PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Edward Tonu (ranked 4347 p4p, 7239 weight class) and Oleg Liguy (ranked 512 p4p, 647 weight class). Edward Tonu has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Tonu
vs
Liguy

182 cm
29
185
9 - 7 - 0

170 cm
39
185
13 - 22 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Edward Tonu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 22 - 0, fighting out of New York, Oleg Liguy!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Gwen Towbar and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Tonu closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Liguy to the mat! Liguy manages to get full guard.
Tonu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tonu is looking to pass into half guard but Liguy pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Liguy is in guard.

Tonu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Tonu will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Liguy is looking to work some ground and pound but Tonu has wrist control.
Tonu wants to stand and escape but Liguy is having none of it.
Tonu looking to control.
Liguy scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Liguy is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Liguy cracks Tonu with a solid left hand.
Liguy preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonu is pulling down on Liguy's head. It's preventing any offense from Liguy, at least for the moment.
Liguy postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonu trying to keep a closed guard but Liguy is proving a slippery customer.
Tonu has momentary wrist control but Liguy slips an elbow through the middle.
Tonu is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Liguy is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Liguy is fighting to break Tonu's control of his arms but Tonu is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Tonu wants to sweep here but Liguy controlling him for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tonu looking for a guillotine here but Liguy defends easily.
Tonu 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Liguy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tonu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Liguy wants to control from the top but Tonu keeps moving.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Tonu manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Liguy manages to get himself to full guard.

Tonu showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tonu is looking to pass into half guard but Liguy pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Liguy is in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonu wants to sweep here but Liguy controlling him for the moment.
Tonu wants to stand up but Liguy is controlling him.
Tonu looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Tonu wants to sweep here but Liguy controlling him for the moment.
Liguy landing some decent shots from guard.
Tonu is trying to control the position but Liguy postures up.

That's four 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.
Liguy with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Tonu has momentary wrist control but Liguy slips an elbow through the middle.
Tonu is trying to keep Liguy in close.
Liguy trying to control the position from guard on top but Tonu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Liguy scoring with some ground and pound.
Liguy is looking to work some ground and pound but Tonu has wrist control.
Liguy lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Liguy lands a couple of digs.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Tonu holds on and takes a little breather.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Liguy postures up and lands a big shot to Tonu's brow.
Tonu seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Tonu utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Liguy stands up over Tonu, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Tonu is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oleg Liguy dominated that round.
That's time! Tonu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Liguy closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Liguy trying to control the position but Tonu is working away.
Tonu manages to work his way to half guard, despite Liguy's best efforts.
Tonu is positioning himself well to prevent Liguy advancing to mount.
Tonu wants to improve his position but Liguy is controlling well.
Tonu is trying to maintain the position but Liguy is very close to passing his half guard.
Liguy throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonu wants to control but Liguy is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Liguy has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Liguy is trying to work for a kimura but Tonu is defending well.
Tonu is controlling Liguy's position as best he can from this difficult position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonu wants to control but Liguy is keeping busy.
Liguy looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Liguy is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Tonu tries to get to full guard but Liguy has control of the leg.
Ground and pound from Liguy.
Tonu tries to roll over but Liguy keeps him under control.
Liguy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tonu trying to control but Liguy postures up.
Tonu keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

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.
Liguy throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Tonu gets back to full guard.
Tonu has control of Liguy's left arm, preventing Liguy from doing any damage.
Liguy stands up out of Tonu's guard for a moment - Tonu manages to land a nice upkick.

Tonu has his foot on Liguy's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Liguy works his way back into a safe position though.
Tonu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Tonu looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tonu controlling the position.
Liguy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liguy distracts Tonu with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Liguy's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Liguy working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Tonu's head.
Oh Tonu is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Liguy throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tonu seems to have got his legs back now.
Oleg Liguy has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tonu looking to control.
Liguy throws a big elbow that misses.
Liguy lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Liguy lands a couple of elbows.
Liguy is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Tonu controlling the position.
Tonu wants to hit a sweep here but Liguy passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Tonu there!
Tonu is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tonu regains half guard.
Tonu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Tonu keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Tonu keeping hold of Liguy's head, controlling as best he can.
Liguy frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Liguy cracks Tonu with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Tonu gets back to half guard.
Tonu gets full guard.
Liguy with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Oleg Liguy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Tonu fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Liguy dives in and scores a takedown into Tonu's guard.
Tonu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Liguy drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Tonu manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Liguy has Tonu in his guard.

Tonu forces his way into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tonu is trying to control the action in half guard but Liguy is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Liguy preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Liguy trying to hold on to Tonu's head to control him but Tonu postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tonu wants to control but Liguy is keeping him busy.
Tonu is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Liguy is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Tonu prevents Liguy from standing back up.
Tonu seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Liguy does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Tonu is pressing down on Liguy's thigh, looking to free his foot. Liguy is holding on for now.
Tonu wants to control but Liguy is keeping him busy.
Tonu trying to mount his opponent but Liguy defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Tonu wants to lay and pray for a moment but Liguy keeps working.
Tonu wants to free his trapped foot but Liguy is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Tonu trying to control the action but Liguy is working from the bottom.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Liguy.
Tonu managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Liguy.
Tonu is looking to reverse the position.
Liguy working away.
Liguy throwing shots but missing, from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tonu wants to control but Liguy postures up.
Tonu manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Tonu moves into full guard.
Liguy won't allow Tonu to sweep him here.
Liguy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Tonu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Tonu looking for a guillotine here but Liguy defends easily.
Liguy keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Tonu's head.
Liguy in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Tonu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liguy landing some decent shots from guard.
Liguy scoring with some ground and pound.
Liguy showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Liguy with a nice head shot there.
Liguy is looking to work some ground and pound but Tonu has wrist control.
Liguy trying to control but Tonu is working from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Liguy.
Edward Tonu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Oleg Liguy is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tonu being controlled for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Oleg Liguy.
Well Liguy has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Oleg Liguy!