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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Shamil Basaev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rikki Tavarius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Tavarius's choice of entrance music: Cinderella Man. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Rikki Tavarius enters the cage!
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| 180 cm
30
201 lbs
7 - 3 - 0 |
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186 cm
27
201 lbs
15 - 8 - 0 |
Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very quick |
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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
7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Shamil Basaev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rikki Tavarius!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Alyssa Summers and Joseph Jones.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Basaev takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Tavarius thuds a left hand into Basaev's body.
Basaev walks into a jab.
Basaev throws an overhand right that lands on Tavarius's shoulder, as Tavarius tries to avoid the shot.
Basaev just misses with a punch to the body.
Basaev scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Tavarius doesn't seem bothered though.
Basaev looks to land a combination but Tavarius avoids it well.
Basaev throws a series of punches but Tavarius moves out of range.
Tavarius tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Basaev paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Basaev swinging wildly here.
Tavarius throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tavarius lands with a slapping head kick.
Tavarius tries to close the distance and clinch up but Basaev swats him away and circles back towards the center.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarius lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Basaev has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Tavarius.
Basaev moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Tavarius darts in and clinches Basaev up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Basaev's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Basaev pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Basaev takes a shot to the head.
Basaev goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tavarius has Basaev pressed against the cage, preventing Basaev from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Basaev blocks a body shot from Tavarius.
Basaev wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Tavarius scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Basaev tries to circle away but Tavarius has him pinned against the cage.
Tavarius has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Basaev regains guard immediately.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Basaev looking to control.
Tavarius throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Basaev is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Tavarius stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Basaev swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Basaev wants to stand but Tavarius is controlling the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius stays in close to Basaev's body and controls the position.
Basaev knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tavarius on the ground.
The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Rikki Tavarius.
Tavarius lands a jab to Basaev's midsection.
Basaev misses with a double jab
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Tavarius tries to clinch there but Basaev circles away.
Tavarius tries to clinch there but Basaev circles away.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Basaev takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Tavarius drives through with a takedown into Basaev's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Tavarius pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Basaev is keeping the position for now.
Tavarius's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Tavarius trying to control the position from guard on top but Basaev is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
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 misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Rikki Tavarius dominated that round.
That's time! Basaev's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.
Tavarius tries to score with a low kick but Basaev moves his leg out of the way.
Basaev fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tavarius looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Tavarius throws a quick inside leg kick.
Tavarius throws a body punch but Basaev moves out of range.
Basaev thuds his right hand into Tavarius's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Tavarius throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Basaev tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Tavarius is in Basaev's guard.
Tavarius wants to control from the top but Basaev keeps moving.
Tavarius lands a couple of elbows.
Basaev on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Basaev tries to get out of the position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Tavarius advances position into side control!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tavarius has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Basaev!
That's one minute gone in the round.
Basaev is trying to escape the mount.
Tavarius misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Tavarius can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Basaev is looking to escape.
Tavarius lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Basaev hang on?
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Tavarius's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Tavarius cracks Basaev with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Tavarius lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Tavarius with the ground and pound from mount.
Basaev is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Tavarius tries to control but Basaev wriggling away.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Rikki Tavarius has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Basaev holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Tavarius tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Tavarius lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Tavarius dominating with strikes here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tavarius thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Tavarius trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Rikki Tavarius showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! 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 connects with a leg kick. Basaev looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tavarius cracks Basaev with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Basaev takes one to the side of the head.
Tavarius shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tavarius ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Basaev jabs Tavarius to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Tavarius doesn't manage to clinch there - Basaev circles away.
The fighters circling - Basaev throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Rikki Tavarius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tavarius looks for a takedown but Basaev sprawls well.
Basaev misses with a body shot.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Basaev throws a series of punches but Tavarius avoids them all with ease.
Basaev tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tavarius was well out of range. Poor timing from Basaev.
Tavarius avoids the body shot from Basaev.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tavarius, right into the meat.
Tavarius shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Basaev pinned against the cage. Basaev gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Shamil Basaev has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rikki Tavarius.
Tavarius slips a jab from Basaev.
Tavarius takes a jab right on the kisser.
It looks like Rikki Tavarius has been cut.
Tavarius connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Basaev is looking to wear down Tavarius with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Basaev fails to land with a series of punches.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius throws a quick inside leg kick.
Shamil Basaev is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tavarius avoids a punch combination nicely.
Basaev throws a body kick that misses
and Tavarius counters with a nice low kick that buckles Basaev's knee momentarily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Basaev. Tavarius does a little dance to reset his feet.
Basaev fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Basaev is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Tavarius shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Tavarius was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
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!
Tavarius sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Basaev is squirming around, avoiding Tavarius's attempts to control the action.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Tavarius takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Tavarius cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Tavarius unloads with some shots from mount but Basaev bucks and avoids them well.
Tavarius with a couple of short strikes.
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!
Tavarius looking to secure an arm triangle but Basaev defends it well.
Tavarius in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
And that's the end of the fight!
Rikki Tavarius comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tavarius has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 27:30
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rikki Tavarius!
Rikki Tavarius decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.
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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
64% |
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