PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kova Tangis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Imran Khan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Tangis
vs
Khan

182 cm
26
218 lbs
12 - 7 - 1

186 cm
27
210 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 12 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Kova Tangis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Imran Khan!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tangis tries to close the distance and clinch but Khan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tangis tries for a takedown but Khan sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Tangis tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Khan manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Khan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tangis closes the distance and lands a one-two.

It looks like Imran Khan has been cut.

Tangis shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tangis showed some decent athleticism there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Khan makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Tangis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Khan as he avoids it easily.
Khan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tangis swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Khan looks to land a combination but Tangis avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tangis sizes up Khan with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Tangis looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Tangis fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kova Tangis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tangis scores with a three punch combo!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tangis circles away from the clinch attempt.

Khan gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Khan with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tangis is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Khan pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Tangis with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Khan crunches a lovely knee into Tangis's ribcage.
Khan with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Khan lands a damaging elbow.

Khan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Khan is looking to clinch but Tangis is avoiding it.
Imran Khan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tangis clinches up against the cage.
Khan taking a breather.
Khan is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Tangis is keeping busy.
Khan stalling the fight.
Tangis tries to pull guard but Khan holds him up against the cage and eventually Tangis drops back down to his feet.
Khan lands with a short shot to the head.
Tangis is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Khan looking to throw knees to the head but Tangis is blocking nicely.
Tangis wants a takedown.
Tangis drops down looking for an ankle pick but Khan pulls his leg out and moves away.
Khan fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tangis misses with an uppercut.
Tangis tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Khan paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Khan avoids the head kick by Tangis.

Khan moves into range and clinches up with Tangis.
Khan stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Tangis dodges an elbow strike from Khan.

Khan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A nice combination there by Khan.

Khan gets tackled into the cage by Tangis. Tangis maintains the clinch.
Khan lands an elbow inside that Tangis shrugs off.
Khan with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tangis lands with a light punch inside.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tangis is looking to break free of the clinch but Khan has double underhooks.
Khan stops a takedown attempt from Tangis.
Khan throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tangis wants to stall.
Khan makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Khan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Khan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Tangis manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Tangis is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Khan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Tangis manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Khan instigates a clinch.
Khan scores with a shoulder strike.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Khan can't find room to land a body shot as Tangis controls the action.
Stalling in the clinch from Khan.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Khan.
Tangis tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Khan avoids it.
Khan with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Imran Khan will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Imran Khan's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Tangis is looking to clinch but Khan is avoiding it.
Khan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
We've been informed that Khan has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Tangis looks to land a body kick but Khan moved away.
Kova Tangis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Tangis has managed to clinch.
Khan unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Khan has Tangis pressed against the cage.
Tangis goes for a takedown attempt but Khan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Khan pushes Tangis up against the cage in a clinch.
Tangis wants a takedown.
Tangis trying to control the position but instead, Khan has worked for underhooks and has pushed Tangis into the cage.
Khan lands an elbow that stopped Tangis in his tracks for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tangis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Khan stalling in the clinch.
Tangis has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Khan 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 Kova Tangis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Khan leaning his opponent against the cage.
Tangis goes for a takedown in the clinch but Khan prevents it.
Khan throws a knee to the head but misses.

Khan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tangis throws a right and a left that Khan avoids nicely.
Tangis closes the distance looking to clinch

and Khan counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Khan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Tangis shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Khan manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Khan manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Khan gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Tangis is looking to take this one to the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Khan lands an uppercut.
Khan makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Tangis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Khan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tangis tries to clinch but Khan moves out of range.
Tangis tries to clinch but Khan is having none of it.
Tangis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Khan tries to clinch up but Tangis circles away and keeps his distance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan tries to clinch but Tangis moves out of range.
Tangis shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Khan swats away the attempt to clinch by Tangis.
Some wild striking there from Khan.

Khan gets tackled into the cage by Tangis. Tangis maintains the clinch.
Tangis goes for a takedown attempt but Khan pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Tangis clinches up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan lands an elbow that stopped Tangis in his tracks for a moment.
Imran Khan seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Khan digs a right hand underneath Tangis's ribcage. Tangis let out a lung full of air as it connected.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Khan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Khan tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tangis avoids it.
Khan lands a knee to the head.

Khan breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Khan throws a leg kick which misses Tangis's front leg but catches the back leg as Tangis tries to avoid it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tangis walks into a jab.
Khan keeps the fight on the outside.

Khan has Tangis up against the cage in a clinch.
Tangis takes an elbow to the forehead.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Khan lands a nice uppercut.
Tangis tries to score a body lock takedown but Khan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Khan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Imran Khan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Imran Khan's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Khan avoids the head kick by Tangis.
Tangis throws a head kick but Khan moves out of range.

Tangis tries to keep at a distance but Khan has taken the fight into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Khan.
Khan stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Khan is pressed up against the cage. Tangis has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Khan down to the mat. Khan avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Some wild striking there from Khan.
Khan tries to clinch up but Tangis circles away and keeps his distance.
Khan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Tangis paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Tangis misses with a takedown
letting Khan counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Khan is looking to clinch.
Khan fails in his attempt to clinch.
No luck for Tangis with that takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kova Tangis. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Tangis drives through with a takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Khan working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tangis doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Tangis manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Khan kicks Tangis off and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tangis goes for a double leg but Khan avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Khan continues to drive forward.
Khan lands an elbow just above Tangis 's eye.
Tangis has Khan pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Khan manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Khan obliges.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The referee is keeping an eye on Khan - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Khan's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Khan moves into the clinch.
Khan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Khan displaying some good clinch control by pressing Tangis up against the cage.
Tangis has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Khan is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tangis with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Khan misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Khan escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Khan stuffs the takedown attempt from Tangis. Tangis gets slowly back to his feet.

Khan forces Tangis back against the cage and clinches.

Khan breaks from the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Khan effectively controlling the action here.
Imran Khan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tangis drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Tangis tries a knee to the head but Khan blocks it.
Kova Tangis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan holding his opponent close, against the cage.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Khan.
Khan lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Tangis tries to break the clinch but Khan is controlling the position.

Khan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tangis tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Khan defends well and Tangis ends up having to push Khan into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Tangis has Khan pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Khan manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Come on Khan - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Khan lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Khan landing knees to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Khan putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Tangis in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Khan scores with a knee to the head.
Khan lands a shoulder strike.
Tangis tries to score a body lock takedown but Khan shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Imran Khan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Khan winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Imran Khan!
In his post fight interview, Imran Khan started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.