PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tony Tilman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ken Masters (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ken Masters told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Tilman
vs
Masters

187 cm
24
170 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
183 lbs
6 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
KO power

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

Defiance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tony Tilman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ken Masters!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Tilman throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Tilman takes a swing at Masters's ribcage but misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Masters misses the target.
Tilman pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Masters moves out of range of the strikes.
No joy there for Masters, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Masters throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Masters misses with a body shot.
No joy there for Masters, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tilman throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Masters sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tilman throws a lazy right hand but Masters sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tilman throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masters throws a right hand that Tilman ducks under and follows up with a left that Tilman also avoids with ease.
Masters misses with a jab, cross combination.
A telegraphed right hand from Masters misses the target.
Masters misses with a wild combination.
Masters swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tilman throws a right and a left that Masters avoids nicely.
Tilman uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Masters.
Decent striking displayed by Masters there.
Masters fails to land with a series of punches.
Tilman thows a body shot but no joy.
Tilman dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Masters looks gassed!
Tilman uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Masters.

Tilman drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Tilman throws a big right hand that misses.
Tilman trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Tilman has gone for a leg lock! Masters slips out almost immediately though and dives into Tilman's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tilman throws his legs up looking for a submission but Masters uses it to pass to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tilman manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Tilman is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Tilman trying to control but Masters postures up.
Tilman is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tilman makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Masters blocks a jab.
Masters rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tilman moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Masters misses with a straight right.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Masters!
Masters misses with a double jab.
Tilman shoots in but no luck this time.
Masters moves out of range as Tilman strikes.
Ken Masters seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Masters throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Tilman counters with a single leg into guard. Masters didn't expect that.
Tilman wants to get up but he can't break Masters's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Tilman sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Masters's guard.
Tilman prevents Masters from standing back up.
Tilman looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Tilman trying to control from half guard but Masters is working away.
Tilman missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tilman throws a looping overhand right but Masters ducks down to avoid it.
Tilman misses with a hook. Masters ducked under it nicely.
Masters throws a hook but Tilman blocks it.
Tilman takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

Tilman closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Masters did well to prevent Tilman getting side control.
Masters is in trouble now - Tilman has advanced to mount!

Tilman goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Masters is on top in guard.
Tilman looking to hit a scissor sweep but Masters is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tilman has a closed guard, preventing Masters from standing up.
Tilman looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Masters has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Tilman is proving hard to escape from.
Masters won't allow Tilman to sweep him here.

Tilman looking for a guillotine here but Masters defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Tilman manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Masters manages to get himself to full guard.
Tilman is looking to work some ground and pound but Masters has wrist control.
Tilman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Masters swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters wants to get back to his feet but Tilman is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Tilman wants to control from the top but Masters keeps moving.
Masters is looking to stand up but Tilman isn't so interested in that idea.
Tilman trying to control the position from guard on top but Masters is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tilman looking to sit in guard and control but Masters gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Masters stops Tilman from standing up.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Tilman avoids a punch combination nicely.
Masters bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Tilman's head backwards.
Masters scores with a hook to the body. Tilman takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Masters throws a jab when Tilman was well out of range.
Masters throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tilman.
Masters looks to score with a jab to the body but Tilman is just out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tony Tilman will probably get the nod.
That's time! Tilman's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Masters misses with a few strikes there.
A combination from Masters does no damage.
Masters misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Tilman thows a body shot but no joy.
Tilman throws the left hand but Masters avoids the punch easily.
Masters thows a body shot but no joy.
Masters misses with a jab, cross combination.
A swing and a miss from Tilman.
A big right from Tilman misses.
A jab from Masters misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Masters connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Tilman swings for the body but Masters moves out of range.
Masters thows a body shot but no joy.
Masters misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tilman closes the distance and clinches up with Masters, looking for a takedown. Tilman pushes Masters against the cage but Masters circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Masters uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tilman.
Masters throws a right and a left that Tilman avoids nicely.
Masters takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Masters missing with a left hand there. Tilman was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tilman is trying hard to land a takedown here. Masters sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tilman loads up on a big right hand but Masters slips the punch.
Masters throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice sprawl there from Masters as Tilman shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tony Tilman. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Masters throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tilman shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Masters pinned against the cage. Masters gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
No joy there for Masters, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

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.
Masters fails to land with a series of punches.
Masters throws a shot from downtown. Tilman moves away and avoids it.
Tilman looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Masters thows a body shot but no joy.
Tilman throws a hook but Masters blocks it.
Masters falls off balance throwing a combination

and Tilman counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Masters!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tilman wants to control the pace but Masters is squirming around nicely.
Tilman is really struggling to control Masters but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Tilman is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Masters is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Masters wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Tilman.
Masters is squirming around, avoiding Tilman's attempts to control the action.
Ken Masters has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Tilman sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tilman putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Masters is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tilman goes for an armbar but Masters turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Masters.

Tilman is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tony Tilman showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tilman, 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Tilman!