PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Manu Tuilagi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Gouken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Scott Gouken will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Tuilagi
vs
Gouken

174 cm
22
175 lbs
8 - 0 - 0

179 cm
23
179 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ironclad Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Manu Tuilagi!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Scott Gouken!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Sergei Dronov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tuilagi takes a kick to the side of the head.
Tuilagi fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Gouken has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

Gouken gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Tuilagi prevents Gouken from breaking the clinch.
Tuilagi's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Gouken looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gouken is trying to break the clinch but Tuilagi is controlling him.
Gouken can't find room to land a body shot as Tuilagi controls the action.
Tuilagi utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
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!
Gouken misses with some punches.

Tuilagi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gouken throws a head kick that half lands.
Gouken scores with a leg kick.

Tuilagi shoots in and bounces Gouken off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Tuilagi's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Gouken looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuilagi scoring with some ground and pound.
Tuilagi stands and throws Gouken's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Tuilagi scoring with punches and elbows.
The referee asks Tuilagi politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Tuilagi prefers to stall for the moment though.

Tuilagi wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gouken, who protects the arm well.
Tuilagi trying to control the action but Gouken is working from the bottom.
Tuilagi working the ground and pound from side control.
Tuilagi landing a few strikes.
Gouken pushes Tuilagi away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Tuilagi gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Tuilagi trying to control the action but Gouken is working from the bottom.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tuilagi landing a few strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gouken on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Tuilagi working the body and head with strikes.
Tuilagi landing a few strikes.
Tuilagi wants to control but Gouken is keeping him busy.
Gouken takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Tuilagi trying to control the position but Gouken is working away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gouken being controlled for a moment.
Gouken tries to bench press Tuilagi off him but Tuilagi keeps the position.
Tuilagi advances to mount.
Gouken can't escape the position.
Tuilagi 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.
Gouken wants to try and get back to his feet.
Tuilagi working the ground and pound effectively.
Tuilagi breaks from Gouken's wrist control and lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi controlling from mount.
Tuilagi trying to control but Gouken is having none of it.
Gouken is trying to escape the mount.
Tuilagi controlling his opponent.
Tuilagi lands a couple of good shots and Gouken has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Tuilagi lands strikes to the head.
Can Gouken hold on?! Tuilagi is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Gouken is trying to remain composed but Tuilagi is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
I really don't envy Gouken right now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tuilagi lands shots from the back.
Tuilagi scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Gouken is looking for a way out.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi scores with strikes from the back.

Tuilagi working for a choke but Gouken is defending well.

Tuilagi looking for the choke from the back.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Tuilagi keeps control of the position as Gouken tries to break free.
Can Gouken hold on?! Tuilagi is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Tuilagi loading up with punches from the back mount - how long can Gouken hold on?
Tuilagi is punishing Gouken with strikes - can he finish him?!
Gouken wants to escape the position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Tuilagi scores with punches from the back.
Tuilagi lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Gouken.
Tuilagi lands a punch to the side of the head from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manu Tuilagi dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tuilagi lands with a good body shot.
Tuilagi is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gouken can do to turn this around?
Gouken throws a sloppy head kick and Tuilagi moves out of range easily.
Gouken stuns Tuilagi with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tuilagi is looking to score with low kicks.
Gouken throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Tuilagi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Tuilagi looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Tuilagi takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Manu Tuilagi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tuilagi works his way into side control.
Tuilagi scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Gouken to see if he's OK.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tuilagi lands a few punches from side control.
Gouken is not content to let Tuilagi control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gouken is trying to escape the position but Tuilagi is controlling the position.

Tuilagi working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Tuilagi working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gouken manages to get back to half guard.
Tuilagi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gouken with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Tuilagi is working for a submission of some sort.
Gouken wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Gouken is looking to improve his position.
Tuilagi scoring with strikes to the body and head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gouken has hold of Tuilagi's hands but Tuilagi slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Gouken trying to control but Tuilagi postures up.
Tuilagi working the head and body with strikes.
Gouken is in trouble now - Tuilagi has advanced to mount!
Gouken is bucking up trying to escape but Tuilagi cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Gouken tries to reverse the position but Tuilagi maintains control.
The referee warns Gouken that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Tuilagi is landing with some decent strikes but Gouken is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Tuilagi is in the full mount, landing strikes.

Tuilagi is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Gouken is surviving well by controlling Tuilagi's body position as best he can.

Tuilagi jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Gouken manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuilagi working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Gouken takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Gouken is not content to let Tuilagi control the position.
Gouken on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Tuilagi scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Gouken to see if he's OK.
Tuilagi looks up at the clock and then as Gouken takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Tuilagi smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Tuilagi working the head with strikes.
Gouken manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Gouken won't allow Tuilagi to pass to mount.
Tuilagi looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gouken with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Gouken is staying active underneath Tuilagi, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tuilagi working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tuilagi is trying for a kimura here. Gouken looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Tuilagi wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Manu Tuilagi!
Manu Tuilagi retains his welterweight title!
Manu Tuilagi managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Gojira Industries (90% Laundry), into his post fight interview.