PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Levi Foster (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Tia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manny Tia has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Levi Foster's chin.

Foster
vs
Tia

184 cm
25
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
25
213 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Levi Foster!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Manny Tia!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Ian Loll and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tia fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tia misses with a jab, cross combination.
Foster shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tia as he jumps to the side.
Tia throws a combination that misses

and Foster counters with a single leg into guard. Tia didn't expect that.
Foster pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tia is keeping the position for now.
Tia is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Foster is controlling him.
Foster looking to pass the guard.

Foster gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Tia tries to bum rush Foster with a series of wild strikes but Foster uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foster showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tia.
Tia takes a swing at Foster's ribcage but misses.
Tia fails with the takedown

and Foster counters with a single leg into guard. Tia didn't expect that.
Foster wants to control from the top but Tia keeps moving.
Foster works over Tia with some ground and pound from guard.
Foster sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Tia can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Levi Foster just wasn't active enough.
Foster shoots and misses
and Tia counters with a lovely shot to the body.

Foster closes the distance and pushes Tia back into the cage.
Tia is trying to maintain a safe position but Foster gets an underhook and turns Tia into the cage.
Tia keeps control of Foster as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Foster has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Tia is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Levi Foster. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tia has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Foster ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Foster no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Foster working a defensive guard here.
Tia postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tia trying to control the position from guard on top but Foster is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Tia postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Foster is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Tia, into his guard.

Foster decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Foster has his takedown stuffed
and Tia counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Foster moves in looking to clinch but Tia pushes him off.
Foster has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Foster is breathing heavily.
Tia connects with a crisp jab.

Foster clinches up with Tia and pushes him back against the cage.
Foster fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Foster holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Foster is trying to break the clinch but Tia has him pressed against the cage.
Foster leaning against his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tia wants to get back to striking at distance but Foster won't allow it.
Tia is trying to maintain a safe position but Foster gets an underhook and turns Tia into the cage.
Foster fails to pull guard.
Foster is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Levi Foster dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tia throws a right and a left that Foster avoids nicely.
Tia feints a jab promting Foster to slip. Tia then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Foster slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Foster throws a right and a left that Tia avoids nicely.
Tia throws a combination that misses

and Foster counters with a single leg into guard. Tia didn't expect that.
Foster stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tia swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tia wants to stand and escape but Foster is having none of it.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Foster stands up from Tia's guard - Foster perhaps looking for a knockout.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Foster changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Tia tries to avoid it but Foster manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Tia to the ground. Tia escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Foster. Tia does a little dance to reset his feet.
Foster misses with a combination

and Tia decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Foster's guard.
Foster wants to sweep here but Tia controlling him for the moment.
Tia postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Tia gets to his feet. Foster looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Foster throws a combination that misses
and Tia counters with a left and a right that stings Foster.
Tia fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Tia fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Levi Foster seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tia lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Foster circles away quickly and effectively.
Tia avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tia misses with a two punch combination.
Tia goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Tia wants to slow Foster down by chopping away at his legs.
Tia looks to land a combination but Foster avoids it well.
Tia displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Foster.
Tia throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tia shoots for a takedown but Foster saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Foster drives through and clinches with Tia against the cage.
Tia fails to pull guard.
Levi Foster has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Tia.
Tia is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Foster is keeping busy.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Foster.
Tia wants to break free but Foster has control.
Foster wants a takedown but no success here.
Tia wants to get back to striking at distance but Foster won't allow it.
Foster fails to pull guard.

That's four 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.
Tia is trying to break the clinch but Foster is controlling him.
Tia tries to break the clinch but Foster is controlling the position.
Foster wants to break free but Tia has control.
Foster is trying to break the clinch but Tia is controlling him.
Foster tries to pull guard but Tia holds him up against the cage and eventually Foster drops back down to his feet.
Foster swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Tia wants to break free but Foster has control.
Tia is looking to break free of the clinch but Foster has double underhooks.
Foster goes for a takedown attempt but Tia pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Tia connects with a nice looking jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Tia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Tia lands with a nice combination. Foster backs away looking to recover.
Foster with a poor takedown
and Tia counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Foster uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tia.
Tia throws a low kick, looking for Foster's leg but Foster calmly moves out of range.
Foster shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tia counters with a straight right hand.
Tia swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Foster throws a head kick that misses
and Tia counters with a nice body shot.
Tia throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Foster's head.
Tia fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Tia connects with a crisp jab.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Tia bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tia lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Tia tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Tia throws a strike aimed at the side of Foster's head but Foster avoids it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tia working away.
The ground and pound from Tia seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Tia landing strikes.
Foster tries to bench press Tia off him but Tia keeps the position.
Tia is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Foster is looking to reverse the position.
Tia really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Foster. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Foster pushes Tia away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Tia gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Foster taking a bit of punishment here - Tia scoring with strikes.
Tia lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Foster down.
Tia working the ground and pound.
Check out the look on Tia's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

Tia tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Tia has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
An elbow from Tia crashes against the mat.
Tia has knee on belly momentarily but Foster bucks him off and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tia tries to pass the half guard into mount. Foster knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Foster landing rabbit punches to the side of Tia's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.

Tia seems to be working for a kimura but Foster defends the submission attempt.
Ground and pound from Tia.
Foster works his way to full guard. Good work.
Foster is trying to control the position but Tia postures up.
Tia loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four 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.
Tia chips away with some ground and pound.
Tia trying to control the position from guard on top but Foster is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tia tries to stand but Foster is controlling from the bottom.
Foster is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tia wants to stand and escape but instead Foster has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Foster slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Manny Tia comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tia 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Manny Tia!