PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight kickboxing rules bout between Jayson Tatum (ranked 20796 p4p, 21335 weight class) and Connor McDavid (ranked 637 p4p, 692 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Tatum
vs
McDavid

203 cm
32
209
20 - 11 - 0

185 cm
33
225
15 - 10 - 1

World class MT
Cardio machine

World class MT
Granite chin

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 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jayson Tatum!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Connor McDavid!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Nard Betker and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McDavid blocks a jab.
Tatum uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McDavid.
McDavid lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
McDavid dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Tatum connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
McDavid looks to land a right hand but Tatum moved out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Tatum on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Connor McDavid seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McDavid tries to close the distance and clinch but Tatum swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
McDavid pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tatum was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A jab from McDavid misses.
Tatum went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Tatum uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from McDavid.
McDavid fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tatum looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tatum on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Tatum scores with a hook.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tatum.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McDavid throws a head kick that misses.
McDavid scores with the left hand. Tatum knows he should have avoided that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatum misses with a body kick.
Tatum has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from McDavid finds it's way round the side to connect with Tatum's head.
Tatum tries to land a leg kick but McDavid saw it coming and moves away.
Tatum throws a head kick but McDavid moves out of range.
Tatum misses with a hook

and McDavid counters by moving into the clinch.
Tatum looking to slow down the pace here.
McDavid lands a left hand.
A battle for position here, against the ropes.
McDavid working aggressively here.
Tatum lands with a short shot to the head.
Tatum lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tatum blocks an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McDavid tries to throw a body punch but Tatum avoids it by throwing McDavid back against the ropes.
Tatum is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but McDavid is keeping busy.
Tatum blocks an uppercut.
McDavid swings wildly with an uppercut but Tatum uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tatum misses with a hook to the ribs.
A shot in the inside from McDavid.
McDavid is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tatum is defending well for now.
McDavid working aggressively here.
McDavid misses with a punch on the inside.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
McDavid swings away with an uppercut that misses.
McDavid misses with a shot to the kidneys.
McDavid working aggressively here.
A shot in the inside from McDavid.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Connor McDavid dominated that round.
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.

Tatum ducks under a wild hook from McDavid.
Tatum misses with a body kick.
McDavid looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tatum tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tatum scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tatum cracks McDavid with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Tatum has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from McDavid.
McDavid rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tatum counters with a nice low kick that buckles McDavid's knee momentarily.
McDavid keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A jab from McDavid misses.
Tatum jabs McDavid right on the nose. McDavid blinks but takes it well.
A low kick lands for Tatum.
McDavid defending well as Tatum loads up on a big left hand.
Tatum keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from McDavid.
Tatum lands a jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McDavid ducks under a wild hook from Tatum.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts McDavid, as that shot connected.
Tatum is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
McDavid looks to throw the jab but Tatum is out of range.
Tatum was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
McDavid digs a good body shot into Tatum's ribs.
Tatum uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McDavid.
McDavid throws an off balance right hand
and Tatum counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tatum thows a left - swing and a miss!
McDavid lands with a hook. Tatum tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Tatum throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
McDavid jabs Tatum right on the nose. Tatum blinks but takes it well.
Tatum throws a wild body kick that McDavid sees coming a mile off.
McDavid tries to work over Tatum's front leg with a kick but Tatum checks it.
McDavid slips a jab from Tatum.
Jab by McDavid.
McDavid is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tatum.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McDavid throws a body punch but Tatum moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tatum uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McDavid.
A head kick from Tatum lands but McDavid takes it in his stride.
A swing and a miss from Tatum.
Tatum throws a right hand that McDavid ducks under and follows up with a left that McDavid also avoids with ease.
McDavid looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Tatum misses with a looping right.
Tatum loads up on a big right hand but McDavid slips the punch.
Donk. Tatum catches McDavid right on the button with a cross.
Tatum jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tatum slips a straight right by McDavid.
Tatum lands with a nice body kick.
McDavid misses with a hook
and Tatum counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. McDavid is lucky that one didn't land flush.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McDavid attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
McDavid sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jayson Tatum dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

McDavid throws a hook to the side of Tatum's head but Tatum sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
McDavid scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tatum throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
McDavid scores with a body shot.
Tatum jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
McDavid looks to land a right hand but Tatum moved out of range.
Tatum appears to be looking for a big counter.
Tatum ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
McDavid throws a nice inside leg kick.
A telegraphed right hand from McDavid misses the target.
McDavid ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tatum moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McDavid misses with an uppercut.
Nice uppercut there from McDavid.
McDavid missing with a left hand there. Tatum was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tatum misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McDavid blocks a jab.
McDavid thuds a left hand into Tatum's body.
Tatum throws a low kick, looking for McDavid's leg but McDavid calmly moves out of range.
McDavid will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
McDavid throws a right and a left that both miss.
McDavid dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Tatum. That did some damage!
Connor McDavid seems to be getting the better of the standup.
McDavid lands a head kick. Tatum smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

It looks like Jayson Tatum has been cut.
McDavid throws a right hand that misses
and Tatum counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
McDavid swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tatum defending well as McDavid loads up on a big left hand.
Tatum misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McDavid.
McDavid misses with a kick to the body.
Tatum throws a quick counter head kick but McDavid was just out of range.
Tatum missing with a left hand there. McDavid was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatum displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as McDavid throws out the jab.
McDavid is looking to score with low kicks.
McDavid misses the shot to the body.
McDavid misses with a right hand
and Tatum counters with a series of strikes. McDavid will be more careful next time no doubt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tatum misses with an uppercut.
McDavid throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tatum counters with a good low kick that McDavid was not able to check.
Tatum tries to work over McDavid's front leg with a kick but McDavid checks it.
McDavid misses with a looping right.
Tatum throws a front kick that sends McDavid stumbling back into the ropes.
Tatum lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but McDavid circles away quickly and effectively.
McDavid uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tatum.
McDavid looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tatum slips under a jab from McDavid.
Connor McDavid is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McDavid throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tatum uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McDavid.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Connor McDavid.
I think McDavid has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Connor McDavid!
A very excited looking Connor McDavid made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.