PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Simon Bruce (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bernard Toney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bruce comes into the arena with I want it all blaring out of the sound system. Toney has chosen Tenacious D - Master Exploder as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bruce
vs
Toney

195 cm
24
287 lbs
6 - 1 - 0

190 cm
23
265 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the super heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Simon Bruce!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bernard Toney!
The judges for this bout are Sosuke Kotani, Taro Takaoka and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Toney misses with a combination
and Bruce counters with a two punch combo.
Bruce misses with a head kick.
Toney paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Bruce shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Toney sprawls well. Toney wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bruce gets slowly back to his feet.
Bruce pushes Toney away with a front kick.
Danga de danga de dang - Toney scores with a four punch combination!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bruce lands with a hook. Toney tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Bruce fails to land with a series of punches.
Bruce darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Toney tries to bum rush Bruce with a series of wild strikes but Bruce uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bruce.

Bruce gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Toney is trying to push Bruce away but Bruce has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Bruce taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Bruce struggles to land a body shot inside as Toney controls his hands.

Bruce has clasped his hands together around Toney's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Bruce wants to control but Toney is keeping him busy.
Bruce staying calm.
Bruce fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Bruce has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Bruce grinds an elbow into Toney's temple.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce throws an elbow but Toney slips to the side and avoids it well.
Bruce tries to score with some ground and pound. Toney controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Toney on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Toney really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bruce. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Toney is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Bruce landing strikes.
Bruce controls the position.
Bruce tries to score with some ground and pound. Toney controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Bruce sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Toney is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Toney dodges the ground and pound from Bruce.
Bruce lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Bruce throws an elbow but Toney slips to the side and avoids it well.

Bruce decides to stand up, so the ref orders Toney to his feet.
Bruce slips a jab and a cross from Toney.
Bruce lands a high kick!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bruce ducks under a wild hook from Toney.
Bruce throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bruce connects with a good right hand that stumbles Toney. Toney circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A big right from Toney misses.

Bruce has taken the fight to the clinch.
Toney swings wildly with an uppercut but Bruce uses good head movement to avoid it.
Toney blocks an uppercut.

Bruce manages to break the clinch.
Toney moves out of range as Bruce strikes.
A swing and a miss from Toney.
Bruce fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bruce throws a hook to the side of Toney's head but Toney sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A punch combination from Toney misses.
Toney cracks a nice hook into Bruce's ribs.
Bruce lands with a good body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Sloppy strikes from Toney. Those never looked like landing.
Toney scores with a jab.
Toney lands a two punch combo.

It looks like Simon Bruce has been cut.
Bruce fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Bruce shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Bruce swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Toney counter with a right hand.
Bernard Toney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Toney looks to land a left hand but Bruce moved out of range nicely.
Toney connects with a crisp jab.
Bruce scores with a jab to the body.
Bruce with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Toney to score with a decent uppercut.
Toney lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bruce circles away quickly and effectively.
Toney moves out of range of the strikes.
Bernard Toney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bruce loads up on a big right hand but Toney slips the punch.
Toney loads up on a big right hand but Bruce slips the punch.
Bruce connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Bruce shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Toney as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Bruce. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toney lands a jab-cross combination.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bruce buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Toney fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bruce manages to avoid it.
Toney cracks Bruce with an open hand slap.
Toney thows a body shot but no joy.
Toney misses with a looping left.
Toney takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Bruce looks to land a left hand but Toney moved out of range nicely.
Bruce throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Bruce moves into the clinch successfully.
Bruce swings wildly with an uppercut but Toney uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Bruce.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Bruce.
Bruce tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Bruce breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Toney checks a leg kick.
Toney throws a looping overhand right but Bruce ducks down to avoid it.
Toney keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Toney might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Toney throws a lazy uppercut
and Bruce counters with a left to the body.
Bruce jabs at Toney's body.
Bruce fails with the takedown.
Bruce throws a jab when Toney was well out of range.
Toney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Toney rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bruce moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Toney takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Jab from Bruce.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bruce lands with a good body shot.
Toney looks gassed!
Toney swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Bruce pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bruce tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Toney was well out of range. Poor timing from Bruce.

