PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Stephen Tucker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paddy Ward (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Tucker
vs
Ward

168 cm
19
278 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

193 cm
18
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Stephen Tucker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Paddy Ward!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Colin Fotheringham and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick by Ward misses
and Tucker counters with a good, hard body kick but Ward shrugs it off.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ward avoiding damage as Tucker throws knees to the body.
Ward jumps guard but Tucker turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Tucker is trying to break the clinch but Ward has him pressed against the cage.

Ward breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Ward clinches up against the cage.

Tucker pulls guard.
Ward throws a big elbow that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ward slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Tucker is on top in guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker with a flurry of punches that miss.
Tucker stopping the sweep attempt from Ward.
Tucker loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Tucker is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Ward lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Ward wants to control from the top but Tucker keeps moving.
Ward wants to pass the guard but Tucker is keeping the position.
Tucker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ward throwing strikes from guard but Tucker blocks nicely.
Ward content to stall in guard here.
Ward trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Ward stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tucker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tucker is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward stays in close to Tucker's body and controls the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ward swings and misses with a hook to the body.
It looked like Tucker was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Ward swats away the attempt to clinch by Tucker.
Tucker could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ward throws a right and a left that Tucker avoids nicely.
No joy there for Ward, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Tucker looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Ward misses with an uppercut
and Tucker counters with a one-two to the body.
Tucker drops his hands momentarily and Ward takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

Stephen Tucker's cut is getting worse.

Ward rushes Tucker and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tucker tries a body shot but Ward blocks it.

Ward gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Tucker regains guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ward trying to control the position from guard on top but Tucker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tucker has momentary wrist control but Ward slips an elbow through the middle.
Ward is in close to Tucker's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ward engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ward is looking to work some ground and pound but Tucker has wrist control.
Tucker is breathing heavily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tucker avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paddy Ward dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Stephen Tucker's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Ward gets a takedown into half guard.
Ward is keen to just control but Tucker is a slippery customer.
Ward with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Tucker tries to roll over but Ward keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ward is taking a breather. Tucker says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Ward has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ward lands strikes from half guard.
Ward is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Let's hope that Ward has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tucker trying to control here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Stephen Tucker is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A low kick from Ward is predictable there
and Tucker counters with a two punch combo.
Ward looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tucker is fending him off so far but Ward persists. Nope, Tucker circles away and we're back to standing.

Ward looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Tucker!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Tucker is not content to let Ward control the position.
Tucker tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Check out the look on Ward's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ward lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Tucker is not content to let Ward control the position.
Ward in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Ward connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Tucker some visible discomfort.
Paddy Ward has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ward throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Ward working away.
Ward looks up at the clock and then as Tucker takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Ward smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Tucker is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ward in side control here. He's dropped a big elbow there and Tucker looks hurt! Oh, he is hurt! Ward turns on the heat and pounds him out for a TKO victory! Good killer instinct there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Paddy Ward!
After the fight, Paddy Ward was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.