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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Duk Dong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rikki Tavarius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dong comes to the cage accompanied by Thompson Twins - If You Were Here. Tavarius has chosen Cinderella Man as his entrance music. 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.
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| 200 cm
31
199 lbs
10 - 11 - 0 |
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186 cm
27
201 lbs
14 - 8 - 0 |
Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Very strong |
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Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Knockout power |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
10 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Duk Dong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rikki Tavarius!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Anthony Taglia and Chad Campbell.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dong looks for a takedown but Tavarius sprawls well.
Tavarius stuffs the takedown.
Dong closes the distance but Tavarius moves to the side
and Dong takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tavarius throws an overhand right that lands on Dong's shoulder, as Dong tries to avoid the shot.
Tavarius lands a really nice looking cross but Dong seems unphased.
Tavarius throws a sloppy body shot
and Dong holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Tavarius misses with some punches.
Dong is working for takedown but Tavarius is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Duk Dong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tavarius gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dong.
Tavarius breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tavarius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dong manages to avoid it.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarius dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Dong.
Tavarius misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Dong counters with a nice double leg into side control. Tavarius won't be happy with that.
Tavarius gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Dong is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tavarius is pressing down on Dong's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Tavarius escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dong gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dong preventing the sweep.
Dong throws a strike but Tavarius rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Dong 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.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tavarius trying to control but Dong is working from the bottom.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius throws a big right hand that misses.
Dong looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tavarius is one step ahead there.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius throws a big right hand that misses.
Tavarius controls from within his opponent's guard.
Tavarius wants to control from the top but Dong keeps moving.
OK we're going to have a standup here. Rikki Tavarius hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Tavarius scores with a body shot.
Dong tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dong fails with the takedown.
Nice uppercut lands for Tavarius. That snapped Dong's head back.
Tavarius takes a swing at Dong's ribcage but misses.
Nice body punch from Tavarius.
Tavarius throws a shot from downtown. Dong moves away and avoids it.
Dong scores a takedown into full mount!
Dong unloads with some shots from mount but Tavarius bucks and avoids them well.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dong lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Dong with the ground and pound from mount.
Dong throws some wild stikes that Tavarius manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Rikki Tavarius will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!
Dong shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tavarius pinned against the cage. Tavarius gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Tavarius misses the shot to the body.
Tavarius misses with a hook. Dong ducked under it nicely.
Tavarius takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Dong throws a jab but it's blocked by Tavarius.
Dong blocks a jab.
Tavarius misses with a wild body shot.
Tavarius is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Dong rather than just go for the knockout.
Tavarius lands a right hook to the body.
Tavarius scores with a hook.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Tavarius. No joy for Dong on that attempt.
Tavarius rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Dong cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Dong uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tavarius.
Tavarius just misses with a punch to the body.
Tavarius just misses with a punch to the body.
Dong tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Tavarius is able to avoid easily.
Tavarius throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tavarius lands a jab.
Dong tries to clinch up.
Tavarius throws a body punch but Dong moves out of range.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius misses with a shot to the body
and Dong counters with a single leg into guard. Tavarius didn't expect that.
Dong thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dong tries to free his leg and advance position but Tavarius is retaining full guard.
Dong is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tavarius keeping moving, preventing Dong from controlling successfully.
Dong postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Dong scoring with some ground and pound.
Dong trying to control but Tavarius is working from the bottom.
Tavarius pulls Dong in to control the position.
Dong wants to control from the top but Tavarius keeps moving.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dong throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dong trying to control the position from guard on top but Tavarius is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref stands the fighters back up. Duk Dong wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Tavarius digs a good body shot into Dong's ribs.
Dong looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Duk Dong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tavarius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dong manages to avoid it.
Dong misses with a low kick.
Dong really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Tavarius throws a shot from downtown. Dong moves away and avoids it.
Tavarius waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dong.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Dong cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tavarius fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Dong manages to avoid it.
Dong avoids the body shot from Tavarius.
Dong shoots in for a takedown but Tavarius shows good takedown defense.
Dong steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tavarius.
Dong with a poor takedown
letting Tavarius counter with a right hand.
Tavarius fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tavarius throws a jab when Dong was well out of range.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tavarius swings widly with a right hand
and Dong counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Dong.
Dong will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Tavarius looking to control.
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 Duk Dong will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.
Tavarius misses with a right hand
and Dong counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Dong.
Dong looking for a takedown.
A short uppercut from Tavarius.
Tavarius breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dong tries to close the distance and clinch but Tavarius swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rikki Tavarius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tavarius throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tavarius lands a nice hook to Dong's body. Dong takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Tavarius swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Dong counters with a takedown into side control.
Dong is trying to ground and pound but Tavarius uses the momentary lack of control by Dong to regain half guard.
Tavarius is pressing down on Dong's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Dong throws an elbow that misses. Tavarius uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Dong's guard. Nice move by Tavarius!
That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarius postures up in Dong's guard and throws a big left but Dong blocks it.
Tavarius controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Tavarius gets to his feet. Dong looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Tavarius misses the jab.
Tavarius throws a shot from downtown. Dong moves away and avoids it.
Tavarius throws a body punch but Dong moves out of range.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius misses with a straight left.
Tavarius missing with a left hand there. Dong was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Dong moves in looking to clinch but Tavarius pushes him off.
Dong shoots in but Tavarius avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Tavarius looks to land a left hand but Dong moved out of range nicely.
Tavarius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Tavarius throws an overhand right that lands on Dong's shoulder, as Dong tries to avoid the shot.
Tavarius comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Dong dives in and grabs Tavarius's left leg, looking for a takedown. Tavarius pushes down on Dong's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Duk Dong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius misses the shot to the body.
Dong keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A jab from Tavarius does it's job there.
A swing and a miss from Tavarius.
Dong fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tavarius, pushing him back against the cage.
Tavarius misses with a hook to the ribs.
Dong is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tavarius pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tavarius lands a body punch.
Dong blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Dong has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Tavarius after a bit of a struggle.
Tavarius swings wildly with an uppercut but Dong uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tavarius throws a punch but it's blocked by Dong.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A right handed body shot lands from Tavarius.
Dong is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tavarius gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tavarius wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Dong is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Tavarius gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Tavarius throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Dongs head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A short right from Tavarius.
Tavarius misses with a hook from the clinch.
Dong tries to score a body lock takedown but Tavarius shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Tavarius makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Dong changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Tavarius fights it off and pushes away nicely.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tavarius misses with a hook.
And that's the end of the fight!
Rikki Tavarius comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tavarius 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rikki Tavarius!
An out of breath Rikki Tavarius thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
59% |
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