PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nobunaga Tanaka (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Tubridy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tubridy has chosen Late Late theme tune as his entrance music. Nobunaga Tanaka has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Tanaka
vs
Tubridy

170 cm
20
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

160 cm
20
144 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Big heart

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nobunaga Tanaka!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ryan Tubridy!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tubridy rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Tanaka moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice uppercut lands for Tubridy. That snapped Tanaka's head back.
Tubridy moves into range and connects with a jab.
Tubridy checks a low kick from Tanaka.
Tubridy goes for a double leg but Tanaka avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Tanaka continues to drive forward.

Tanaka has closed the distance and engaged Tubridy in a clinch.

Tanaka jumps into guard, dragging Tubridy to the mat.

Tanaka looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Tubridy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tanaka swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tanaka not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Tanaka looking for a guillotine here but Tubridy defends easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tubridy stopping the sweep attempt from Tanaka.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tanaka lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Tanaka stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tubridy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tubridy is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Tanaka wants to pass the guard but Tubridy is keeping the position.
Tanaka forces his way into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka wants to take a breather but Tubridy is having none of it.
Tubridy tries to get to full guard but Tanaka has control of the leg.

Tanaka is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Tubridy is just riding it out for now. Tanaka eventually gives up the hold.
Tanaka wants to control but Tubridy is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tanaka slows the pace down in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tubridy is looking to improve his position.
Tanaka is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Tubridy!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Tubridy is controlling an arm, preventing Tanaka from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Tanaka looking to control and managing it successfully.
Tanaka moves to back control.
Tanaka keeps control of the position easily here as Tubridy tries to buck him off.
Tubridy really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Tanaka. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Tubridy tries to roll but Tanaka sticks to his back.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tubridy just trying to survive but Tanaka is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Tanaka walks into a stiff left hand from Tubridy.
Nice shot lands for Tubridy.
Tubridy has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Tanaka is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Tanaka throws a quick inside leg kick.

Tanaka closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

Tanaka seems to be working for a kimura but Tubridy defends the submission attempt.
Tubridy is staying active underneath Tanaka, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tanaka is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tubridy can do to turn this around?
Tubridy tries to roll over but Tanaka keeps him under control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tanaka is pressing down on Tubridy's thigh, looking to free his foot. Tubridy is holding on for now.
Nobunaga Tanaka overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Tanaka is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Tubridy preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

Tubridy is defending against the submission attempts here by Tanaka.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tubridy tries to roll over but Tanaka keeps him under control.
Tanaka tries to pass the half guard into mount. Tubridy knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Tubridy is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Tanaka's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Tanaka's back!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tubridy is trying to stick to Tanaka's back but Tanaka is turning into Tubridy. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Tubridy's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Tanaka.
Tubridy not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Tubridy working for a triangle but Tanaka defends it easily.
Tanaka's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Tanaka looking to pass the guard.
Tubridy looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tanaka is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tanaka is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Tubridy is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Tubridy has escaped and now he's on top!

Tubridy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tanaka keeping moving, preventing Tubridy from controlling successfully.
Tubridy postures up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tanaka is pulling down on Tubridy's head. It's preventing any offense from Tubridy, at least for the moment.
Tanaka keeping full guard, as Tubridy tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ryan Tubridy will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tubridy connects with a body shot that sends Tanaka's belly button to the back.

Tanaka closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Tubridy quickly recovers to half guard.
Tubridy wants to control but Tanaka is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Tanaka is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Tubridy defends it well.
Tubridy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tanaka is controlling the pace.
Tanaka trying to control from half guard but Tubridy is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tubridy wants to get back to full guard.
Tanaka not doing much here.
Tanaka is trying to control. Tubridy wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tubridy lands a slapping body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Tubridy getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Tubridy connects with a good right hand that stumbles Tanaka. Tanaka circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A combination from Tubridy does no damage.

Tanaka moves into the clinch.
Tanaka stalls.
Tanaka prevents Tubridy from breaking the clinch.
Tanaka can't get the takedown.

Tubridy is trying to trip Tanaka. He has hold of a leg but Tanaka is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Tubridy persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Tubridy with a nice head shot there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tubridy wants to control from the top but Tanaka keeps moving.
Tubridy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tanaka is keeping the position for now.
Tubridy won't allow Tanaka to sweep him here.
Tanaka avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Tanaka is trying to keep Tubridy in close.
Tubridy wants to control from the top but Tanaka keeps moving.
Tubridy is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tubridy trying to control but Tanaka is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Tubridy preventing the sweep.
Tanaka keeping full guard, as Tubridy tries to pass.
Tubridy postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tanaka is trying to control the position but Tubridy postures up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ryan Tubridy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tubridy throws a big shot that misses.
Tubridy misses with a two punch combination.
Tubridy throws a hook but Tanaka avoids it easily.
Tanaka looks for the body kick but Tubridy saw that one coming.

Tanaka clinches with his opponent.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tubridy can't break the clinch.
Tubridy looking for a takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan Tubridy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Tubridy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Tubridy!
A victorious Ryan Tubridy thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.