PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Tincher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raoul Duke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tincher
vs
Duke

175 cm
21
150 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

180 cm
21
150 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ryan Tincher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Raoul Duke!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Daniel Franklin and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tincher's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Tincher duly obliges.

It looks like Raoul Duke has been cut.
Tincher misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Duke tries to clinch up but Tincher circles away and keeps his distance.
Duke tries for a takedown but Tincher sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tincher wants to slow Duke down by chopping away at his legs.
Tincher takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Duke thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Tincher if he has to take too many more of those.
Tincher will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Duke closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Duke lands in his opponent's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tincher working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Duke.
Tincher is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Duke is looking for a sweep. Tincher is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Tincher lands a nice short elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tincher sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Duke defending well though.

Tincher stands up from half guard.

Duke moves into range and clinches up with Tincher.
Duke unloads a knee to the mid-section. Tincher lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Tincher breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tincher connects with a good right hand that stumbles Duke. Duke circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Tincher misses with the combination.
Duke pushes Tincher away with a front kick.
Tincher is breathing heavily.
Duke with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tincher takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Duke fakes the leg kick and cracks Tincher in the body.
A nice inside leg kick there by Duke. That's going to slow Tincher down.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A right-left combo lands from Duke.
Duke tries to clinch but Tincher moves out of range.
Duke plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke scores with a spinning back kick!
Duke throws a quick inside leg kick.
Duke wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Duke lands a head kick!
Duke lands with a nice body kick.
Tincher wants to clinch up but Duke keeps it at a distance.
Duke tries to close the distance and clinch but Tincher swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Duke throws a head kick that half lands.
Duke lands with a thumping leg kick.
Duke lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Duke.

Duke drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Duke gets to mount! Tincher was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Tincher is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Tincher is looking to escape.
Tincher is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Duke punishing his opponent with strikes.
Duke scoring with strikes but Tincher is staying in there.
Duke postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Tincher looks a forlorn figure.
Tincher is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Tincher is in all sorts of trouble here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tincher wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Duke avoiding Tincher 's attempts to control his hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raoul Duke dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Raoul Duke's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Ouch! a nice leg kick from Duke, right into the meat.
Tincher shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Duke as he jumps to the side.
Duke buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Duke moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Tincher scores with a nice body kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Duke.
A solid body kick from Duke.
Duke scores with a head kick.

Duke clinches with his opponent.
Duke lands a knee to the body.
A knee to the head by Duke.

Duke breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Duke fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Tincher looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Duke feints and then cracks Tincher's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tincher down.
Duke feints and then cracks Tincher's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Tincher down.
Duke misses with a takedown
and Tincher counters with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tincher tries to clinch there but Duke circles away.
Tincher throws a sloppy head kick and Duke moves out of range easily.
Tincher will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Duke connects with a high kick.
Tincher paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Raoul Duke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Left hook, right uppercut from Duke.
Tincher is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Tincher forces Duke back against the cage and clinches.
Tincher is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Tincher.
Tincher wants to break the clinch but can't.

Tincher escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Duke throws a nice head kick!
Tincher tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Duke swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Tincher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
An inside leg kick lands from Duke.
The fight stays on the outside here - Duke looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Raoul Duke seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Tincher drives through and clinches with Duke against the cage.
Duke crunches a lovely knee into Tincher's ribcage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tincher breaks from the clinch.
Tincher tries to close the distance and clinch up but Duke swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tincher closes the distance and clinches up with Duke, looking for a takedown. Tincher pushes Duke against the cage but Duke circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Duke looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Tincher!

Duke is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Tincher has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Tincher!

Tincher decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Duke will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tincher will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.

Tincher gets a takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tincher trying to control the action but Duke is working from the bottom.
Tincher not doing much here.
Duke is looking for a sweep. Tincher is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Tincher connects with a nice short shot to Duke's temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Duke regains full guard. Nicely done.
Duke tries to land a sweep but no joy.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Duke is on top in guard.
Duke would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Duke drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Tincher dives on top into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Tincher passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raoul Duke showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Raoul Duke's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tincher avoids the head kick by Duke.

Duke tries to keep at a distance but Tincher has taken the fight into the clinch.

Tincher breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nice straight punches there by Tincher. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Tincher.
Tincher misses with a head kick.

Tincher has closed the distance and engaged Duke in a clinch.
Duke tries to score a body lock takedown but Tincher shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Duke prevents a takedown attempt there.
Tincher on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tincher trying to stall but Duke improves his position.
Duke wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Duke throws an elbow but it misses.
Tincher drops down looking for an ankle pick but Duke pulls his leg out and moves away.
Danga de danga de dang - Duke scores with a four punch combination!
A chopping leg kick lands by Duke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Duke lands with a kick to the ribs.
Duke throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tincher with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Duke to score with a decent uppercut.
Duke throws a head kick that Tincher semi-blocks.

Tincher has managed to clinch.
Duke tries to work over Tincher's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Tincher breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tincher tries to clinch there but Duke circles away.
Duke lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Tincher throws a series of punches but Duke avoids them all with ease.
Tincher throws a right and a left that both miss.
Tincher throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Duke counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Duke pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Tincher lands a head shot.
Tincher lands a two punch combo.
Tincher takes a kick to the side of the head.
Tincher shoots in but Duke avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Tincher. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tincher throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Duke is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Duke avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tincher tries to clinch up but Duke circles away and keeps his distance.
Tincher tries to clinch up.
Duke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Tincher looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Duke scores with a push kick.
Ryan Tincher is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tincher throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Duke sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tincher takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Duke lets loose with a powerful body kick. Tincher will feel that in the morning.
Duke swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Tincher wants to clinch.
Tincher sizes up Duke with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Duke misses with a head kick.

Tincher forces Duke back against the cage and clinches.
Good body shot from Duke.
A knee to the head by Duke.
Tincher can't break the clinch.
Duke throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tincher blocks it with crossed arms.
Tincher tries to break the clinch but Duke is controlling the position.
Duke's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Duke missing with knees to the body.
Duke tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Duke lands a nice knee to the body.
Tincher has Duke pushed against the cage.

Tincher breaks from the clinch.
Tincher misses with a two punch combination.
A nice leg kick lands there from Duke.
Tincher avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ryan Tincher has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tincher will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Duke tries a head kick but it misses.
Duke misses with a body kick.
Tincher throws a nice looking combination but Duke bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Tincher scores a takedown into full mount!

Tincher is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Duke is surviving well by controlling Tincher's body position as best he can.
Tincher putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Tincher jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Duke is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Duke and Tincher has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ryan Tincher.
I think Duke 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Raoul Duke!