PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Igor Tatov (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fatu Tua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tatov comes to the cage accompanied by Soundgarden - Superunknown. Tua comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Freak on a Leash by Korn kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Igor Tatov could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Fatu Tua's chin.

Tatov
vs
Tua

201 cm
35
277 lbs
30 - 22 - 0

184 cm
31
269 lbs
25 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Fury Nutrition Inc.
Backyard Fighting

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 30 - 22 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Igor Tatov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Fatu Tua!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tatov dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A swing and a miss from Tua.
Tatov throws a hook to the side of Tua's head but Tua sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
We've been hearing reports that Tatov has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Tua throws a right and a left that both miss.

Tua drives through and clinches with Tatov against the cage.
Tatov tries to work over Tua's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Tatov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tatov throws a body punch but Tua moves out of range.
Tua ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Tua tries to clinch but Tatov moves away
and Tua takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tua throws a looping overhand right but Tatov ducks down to avoid it.
Tua throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Tatov on the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tua slaps away a takedown attempt from Tatov, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tua tries to clinch up
and Tatov counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Tatov shoots in but Tua avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tatov fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tua manages to avoid it.
Tatov circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tatov connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Tatov blocks a jab.
Tua throws a head kick that misses

and Tatov counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Tua manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Tatov keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Tatov blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Nice body punch from Tua.
Tatov is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Tua breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A chopping leg kick lands by Tua.
Tua smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Tua throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Tua throws a right hand that Tatov ducks under and follows up with a left that Tatov also avoids with ease.
Tua has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Tua avoids the body shot from Tatov.
Fatu Tua seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tatov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tua.
Tua tries to close the distance and clinch but Tatov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tua looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tua closes the distance but Tatov moves to the side

and Tatov counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tua!
Tua tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tatov wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Tua's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
An elbow from Tatov crashes against the mat.
Tatov trying to control the action but Tua is working from the bottom.
Tatov throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Tua works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tatov is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Tatov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Tua defending well though.
Tua is trying is best to control the position here.
Tua tries to roll over but Tatov keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tatov thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Tua's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tua manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Tua has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Tatov throws a big elbow that misses.
Tua is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Tatov wants to control from the top but Tua keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Fatu Tua will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tua lands with a nice combination. Tatov backs away looking to recover.
Tua tries to land a leg kick but Tatov saw it coming and moves away.
Tatov looks to land a left hand but Tua moved out of range nicely.
Tua tries to work over Tatov's front leg with a kick but Tatov checks it.
A slow jab from Tua misses its intended target.
Tatov jabs at Tua's body.
Tua misses with a few strikes there.
Tua looks to land a left hand but Tatov moved out of range nicely.
Tua scores with a sloppy right hand. Tatov should have avoided that one.
Tua throws a shot from downtown. Tatov moves away and avoids it.
Tua takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tatov was well out of range. Poor timing from Tua.
Fatu Tua seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A decent looking cross lands there for Tua.
Tua misses with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tua cracks Tatov with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Tatov swats away the attempt to clinch by Tua.
Tua fails with an attempt to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tatov. Tua does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tua swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tua works Tatov's body with a nice hook.
Tatov changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Tua tries to avoid it but Tatov manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Tua to the ground. Tua escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice straight punches there by Tua. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Tua.
A swing and a miss from Tua.
Tua throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Tatov to counter with a crisp jab.

Tatov shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Tua's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tatov trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tua is on top in guard.
Tatov will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tua would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Tatov seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Tatov's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Igor Tatov overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Igor Tatov just wasn't active enough.
Tatov ducks under a wild hook from Tua.
Tatov uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tua.
Tatov shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tua as he avoids it easily.
Tua tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Tatov was well out of range. Poor timing from Tua.
Some wild striking there from Tua.
Tatov takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Tua sizes up Tatov with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Tua looks to throw the jab but Tatov is out of range.
Good exchange - Tua coming out on top.
Tatov misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tua misses with a straight right.
Tatov scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tatov throws a leg kick but Tua checks it.
Tatov throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tua throws an off balance right hand
and Tatov counters with a good, hard body kick but Tua shrugs it off.
Tatov circles away from the clinch attempt
and Tatov counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Tua throws an overhand right that lands on Tatov's shoulder, as Tatov tries to avoid the shot.
Tua misses with a body kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tua turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tua throws a poor cross that misses
and Tatov counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tua takes a swing at Tatov's ribcage but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fatu Tua showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Tatov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Tua connects with a body shot.
Tua misses with a looping left.
Tatov lands a leg kick that knocks Tua off balance momentarily.
Tua throws a big shot that misses.

Tatov tries to keep at a distance but Tua has taken the fight into the clinch.
Tua lands a left hand.
Tatov lands a left hand.
Tatov is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A shot in the inside from Tua.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tatov has a couple of punches blocked by Tua.
Tua prevents a body shot from Tatov.
Tatov drops down looking for an ankle pick but Tua pulls his leg out and moves away.
Tatov steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tua.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tua scores with a nice head shot.
Tatov walks into a left hand.
Tua ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tatov moves away.
Tua ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tatov moves away.
Tua misses with a series of wild punches.
Tua misses with a straight left.
Tua tries to clinch but Tatov moves out of range.
Tatov misses with a body shot.
Tua with a nice cross.
Tua scores with a crisp jab that stopped Tatov in his tracks.
Tua throws a lazy right hand but Tatov sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tua slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tua jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Igor Tatov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tatov is looking to wear down Tua with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Tua cracks Tatov with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Tatov is rocked!
Tua looks to land a combination but Tatov avoids it well.
Oh Tatov is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Tatov tries a low kick but Tua avoids it.
Tua thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tatov seems to have got his legs back now.
Tatov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Tatov throws the left hand but Tua avoids the punch easily.
Tua uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Tua keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Tatov ducks under a wild hook from Tua.
Tatov gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Tua gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Tatov is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:50 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Fatu Tua!
A less than humble Fatu Tua misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.
Igor Tatov was interviewed post fight and said 'thanks for the memories, Montreal, I go out on my shield for you.'.