PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Frank Bellator (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Tauno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bellator comes to the cage accompanied by A Lesson Never Learned. Tauno is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Pelican - Dead Between The Walls. Frank Bellator has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bellator
vs
Tauno

181 cm
32
285 lbs
17 - 14 - 0

193 cm
37
273 lbs
24 - 18 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Milwaukee's Best 160
//buriedALIVE// Fight Gear

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 17 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Frank Bellator!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Tony Tauno!
The judges for this bout are , Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A jab from Bellator does it's job there.
Tauno throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bellator's waist but Bellator gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Tauno off to one side.

Bellator dives in and scores a takedown into Tauno's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Bellator tries to free his leg and advance position but Tauno is retaining full guard.
Bellator working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Tauno's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tauno is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Bellator 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.

Tauno escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bellator gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Tauno throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bellator might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Tauno lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Bellator!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tauno moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Bellator has worked his arm free - good work by Bellator!
Bellator struggling a bit here.
Tauno in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Tauno in side control, throwing shots but Bellator defends.
Bellator is looking for a sweep.
Tauno sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Bellator is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bellator is trying to get back to half guard.
Bellator is in a tricky position but he's been working on his transitions down at Disciples Top Team , so we'll see if he gets out of it.
Tauno working the ground and pound but Bellator is defending the strikes.
Tauno throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Bellator tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Tauno wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Bellator is not content to let Tauno control the position.
Bellator managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Tauno.
Tauno misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tauno wants to lay and pray for a moment but Bellator keeps working.
Tauno throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Bellator works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Tauno trying to pass the guard but Bellator defending well.
Bellator tries to roll over but Tauno keeps him under control.
Tauno throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Bellator is staying active underneath Tauno, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tauno works his way into side control.
Bellator can't do much from the bottom here.
Tauno in side control lands a decent elbow.
Bellator can't do much from the bottom here.
Bellator taking punishment in the form of punches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Bellator is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Tauno off and has taken his back!
Bellator scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Bellator doesn't have the hooks in and Tauno manages to turn into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tony Tauno will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

An inside leg kick from Tauno misses.
Bellator darts in looking for a takedown but Tauno gets double underhooks and turns Bellator into the cage.

Tauno has picked Bellator up - he's going for a ride! Tauno dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Tauno seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bellator does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tauno thows a huge punch but Bellator dodges it nicely.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Tauno in particular looking to stall.
Bellator wants to get back to full guard.
Bellator blocking the ground and pound attempt from Tauno.
Bellator wants to control but Tauno is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Tauno drops an elbow to the side of Bellator's head.
Bellator is staying active underneath Tauno, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tauno is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Bellator moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Tauno won't allow Bellator to sweep him here.
Tauno is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Tauno wants to control from the top but Bellator keeps moving.
Bellator utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tauno working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Tauno throwing strikes but missing.
Tauno missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Tauno distracts Bellator with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Tauno loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Tauno trying to control the position from guard on top but Bellator is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tauno loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tauno is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

It looks like Frank Bellator has been cut.
Tauno landing some decent shots from guard.
Tauno looking to sit in guard and control but Bellator gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Tauno is trying to keep Bellator in close.

Tauno is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bellator is aware though and is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bellator throwing strikes but missing.
Tony Tauno has got the better of the ground game so far.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tauno striking off his back but it's not causing Bellator any problems.
Bellator cracks Tauno with a solid left hand.
Bellator throwing strikes but missing.

Tauno throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Bellator loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tauno is trying to control the position from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Tauno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Frank Bellator's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Tauno tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Bellator swivels and escapes.
Bellator gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Tauno.

Frank Bellator's cut is getting worse.

Tauno closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Bellator to the mat! Bellator manages to get full guard.
Tauno tries to free his leg and advance position but Bellator is retaining full guard.
Tauno looking to sit in guard and control but Bellator gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Tauno managing to control the position.
Bellator throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bellator wants to control from the top but Tauno keeps moving.
Bellator is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Tauno is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Bellator advances position into side control!
Tauno managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Bellator.
Bellator scoring with punches and elbows.
Bellator fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Tauno is not content to let Bellator control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tauno tries to improve position but can't.
Tauno is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Tauno is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
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!
Bellator looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Tauno with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Bellator.

Tauno is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bellator pulls his head out easily.
Bellator wants to control but Tauno is keeping him busy.
Bellator trying to pass the guard but Tauno defending well.
Tauno is not content to let Bellator control the position.
Bellator is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Bellator looks to land a strike but Tauno avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Bellator in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Frank Bellator has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tauno avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tauno avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Bellator with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tauno working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bellator.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Tauno looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tony Tauno is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bellator preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tauno is on top in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tauno seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Bellator showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Tauno has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tony Tauno!