PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Joe Tidd (ranked 920 p4p, 58 weight class) and Maggot Soup (ranked 1443 p4p, 79 weight class). Maggot Soup will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Tidd
vs
Soup

155 cm
26
140 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

165 cm
26
137 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Powerful

The Glue Factory

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Joe Tidd!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Maggot Soup!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Soup.

Tidd closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Soup has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tidd is working away from the top position though.
Tidd looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Soup with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Soup is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tidd's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tidd's back!
We've been hearing good reports from Tidd's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

Soup looking for the choke but no joy.

Tidd is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Soup gets his way!
Tidd is in bad spot here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Soup is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Soup gets his hands free as Tidd looks to control.
Tidd tries to escape the position.

Tidd is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Tidd fending off the submission attempt from Soup.
Soup controlling well, preventing Tidd from escaping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Soup working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Tidd trying to control but not successfully.

Soup is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Tidd knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Tidd for a finish.
Tidd is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
My spies in Island Hammers Fight Camp inform me that Soup has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Tidd rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Tidd holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Tidd is looking for a sweep. Soup is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maggot Soup dominated that round.
That's time! Tidd's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Soup shoots in for a takedown but Tidd shows good takedown defense.
Soup misses with a takedown attempt - Tidd sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Tidd shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Soup wants to control but Tidd is keeping busy.
Soup taking some punishment here, with Tidd in his half guard.
Soup works his way to full guard. Good work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Soup is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tidd defends well.
Soup trying to keep a closed guard but Tidd is proving a slippery customer.
Tidd has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Tidd scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soup has momentary wrist control but Tidd slips an elbow through the middle.
Soup is trying to hold Tidd in close to prevent damage but Tidd has managed to pass into half guard.
Tidd slips a nice elbow through Soup's hands, connecting with Soup's forehead.
Soup is trying to control but can't.
Nice strikes from Tidd there.
Tidd is trying to control the action in half guard but Soup is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tidd slips a nice elbow through Soup's hands, connecting with Soup's forehead.
Tidd is trying to control the action in half guard but Soup is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Tidd working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tidd perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Tidd lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Joe Tidd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tidd working the head and body with strikes.
Tidd scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Soup keeping control of the position.
Well, if Tidd 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.
Tidd working the head and body with strikes.
Soup trying to control here.
Tidd throwing shots but Soup is blocking nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Tidd dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Tidd shoots in and bounces Soup off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Tidd trying to control but Soup is working from the bottom.
Soup looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Tidd throws a big elbow that misses.
Tidd throwing strikes but missing.
Tidd postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Soup working for a triangle but Tidd defends it easily.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Tidd's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tidd with a nice head shot there.
Tidd with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tidd postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tidd slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Tidd with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tidd lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Soup has Tidd pulled in close to control his posture.
Soup is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tidd trying to control the position from guard on top but Soup is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Tidd stands up over Soup, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Tidd with a nice head shot there.
Tidd lands a couple of digs.
Tidd stands up over Soup, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Soup preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tidd postures up and lands a big shot to Soup's brow.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Soup throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tidd is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Tidd clearly takes that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tidd looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Tidd drops an elbow to the side of Soup's head.
Tidd wants to free his trapped foot but Soup is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Soup trying to hold on to Tidd's head to control him but Tidd postures up.
Soup is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tidd's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tidd's back!
Tidd trying to survive by controlling the hands.
I really don't envy Tidd right now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Soup is trying to stick to Tidd's back but Tidd is turning into Soup. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Soup's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Tidd.
Tidd lands a couple of elbows.
Tidd is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Soup can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Tidd accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Soup holds on and takes a little breather.
Soup utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tidd chips away with some ground and pound.
Soup keeping moving, preventing Tidd from controlling successfully.
Tidd throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tidd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tidd content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Soup keeping moving, preventing Tidd from controlling successfully.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Tidd's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tidd postures up.
Tidd in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tidd trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tidd postures up.
Tidd throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tidd lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Soup lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Soup is fighting to break Tidd's control of his arms but Tidd is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Soup slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Tidd has his hands on Soup's head, controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joe Tidd had his way with Maggot Soup in that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Tidd looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Tidd throws a big right hand that misses.
Soup is trying to control the position but Tidd postures up.
Tidd throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Soup works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Soup throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tidd connects with a couple of short punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tidd is stalling in the full guard.
Tidd throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tidd trying to control but Soup is working from the bottom.
Tidd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tidd throws a big elbow that misses.
Tidd distracts Soup with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Tidd keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Soup's head.
Tidd works over Soup with some ground and pound from guard.
Tidd trying to control but Soup is working from the bottom.
Soup is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tidd postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tidd working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Soup's head.
Tidd scoring with some ground and pound.
Soup tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tidd is stalling in the full guard.
Soup avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tidd throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Maggot Soup has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Joe Tidd is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tidd stopping the sweep attempt from Soup.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joe Tidd showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tidd has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight for Joe Tidd!
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight for Joe Tidd!
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight for Joe Tidd!

Joe Tidd wins by unanimous decision!
Joe Tidd retains his bantamweight title!
Joe Tidd gave a mention to The Glue Factory in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).