PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leo Yaj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dick Tanner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Yaj
vs
Tanner

156 cm
29
158 lbs
12 - 8 - 0

189 cm
44
154 lbs
37 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Leo Yaj!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Dick Tanner!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yaj blocks a low kick nicely.
Yaj was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tanner tries to clinch there but Yaj circles away.
Tanner tries to clinch but Yaj is having none of it.
Yaj appears to be looking for a big counter.
A low kick from Tanner is predictable there

and Yaj holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Tanner blocks an elbow strike.
Tanner with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tanner looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A nice left hand lands by Yaj.
Yaj looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Yaj tries to land knees in the clinch but Tanner avoids the damage to the body.
Yaj trying to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tanner breaks the clinch.
Tanner lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Tanner misses with an uppercut.
Tanner cracks Yaj with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Tanner closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Tanner avoiding damage as Yaj throws knees to the body.

Tanner breaks the clinch.
Dick Tanner seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tanner misses with a two punch combination.
Yaj is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Tanner doesn't manage to clinch there - Yaj circles away.
Tanner is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Yaj.
Tanner dodges the punch combination from Yaj.
Tanner tries to counter with a clinch but Yaj shakes him off and moves away.
Tanner avoids a punch combination nicely.

Tanner drives through and clinches with Yaj against the cage.

Tanner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Yaj has managed to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yaj landing knees to the body.
Tanner is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Yaj tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Yaj keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Tanner's efforts to push away.
Tanner trying to land knees to the body.
Yaj throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tanner blocks it with crossed arms.
Tanner is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Yaj tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tanner avoids it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Tanner takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Yaj misses with a hook from the clinch.
Yaj using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Yaj tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tanner's elbow.
Tanner throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj lands a body shot in the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Yaj obliges.
Tanner blocks the elbow strike.
Yaj misses with an elbow strike.
Yaj lands an elbow inside that Tanner shrugs off.

Tanner breaks the clinch.
Yaj loads up on a big right hand but Tanner slips the punch.
Tanner appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Tanner tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Tanner gets a clinch.
Tanner throws an elbow that misses.

Tanner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tanner dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Yaj. That did some damage!
Yaj walks into a stiff left hand from Tanner.
Tanner tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Yaj manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Yaj jabs at Tanner's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good shot there by Tanner.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Yaj throws a body punch but Tanner moves out of range.
Tanner tries to clinch but Yaj is having none of it.
Tanner scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Yaj closes the distance and clinches.
Yaj works on Tanner's body with a couple of short punches.
Yaj with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Yaj doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Yaj tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yaj throws an elbow but it misses.
Tanner avoiding damage as Yaj throws knees to the body.

Tanner breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Yaj throws a sloppy body shot
and Yaj takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Yaj keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Leo Yaj will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Yaj throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tanner sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Tanner moves into the clinch.
Yaj tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tanner lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Yaj or not.

Tanner breaks from the clinch.
Tanner throws a body shot but no joy.
Tanner throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Tanner thows a leg kick but Yaj checks it

and Yaj counters by clinching up.
Tanner tries to break the clinch but Yaj is controlling the position.
Tanner wants to get back to striking at distance but Yaj won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Yaj blocks the elbow strike.
Yaj lands with a right to the head.
Yaj unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Tanner avoiding damage as Yaj throws knees to the body.
Yaj throws an elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj tries to throw a body punch but Tanner avoids it by throwing Yaj back against the cage.
Yaj goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Tanner breaks the clinch.
Tanner tries to clinch up.
Tanner keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Yaj.
Tanner moves in looking to clinch but Yaj pushes him off.
Yaj is looking to counter punch.
Tanner takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Yaj dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Yaj has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Yaj there as he acknowledges the shot.
Tanner keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Yaj tries to clinch up.
Yaj misses with a hook to the body
and Tanner counters with a nice kick to the body.
Tanner connects with a single shot there.
Tanner is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Tanner tries to clinch up but Yaj circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanner is looking to clinch but Yaj is avoiding it.
It looked like Yaj wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Dick Tanner seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tanner is looking to clinch but Yaj is avoiding it.
It looked like Yaj was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Tanner.
Tanner throws a leg kick that is checked
and Yaj counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tanner has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Yaj avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tanner lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Yaj wants to clinch but Tanner slips to the side
and Tanner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tanner avoids a punch combination nicely.

