PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tom Dwan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Papa Said Tap Him Out (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tap Him Out has chosen It's Time For War by LL Cool J as his entrance music. Tom Dwan had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Dwan
vs
Said Tap Him Out

184 cm
22
215 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

185 cm
25
212 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Experienced

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Dwan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Papa Said Tap Him Out!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tap Him Out shoots in for a takedown but Dwan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Tap Him Out is defended easily by Dwan.

Tap Him Out shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Tap Him Out was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tap Him Out won't let Dwan get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
Tap Him Out avoids the attempt from Dwan to control.
Tap Him Out with shots to the head and body - Dwan looks very uncomfortable down there.
Dwan tries to reverse the position but Tap Him Out maintains control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dwan is trying to stand.
Tap Him Out tries to control but Dwan wriggling away.
Dwan wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dwan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Dwan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Dwan keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Dwan is working hard here to advance position.
Tap Him Out in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Tap Him Out trying to control but Dwan is having none of it.

Tap Him Out moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Dwan has worked his arm free - good work by Dwan!
Dwan manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dwan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tap Him Out trying to control here.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Dwan is trying to work for a kimura but Tap Him Out is defending well.
Dwan seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Tap Him Out does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tap Him Out is looking for a sweep. Dwan is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Tap Him Out misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Tap Him Out wants to control but Dwan is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Tap Him Out drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Tap Him Out working the head with strikes.
Dwan throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Dwan is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Tap Him Out off and has taken his back!
Dwan is working the ground and pound. Can Tap Him Out escape?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.

Dwan looking for the choke from the back.
Dwan has Tap Him Out flattened out and is raining down punches.
Tap Him Out tries to escape but Dwan has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Tap Him Out trying to control the position but Dwan manages to sink in the hooks.
Tap Him Out tries to roll but Dwan sticks to his back.
Tap Him Out turns into Dwan and is now in his guard.
Tap Him Out trying to control the position from guard on top but Dwan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Dwan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tap Him Out.
Dwan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tap Him Out pushing down on Dwan's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Dwan regains full guard. Nicely done.

Dwan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dwan is breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tap Him Out wants to control from the top but Dwan keeps moving.

Dwan looking for subs off his back but Tap Him Out has passed one foot through into half guard.
Tap Him Out working over Dwan with some ground and pound. Dwan looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Dwan trying to control here.
Tap Him Out not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Tap Him Out throws a strike but Dwan avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Dwan is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Dwan is looking for a triangle here but Tap Him Out uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Papa Said Tap Him Out will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Tap Him Out looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Dwan!
Dwan has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Tap Him Out's lack of action.
Dwan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Tap Him Out stops Dwan from getting back to his feet.
Dwan trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Dwan has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Tap Him Out is working away from the top position though.
Tap Him Out thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dwan's head.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Tap Him Out connects with a nice short shot to Dwan's temple.

Dwan looking for submissions off his back.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tap Him Out lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tap Him Out not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Dwan is refusing to be controlled, as Tap Him Out sits in half guard.
Dwan wants to get back to full guard.
Tap Him Out trying to control the action but Dwan is working from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Tap Him Out.

Dwan looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Tap Him Out missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Dwan swinging wildly here.

Dwan rushes Tap Him Out and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A short body shot lands from Dwan as the two fighters clinch.
Tap Him Out fails to pull guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Dwan gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Tap Him Out working a defensive guard here.
Tap Him Out wants to sweep here but Dwan controlling him for the moment.
Tap Him Out doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Dwan looking to pass the guard.

Tap Him Out is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Dwan defends well.
Tap Him Out wants to sweep here but Dwan controlling him for the moment.
Tap Him Out keeping moving, preventing Dwan from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dwan is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Tap Him Out shoots in and bounces Dwan off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Dwan keeping moving, preventing Tap Him Out from controlling successfully.
Dwan controls Tap Him Out momentarily but Tap Him Out frees himself.
Tap Him Out wants to pass the guard but Dwan is keeping the position.
Tap Him Out wants to control from the top but Dwan keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Dwan kicks Tap Him Out off and gets to his feet.
A lazy left from Dwan finds it's target.

It looks like Papa Said Tap Him Out has been cut.
Tap Him Out shoots in but no luck this time.
Dwan stuffs the takedown.
Tom Dwan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Papa Said Tap Him Out.
Horrible takedown by Tap Him Out or perhaps it was just good defense by Dwan which made him look bad.

Dwan has closed the distance and engaged Tap Him Out in a clinch.

Dwan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dwan leaves Tap Him Out with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Dwan fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Tap Him Out sprawls well initially but Dwan persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Tap Him Out wants to get back to full guard.
Dwan tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Tap Him Out.
Tap Him Out tries to get to full guard but Dwan has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tom Dwan dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Papa Said Tap Him Out's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Dwan scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tap Him Out misses with a takedown

and Dwan counters with a single leg into guard. Tap Him Out didn't expect that.
Tap Him Out striking off his back but it's not causing Dwan any problems.
Dwan trying to control but Tap Him Out is working from the bottom.
Tap Him Out wants to sweep here but Dwan controlling him for the moment.

Tap Him Out looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Dwan controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Dwan wants to pass the guard but Tap Him Out is keeping the position.
Tap Him Out takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tap Him Out can't keep his opponent in guard - Dwan advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Dwan wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tap Him Out keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dwan is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Tap Him Out has managed to free his arm - good work.
Tap Him Out is pressing down on Dwan's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Dwan postures up in Tap Him Out's guard and throws a big left but Tap Him Out blocks it.
Dwan wants to control from the top but Tap Him Out keeps moving.
Tap Him Out controls Dwan momentarily but Dwan frees himself.

Dwan decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Tap Him Out, up you get!

Dwan shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Tap Him Out is trying to defend but Dwan finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Dwan is pressing down on Tap Him Out's thigh, looking to free his foot. Tap Him Out is holding on for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tap Him Out is pressing down on Dwan's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Tap Him Out is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tap Him Out looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dwan postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dwan passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Tap Him Out works his way to full guard. Good work.
Dwan trying to control the position from guard on top but Tap Him Out is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tap Him Out is trying to control the position but Dwan postures up.
Dwan controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dwan in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tap Him Out is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tap Him Out trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Tap Him Out throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Tap Him Out is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Tap Him Out tries for a takedown but Dwan circles away easily

and Dwan counters with a shoot takedown. Tap Him Out fights it but they end up in guard.
Dwan lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Dwan postures up.
Dwan tries to free his leg and advance position but Tap Him Out is retaining full guard.
Dwan trying to control the position from guard on top but Tap Him Out is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tom Dwan overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tap Him Out looking for a sweep. Not yet Tap Him Out, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dwan looking to pass the guard.
Tap Him Out manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Dwan manages to get himself to full guard.

Tap Him Out avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tap Him Out wants to control from the top but Dwan keeps moving.
Tap Him Out slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Tap Him Out tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tap Him Out has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dwan is looking for a sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tom Dwan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Dwan 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tom Dwan!