PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Tanner Flores (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lukasz Fankulewski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Flores
vs
Fankulewski

191 cm
24
178 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

181 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Tanner Flores!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Lukasz Fankulewski !
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Flores closes the distance and clinches.

Fankulewski pulls guard.
Fankulewski wants to get back to his feet but Flores is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Flores has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Fankulewski is proving hard to escape from.
Flores controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Fankulewski wants to get back to his feet but Flores is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fankulewski seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fankulewski is trying to keep Flores in close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flores slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Flores gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Fankulewski breaks the clinch.
Fankulewski tries to clinch up.
Lukasz Fankulewski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Flores fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Flores has managed to clinch.

Fankulewski jumps into guard, dragging Flores to the mat.
Fankulewski not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flores sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Fankulewski looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Flores passes into side control.
Flores is staying tight to Fankulewski 's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Fankulewski looks to move to half guard but instead Flores has passed into mount! Damn!
Flores content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fankulewski tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Flores controlling the pace for now.
Fankulewski is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Flores controlling the pace for now.
Flores lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flores controlling his opponent.
Flores's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Flores is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Fankulewski to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Fankulewski shrugs it off.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fankulewski sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tanner Flores dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Fankulewski drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Flores avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Fankulewski must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fankulewski throws a big elbow that misses.
Flores looking for a sweep. Not yet Flores, not yet.
Fankulewski working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Flores preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tanner Flores overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Flores wants to stand and escape but Fankulewski is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Fankulewski changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Flores looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Flores throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Flores forces Fankulewski back against the cage and clinches.

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

Fankulewski shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Flores napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Flores is looking to get back to his feet here but Fankulewski is keeping cool and he's managed to take Flores's back.

Fankulewski is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Flores just trying to survive but Fankulewski is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fankulewski controlling from the back.
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!
Flores staying busy and making it hard for Fankulewski to control.
Flores trying to get back to his feet but Fankulewski is in full control for now.
Flores tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Fankulewski wants to control the pace but Flores is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fankulewski avoids the attempt from Flores to control.
Flores really wants to buck Fankulewski off and get back to his feet.
Fankulewski trying to control but Flores is having none of it.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flores showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Tanner Flores will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Flores tries to clinch but Fankulewski is having none of it.

Fankulewski bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Fankulewski wants to take a breather but Flores manages to regain guard - a lesson learnt for Fankulewski .
Flores keeping moving, preventing Fankulewski from controlling successfully.

Fankulewski stands up and waves to Flores to follow him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fankulewski swats away the attempt to clinch by Flores.

Flores gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Fankulewski to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fankulewski wants to stand but Flores is controlling his posture from full guard.
Flores wants to stand and escape but Fankulewski is having none of it.
Fankulewski loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Flores is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Flores with a flurry of punches that miss.
Flores with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Fankulewski trying to control the position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Fankulewski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A jab from Fankulewski misses.
Flores has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Fankulewski .

Flores shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Fankulewski is trying to defend but Flores finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Fankulewski pushes Flores off but Flores dives into side control.

Flores is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Fankulewski knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flores remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Flores lands a decent elbow from side control.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Fankulewski being controlled for a moment.
Fankulewski is not in a great position here, taking some shots.

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 Tanner Flores.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Flores, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tanner Flores!