PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Luis Carlos Linhares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tommy Tapout (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tapout has chosen Runaway as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Tommy Tapout 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!

Carlos Linhares
vs
Tapout

171 cm
25
144 lbs
13 - 3 - 0

173 cm
30
142 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

TWGC Champion
Good kicks
Good gas tank

Perkele!
DJs Locker

DJs Locker

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Luis Carlos Linhares!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tommy Tapout!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tapout tries to clinch but Linhares moves out of range.
Luis Carlos Linhares seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Linhares looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Linhares throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Tapout bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Tapout fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Linhares, pushing him back against the cage.
Tapout misses with a hook to the ribs.
Linhares has a couple of punches blocked by Tapout.
A head punch on the inside from Tapout fails to land.

Tapout has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Linhares uses from the top position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Tapout keeping full guard, as Linhares tries to pass.
Tapout is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Tapout is thwarting Linhares's attempts to control the position.
Linhares is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.

Tapout is looking for a kimura here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Linhares is refusing to be controlled, as Tapout sits in half guard.
Linhares trying to control here.
Linhares won't allow Tapout to pass to mount.
Tapout is looking to take a break and control but Linhares is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Linhares tries to get to full guard but Tapout has control of the leg.
Tapout is pressing down on Linhares's thigh, looking to free his foot. Linhares is holding on for now.

Tapout is looking for a kimura but Linhares is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tapout to get the leverage.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Linhares is trying to control but can't.
Linhares makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Linhares.
Tapout throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tapout wants to pass the guard but Linhares is keeping the position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.

Tapout got a little sloppy there for a moment and Linhares has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tapout has managed to get both his arms back between Linhares's legs - danger averted.
Tapout trying to control the position from guard on top but Linhares is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Linhares has his foot on Tapout's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tapout works his way back into a safe position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tapout stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Linhares swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Linhares controls Tapout momentarily but Tapout frees himself.
Tapout wants to pass the guard but Linhares is keeping the position.
Tapout loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Linhares is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tapout trying to control but Linhares is working from the bottom.
Linhares keeping full guard, as Tapout tries to pass.
Tapout is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Linhares throws out a leg kick but Tapout moves out of range and Linhares only half commits.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tapout tries to close the distance and clinch but Linhares swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tapout tries to clinch but Linhares moves out of range.
Tapout tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Linhares manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Linhares uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Tapout moves out of range of the strikes.
Linhares tried to score with a low kick but Tapout checks it.
Luis Carlos Linhares is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Linhares takes a swing at Tapout's ribcage but misses.
Linhares connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Tapout fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Linhares manages to avoid it.
Linhares scores with a jab. Tapout acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tapout tries to clinch but Linhares is having none of it.
Linhares wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Linhares scores with a jab. Tapout acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Linhares keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Linhares changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Tapout throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Linhares's waist but Linhares gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tapout off to one side.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tommy Tapout will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Tapout takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Linhares uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Tapout moves out of range of the strikes.
Tapout tries to clinch up but Linhares circles away and keeps his distance.
Linhares misses with a looping right.
Linhares swats away the attempt to clinch by Tapout.
Tapout misses with a low kick.
Linhares misses the jab.
Tapout is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Linhares throws a quick inside leg kick.
Linhares misses with a low kick as Tapout jumps back.
Tapout tries to clinch up.
A nice inside leg kick there by Linhares. That's going to slow Tapout down.
Linhares swats away the attempt to clinch by Tapout.
Luis Carlos Linhares is winning the standup battle so far.
Tapout tries to clinch but Linhares moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tapout blocks a head kick by Linhares.
A telegraphed right hand from Tapout misses the target.
Linhares thumps Tapout with a low kick.
A cross from Linhares lands.
Linhares smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Tapout wants to clinch.
Linhares misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tapout.
Linhares connects with a leg kick. Tapout looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tapout fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tapout tries to clinch up but Linhares circles away and keeps his distance.
Linhares looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Tapout shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Linhares wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tapout moves in looking to clinch but Linhares pushes him off.
Linhares lands the left hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A jab from Linhares finds it's way through Tapout's defenses.

Tapout is rocked!
Linhares connects with a picture perfect right hand that knocks Tapout out cold! This one is over in a flash!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:19 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Luis Carlos Linhares!
Luis Carlos Linhares is the new bantamweight champion!
An out of breath Luis Carlos Linhares thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.