PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rikki Tavarius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ismail Saidov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tavarius comes to the cage accompanied by It Dont Come Easy. Saidov is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Shamhan Daldaev - Eto Kavkaz. Ismail Saidov is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Tavarius
vs
Saidov

186 cm
31
201 lbs
18 - 10 - 0

188 cm
29
196 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

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 18 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rikki Tavarius!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ismail Saidov!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yuuki Gou and Yukihiro Yamamoto.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Saidov ducks right into an uppercut from Tavarius.
Saidov has his takedown stuffed
and Tavarius counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tavarius scoring well with a low kick there.
Saidov shoots in but no luck this time.
Saidov with a lazy takedown attempt

and Tavarius counters by moving into the clinch.
Rikki Tavarius has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ismail Saidov.
Tavarius lands with a left to the head.

Tavarius is trying to trip Saidov. He has hold of a leg but Saidov is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Tavarius persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Saidov keeping full guard, as Tavarius tries to pass.
Tavarius won't allow Saidov to get back to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Saidov working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tavarius doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tavarius manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Saidov can do anything to dispel that myth.
Saidov pulls Tavarius in close to prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarius trying to control but Saidov is working from the bottom.

Saidov is looking for a triangle but Tavarius pushes his legs off easily.
Tavarius trying to control the position from guard on top but Saidov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tavarius is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Tavarius trying to control but Saidov is working from the bottom.

We're going to have a standup here because Rikki Tavarius wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Horrible takedown by Saidov or perhaps it was just good defense by Tavarius which made him look bad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Saidov's hands.
Tavarius throws a hook but Saidov blocks it.
Saidov misses with a takedown

so Tavarius counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saidov trying to keep a closed guard but Tavarius is proving a slippery customer.
Tavarius trying to control but Saidov is working from the bottom.
Tavarius stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Saidov swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tavarius sitting in guard here, content to control.
Saidov utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saidov wants to sweep here but Tavarius controlling him for the moment.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Saidov is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tavarius defends well.
Saidov tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tavarius trying to control but Saidov is working from the bottom.
Tavarius missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Saidov bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Tavarius's guard.
Saidov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius controlling Saidov's posture.

Saidov is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Tavarius is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Tavarius has escaped and now he's on top!
Tavarius won't allow Saidov to sweep him here.

Saidov has his feet on Tavarius's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Saidov tries for a takedown but Tavarius circles away easily

and Tavarius counters by moving into the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tavarius prevents the takedown attempt.
Saidov is looking for a takedown.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rikki Tavarius dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Tavarius will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Saidov shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Tavarius counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Tavarius keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Saidov is looking to improve his position.
Tavarius is keen to just control but Saidov is a slippery customer.
Saidov is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tavarius wants to free his trapped foot but Saidov is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tavarius is stalling here. Saidov is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Tavarius seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Saidov has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Saidov thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saidov is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tavarius knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Tavarius manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Tavarius controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Saidov is thwarting Tavarius's attempts to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius is trying to get back to full guard.

Saidov is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Tavarius defends it well.

Saidov is working for an americana but Tavarius has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Saidov was thinking about the submission.

Saidov drops back looking for a leg! Tavarius is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Tavarius manages to kick Saidov off! Saidov jumps back into Tavarius's guard.
Saidov loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saidov looking to pass the guard.
Tavarius not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Tavarius looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Saidov looking to pass the guard.
Tavarius is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tavarius not doing much here.
Rikki Tavarius overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saidov trying to hold on to Tavarius's head to control him but Tavarius postures up.
Tavarius perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Saidov tries to roll over but Tavarius keeps him under control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
No luck for Saidov with that takedown attempt.
Tavarius closes this distance looking for a takedown but Saidov circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Saidov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Rikki Tavarius has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ismail Saidov.
Tavarius looks to score with a jab to the body but Saidov is just out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rikki Tavarius dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Saidov fails with a takedown attempt.
Saidov is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tavarius sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Jab from Tavarius.

Saidov looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Saidov preventing the sweep.
Saidov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tavarius looking to hit a scissor sweep but Saidov is one step ahead there.

Saidov drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Tavarius dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tavarius passes Saidov's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Saidov is looking to improve his position.
Tavarius working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tavarius wants to free his trapped foot but Saidov is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Saidov has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Tavarius escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Tavarius!
Saidov is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius passes to full mount!
Saidov wants to hold on but Tavarius pushes him away.
Saidov is working to get back to half guard.
Tavarius controlling from the full mount.
Tavarius prevents Saidov from getting the reversal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius with a couple of short strikes.
Tavarius trying to control but Saidov is having none of it.
Saidov bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Tavarius wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Saidov throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tavarius is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Saidov throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Saidov has gone for a leg lock! Tavarius slips out almost immediately though and dives into Saidov's guard.
Saidov wants to stand but Tavarius is controlling the position.
Tavarius in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tavarius trying to control the position from guard on top but Saidov is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Saidov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tavarius is one step ahead there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rikki Tavarius showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tavarius 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Rikki Tavarius!
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight for Rikki Tavarius!
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight for Rikki Tavarius!

Rikki Tavarius wins by unanimous decision!
During a confident post fight interview, Rikki Tavarius thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.