PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tomas Byrd (ranked 25055 p4p, 0 weight class) and Harvestt Tipene (ranked 5189 p4p, 0 weight class). Harvestt Tipene is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Byrd
vs
Tipene

196 cm
19
193 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

195 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tomas Byrd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Harvestt Tipene!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Eliza Hachem and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tipene fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Byrd throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Tipene tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Byrd is in Tipene's guard.
Byrd works over Tipene with some ground and pound from guard.
Byrd working some strikes from top position.
Byrd throws a big elbow that misses.
Byrd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tipene working a defensive guard here.
Byrd keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tipene's head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Byrd avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Tipene throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Byrd keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tipene's head.
Byrd has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd landing with the ground and pound.
Byrd trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Byrd trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Byrd postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Tipene will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Byrd content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Tipene trying to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Byrd got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tipene has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Byrd has managed to get both his arms back between Tipene's legs - danger averted.
Tipene looking for a sweep. Not yet Tipene, not yet.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Tipene looking to control.

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

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.

Byrd rushes Tipene and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Tipene throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Byrd blocks it with crossed arms.

Tipene pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Byrd feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Tipene's calf.
Tipene misses with a takedown attempt
and Byrd counters with a nice uppercut.
Tipene looks winded!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Byrd.

Tipene rushes Byrd and presses him up against the cage.
Tipene tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Byrd just stands there and leans against the cage.
Tomas Byrd has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Harvestt Tipene.
Tipene is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Byrd gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrd lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Tipene wants to stall.
The referee is keeping an eye on Byrd - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Byrd drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Tipene gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Tipene working hard to break the clinch.

Byrd breaks the clinch.
Tipene misses with a takedown attempt

and Byrd counters by moving into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Byrd decides to pull guard.
Tipene being controlled here momentarily.
Tipene would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Byrd wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Byrd will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Byrd pulls Tipene in to control the position.
Tipene postures up.

Byrd is looking for a triangle but Tipene pushes his legs off easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Byrd wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Byrd trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Byrd shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Byrd is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Tipene doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Byrd.
Tipene is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Byrd jumps into side control!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tipene tries to buck Byrd off but Byrd is having none of it.
Tomas Byrd overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Byrd thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd working away.
Tipene manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Tipene is thwarting Byrd's attempts to control the position.
Tipene is breathing heavily.
Byrd throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Byrd makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Byrd.
Byrd is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Byrd trying to keep a closed guard but Tipene is proving a slippery customer.
Byrd looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Byrd tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Tipene throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tipene won't allow Byrd to get back to his feet.
Tipene won't allow Byrd to sweep him here.
Tipene is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Tipene lands a couple of digs.

Byrd throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tipene wanted to stand there but Byrd had control of the position.
Byrd working a defensive guard here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tipene will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Byrd drives through and clinches with Tipene against the cage.
Tipene wants to take the fight to the mat but Byrd manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Byrd lands a nice uppercut.

Byrd's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Harvestt Tipene is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Byrd - that will leave a mark!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Byrd.
Byrd fails with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Byrd has closed the distance and engaged Tipene in a clinch.
Byrd tries to pull guard but Tipene forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tomas Byrd. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Byrd successfully pulls guard.
Tipene trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Tipene controls from within his opponent's guard.
Byrd is controlling Tipene's posture.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Byrd has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tomas Byrd dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Byrd cracks Tipene with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Byrd fails in his attempt to clinch.
Tipene tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Byrd shoots for a double leg takedown but Tipene sprawls well. He's pushed Byrd's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tipene throws a counter combo.
Byrd misses with a body kick.
Tipene stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Tipene wants it to stay on the feet.

Tipene shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Tipene was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tipene happy to just control the position for now.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Byrd wants to control but Tipene postures up.
Byrd tries to bench press Tipene off him but Tipene keeps the position.
Tipene wants to lay and pray for a moment but Byrd keeps working.
Byrd is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tipene can do to turn this around?
Tipene is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Byrd wants to control but Tipene postures up.
Byrd is looking for a sweep.
Byrd wants to control but Tipene postures up.
Byrd is looking for a sweep.
Tipene is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Byrd will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Byrd wants to control but Tipene postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Byrd on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Tipene stands up and beckons Byrd to his feet.

Byrd gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Byrd manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Byrd gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Tipene to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Tipene connects with a couple of short punches.
Byrd not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tipene gets to his feet. Byrd looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Tipene tries for a takedown but Byrd circles away easily
and Tipene takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Byrd gets caught flat footed, as Tipene shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Tipene wants to stand but Byrd is controlling his posture from full guard.
Tipene slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Tipene trying to control the position from guard on top but Byrd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Byrd tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Byrd throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tipene content to stall in guard here.
Byrd keeping moving, preventing Tipene from controlling successfully.

Byrd is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tipene defends well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Byrd wants to stand up but Tipene is controlling him.
Harvestt Tipene has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tomas Byrd is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Byrd pulls Tipene in close to his closed guard and prevents Tipene from doing any damage or advancing position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Harvestt Tipene comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Byrd has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Hemmingworth scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tomas Byrd!