PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ben Bitag (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erwin Tulfo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Bitag
vs
Tulfo

182 cm
29
150 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

185 cm
29
185 lbs
13 - 19 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ben Bitag!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Erwin Tulfo!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Colin Fray and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bitag rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tulfo moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tulfo connects with a jab.
A good leg kick by Tulfo.
Tulfo throws a nice outside leg kick.
Tulfo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Tulfo throws a body kick that misses.
Tulfo comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Tulfo.
Bitag really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Bitag takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Bitag chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tulfo can pounce on him.
Bitag on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Tulfo tries a head kick but it misses.
Tulfo lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Tulfo scores with a nice strike.
Bitag wants to clinch.
Tulfo cracks Bitag with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Nice straight punches there by Tulfo. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Tulfo.
Erwin Tulfo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tulfo swinging wildly here.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Bitag fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Tulfo to the ground. Bitag is now in Tulfo's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Tulfo kicks Bitag off and gets to his feet.
Bitag is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tulfo connects with a high kick.
Tulfo scores with the left hand. Bitag knows he should have avoided that one.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Tulfo enables Bitag to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Tulfo manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Tulfo 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.
Tulfo really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bitag. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tulfo keeping moving, preventing Bitag from controlling successfully.
Tulfo wants to sweep here but Bitag controlling him for the moment.
Bitag wants to control from the top but Tulfo keeps moving.
Bitag preventing the sweep.

Bitag decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Bitag tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tulfo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bitag on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Tulfo uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Bitag has time to react.
Erwin Tulfo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tulfo throws a head kick that misses.
Tulfo pushes Bitag away with a front kick.
Tulfo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bitag. That did some damage!
Bitag swinging wildly here.
Tulfo connects with a leg kick. Bitag looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tulfo moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bitag checks a low kick from Tulfo.
Bitag wants to clinch.
Tulfo connects with a leg kick. Bitag looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tulfo fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Bitag on the side of the head.
Bitag wants to clinch up but Tulfo keeps it at a distance.
Tulfo slaps away a takedown attempt from Bitag, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bitag clinches up with Tulfo and pushes him back against the cage.
Tulfo pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Tulfo lands a nice elbow.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Tulfo.
Bitag blocks an elbow strike from Tulfo.
Tulfo throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Bitag jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Tulfo walks away with a smile on his face. Bitag gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Tulfo chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Tulfo moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Tulfo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Bitag tries to close the distance and clinch but Tulfo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tulfo lands a slapping body shot.
Tulfo keeps the fight on the outside.
Tulfo throws a half hearted mid kick.
Jab by Tulfo.
Tulfo lands with a nice combination. Bitag backs away looking to recover.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Bitag.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Bitag. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bitag tries to clinch but Tulfo moves out of range.
Tulfo is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Bitag had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Tulfo with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bitag chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tulfo can pounce on him.
Tulfo lands a jab to the head.
A nice leg kick lands there from Tulfo.
Bitag takes a kick to the side of the head.
Tulfo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bitag was well out of range. Poor timing from Tulfo.
Tulfo throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Tulfo stuns Bitag with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tulfo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Bitag tries to clinch but Tulfo moves out of range.
Tulfo scores with a leg kick.
Bitag tries to close the distance and clinch but Tulfo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A nice combination there by Bitag.
Bitag tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Bitag tries for a takedown but Tulfo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tulfo thows a body kick. Bitag tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Tulfo lands a front kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Erwin Tulfo dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bitag tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tulfo swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Erwin Tulfo seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Danga de danga de dang - Tulfo scores with a four punch combination!
Bitag is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Bitag feints and as Tulfo raises his hands in defense, Bitag changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Tulfo has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Bitag can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Tulfo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bitag is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Bitag with a flurry of punches that miss.
Bitag is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Bitag's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Bitag working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Tulfo's head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bitag postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tulfo can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Bitag controls the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tulfo looking for a guillotine here but Bitag defends easily.
Tulfo working a defensive guard here.

