PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Haka Tonga (ranked 5227 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darren Till (ranked 5599 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Tonga
vs
Till

180 cm
21
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Haka Tonga!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Darren Till!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paul Aken and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Till forces Tonga back against the cage and clinches.

Till breaks from the clinch.

Till forces Tonga back against the cage and clinches.
Till creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Tonga's defenses.
Till pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Till.
Till misses with an elbow over the top.
Till lands an elbow inside.
Till lands an elbow just above Tonga 's eye.

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

Till moves into the clinch.
Till lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Till takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Tonga tries to circle away but Till has him pinned against the cage.
Till just leaning against Tonga, taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonga has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Till is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tonga takes an elbow to the temple.

Till breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Till has taken the fight to the clinch.
Till lands an elbow inside.
Tonga looking for a takedown.
Tonga tries to break free but Till pushes him back against the cage.
Till pushes off an throws an elbow but Tonga leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Till lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Till using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Till lands a knee to the head.
Tonga on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Knees to the body from Till.
Tonga is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonga wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Till's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Horrible takedown attempt by Tonga or perhaps it was just good defense by Till, which made it look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Haka Tonga. That's going to take a lot out of him.
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!

Till has managed to clinch.
Till lands a damaging elbow.
Till slows down the pace here.
Till lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Till misses with a knee strike.
Knees in the clinch landing for Till.
Till pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Till breaks from the clinch.
Till pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Till clinches up with Tonga and pushes him back against the cage.
Till connects with a knee to the head.
Tonga blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Tonga is trying to force a seperation but Till has the dominant position.
Till connects with a knee to the head.
Till connects with a nasty looking knee right to Tonga's face.
Till's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Till lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Till breaks from the clinch.
Tonga throws a right and a left that both miss.
Till tries to counter by closing the distance.
Till buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

Till rushes Tonga and presses him up against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Till scores with a knee to the head.
Tonga takes an elbow to the forehead.
Tonga avoiding damage as Till throws knees to the body.
Till misses with a knee to the head.
Till lands an elbow that stopped Tonga in his tracks for a moment.
Till lands a damaging elbow.
Tonga takes an elbow to the forehead.
Till lands an elbow that stopped Tonga in his tracks for a moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Till dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Till rushes Tonga and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Till with a knee to the head.
Till lands an elbow inside.
Till is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Till lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Till escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Till takes the fight into the clinch.
Tonga has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Till is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Till misses with a knee to the head.
Knees in the clinch landing for Till.
Till misses with a knee to the head.
Till has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Till manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A clash of legs there as Tonga blocks the low kick.
Tonga throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Till pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Till has taken the fight to the clinch.
Till throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Till lands an elbow inside.
Till comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Till obliges.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Till takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Till looking to throw knees to the head but Tonga is blocking nicely.
Tonga wants to get back to striking at distance but Till won't allow it.
Till creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Tonga's defenses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Till gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Till throws a knee to the head but misses.
Till missing with knees to the body.
Till lands an elbow just above Tonga 's eye.
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!
Tonga is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Till pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Darren Till seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Till leaning against his opponent.
A knee to the head by Till.
Till using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Till with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Till lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Till taking a breather.
Till lands a damaging elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Till slows down the pace here.
Till lands a knee to the head.
Till lands an elbow inside that Tonga shrugs off.
Till putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Tonga in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Till landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Nice elbow from Till.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Till lands an elbow that stopped Tonga in his tracks for a moment.
Till utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Till lands an elbow that stopped Tonga in his tracks for a moment.
Till comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Till lands a damaging elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Till using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Till comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Nice elbow from Till.
Till comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Tonga takes an elbow to the temple.
Till lands a knee to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darren Till showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Till throws a nice inside leg kick.

Tonga tries to keep at a distance but Till has taken the fight into the clinch.

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

Till rushes Tonga and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Till looking to throw knees to the head but Tonga is blocking nicely.
Till gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Tonga can't break the clinch.
Till lands an elbow just above Tonga 's eye.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Till comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Till trying to land knees to the body.
Till scores with a knee to the head.
Till lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Till lands an elbow inside.

Till breaks the clinch.
Till tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
It looked like Tonga was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Till showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tonga.

Till moves into the clinch.
Till misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Tonga.

Till breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Till has managed to clinch.
Till lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Till pressing his opponent against the cage.

Till breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tonga lands with a nice combination. Till backs away looking to recover.
Haka Tonga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tonga shoots and misses

and Till moves into the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Till comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Till lands a nice elbow.
Till scores a nice knee to the body.
Till comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

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

Till clinches.

Till breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Till forces Tonga back against the cage and clinches.
Till lands a nice elbow.

Till escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Till pushes Tonga up against the cage in a clinch.
Till lands an elbow just above Tonga 's eye.

Till manages to break the clinch.

Till moves into the clinch.
A knee to the head by Till.
Till is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Till lands an elbow just above Tonga 's eye.
Till is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Till.
Till lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Till connects with a nasty looking knee right to Tonga's face.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Till breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Till gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Till landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Till with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Till lands a damaging elbow.
Till leaning his opponent against the cage.
Till creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Tonga's defenses.
Haka Tonga has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darren Till is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Till breaks the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darren Till comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Till has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 24:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 24:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darren Till!