Bruce fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Toney, pushing him back against the cage.
Toney is trying to break free.
Bruce keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Toney's efforts to push away.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Toney.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Bruce unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Bruce lands a hook that snaps the head of Toney backwards.
A short left from Toney.
Bruce leaning his opponent against the cage.
Bruce lands an elbow that stopped Toney in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Bernard Toney has been cut.
Bruce works on Toney's body with a couple of short punches.
Toney tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Bruce's elbow.
A body shot lands from Bruce.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bruce scores with a nice hook to the head.
Bruce looking for a takedown.
A short right from Bruce on the inside.
Bruce scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Bruce is pushing Toney up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Bruce gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Bruce working the head and body with strikes.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Toney can do anything to dispel that myth.
Bruce wants to free his trapped foot but Toney is holding on for dear life with his legs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Bruce dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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.

Bruce fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Toney, pushing him back against the cage.
Toney looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Toney looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Toney breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Toney throws a looping overhand right but Bruce ducks down to avoid it.
Toney takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Toney blocks a low kick nicely.
Bruce pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Bruce throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bernard Toney is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Toney throws a right hand that Bruce ducks under and follows up with a left that Bruce also avoids with ease.
Bruce throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Toney.
Toney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bruce.
Toney slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
A good leg kick by Bruce.
Toney will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Bruce shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Toney as he avoids it easily.
Bruce misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bruce slips a jab and a cross from Toney.
Toney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Toney misses with the combination.
Toney is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce throws a jab but it's blocked by Toney.
Bruce shoots in but no luck this time.
Toney throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Bruce wants to clinch up but Toney keeps it at a distance.
Bruce listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Simon Bruce is winning the standup battle so far.
The fighters circling - Bruce throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Toney walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Bruce lands a head kick!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Bruce misses with a two punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toney throws the left hand but Bruce avoids the punch easily.
Bruce lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Toney misses with a few strikes there.
Bruce fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Toney manages to avoid it.
Bruce connects with a right hand. Toney shakes it off.
Bruce takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
The fighters circling - Toney throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Bruce uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Toney.
Toney misses with a wild combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toney throws a right hand that Bruce ducks under and follows up with a left that Bruce also avoids with ease.
A slow jab from Toney misses its intended target.
A slow jab from Bruce misses its intended target.
Bruce throws a series of punches but Toney moves out of range.
Bruce's corner calls for a 1-2. Bruce obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Bruce looks to land a right hand but Toney moved out of range.
Toney throws a series of punches but Bruce avoids them all with ease.
Danga de danga de dang - Toney scores with a four punch combination!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Toney keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Bruce displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Bruce misses with a body shot
and Toney counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Toney fails to land with a series of punches.
Bruce cracks Toney with a right hand to the side of the head.
Bruce avoids the body shot from Toney.
Bruce wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Bruce looks to throw the jab but Toney is out of range.
Toney throws a left and a right that both miss
and Toney takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bruce misses with a straight right.
Toney moves away from the strike by Bruce.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Bruce misses the shot to the body.
Bruce fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Toney checks it well.
Bruce missing with a left hand there. Toney was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Toney throws a series of punches but Bruce moves out of range.
Bruce slips a jab from Toney.
Bruce throws a looping overhand right but Toney ducks down to avoid it.
Bruce is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Bruce misses with a straight right.
Bruce looks for a takedown but Toney sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Bruce. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Bruce looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Bruce takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Bruce misses with a body shot.
Bruce misses with a wild body shot.
Toney misses with a double jab.
Toney throws a nice looking combination but Bruce bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Toney uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Bruce.
Toney misses with a lunging right hand
and Toney takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Bruce takes a swing at Toney's ribcage but misses.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Toney keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Toney throws a good cross that connects.
Toney with a nice cross.
Toney misses with an uppercut. Bruce saw that one coming.
Bruce lands a nice leg kick that just misses Toney's sensitive parts.
Toney will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Bruce shoots in and drives through. Toney sprawls well.
Bruce swings away with a leg kick that misses.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Toney misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Toney moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Toney fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bruce swings for the body but Toney moves out of range.
Bruce lands with a cross.
Bruce has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Bruce there as he acknowledges the shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Toney swinging wildly here.
Bruce connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Toney momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Bruce dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Bruce keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Toney.
Bruce swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Toney counters with a series of strikes. Bruce will be more careful next time no doubt.
Bruce takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Toney uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Bruce.
Toney is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Bruce.

