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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Kaheli Sonni (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manu Tuilagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonni comes to the cage accompanied by Chica. Kaheli Sonni has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.
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| 186 cm
27
185 lbs
18 - 11 - 1 |
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174 cm
26
175 lbs
15 - 7 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible |
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Excellent grappler
Good kicks
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
18 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Kaheli Sonni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Manu Tuilagi!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Steve Montenegro and Jorge Garcia.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonni misses with a leg kick
and Tuilagi makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Sonni misses with a body kick.
Sonni attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Sonni tries a head kick but it misses.
Good work by Tuilagi as he checks the leg kick.
Sonni throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sonni scoring well with a low kick there.
Sonni gets caught flat footed, as Tuilagi shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Tuilagi engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Tuilagi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sonni swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Sonni keeping moving, preventing Tuilagi from controlling successfully.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuilagi controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
My spies in Brown House inform me that Tuilagi has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Sonni is trying to keep Tuilagi in close.
Tuilagi looking to sit in guard and control but Sonni gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Sonni is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Tuilagi is pulling down on Sonni's head to control his posture.
Sonni controls from within his opponent's guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonni postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Sonni trying to control but Tuilagi is working from the bottom.
Kaheli Sonni has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Tuilagi fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sonni sprawls well initially but Tuilagi persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
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!
Sonni slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Tuilagi got a little sloppy there for a moment and Sonni has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tuilagi has managed to get both his arms back between Sonni's legs - danger averted.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi is pushing down on Sonni's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sonni is fighting to maintain full guard but Tuilagi has managed to sneak the leg through.
Tuilagi is trying to control. Sonni wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Sonni wants to control but Tuilagi is keeping busy.
Tuilagi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Sonni with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Sonni is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Tuilagi jumps into side control!
Tuilagi working away.
Tuilagi is looking to take a break and control but Sonni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonni sneaks back into half guard.
Tuilagi is looking to take a break and control but Sonni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Manu Tuilagi.
Tuilagi avoids a kick to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Sonni fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tuilagi looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
We've been told by Sonni's head coaches at Bad Pluto! that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head kick misses from Sonni.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Manu Tuilagi will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!
Sonni looks to land a right hand but Tuilagi moved out of range.
Sonni throws a jab but it's blocked by Tuilagi.
Kaheli Sonni seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tuilagi gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Sonni throws a leg kick
and Sonni takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Sonni thumps Tuilagi with a low kick.
Tuilagi takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Sonni thows a left - swing and a miss!
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sonni.
Tuilagi moves out of range of the strikes.
Tuilagi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tuilagi takes a head kick and keeps coming.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonni throws a head kick that misses.
Sonni has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Tuilagi.
Sonni throws a leg kick that is checked
so Tuilagi counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tuilagi trying to control but Sonni is working from the bottom.
Tuilagi looking to pass the guard.
Tuilagi scoring with punches to the head and body.
Tuilagi wants to control from the top but Sonni keeps moving.
Tuilagi not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonni is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tuilagi is aware though and is defending well.
Tuilagi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Manu Tuilagi has got the better of the ground game so far.
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!
Tuilagi is pushing down on Sonni's leg trying to pass to half guard. Sonni is fighting to maintain full guard but Tuilagi has managed to sneak the leg through.
Sonni looking for submissions off his back.
Tuilagi is taking a breather. Sonni says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tuilagi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sonni's head.
Sonni is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Tuilagi pulls his head out easily.
Tuilagi lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonni looking for submissions off his back.
Sonni is staying active underneath Tuilagi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sonni blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tuilagi.
Sonni trying to hold on to Tuilagi's head to control him but Tuilagi postures up.
Sonni is staying active underneath Tuilagi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Tuilagi perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Tuilagi prevents Sonni from improving his position.
The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Manu Tuilagi wasn't active enough on the ground.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Sonni.
The fighters circling - Sonni throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sonni. Tuilagi does a little dance to reset his feet.
Sonni throws the kick towards the body but Tuilagi avoids it.
Tuilagi thumps Sonni with a low kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Manu Tuilagi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!
Sonni swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Tuilagi attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Tuilagi uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Sonni.
Sonni misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sonni throws a hook but Tuilagi blocks it.
Tuilagi tests Sonni's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Sonni connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sonni throws out a loose jab but Tuilagi uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tuilagi displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Sonni throws out the jab.
A low kick from Sonni is predictable there
and Tuilagi counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Sonni!
Tuilagi trying to control the action but Sonni is working from the bottom.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuilagi is staying tight to Sonni's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Tuilagi looks up at the clock and then as Sonni takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Tuilagi smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Tuilagi happy to just control the position for now.
Tuilagi is looking to take a break and control but Sonni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sonni is trying to get back to half guard.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi working the ground and pound but Sonni is defending the strikes.
Sonni on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Sonni struggling a bit here.
Tuilagi fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Sonni is trying to improve his position.
Tuilagi is looking to take a break and control but Sonni is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Sonni is looking to regain half guard here but Tuilagi keeps moving and retains side control.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
The strikes coming from Tuilagi are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
A lull in the action here as Tuilagi stalls from top position.
Kaheli Sonni has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tuilagi working away.
Sonni prevents Tuilagi from improving position.
Tuilagi lands an elbow.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonni is looking to regain half guard here but Tuilagi keeps moving and retains side control.
A lull in the action here as Tuilagi stalls from top position.
Tuilagi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sonni keeps working.
Manu Tuilagi is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Sonni is trying to control Tuilagi's posture but Tuilagi avoids it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonni is not content to let Tuilagi control the position.
Sonni parries the strikes from Tuilagi easily there. Tuilagi is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sonni to escape.
And that's the end of the fight!
Manu Tuilagi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Tuilagi winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:30
In favor of your winner, by split decision... Manu Tuilagi!
Manu Tuilagi gave a mention to Jazzify in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).
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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
52% |
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