PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Cudlitz (ranked 2867 p4p, 2492 weight class) and Scottie Tarantino (ranked 365 p4p, 317 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Cudlitz
vs
Tarantino

183 cm
22
186
5 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
168
5 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

HELLBENT
Conquer

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Cudlitz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Scottie Tarantino!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, John Roberts and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tarantino closes this distance looking for a takedown but Cudlitz circles away.
Cudlitz closes the distance and clinches up with Tarantino, looking for a takedown. Cudlitz pushes Tarantino against the cage but Tarantino circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Cudlitz 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.
Cudlitz looking to pass the guard.
Tarantino has his hands on Cudlitz's head, controlling the position.
Cudlitz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tarantino swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cudlitz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tarantino has Cudlitz pulled in close to control his posture.
Cudlitz has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Tarantino looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Cudlitz is looking to work some ground and pound but Tarantino has wrist control.
Tarantino is pulling down on Cudlitz's head to control his posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cudlitz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tarantino controlling Cudlitz's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cudlitz preventing the sweep.
Tarantino has his hands on Cudlitz's head, controlling the position.
Cudlitz 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.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Cudlitz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cudlitz engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Tarantino dives in and scores a takedown into Cudlitz's guard.
Cudlitz is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Tarantino dives into side control.

Tarantino in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Tarantino misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Cudlitz on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Cudlitz tries to get out of the position.
Tarantino throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Cudlitz is looking for a sweep.
Tarantino wants to control but Cudlitz is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Cudlitz's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
An elbow from Tarantino crashes against the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cudlitz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Tarantino looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Cudlitz is avoiding damage well.
Tarantino working the ground and pound but Cudlitz is defending the strikes.
Tarantino working the head and body with strikes.
Cudlitz struggling a bit here.
Tarantino throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Cudlitz knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tarantino on the ground.
Cudlitz is looking for a sweep.
Tarantino in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Check out the look on Tarantino's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Cudlitz is working to avoid the ground and pound but Tarantino connects with a decent elbow.
Tarantino throws an elbow but Cudlitz slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cudlitz is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Cudlitz is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Tarantino has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tarantino grinds an elbow into Cudlitz's temple.
Cudlitz tries to escape but Tarantino is in control.
Tarantino is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Cudlitz's shoulder. That is not cool.
Tarantino is working Cudlitz over with some ground and pound from side control.
Tarantino landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Tarantino tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Tarantino is working Cudlitz over with some ground and pound from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tarantino works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tarantino misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Tarantino is looking to take a break and control but Cudlitz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Scottie Tarantino dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Tarantino shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Cudlitz manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Tarantino throws a strike but Cudlitz rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Tarantino bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Cudlitz's guard.

Cudlitz wants to stand up but Tarantino is controlling him.
Tarantino missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tarantino trying to control but Cudlitz is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tarantino prevents Cudlitz from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarantino trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Tarantino throwing strikes from guard but Cudlitz blocks nicely.
Tarantino postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tarantino stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cudlitz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cudlitz keeping moving, preventing Tarantino from controlling successfully.
Cudlitz wants to stand up but Tarantino is controlling him.
Tarantino tries to free his leg and advance position but Cudlitz is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Tarantino stands and throws Cudlitz's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Cudlitz is throwing a few token shots, despite Tarantino being in side control.
Scottie Tarantino has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tarantino prevents Cudlitz from escaping the position.
Tarantino is chipping away with strikes.
Tarantino creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Tarantino trying to control the action but Cudlitz is working from the bottom.
Tarantino lands a nice forearm strike.
Cudlitz takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Tarantino working the ground and pound from side control.
Tarantino throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarantino slows the pace down.
The ground and pound from Tarantino seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Tarantino cracks Cudlitz with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Tarantino working the ground and pound but Cudlitz is defending the strikes.
Tarantino postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Tarantino misses with the ground and pound.
Tarantino lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Tarantino misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Tarantino scoring with punches and elbows.
Cudlitz is not content to let Tarantino control the position.
Tarantino working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tarantino scores with punches from side control.
Tarantino throws a strike aimed at the side of Cudlitz's head but Cudlitz avoids it well.
Tarantino lands a nice forearm strike.
Tarantino working the ground and pound from side control.
Tarantino is looking to take a break and control but Cudlitz is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tarantino in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tarantino creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Cudlitz sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Cudlitz struggling a bit here.
Tarantino wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cudlitz keeps working.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Scottie Tarantino showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Cudlitz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Cudlitz.

Tarantino drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cudlitz is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Tarantino scoring with punches from side control.
Cudlitz is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Tarantino has just dragged him back down to the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cudlitz looks to move to half guard but instead Tarantino has passed into mount! Damn!
Cudlitz taking shots to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tarantino lands a couple of good shots and Cudlitz has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Tarantino gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
Cudlitz trying to control the position but Tarantino manages to sink in the hooks.
Cudlitz wants to escape the position.
Tarantino throwing damaging strikes from the back! Cudlitz could be in trouble here!
Tarantino is landing with strikes from the back.
Cudlitz is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Tarantino.
Tarantino lands with a hammerfist to the side of Cudlitz's head.
Cudlitz is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Tarantino biding his time, controlling Cudlitz.
Tarantino lands a shot to the head.
Scottie Tarantino is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
I would not like to be Cudlitz right now.
Tarantino's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Tarantino has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tarantino is continuing to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
The adventures of Tarantino the control monster continue. Boring.
Let's hope that Tarantino has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cudlitz trying to get back to his feet but Tarantino is in full control for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Scottie Tarantino comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tarantino 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scottie Tarantino!
A relieved looking Scottie Tarantino thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.