PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jamison Holder (ranked 4838 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tai Tuivasa (ranked 3196 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Holder
vs
Tuivasa

201 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
210 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jamison Holder!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tai Tuivasa!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Radbod Blank and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holder shoots in for a takedown but Tuivasa shows good takedown defense.
Holder stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

Holder closes the distance and pushes Tuivasa back into the cage.

Tuivasa breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Holder tries to close the distance and clinch up but Tuivasa swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tuivasa lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

It looks like Jamison Holder has been cut.
Tuivasa misses with a takedown attempt
and Holder counters with a left to the body.

Holder instigates a clinch.
Holder wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Tuivasa has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Holder has Tuivasa pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Holder pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Tuivasa tumbling to the mat - Holder dives into Tuivasa's guard.

Tuivasa is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Holder is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuivasa wants to control the position but Holder says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Tuivasa regains full guard. Nicely done.
Holder stopping the sweep attempt from Tuivasa.
Tuivasa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Tuivasa looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Holder throwing strikes from guard but Tuivasa blocks nicely.
Tuivasa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Tuivasa is trying to hold Holder in close to prevent damage but Holder has managed to pass into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuivasa keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Holder lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Holder seems to be working for a kimura but Tuivasa defends the submission attempt.
Tuivasa gets back to full guard.
Holder throws an elbow that misses. Tuivasa uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Holder's guard. Nice move by Tuivasa!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuivasa is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tuivasa chips away with some ground and pound.
Holder pulls Tuivasa in to control the position.
Tuivasa is stalling in the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Holder displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Tuivasa.

Tuivasa instigates a clinch.

Holder pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tuivasa moves into the clinch.
Tuivasa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Tuivasa is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Holder gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Jamison Holder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tai Tuivasa.
Tuivasa is defending well against a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jamison Holder will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jamison Holder's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Tuivasa darts in looking for a takedown but Holder gets double underhooks and turns Tuivasa into the cage.

Holder moves into the clinch.
Tuivasa looking for a takedown.

Tuivasa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Holder throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Holder shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tuivasa as he jumps to the side.

Holder shoots in and gets a takedown into Tuivasa's guard.

Tuivasa pushes Holder off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tuivasa shoots for a takedown but Holder saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jamison Holder has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tai Tuivasa.
Tuivasa fails with a takedown attempt.
Holder attempts a counter takedown but Tuivasa avoids it well and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holder has a takedown stuffed.

Tuivasa clinches with his opponent.

Tuivasa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Holder connects with a body shot that sends Tuivasa's belly button to the back.

Holder shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Holder will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Tuivasa is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuivasa keeps trying to improve his position.
Tuivasa is still trying to improve position.
Tuivasa holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Tai Tuivasa has got the better of the ground game so far.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Holder connects with a nice short shot to Tuivasa's temple.
Holder is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuivasa is trying to stand up here but Holder is controlling him well.
Tuivasa tries to roll over but Holder keeps him under control.
Holder lands strikes from half guard.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Holder connects with a nice short shot to Tuivasa's temple.
Tuivasa tries to roll over but Holder keeps him under control.
Holder throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Tuivasa wants to improve his position but Holder is controlling well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Tuivasa is trying to control but can't.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Tuivasa throws a head kick but Holder moves out of range.
Holder shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Tuivasa pinned against the cage. Tuivasa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Tuivasa clinches.
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 Jamison Holder will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jamison Holder's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Holder tries to close the distance and clinch but Tuivasa swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Holder fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Tuivasa, pushing him back against the cage.
Tuivasa crunches a lovely knee into Holder's ribcage.
A short left from Tuivasa.
Tuivasa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Holder throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Tuivasa blocks it with crossed arms.
Holder is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Holder tries to score a body lock takedown but Tuivasa shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Holder creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Holder lands an elbow that stopped Tuivasa in his tracks for a moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Holder is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Tuivasa pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Holder scores with a shoulder strike.
Holder is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Tuivasa is defending well for now.
Holder throws a head punch that misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holder working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuivasa wants to take the fight to the mat but Holder manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Tuivasa prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jamison Holder. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Holder looking for a takedown.
Holder has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

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

Tuivasa shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Holder napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Holder tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Tuivasa dominating with strikes here.
Holder tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Tuivasa controlling the position easily from mount.
Holder tries to improve his position but instead Tuivasa has taken his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuivasa punches Holder on the ear.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tuivasa gets his hands free as Holder looks to control.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Tuivasa controlling the positon.
Let's hope that Tuivasa has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuivasa is continuing to stall.
Tuivasa gets his hands free as Holder looks to control.
Tuivasa doesn't have the hooks in and Holder manages to turn into his guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tuivasa is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Tuivasa controlling Holder's posture.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tuivasa wants to get back to his feet but Holder passes into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tuivasa punching from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tai Tuivasa.
I think Holder has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:30

The fight is ruled a draw!