Bitag drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bitag jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Bitag landing with the ground and pound.

Tulfo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Bitag looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bitag trying to control the position from guard on top but Tulfo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tulfo wants to stand up but Bitag is controlling him.
Bitag wants to control from the top but Tulfo keeps moving.

We're going to have a standup here because Ben Bitag wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Tulfo throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Bitag has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Tulfo.
Bitag shoots in looking for a takedown. Tulfo tries to sprawl out of it but Bitag keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tulfo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Bitag fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bitag misses with a low kick as Tulfo jumps back.
Tulfo scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Tulfo sizes up Bitag with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Tulfo lands a jab.
Bitag on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Tulfo. Tulfo obviously looking to wear him down.
Tulfo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Bitag crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Tulfo - the referee stops the clock and Bitag gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Tulfo. Bitag manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Tulfo lands a nice looking body shot.
Tulfo looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tulfo with a jab.
Tulfo lands a high kick!
Tulfo goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Bitag pushes Tulfo up against the cage in a clinch.
Tulfo looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Tulfo misses with an elbow over the top.
Tulfo lands an elbow inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bitag tries to pull guard but Tulfo won't allow it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Bitag. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tulfo pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.

Tulfo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bitag steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Tulfo. That one must have hurt.
Ben Bitag is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tulfo pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Bitag back to the cage. Tulfo follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Tulfo fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Bitag has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Bitag tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tulfo sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Bitag somewhat.
Tulfo scores with a sloppy right hand. Bitag should have avoided that one.

Bitag drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Bitag tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Bitag scoring with punches from side 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 Ben Bitag will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Tulfo scores with a punch to the head.
Bitag fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tulfo feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Bitag's calf.
Tulfo dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Bitag. That did some damage!
The crowd cheers as Tulfo lands an impressive looking overhand right. Bitag doesn't seem phased though.
Bitag shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Tulfo defends it nicely.
Tulfo scores with a jab.
Tulfo throws a shot to the body.
Bitag tries for a takedown but Tulfo sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tulfo lands a lovely overhand right.
Tulfo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Tulfo cracks Bitag with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Bitag shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Tulfo but Tulfo pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Bitag. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tulfo ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bitag fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tulfo avoids it really well and circles away.
Bitag takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bitag takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Bitag will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Tulfo throws a head kick that half lands.
Bitag on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Bitag on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Tulfo throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Bitag fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tulfo connects with a leg kick. Bitag looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Bitag is looking to clinch.
Tulfo lets loose with a powerful body kick. Bitag will feel that in the morning.
Bitag moves out of range of the body kick from Tulfo.
Tulfo connects with a body shot that sends Bitag's belly button to the back.
Tulfo displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bitag.
Bitag takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Tulfo, right into the meat.
A left and a right from Tulfo both land. Nice combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tulfo throws a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bitag throws a nice looking combination but Tulfo bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
No joy there for Tulfo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tulfo avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tulfo lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bitag gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Tulfo throws a wild body kick that Bitag sees coming a mile off.

Bitag shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Tulfo napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Bitag trying to control the position but Tulfo is working away.
Bitag staying calm.
Tulfo tries to buck Bitag off but Bitag is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tulfo is not content to let Bitag control the position.
Tulfo is being controlled here.
Bitag trying to control the action but Tulfo is working from the bottom.

Bitag looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tulfo is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tulfo wants to control but Bitag postures up.
Bitag connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Tulfo some visible discomfort.

Bitag tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Tulfo tries to buck Bitag off but Bitag is having none of it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bitag content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

Tulfo is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Bitag's leg. Oh but that's left an opportunity for Bitag! He's got an arm triangle... it looks tight! He's rotating and Tulfo has tapped! This one is allllll over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Ben Bitag!
Ben Bitag took to the mic after the fight and begged the organizational hierarchy for a shot at the title.