
Tuttle creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuttle throws an elbow but it misses.
Tuttle tries to work over Phol's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Phol taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Phol lands a body punch.
Tuttle is breathing heavily.
Phol lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Phol on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
A short left from Phol.
Tuttle misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Phol.
Tuttle lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
A short left from Phol.
Phol pressing his opponent against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Phol creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Phol scores with an uppercut up the middle.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mfer Phol dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mfer Phol's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Phol lands a two punch combo.

Tuttle has Phol up against the cage in a clinch.
Phol lands with a left to the head.
Tuttle tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Phol's elbow.
A right handed body shot lands from Phol.
Phol lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Phol lands a left hand.
Phol stalling against the cage.
A short right from Phol.
Tuttle looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Phol lands with a right to the head.
Tuttle takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A short body shot lands from Phol as the two fighters clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Phol slows down the pace here.
Phol digs a right hand into Tuttle's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Tuttle's gas tank.
Phol displaying some good clinch control by pressing Tuttle up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phol stalls.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Phol for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
Phol content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Phol gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
The referee is keeping an eye on Phol - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Mfer Phol.
Tuttle misses with a wild combination.
Tuttle tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Phol counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Phol instigates a clinch.
Phol lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Phol lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tuttle backwards.
Phol scores with a nice hook to the head.

Tuttle is rocked!
Phol is pushing Tuttle up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Tuttle is still on wobbly legs! Can Phol finish him?
Phol lands a big right hand that drops Tuttle! The killer instinct kicks in and Phol finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Phol!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mfer Phol!
During a confident post fight interview, Mfer Phol thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.