PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rick Piano (ranked 24 p4p, 8 weight class) and Iain Tower (ranked 5 p4p, 2 weight class). Piano comes to the cage accompanied by Rick going ham on a bitch. Tower comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Kanye - Power kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Iain Tower has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Piano
vs
Tower

190 cm
32
275
35 - 12 - 0

210 cm
33
275
37 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

HELLBENT
Hot Spunk

HELLS BALLS RECOVERY
HELLBENT

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rick Piano !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 37 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Iain Tower!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Piano takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Piano misses the shot to the body.
Piano fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Piano misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tower.
Tower connects with a single shot there.
Tower uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Piano .
Tower looks to score with a jab to the body but Piano is just out of range.
And Piano counters with a quick kick to the body but Tower blocks it.
Piano misses with a body punch
and Tower counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Piano misses with a kick to the body.
A countering left hand to the body from Tower misses.
Piano fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tower manages to avoid it.
Tower let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Piano has managed to clinch.
Tower tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Piano just stands there and leans against the cage.
Piano blocks a punch to the side of the head.
I was talking to Piano 's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Piano works on Tower's body with a couple of short punches.
Tower is trying to pull guard but Piano has him pressed against the cage.
Tower blocks an elbow strike from Piano .
This has been an exciting period of action!
Piano misses with a punch on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tower lands a body punch in the clinch.
Piano lands a body shot in the clinch.
Tower misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tower prevents a body shot from Piano .
Piano tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Piano lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Iain Tower has been cut.
Tower is trying to pull guard but Piano has him pressed against the cage.
Rick Piano has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Iain Tower.
Tower misses with the head strike.
Piano tries a body shot but Tower blocks it.
Tower prevents a body shot from Piano .
Tower prevents a body shot from Piano .
Piano is leaning against Tower and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Piano tries to work over Tower's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A right hand to the body from Piano .
Tower looks winded!
Piano blocks an uppercut.
Tower lands a body shot in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piano lands a shot to the body.
Tower takes an elbow to the forehead.
Piano tries to throw a body punch but Tower avoids it by throwing Piano back against the cage.
Piano misses with a body punch.
Tower jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Piano walks away with a smile on his face. Tower gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Tower takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
A looping hook to the body misses from Piano . Tower does a little dance to reset his feet.
Piano looks to score with a jab to the body but Tower is just out of range.

Piano gets tackled into the cage by Tower. Tower maintains the clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Tower jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Piano walks away with a smile on his face. Tower gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Tower has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Piano pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Tower is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Piano is looking to wear down Tower with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Piano scores with a push kick.
Piano thuds a left hand into Tower's body.
Piano misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Tower only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Tower paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Piano .
Piano lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Tower at a distance.
Piano lands a nice hook to Tower's body. Tower takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Tower takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

Piano clinches up against the cage.
Piano misses with a hook to the ribs.
Piano lands an elbow just above Tower 's eye.

That has opened up Iain Tower's cut even more.
Tower takes an elbow to the forehead.
Piano misses with a punch to the body.
Piano lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Tower tries to pull guard but Piano forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Piano misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Piano working some nice short punches in the clinch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tower tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Piano 's elbow.
Tower lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Piano or not.
Tower blocks a body shot from Piano .

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tower misses with the head strike.
Piano tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tower's elbow.
Tower prevents a body shot from Piano .
Piano misses with a body punch.
Tower misses with a hook from the clinch.
Piano tries a body shot but Tower blocks it.
Piano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Piano prevents a body shot from Tower.
Piano tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tower's elbow.
Piano pushes off an throws an elbow but Tower leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Tower blocks a body shot from Piano .
Piano struggles to land a body shot inside as Tower controls his hands.
Piano lands a nice shot to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tower.
Piano lands a nice elbow.

The cut above Iain Tower's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Tower doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Piano dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Iain Tower's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tower misses with a body punch
and Piano finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Piano moves into the clinch.
Piano pushes Tower back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Tower tries to work over Piano 's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short body shot lands from Piano as the two fighters clinch.
Piano gets through Tower's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Piano misses with a body punch.
Piano struggles to land a body shot inside as Tower controls his hands.
Piano lands an uppercut.
Piano lands a body punch in the clinch.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Piano digs a right hand into Tower's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Tower's gas tank.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tower prevents a body shot from Piano .
Piano is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tower can do to turn this around?
Tower is breathing heavily.
Tower prevents a body shot from Piano .
Tower dodges an elbow strike from Piano .
Piano tries to work over Tower's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Piano throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Piano prevents a body shot from Tower.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piano misses with a body punch.
Tower goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Piano creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Tower's defenses.
Tower tries to pull guard but Piano won't allow it.
Piano blocks an uppercut.
Tower misses with some punches.
Tower tries to pull guard but Piano holds him up against the cage and eventually Tower drops back down to his feet.
Piano is leaning against Tower and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Tower blocks a body shot from Piano .
Piano doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Piano throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Towers head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Piano just misses with a elbow thrown towards Tower's brow.
Tower tries to throw a body punch but Piano avoids it by throwing Tower back against the cage.
Piano misses with a hook to the ribs.
Tower tries a body shot but Piano blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Piano tries to throw a body punch but Tower avoids it by throwing Piano back against the cage.
Piano blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tower blocks the elbow strike.
Piano misses with a body punch.
Tower misses with a punch to the body.
Piano misses with a body punch.
Piano lands a body punch in the clinch.
Tower goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rick Piano has scored more points in the clinch so far.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tower.
Piano tries to throw a body punch but Tower avoids it by throwing Piano back against the cage.
Piano misses with a body punch.

Tower drags the fight down to the ground.
Piano stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tower swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Piano has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Piano passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piano keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Piano looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Tower manages to get to full guard.
Piano postures up.
Piano is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Piano trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four 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.
Tower trying to control the position.

Piano avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Piano is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Tower had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Piano defends it easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tower controlling Piano 's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rick Piano dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Iain Tower's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Tower uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Piano .
Piano misses with a combination
and Tower connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Piano lands a nice hook to Tower's body. Tower takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Piano lands a left and a right that send Tower crashing to the mat, dazed. Piano thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

Tower is rocked!
Piano punishes Tower's body with a nice straight punch.
Tower is still on wobbly legs! Can Piano finish him?
This has been an exciting period of action!
Nice body punch from Piano .
Nice body kick there by Piano .
Piano fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Piano scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Tower steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Piano . That one must have hurt.
Tower takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Tower seems to have recovered his senses.
Rick Piano is winning the standup battle so far.
Nice body punch from Piano .
Piano punishes Tower's body with a nice straight punch.
Piano digs a good body shot into Tower's ribs.
Piano misses with a double jab.
Tower takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Tower has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Piano .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Piano ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tower moves away.
Piano throws a body shot but no joy.

Piano rushes Tower and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Tower misses with a hook from the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Piano throws an elbow but misses.
Piano lands a shot to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Piano .
Piano digs a right hand into Tower's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Tower's gas tank.
Piano goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Nice elbow from Piano .

Iain Tower's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Piano lands a body punch.
Piano misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Piano struggles to land a body shot inside as Tower controls his hands.
Piano tries to throw a body punch but Tower avoids it by throwing Piano back against the cage.
Piano misses with a body punch.
Iain Tower has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tower tries to throw a body punch but Piano avoids it by throwing Tower back against the cage.
Tower takes an elbow to the forehead.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Iain Tower's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Rick Piano !
Rick Piano spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.