Bruce rushes Toney and presses him up against the cage.
Bruce tries to stall but Toney uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Toney breaks the clinch.
Toney looks to land a left hand but Bruce moved out of range nicely.
Bruce staying out of range there.
Bruce misses with a straight right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bruce dodges the punch combination from Toney.
Bruce keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Toney throws a right hand that Bruce ducks under and follows up with a left that Bruce also avoids with ease.
Toney throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bruce.
Toney takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Toney moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Bruce shoots in but Toney avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bruce misses with a body shot.
Toney fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bruce tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Toney takes a jab right on the kisser.
Bruce throws a jab when Toney was well out of range.
Bruce looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bruce swings away with a body shot that misses
and Toney counters with a stiff right hand.
Bruce tries to bum rush Toney with a series of wild strikes but Toney uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bruce dodges the punch combination from Toney.
A big right from Bruce misses.
Toney looks to land a left hand but Bruce moved out of range nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bruce fails in his attempt to clinch.
Bruce fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Simon Bruce. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toney throws out a loose jab but Bruce uses good head movement to avoid it.
Bruce throws a hook but Toney avoids it easily.
Bruce connects with a solid leg kick.
Bruce uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Toney.
Bruce throws the kick towards the body but Toney avoids it.
Toney throws the left hand but Bruce avoids the punch easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A slow jab from Bruce misses its intended target.
Bruce feints and then cracks Toney's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Toney down.
Bruce just misses with a punch to the body.
An inside leg kick from Bruce misses.
Bruce wants to slow Toney down by chopping away at his legs.
A punch lands to the side of Bruce 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Bruce is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Toney.
Toney has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Bruce closes this distance looking for a takedown but Toney circles away.
Bruce scores with a jab to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fighters circling - Toney throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Bruce throws a shot from downtown. Toney moves away and avoids it.
Toney misses with a double jab.
Bruce throws the left hand but Toney avoids the punch easily.
Toney misses with an uppercut.
Nice straight punches there by Toney. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Toney.
Toney avoids the body shot from Bruce.
Bruce throws a solid leg kick but Toney takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Bruce.
Bruce with a hook.
Toney lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Toney misses with a body shot.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Bruce connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Bruce looks to throw the jab but Toney is out of range.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Toney throws a right and a left that both miss.
Toney avoids a punch combination nicely.
Toney throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Bruce lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Toney's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Bruce connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Toney scrambles back to his feet.
Bruce misses with a hook. Toney ducked under it nicely.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Toney misses with an uppercut. Bruce saw that one coming.
Toney bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A big left from Bruce misses.
Bruce shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Toney pinned against the cage. Toney gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Toney works Bruce's body with a nice hook.
Toney throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A shot to the liver by Toney. Beautiful body shot.
Sloppy strikes from Toney. Those never looked like landing.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Toney. Those never looked like landing.
Toney lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Bruce at a distance.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Toney throws out a powerful jab.
Bruce misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Bruce showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Toney.
Bruce avoids a punch combination nicely.
Toney avoids the head kick by Bruce.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Bruce connects with a crisp jab.
Bruce throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Bruce showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Toney.
Toney slips a jab and a cross from Bruce.
Toney defending well as Bruce loads up on a big left hand.
Bernard Toney has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bruce feints and then cracks Toney's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Toney down.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bruce throws a body punch but Toney moves out of range.
Toney fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Bruce manages to avoid it.
Toney tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Bruce was well out of range. Poor timing from Toney.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bernard Toney comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Bruce has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Simon Bruce!
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight for Simon Bruce!
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Simon Bruce!

Simon Bruce wins by unanimous decision!
Simon Bruce is the new super heavyweight champion!
Simon Bruce decided to call for a title shot in his post fight interview, which was very strange given the fact this fight was for a title and he's already the champion. I guess that's what getting punched in the head does for you.