PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Von Poole (ranked 6217 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tama Tonga (ranked 8190 p4p, 0 weight class). Tonga has chosen Lockjaw as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Poole
vs
Tonga

174 cm
18
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
19
185 lbs
2 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Von Poole!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tama Tonga !
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Viktor Lagutenko and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Poole feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Tonga is wriggling around but Poole manages to pass to half guard.

Tonga is trying to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poole is looking to stall here but Tonga recovers full guard.
Poole might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Tonga is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Poole defends well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poole prevents Tonga from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poole won't allow Tonga to sweep him here.

Poole drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Poole jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Poole postures up in Tonga 's guard and throws a big left but Tonga blocks it.
Tonga wants to stand but Poole is controlling the position.
Poole won't allow Tonga to sweep him here.
Tonga keeping moving, preventing Poole from controlling successfully.

Tonga is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Poole is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Poole trying to control the position from guard on top but Tonga is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tonga looking for a sweep. Not yet Tonga , not yet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Tonga closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Tonga makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Tonga has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Poole uses from the top position.
Tonga looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tonga is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Tonga is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poole wants to improve his position but Tonga is controlling well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

Tonga is looking for a kimura but Poole is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Tonga to get the leverage.
Poole trying to control here.
Poole keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Tonga is working for a kimura but Poole is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Poole is trying to control but can't.
Poole could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Poole wants to sweep but Tonga has passed to side control!
Poole is trying to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Tonga stands up.

Tonga gets a takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tama Tonga dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tonga closes the distance and clinches up with Poole, looking for a takedown. Tonga pushes Poole against the cage but Poole circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Tonga shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Poole manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Tonga passes Poole's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Poole manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Tonga got a little sloppy there for a moment and Poole has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tonga has managed to get both his arms back between Poole's legs - danger averted.
Poole working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonga is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Poole throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tonga has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tonga engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Poole throws his legs up looking for a submission but Tonga uses it to pass to side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Poole on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Tonga advances to mount.
Tonga controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonga landing shots from mount.
Tonga controlling the pace for now.
Tonga 's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Tonga is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Poole wants to get back to his feet.
Tonga controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonga is continuing to stall.
Tonga scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Tonga landing punches.
Tonga looking to control and managing it successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Poole reaches up to try and control the position but Tonga seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Poole rolls and tries to escape and now Tonga has his back!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Poole tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tama Tonga showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Poole changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Tonga looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Tonga manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Tonga working the head and body with strikes.
Tonga wants to free his trapped foot but Poole is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tonga is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonga looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Poole with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Well, if Tonga is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Poole is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Tonga is controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Poole makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Poole tries to keep at a distance but Tonga has taken the fight into the clinch.
Tonga is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Tonga keeps control of Poole as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonga is trying to pull guard but Poole turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Tonga manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Poole lands a couple of elbows.
Poole has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Tonga is proving hard to escape from.
Poole with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tonga wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Tonga looking to hit a scissor sweep but Poole is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tonga can do anything to dispel that myth.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Poole fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Tonga to the ground. Poole is now in Tonga 's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tonga is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Von Poole has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tama Tonga is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tonga 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.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tama Tonga .
I've got Tonga 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 27:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tama Tonga !
Tama Tonga spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.