PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Saul Tacarante (ranked 1368 p4p, 944 weight class) and Slim Slow (ranked 99 p4p, 69 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Tacarante
vs
Slow

172 cm
24
137
12 - 7 - 0

185 cm
27
135
10 - 15 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Powerful

Conviction

Shadow Realm Apparel
30th Century Beer Store

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Saul Tacarante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 15 - 0, fighting out of New York, Slim Slow!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Lou da Vinci and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tacarante smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Slow misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Slow keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tacarante drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Slow jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Tacarante swats away the attempt to clinch by Slow.
Tacarante uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Slow.
Nice shot lands for Tacarante.
Slow misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tacarante thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tacarante keeps the fight on the outside.
Tacarante misses with an uppercut
and Slow cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Slow darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Slow with a nice cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Slow missing with a left hand there. Tacarante was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tacarante throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Slow has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tacarante gets a double leg takedown into Slow's guard.
Tacarante prevents Slow from getting back to his feet.
Tacarante's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Slow wants to stand up but Tacarante is controlling him.
Tacarante content to stall in guard here.
Slow wants to get back to his feet but Tacarante is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Slow lunges at Tacarante with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Tacarante's hand.
Slow tries to clinch up
and Tacarante counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Slow thinking.

Tacarante gets tackled into the cage by Slow. Slow maintains the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Tacarante scores with a nice short uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Tacarante.
Slow is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A short uppercut from Tacarante.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short left from Slow.

Tacarante manages to pull guard.

Tacarante looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tacarante pulls Slow in close to prevent any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tacarante is trying to control the position but Slow postures up.
Tacarante pulls Slow in close to his closed guard and prevents Slow from doing any damage or advancing position.
Tacarante might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Tacarante working for a triangle but Slow defends it easily.
Slow wants to stand but Tacarante is controlling his posture from full guard.

Slow decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Slow scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tacarante throws a lazy right hand but Slow sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Slow throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tacarante.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tacarante waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Slow.
Donk. Slow catches Tacarante right on the button with a cross.
Slow lands a jab to Tacarante's midsection.
Tacarante misses with a wild body shot.
Tacarante looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A jab from Slow misses.
Tacarante swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Tacarante connects with a body shot that sends Slow's belly button to the back.
Slow with a hook.
Slow misses with a wild combination.
Slow darts in trying to clinch
and Tacarante counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Slow thinking.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Slow tries to clinch there but Tacarante circles away.
Slow is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Slim Slow will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tacarante throws a series of punches but Slow avoids them all with ease.
Slow tries to clinch up.
Tacarante takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Slim Slow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Slow throws a series of punches but Tacarante avoids them all with ease.
Slow rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tacarante moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Slow waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Tacarante.
A combination from Slow does no damage.
Tacarante fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Slow drops his hands momentarily and Tacarante takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Slow darts in trying to clinch
and Tacarante cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Slow instigates a clinch.
Tacarante tries to work over Slow's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Slow doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A shot in the inside from Tacarante.

Slow is rocked!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tacarante manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Slow is still in real trouble! Can Tacarante finish him?

Tacarante is looking for a triangle but Slow pushes his legs off easily.
Slow wants to stand and escape but instead Tacarante has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Tacarante is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Tacarante's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Further stalling from Tacarante.
Tacarante has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Slow seems to have recovered his senses.
Tacarante stops Slow from standing up.
Tacarante slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Slow is looking to stand back up but Tacarante counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Slow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tacarante controlling the action here.
Slow wants to get back to his feet.

Tacarante seems to be looking for submissions.
Tacarante moves nicely into side control.
Saul Tacarante overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tacarante prevents Slow from escaping the position.
Slow is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

Tacarante wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Slow, who protects the arm well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tacarante content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

Tacarante looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Slow is trying to get back to his feet.

Slow throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

Tacarante scores with a takedown into Slow's guard.

Slow is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tacarante blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Come on Tacarante - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Slow misses with a body punch.
Slow working aggressively here.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Slow misses with a punch on the inside.
Tacarante blocking some punches.
Slow tries to work over Tacarante's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Slow fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Slow tries to throw a body punch but Tacarante avoids it by throwing Slow back against the cage.

Tacarante jumps guard.

Tacarante escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Slow gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Tacarante holds on and takes a little breather.

Slow decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Tacarante, up you get!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Saul Tacarante will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Tacarante throws an off balance right hand
and Slow cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Slow feints a jab promting Tacarante to slip. Slow then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Tacarante slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Tacarante lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A combination from Slow does no damage.
Slow fails to land with a series of punches.
Tacarante punishes Slow's body with a nice straight punch.
Slow bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Slow rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tacarante moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Slow with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tacarante to score with a decent uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A left and a right from Tacarante both land. Nice combination.
Tacarante takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Slow lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Slow clinches with his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tacarante taking a breather.

Tacarante pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tacarante uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Slow.
Tacarante swings for the body but Slow moves out of range.
Slow jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Slow has been working his punching technique in the buildup to the fight and it appears to be paying off.
Slow misses with a double jab
enabling Tacarante to counter with a crisp jab.
Slow connects with a body shot.
Slow looks to clinch
and Tacarante counters with a crisp right that sends Slow to the canvas! Tacarante follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Saul Tacarante!
A relieved looking Saul Tacarante thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.