Tanner clinches with his opponent.
Tanner blocks the elbow strike.
Tanner blocking some punches.
Tanner is looking to break free of the clinch but Yaj has double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yaj with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tanner dodges an elbow strike from Yaj.
Leo Yaj has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Yaj lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Dick Tanner has been cut.
Yaj tries a body shot but Tanner blocks it.
Yaj trying to land knees to the body.
Yaj creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Tanner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Tanner darts in and clinches Yaj up against the cage.
Yaj goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Yaj landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Yaj looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Yaj tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tanner has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Yaj tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Yaj lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Tanner or not.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yaj using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Tanner has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Tanner is looking to break free of the clinch but Yaj has double underhooks.
Tanner takes a shot to the head.
Yaj tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Yaj tries a knee to the head but Tanner blocks it.
Yaj lands a right hand.
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!
Yaj keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Tanner's efforts to push away.
Yaj throws an elbow but it misses.
Yaj throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tanner blocks it with crossed arms.
Yaj misses with the head strike.
Tanner blocks an uppercut.

Tanner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
A left lands for Tanner.
Tanner tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Yaj dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dick Tanner's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Yaj looks to throw the jab but Tanner is out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Tanner! But no joy.
Yaj moves out of range as Tanner strikes.
Tanner wants to clinch.
Yaj attempts a counter takedown but Tanner avoids it well and moves away.
Yaj throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
A good leg kick by Tanner.
Yaj misses with an uppercut
and Tanner counters with a straight right hand.
Tanner moves away from the strike by Yaj.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanner stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Yaj throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tanner misses with a lunging right hand
and Yaj counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Yaj uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tanner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yaj takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
A telegraphed right hand from Tanner misses the target.
Tanner throws a leg kick but Yaj checks it.
Tanner connects with a good right hand that stumbles Yaj. Yaj circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Yaj on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Tanner avoids the body shot from Yaj.
Tanner swats away the attempt to clinch by Yaj.

Yaj has managed to clinch.
Tanner is trying to push Yaj away but Yaj has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Yaj throws a knee to the head but misses.
Yaj pushes Tanner back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanner blocks a body shot from Yaj.

Tanner's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tanner misses with a straight left.

Yaj has taken the fight to the clinch.
Yaj throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Yaj lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Yaj landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Tanner takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Tanner pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A shot to the body from Tanner misses
and Yaj counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Nice uppercut there from Yaj.
Tanner misses with an uppercut. Yaj saw that one coming.
Yaj is looking to wear down Tanner with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Yaj misses with a two punch combination.
Tanner steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Yaj.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Oooooh!!! Yaj has knocked Tanner down with a huge combo! Yaj steps away and waves a wobbly Tanner back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Tanner is rocked!
Yaj looks to land a left hand but Tanner moved out of range nicely.
Tanner is still on wobbly legs! Can Yaj finish him?
Tanner bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Yaj's head backwards.
Yaj jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Tanner seems to have recovered his senses.
Tanner swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A left lands for Yaj.
Tanner wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tanner throws out a loose jab but Yaj uses good head movement to avoid it.
Yaj is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Tanner.
Dick Tanner has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Yaj slips a straight right by Tanner.
Tanner lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Yaj looks to land a right hand but Tanner moved out of range.
Tanner misses with a double jab

and Yaj counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tanner!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tanner is looking to regain half guard here but Yaj keeps moving and retains side control.

Yaj is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Tanner knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Yaj working away.

Yaj is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tanner is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Yaj tries to advance to mount but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leo Yaj showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Yaj, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leo Yaj!
An out of breath Leo Yaj thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.