PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Timeotai Tambua (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Nigouera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tambua
vs
Nigouera

197 cm
25
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

198 cm
26
266 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Very confident

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Timeotai Tambua!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Nigouera!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Dmitry Maklakov and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nigouera drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.

Tambua had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Nigouera defends it easily.
Nigouera stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tambua swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Tambua escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Nigouera gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nigouera stands up over Tambua, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tambua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Nigouera throwing strikes from guard but Tambua blocks nicely.

Tambua is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nigouera defends well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nigouera in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Nigouera trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Nigouera is looking to work some ground and pound but Tambua has wrist control.
Tambua avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Nigouera throwing strikes from guard but Tambua blocks nicely.
Tambua looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nigouera is one step ahead there.

Tambua looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Nigouera passes into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tambua is looking to reverse the position.
Tambua manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Nigouera tries to pass the half guard into mount. Tambua knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Nigouera throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Nigouera lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Tambua actively working from the bottom here.
Tambua regains full guard. Nicely done.
Tambua trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nigouera accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Nigouera landing some decent shots from guard.

Tambua has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Nigouera can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Tambua looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Nigouera passes into half guard.
Nigouera is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Nigouera lands a nice short elbow.

Tambua is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nigouera pulls his head out easily.
Nigouera is thwarting Tambua's attempts to control the position.
Tambua has hold of Nigouera's hands but Nigouera slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Nigouera slips a nice elbow through Tambua's hands, connecting with Tambua's forehead.

Tambua is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Nigouera pulls his head out easily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nigouera scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Tambua is not content to let Nigouera control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Nigouera dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Nigouera enables Tambua to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Nigouera manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Tambua is standing up over Nigouera. Nigouera looks to escape but Tambua dives into side control.

Tambua wants to lay and pray for a moment but Nigouera keeps working.
Nigouera wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Tambua is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nigouera has escaped the position, nice work there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tambua goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Nigouera has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Tambua but great work by Nigouera.
Nigouera working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tambua is looking to reverse the position.
Tambua defending against the ground and pound.
Tambua tries to bench press Nigouera off him but Nigouera keeps the position.
Tambua manages to work his way to half guard, despite Nigouera's best efforts.
Nigouera throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Nigouera working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Tambua makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tambua.

Tambua is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Tambua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Nigouera accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tambua preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Tambua throws his legs up looking for a submission but Nigouera uses it to pass to side control.
Tambua is looking to reverse the position.
Nigouera working the ground and pound but Tambua is defending the strikes.
Tambua takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Check out the look on Nigouera's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Nigouera scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Tambua to see if he's OK.
Nigouera throws an elbow but Tambua slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tambua holds on to Nigouera's head and controls the position momentarily.
Rodrigo Nigouera has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tambua struggling a bit here.
Nigouera working the body and head with strikes.
Tambua on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Tambua tries to buck Nigouera off but Nigouera is having none of it.
Tambua wants to control but Nigouera postures up.
The strikes coming from Nigouera are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Nigouera is putting a hurting on Tambua here, landing some big shots from side control.
Nigouera looks up at the clock and then as Tambua takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Nigouera smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Nigouera throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nigouera working the ground and pound from side control.
Nigouera misses with the ground and pound.
You can see the frustration on Tambua's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Tambua manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Tambua blocking the ground and pound attempt from Nigouera.

Tambua actively working from the bottom here.
Nigouera missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tambua looking for submissions off his back.
Tambua keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Nigouera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Tambua's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Nigouera shoots in for a takedown but Tambua shows good takedown defense.
Nigouera misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nigouera is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tambua sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Timeotai Tambua has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rodrigo Nigouera.
A low kick from Nigouera misses

and Tambua counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Tambua's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Tambua trying to control but Nigouera is working from the bottom.

Tambua postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Nigouera is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Tambua, into his guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nigouera chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tambua working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Nigouera.

Tambua is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nigouera defends well.
Nigouera makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Nigouera scoring with some ground and pound.
Tambua trying to keep a closed guard but Nigouera is proving a slippery customer.
Nigouera connects with a couple of short punches.

Tambua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Nigouera working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nigouera is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Nigouera working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Nigouera lands a couple of digs.
Nigouera throwing strikes but missing.

Tambua is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Nigouera defends well.
Nigouera is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nigouera wants to control from the top but Tambua keeps moving.
Nigouera postures up and lands a big shot to Tambua's brow.
Nigouera scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Tambua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Tambua looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Nigouera got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tambua has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Nigouera has managed to get both his arms back between Tambua's legs - danger averted.

Nigouera is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Tambua has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Nigouera is looking to defend but Tambua has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Nigouera! Tambua pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Nigouera taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Timeotai Tambua!
Timeotai Tambua seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.