PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fatu Tua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chiwawa Chagaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Tua
vs
Chagaev

184 cm
20
269 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
254 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Fatu Tua!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chiwawa Chagaev!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chagaev misses with a leg kick.
Chagaev changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Tua instigates a clinch.
Chagaev has Tua pressed against the cage.
Tua misses with a body punch.
Chagaev throws a punch but it's blocked by Tua.
Chagaev lands a body shot.
Tua blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Chagaev misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Tua.
Tua prevents Chagaev from breaking the clinch.
Tua can't find room to land a body shot as Chagaev controls the action.
Chagaev tries to stall but Tua uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Tua digs a right hand into Chagaev's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Chagaev's gas tank.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Chagaev throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tua tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Stalling in the clinch from Chagaev.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Tua.
A frustrated look appears on Chagaev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A short left from Tua.
Tua scores with an uppercut up the middle.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tua creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Tua tries a body shot but Chagaev blocks it.
Chagaev taking a breather.
Chagaev using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Chagaev has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Tua misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Chagaev is struggling to control the position.
Chagaev using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Chagaev tries to work over Tua's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Chagaev throws an elbow that misses.
Chagaev makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Tua fails to land.
Tua can't find room to land a body shot as Chagaev controls the action.
Chagaev looking to slow down the pace here.
Tua tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Chagaev's elbow.
Chagaev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tua's elbow.
Chagaev dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Tua lands a body shot.
Tua tries to throw a body punch but Chagaev avoids it by throwing Tua back against the cage.
Chagaev with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Tua tries to throw a body punch but Chagaev avoids it by throwing Tua back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chagaev prevents a body shot from Tua.
Tua lands a left hand that snaps the head of Chagaev backwards.
Chagaev misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Tua.
Tua tries a body shot but Chagaev blocks it.
Tua misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Chagaev is stalling here.
Chagaev lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Chagaev connects with a nasty looking knee right to Tua's face.
Chagaev trying to land knees to the body.

Chagaev's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tua showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Chagaev.
Tua scores with a jab to the body.

Chagaev clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tua presses Chagaev against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

Chagaev pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tua does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Chagaev takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Chagaev looks gassed!
Tua tries to close the distance and clinch up but Chagaev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chagaev throws a head kick but Tua moves out of range.
Tua misses with a low kick as Chagaev jumps back.
Some bone on bone action there as Tua checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Chagaev has taken the fight to the clinch.
Tua avoiding damage as Chagaev throws knees to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tua scores with a nice hook to the head.
Tua works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Tua.
Tua struggles to land a body shot inside as Chagaev controls his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Fatu Tua will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tua feints and then cracks Chagaev's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Chagaev down.

Chagaev moves into the clinch successfully.
Tua cracks Chagaev with a nice body shot.
A bit of stalling here from Tua.
Tua scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Chagaev throws a punch but it's blocked by Tua.
Tua manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Chagaev throws a punch but it's blocked by Tua.

Chagaev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tua throws a low kick, looking for Chagaev's leg but Chagaev calmly moves out of range.
Chagaev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tua manages to avoid it.

Chagaev fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tua, pushing him back against the cage.
Chagaev tries to land knees in the clinch but Tua avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tua lands a left hand.
Tua lands a body shot in the clinch.
Chagaev is breathing heavily.
Tua cracks Chagaev with a nice body shot.
Tua lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Chagaev backwards.
Chagaev's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Chagaev blocks a body shot from Tua.
Tua lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Chagaev or not.
Tua tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tua cracks Chagaev with a nice body shot.
Tua tries to work over Chagaev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Tua creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Chagaev struggles to land a body shot inside as Tua controls his hands.
Chagaev prevents a body shot from Tua.
Chagaev wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Tua gets through Chagaev's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Chagaev fails to land.
A short body shot lands from Tua as the two fighters clinch.
Tua goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Chagaev blocks an uppercut.
Tua tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Chagaev's elbow.
Tua lands with a short shot to the head.
Chagaev lands a good knee to the midsection. Tua won't want to take too many of those.
Nice body punch from Chagaev.
Chagaev working Tua over with knees to the body.
Chagaev trying to land knees to the body.
Fatu Tua has scored more points in the clinch so far.
A short right from Tua.
Tua prevents a body shot from Chagaev.
Chagaev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tua's elbow.
Tua misses with a punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chagaev working Tua over with knees to the body.
Tua misses with a hook to the ribs.
Tua dodges an elbow strike from Chagaev.

Chagaev escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Chagaev throws a head kick but Tua moves out of range.
Chagaev lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Tua at a distance.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Tua lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Chagaev has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Chagaev and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Tua throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Chagaev moves into the clinch.

Chagaev breaks the clinch.

Chagaev gets a clinch.
Chagaev is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Tua misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chagaev misses with an elbow strike.
Tua can't find room to land a body shot as Chagaev controls the action.
Tua goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Chagaev prevents a body shot from Tua.
Tua misses with a punch to the body.
Tua misses with a punch to the body.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Chagaev tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tua avoids it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tua misses with a punch to the body.
Chagaev tries to throw a body punch but Tua avoids it by throwing Chagaev back against the cage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tua working aggressively here.
Tua keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Chagaev's efforts to push away.
Chagaev is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fatu Tua dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Tua takes the fight into the clinch.
Tua blocks an elbow strike.
Chagaev misses with a knee to the head.
Tua tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Chagaev's elbow.
Chagaev can't find room to land a body shot as Tua controls the action.
Tua lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Chagaev backwards.
Tua tries to throw a body punch but Chagaev avoids it by throwing Tua back against the cage.
Tua throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Chagaev tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Chagaev prevents a body shot from Tua.
Tua throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Chagaevs head.
Tua tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Chagaev's elbow.
Chagaev misses with a hook to the ribs.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tua.
Chagaev tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Chagaev struggles to land a body shot inside as Tua controls his hands.
Tua misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tua softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Tua misses with a hook to the ribs.
Chagaev blocks a body shot from Tua.
Tua goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A body shot lands from Tua.
Tua lands a shot to the body.
Chagaev takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tua misses with a hook to the ribs.
A body shot lands from Tua.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tua lands a right hand that snaps the head of Chagaev backwards.
Tua lands with a short shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tua tries to work over Chagaev's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tua works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Tua working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Tua.
Tua dips a shoulder and cracks Chagaev with a mighty uppercut! Chagaev falls back against the cage and Tua unloads with a barrage of strikes! Chagaev is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Tua screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Fatu Tua!
Fatu Tua retains his heavyweight title!
Fatu Tua bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.