PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tyler Meier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathaniel Tabares (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Meier comes to the cage accompanied by Cant be touched. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Meier
vs
Tabares

185 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Rivers Edge Nutrition
Deadly Clothing

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tyler Meier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nathaniel Tabares!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Steve Montenegro and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tabares tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Tabares closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Tabares decides to stand back up.

Meier drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Tabares is looking to reverse the position.
Meier sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Tabares is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Meier wants to control but Tabares is keeping him busy.
Meier lands a decent elbow from side control.
Meier landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Meier throws a strike aimed at the side of Tabares's head but Tabares avoids it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Meier working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Tabares takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meier trying to control the action but Tabares is working from the bottom.
Tabares is trying to get back to half guard.
Tabares is not content to let Meier control the position.
Meier is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

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.
Tabares tries to bench press Meier off him but Meier keeps the position.
Meier scores with punches from side control.
Tabares tries to improve position but can't.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tabares shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Meier counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Meier.
Tabares prevents a takedown attempt there.
Meier avoiding damage.

Tabares gets control of Meier's arms and successfully pulls guard. Tabares will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Meier has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Meier trying to control the position from guard on top but Tabares is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tabares wants to stand and escape but Meier is having none of it.
Tabares looks gassed!
Meier lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Meier postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Meier trying to control but Tabares is working from the bottom.
Meier is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tabares wants to sweep here but Meier controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tabares avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Meier scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Tabares throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Meier shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Meier lands strikes from half guard.
Meier really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Tabares is refusing to be controlled, as Meier sits in half guard.
Tabares is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Meier scores with a couple of nice shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyler Meier 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.

Tabares misses with a takedown attempt
and Meier counters with a series of strikes. Tabares will be more careful next time no doubt.

Tabares moves into range and clinches up with Meier.
Meier can't get the takedown.

Meier gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Tabares tries to get to full guard but Meier has control of the leg.
Meier landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Tabares tries to roll over but Meier keeps him under control.
Tabares is staying active underneath Meier, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tabares has hold of Meier's hands but Meier slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Meier trying to control the action but Tabares is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tabares makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Meier tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tabares paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tabares tries for a takedown but Meier circles away easily

and Meier counters with a takedown into side control.
Meier lands a few punches from side control.
Tabares is looking for a sweep.
Tabares is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Meier's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Tabares is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Meier's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Meier's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Meier covers up after that shot from Tabares.
Tyler Meier overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Meier turns into Tabares and is now in his guard.
Meier is looking to work some ground and pound but Tabares has wrist control.
Meier postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Meier landing with the ground and pound.
Tabares keeping moving, preventing Meier from controlling successfully.
Tabares avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Meier tries to free his leg and advance position but Tabares is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meier trying to control but Tabares is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Meier misses with a straight left.
Tabares shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Meier moves into the clinch.
Tyler Meier has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nathaniel Tabares.
Meier drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tabares gets underhooks to prevent Meier's takedown attempt.
Tabares drops down looking for an ankle pick but Meier pulls his leg out and moves away.
Meier swats away the attempt to clinch by Tabares.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Meier works over Tabares's head and body with a nice combination.
Meier fails with the takedown

and Tabares counters by clinching up.
Meier takes an elbow to the temple.
Meier is looking to break free of the clinch but Tabares has double underhooks.
Tabares wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Meier trying to control the position but instead, Tabares has worked for underhooks and has pushed Meier into the cage.
Meier keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Tabares's efforts to push away.
Tabares is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Meier obliges.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyler Meier dominated that second round.
That's time! Meier's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Tabares shoots in but no luck this time.

Meier drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Meier grinds an elbow into Tabares's temple.

Meier decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Meier closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Tabares to the mat! Tabares manages to get full guard.
Tabares bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Meier's guard.
Tabares is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tabares stands and throws Meier's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tabares is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Meier is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Meier tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Meier is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

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.
Meier is looking to control Tabares's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Meier avoid being mounted?
Meier tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Tabares has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Tabares looking to control but Meier is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tabares won't let Meier get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Nathaniel Tabares has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tabares sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Tabares is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

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.
Tabares fails with the takedown

so Meier counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Tabares wants to sweep but no luck.
Meier keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tabares's head.
Meier with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Tabares looking to hit a scissor sweep but Meier is one step ahead there.
Tabares working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Meier.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tyler Meier showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Meier, 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tyler Meier!