PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alexi Taiga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chilun Rassaaja (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Taiga comes into the arena with Through Gardens Of Grief, At The Gates blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Taiga
vs
Rassaaja

201 cm
23
266 lbs
10 - 4 - 1

200 cm
25
275 lbs
11 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Machina Clothing
Machina Clothing

Grappling Pro Gear
Grappling Pro Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Alexi Taiga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chilun Rassaaja!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, John Roberts and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A good leg kick by Taiga.

Taiga is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rassaaja's half guard.
Taiga missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Rassaaja pushes Taiga off and gets back to his feet.
Rassaaja checks a low kick from Taiga.
Rassaaja looks to score with a jab to the body but Taiga is just out of range.
Rassaaja keeps the fight on the outside.
Taiga throws a big shot that misses.
Taiga dives in and grabs Rassaaja's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rassaaja pushes down on Taiga's head and hops out.
Taiga tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rassaaja swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Taiga is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Rassaaja's half guard.
Taiga throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Rassaaja keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taiga thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Taiga not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Rassaaja gets full guard.
Taiga loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Rassaaja seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Taiga throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rassaaja works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rassaaja utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Rassaaja is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Taiga in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Taiga 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.
Taiga is in close to Rassaaja's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Taiga postures up in Rassaaja's guard and throws a big left but Rassaaja blocks it.
Taiga throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Taiga is looking to work some ground and pound but Rassaaja has wrist control.
Taiga looking to sit in guard and control but Rassaaja gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Rassaaja stands and throws Taiga's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Taiga is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rassaaja wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taiga keeps working.

Rassaaja stands up.

Taiga closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Rassaaja to the mat! Rassaaja manages to get full guard.
Rassaaja wants to sweep here but Taiga controlling him for the moment.
Taiga wants to control from the top but Rassaaja keeps moving.
Taiga being controlled here momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taiga working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Taiga in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Taiga accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Taiga throwing strikes but missing.
Taiga with a flurry of punches that miss.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Taiga clinches up with Rassaaja and pushes him back against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Rassaaja's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Taiga throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Rassaaja blocks it with crossed arms.
Taiga drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rassaaja gets the underhooks and prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexi Taiga dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Taiga doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Taiga moves in looking to clinch but Rassaaja pushes him off.
Alexi Taiga seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taiga misses with a few strikes there.
Taiga scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Rassaaja doesn't seem bothered though.
Rassaaja throws a left and a right that both miss

and Taiga counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Rassaaja!
Rassaaja wants to control but Taiga is having none of it.
Taiga throwing strikes here but Rassaaja is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Taiga with the ground and pound from mount.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Taiga throws some wild stikes that Rassaaja manages to avoid easily.
Taiga looking to ground and pound but Rassaaja is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rassaaja wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Taiga.
Taiga lands a big shot there that rocks Rassaaja but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Taiga raining down shots from the mount!
Taiga throwing strikes but Rassaaja recovers to half guard. A much better position.
Taiga misses with a head shot. Rassaaja uses the momentum to regain guard.
Rassaaja is trying to control the position but Taiga postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taiga loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Taiga throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rassaaja works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Taiga is looking to work some ground and pound but Rassaaja has wrist control.
Taiga postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Taiga throws a strike but Rassaaja rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Rassaaja stays in close to Taiga's body and controls the position.
Taiga looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taiga is working hard here to advance position.
Taiga wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Rassaaja showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Taiga bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rassaaja's guard.
Rassaaja working a defensive guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Taiga throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rassaaja works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Rassaaja trying to control the position here.
Rassaaja can't keep his opponent in guard - Taiga advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexi Taiga dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Rassaaja tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Taiga throws a low kick but Rassaaja avoids it.

Taiga drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Taiga wants to control but Rassaaja is keeping him busy.
Rassaaja tries to bench press Taiga off him but Taiga keeps the position.
An elbow from Taiga crashes against the mat.
Taiga creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Rassaaja sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Taiga is looking to take a break and control but Rassaaja is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Taiga in side control, throwing shots but Rassaaja defends.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taiga throws an elbow but Rassaaja slips to the side and avoids it well.
Rassaaja can't do much from the bottom here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Taiga looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Rassaaja is fending him off so far but Taiga persists. Nope, Rassaaja circles away and we're back to standing.
Taiga thuds a left hand into Rassaaja's body.
Rassaaja throws a body punch but Taiga moves out of range.
Taiga throws a leg kick but Rassaaja moved away.
Taiga tries to clinch there but Rassaaja circles away.
Rassaaja throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Taiga will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Taiga tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rassaaja swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Taiga looks for a takedown but Rassaaja sprawls well.
Taiga moves in looking to clinch but Rassaaja pushes him off.
Rassaaja looks to score with a jab to the body but Taiga is just out of range.

Taiga drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Taiga accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Chilun Rassaaja has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taiga throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rassaaja works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Taiga postures up in Rassaaja's guard and throws a big left but Rassaaja blocks it.
Rassaaja preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rassaaja looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Rassaaja has his foot on Taiga's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Taiga works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taiga trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Taiga throwing strikes from guard but Rassaaja blocks nicely.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Taiga moves into the clinch successfully.
Rassaaja wants to break free but Taiga has control.
Taiga lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rassaaja backwards.

Rassaaja pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Taiga looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rassaaja avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Taiga.
Taiga throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Taiga is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Taiga thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rassaaja's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taiga is just content to waste time from the top position. Rassaaja takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Taiga throws a big right hand that misses.
Rassaaja has his hands on Taiga's head, controlling the position.
Rassaaja keeping full guard, as Taiga tries to pass.
Taiga missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alexi Taiga showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Taiga has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexi Taiga!