PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Tucker (ranked 1614 p4p, 78 weight class) and Preston Mason (ranked 1352 p4p, 63 weight class). Tucker comes to the cage accompanied by Ace of Spades. John Tucker had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Tucker
vs
Mason

169 cm
26
148 lbs
11 - 4 - 0

170 cm
21
140 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Arcticus University: London

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 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, John Tucker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Preston Mason!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Lou da Vinci and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tucker lands a jab-cross combination.
Mason dives in for a single leg takedown but Tucker sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Mason misses with a takedown attempt - Tucker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mason shoots in looking for a takedown. Tucker tries to sprawl out of it but Mason keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tucker manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
John Tucker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Preston Mason.
Tucker shoots in but no luck this time.
Tucker misses with a series of wild punches.
Mason shoots in looking for a takedown. Tucker tries to sprawl out of it but Mason keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Tucker manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Mason misses with a takedown attempt - Tucker sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Mason has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mason moves out of range of the leg kick from Tucker.
Mason takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Mason closes the distance and clinches up with Tucker, looking for a takedown. Mason pushes Tucker against the cage but Tucker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mason goes for a double leg but Tucker avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Tucker continues to drive forward.
Tucker drops down looking for a counter takedown but Mason sprawls and moves away.
Tucker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Preston Mason seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker throws a sloppy head kick

and Mason counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Tucker!
Tucker is looking to reverse the position.
Tucker avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mason.
Mason sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Tucker is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Mason trying to control the action but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Mason misses with the ground and pound.
Tucker is looking to regain half guard here but Mason keeps moving and retains side control.
Tucker is trying to control Mason's posture but Mason avoids it.
Mason 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.
Tucker avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Mason.
Mason lands a few punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tucker is looking to regain half guard here but Mason keeps moving and retains side control.
Mason lands a few punches from side control.
Mason lands a nice forearm strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
You can see the frustration on Tucker's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mason cracks Tucker with a big right hand but Tucker just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Mason is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Tucker is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Mason is working Tucker over with some ground and pound from side control.
Mason happy to just control the position for now.
Tucker tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason is looking to take a break and control but Tucker is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Tucker is looking to regain half guard here but Mason keeps moving and retains side control.
Tucker takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Tucker gets back to half guard.
Tucker is looking for a sweep. Mason is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mason throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tucker wants to improve his position but Mason is controlling well.
Mason trying to control from half guard but Tucker is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason working over Tucker with some ground and pound. Tucker looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Mason controlling the pace.
Ground and pound from Mason.
Tucker makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tucker.
Mason trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Tucker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mason is one step ahead there.
Tucker keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.
Mason's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Mason postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Preston Mason will probably get the nod.
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.

Mason shoots for a double leg takedown but Tucker sprawls well. He's pushed Mason's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tucker throws a hook but Mason blocks it.
An inside leg kick lands from Tucker.
Mason takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Mason throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Tucker was covering up waiting for the punch and Mason finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Tucker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Preston Mason has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mason is stalling in the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tucker wants to stand but Mason is controlling the position.
Mason stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tucker swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mason scoring with some ground and pound.
Tucker looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Mason postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mason stands up over Tucker, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Tucker pulls Mason in close to his closed guard and prevents Mason from doing any damage or advancing position.
Tucker preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mason scoring with some ground and pound.
Tucker preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mason landing some decent shots from guard.
Tucker keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tucker looking for a sweep. Not yet Tucker, not yet.
Tucker throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Mason lands a couple of elbows.
Mason lands a couple of digs.
Mason has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Tucker had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Mason defends it easily.
Mason trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mason's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Mason postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mason postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Mason stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tucker swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tucker can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mason controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mason accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Tucker tries to land a sweep but no joy.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Mason working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Mason loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mason with a flurry of punches that miss.
Mason scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Mason tries to free his leg and advance position but Tucker is retaining full guard.
Mason works over Tucker with some ground and pound from guard.
Mason working some strikes from top position.
Mason content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Mason postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Tucker bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Mason's guard.

Tucker connects with a couple of short punches.
Mason wants to sweep here but Tucker controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason is still trying to improve position.
Mason is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Tucker wants to control from the top but Mason keeps moving.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Mason wants to sweep but no luck.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mason is on top in guard.

Tucker looking for a guillotine here but Mason defends easily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Tucker pulls Mason in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Preston Mason showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Mason fails with a takedown attempt.
Tucker closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mason circles away.
Mason fails with a takedown attempt.
Mason shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tucker pinned against the cage. Tucker gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
John Tucker has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Preston Mason.
Mason throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Tucker's waist but Tucker gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Mason off to one side.
Tucker throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Tucker scores with a three punch combo!

Mason looking to score a takedown here. Tucker is defending well but Mason drives through and ends up in Tucker's guard.
Mason pushing down on Tucker's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Tucker is trying to get back to full guard.
Tucker trying to control here.
Mason takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason trying to control the action but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Mason might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Tucker haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
The fighters are battling for position here. Tucker manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Mason wants to pass the guard but Tucker is keeping the position.
Mason connects with a couple of short punches.
Tucker keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.
Mason preventing the sweep.
Mason trying to control the position from guard on top but Tucker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tucker lands a decent shot there.
Mason content to stall in guard here.
Mason postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tucker preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tucker trying to control the position.
Tucker keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.
Mason stopping the sweep attempt from Tucker.
Tucker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Mason trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.

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

Mason throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Tucker tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mason is in Tucker's guard.
Tucker working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mason.
Mason wants to control from the top but Tucker keeps moving.
Mason landing with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Tucker looking for a sweep. Not yet Tucker, not yet.
Mason is in close to Tucker's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Mason scoring with some ground and pound.
Mason pushing down on Tucker's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Mason scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Tucker is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Mason pulls his head out easily.
Tucker trying to control from the bottom.
Mason working over Tucker with some ground and pound. Tucker looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason lands strikes from half guard.
Mason lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Tucker is staying active underneath Mason, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Tucker is looking for a sweep. Mason is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Mason looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Tucker with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Tucker tries to roll over but Mason keeps him under control.
Mason is thwarting Tucker's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mason is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tucker keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Mason slows the pace down in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Preston Mason comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Mason winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30

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