PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ric Flair (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sadaharu Tanikawa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Flair
vs
Tanikawa

185 cm
27
243 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

180 cm
31
265 lbs
17 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Powerful

KO Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ric Flair!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sadaharu Tanikawa!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Alyssa Summers and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tanikawa shoots in and gets a takedown into Flair's guard.
Tanikawa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Flair works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Flair working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Tanikawa.
Tanikawa landing with the ground and pound.
Tanikawa distracts Flair with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
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!
Tanikawa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tanikawa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tanikawa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Flair avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tanikawa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Flair is trying to control the position but Tanikawa postures up.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Tanikawa working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Tanikawa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Flair avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Flair has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Tanikawa throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanikawa stands up over Flair, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Tanikawa throws a big right hand that misses.
Flair avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tanikawa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Flair swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tanikawa makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Tanikawa throws a big right hand that misses.
Tanikawa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tanikawa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tanikawa is looking to work some ground and pound but Flair has wrist control.
Tanikawa throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanikawa postures up in Flair's guard and throws a big left but Flair blocks it.
Flair controlling the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tanikawa scoring with some ground and pound.
Flair preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tanikawa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Flair preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tanikawa working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Flair utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tanikawa is working Flair over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Flair is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Tanikawa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanikawa landing with the ground and pound.
Flair utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tanikawa stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Flair swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tanikawa throws an elbow that misses. Flair uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Tanikawa's guard. Nice move by Flair!
Tanikawa is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Tanikawa manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Tanikawa connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tanikawa cracks Flair with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Tanikawa postures up and throws a big right hand. BOOM! Right on the button! Flair is out cold - huge knockout for Tanikawa!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:33 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Sadaharu Tanikawa!
A victorious Sadaharu Tanikawa thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.