PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Duilio Tagliabue (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate Wright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tagliabue comes to the cage accompanied by Cage the Elephant - Ain't No Rest for the Wicked. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Tagliabue
vs
Wright

173 cm
21
170 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

181 cm
28
160 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Very strong

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Duilio Tagliabue!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nate Wright!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Alyssa Summers and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Wright tries to keep at a distance but Tagliabue has taken the fight into the clinch.

Tagliabue breaks from the clinch.
Wright tries to bum rush Tagliabue with a series of wild strikes but Tagliabue uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Wright slips under a jab.
Wright keeps Tagliabue at a distance using the push kick.

Wright scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Wright wants to lay and pray for a moment but Tagliabue keeps working.
Tagliabue is trying to control Wright's posture but Wright avoids it.
Wright postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

Wright is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Tagliabue has escaped the position, nice work there.

Wright is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Tagliabue is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

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

Wright tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Tagliabue regains half 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.

Wright is looking for a kimura but Tagliabue is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Wright to get the leverage.
Tagliabue on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Tagliabue tries to get out of the position.
Wright trying to pass the guard but Tagliabue defending well.

Tagliabue pushes Wright off and gets back to his feet.
Wright stalks Tagliabue and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Tagliabue's face. Tagliabue staggers backwards, shaken.
Tagliabue scores with a hook to the body. Wright takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Duilio Tagliabue seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wright shoots in looking for a takedown. Tagliabue tries to sprawl out of it but Wright keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tagliabue manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Tagliabue lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Wright backs up against the cage.
Tagliabue throws the left hand but Wright avoids the punch easily.
Wright tries to bum rush Tagliabue with a series of wild strikes but Tagliabue uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tagliabue swings for the body but Wright moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tagliabue looks to land a right hand but Wright moved out of range.
Tagliabue throws an overhand right that lands on Wright's shoulder, as Wright tries to avoid the shot.
Tagliabue lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Tagliabue.
Tagliabue misses with a double jab
and Wright counters with a good, hard body kick but Tagliabue shrugs it off.
Tagliabue misses with an uppercut

and Wright counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Wright.
Wright jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Tagliabue walks away with a smile on his face. Wright gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Wright slips under a jab.
Wright uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Tagliabue.
Wright lands a high kick!
Tagliabue misses with a hook.
Tagliabue lands a head shot.
Wright does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Tagliabue throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Wright sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tagliabue swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tagliabue finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Wright misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tagliabue throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Wright counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Wright wants to pass the guard but Tagliabue is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wright is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Tagliabue sees it coming and defends easily.
Tagliabue is breathing heavily.
Wright is keen to just control but Tagliabue is a slippery customer.

Wright is looking for a kimura here.

Wright is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nate Wright dominated that round.
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.

Tagliabue's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Tagliabue duly obliges.
Tagliabue connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Wright's hands.
Wright throws a series of punches but Tagliabue moves out of range.
Wright looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Tagliabue stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A head kick misses from Wright.
Tagliabue moves out of range of the body kick from Wright.
Duilio Tagliabue is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tagliabue swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Wright counters with a head kick. That will keep Tagliabue thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Wright slips under a jab.
A big right from Tagliabue misses.
Wright is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tagliabue sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tagliabue keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Tagliabue scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A punch combination from Wright misses.
Wright misses with a two punch combination.
Wright avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tagliabue dodges the punch combination from Wright.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Wright takes one to the chin there.
Wright throws a hook but Tagliabue avoids it easily.
Tagliabue connects with a body shot.
Wright walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Tagliabue checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Tagliabue lands with a kick to the ribs.
Tagliabue ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Tagliabue swings for the body but Wright moves out of range.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Wright is defended easily by Tagliabue.
Wright is breathing heavily.
Tagliabue lands with a straight right. Wright didn't see that one coming.
Tagliabue connects with a single shot there.
Wright checks a leg kick.
Wright avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Tagliabue scores with a nice strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wright pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Wright with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Wright misses with an attempted mid kick.
Tagliabue takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Duilio Tagliabue is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Wright gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Tagliabue counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Tagliabue slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Wright closes the distance and clinches up with Tagliabue, looking for a takedown. Wright pushes Tagliabue against the cage but Tagliabue circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Duilio Tagliabue has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nate Wright.
Tagliabue looks to score with a jab to the body but Wright is just out of range.
Tagliabue scores with a jab to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tagliabue works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Tagliabue listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Tagliabue's corner calls for a 1-2. Tagliabue obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Wright ducks under a wild hook from Tagliabue.
Wright closes the distance and clinches up with Tagliabue, looking for a takedown. Wright pushes Tagliabue against the cage but Tagliabue circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Wright avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Duilio Tagliabue is winning the standup battle so far.
A jab lands there for Tagliabue.
Tagliabue tries to close the distance and clinch up but Wright swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tagliabue has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Tagliabue stuns Wright with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tagliabue with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tagliabue scores with a jab. Wright acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Tagliabue smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Tagliabue lands a slapping body shot.
Tagliabue thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tagliabue scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Tagliabue throws a combination. Wright tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
A jab lands there for Tagliabue.
Tagliabue throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Wright walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Tagliabue showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Wright.
Some wild striking there from Wright.
Wright misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tagliabue scores with a nice head shot.
Tagliabue scores with a jab to the body.
Wright throws a head kick but Tagliabue moves out of range.
Tagliabue connects with a looping right hand.
Wright shoots in for a double leg but Tagliabue sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Wright misses with a double jab.
Wright misses with a few strikes there.
Tagliabue cracks Wright with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Wright is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Tagliabue's half guard.

Wright looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tagliabue desperately trying to maintain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Duilio Tagliabue dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Wright. Tagliabue does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tagliabue uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Wright has time to react.
Tagliabue lands a jab to the nose.
Wright throws a combination that misses
and Tagliabue counters with a one-two to the body.
Tagliabue throws a lazy uppercut

and Wright counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tagliabue's guard now.
Tagliabue keeping moving, preventing Wright from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wright makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Wright.

Wright has his foot on Tagliabue's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tagliabue works his way back into a safe position though.
Wright is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Wright is working for a submission of some sort.
Nate Wright has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tagliabue regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Wright.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Wright is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Tagliabue is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Tagliabue has escaped and now he's on top!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Wright is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tagliabue defends well.

Wright is looking for a triangle but Tagliabue pushes his legs off easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wright working a defensive guard but Tagliabue passes into half guard.
Wright tries to get to full guard but Tagliabue has control of the leg.
Wright slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Wright looking for a guillotine here but Tagliabue defends easily.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Wright is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wright drops back, looking for a kneebar! Tagliabue looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Tagliabue looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Tagliabue!
Wright can't do much from the bottom here.
Wright regains half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nate Wright comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Wright has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nate Wright!