PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Rourke (ranked 3817 p4p, 4221 weight class) and Tareq Taphi (ranked 387 p4p, 420 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Rourke
vs
Taphi

196 cm
24
255
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
22
245
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Andrew Rourke!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Tareq Taphi!
The judges for this bout are Konstantin Menshow, Aleksandr Martynov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Rourke.
Rourke throws a leg kick

and Taphi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rourke's guard.
Taphi works over Rourke with some ground and pound from guard.
Rourke wants to stand and escape but Taphi is having none of it.
Rourke keeping moving, preventing Taphi from controlling successfully.
Taphi looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Rourke wants to stand but Taphi is controlling the position.
Taphi sitting in guard here, content to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rourke working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Taphi.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rourke pulls Taphi in to control the position.
Taphi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
No luck for Rourke with that takedown attempt.

Taphi throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Rourke tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Taphi is in Rourke's guard.

Rourke scrambles and gets back to his feet.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taphi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Rourke definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Taphi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taphi dives in and grabs Rourke's left leg, looking for a takedown. Rourke pushes down on Taphi's head and hops out.
Rourke tries to counter with a takedown but Taphi is quick to defend against it.
Taphi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rourke.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rourke darts in looking for a takedown but Taphi gets double underhooks and turns Rourke into the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrew Rourke. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Taphi lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Taphi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Taphi looks winded!
Rourke is trying to get back to full guard.
Rourke avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Taphi.
Taphi working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Rourke is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taphi sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Rourke moves into full guard.
Rourke trying to control the position here.
Rourke preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Rourke is trying to control the position but Taphi postures up.
Taphi sitting in guard here, content to control.
Taphi postures up.

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

Taphi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Rourke is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Taphi pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Taphi jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Rourke walks away with a smile on his face. Taphi gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Rourke moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taphi goes for a takedown attempt but Rourke pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rourke fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Rourke clinches up with Taphi and pushes him back against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Tareq Taphi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Taphi tries to keep at a distance but Rourke has taken the fight into the clinch.
Rourke has Taphi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Taphi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rourke has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Taphi is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rourke is looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Andrew Rourke. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rourke goes for a takedown attempt but Taphi pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Rourke connects with a body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Taphi shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Rourke as he jumps to the side.
Taphi is breathing heavily.

Rourke clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taphi fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Rourke has Taphi pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Taphi manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rourke is working for takedown but Taphi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Taphi jumps guard but Rourke turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Taphi is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Rourke gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Taphi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rourke catches Taphi with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Rourke closes the distance and clinches.
Rourke is working for takedown but Taphi is calmly controlling the position for now.
Rourke wants a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rourke has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Taphi avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Taphi is trying to pull guard but Rourke has him pressed against the cage.
Taphi stops a takedown attempt from Rourke.
Taphi is looking for a takedown.
Taphi slows down the pace here.
Rourke tries for a takedown. No joy.
Taphi tries to pull guard but Rourke won't allow it.

Taphi breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rourke changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Taphi looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Rourke takes a little break here. Taphi wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Rourke wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Taphi, who protects the arm well.
Taphi takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Taphi manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taphi trying to hold on to Rourke's head to control him but Rourke postures up.
Rourke content to control rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rourke seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Taphi for as long as he can get away with.
Taphi trying to control from the bottom.
Taphi is looking to improve his position.
Rourke wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taphi keeps working.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Taphi trying to control but Rourke postures up.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Rourke dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Rourke looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Taphi lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Rourke circles away quickly and effectively.
Rourke goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Taphi wants to counter the offense by Rourke and move into the clinch position.

Rourke tries to keep at a distance but Taphi has taken the fight into the clinch.

Taphi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Taphi.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A slow jab from Taphi misses its intended target.
Rourke throws a nice looking combination but Taphi bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Taphi takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Taphi has his takedown stuffed
and Rourke counters with a two punch combo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rourke is looking to slow Taphi down with leg kicks.
Taphi avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rourke fails with a takedown attempt.

Rourke looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Taphi is looking to get back to is feet but Rourke passes into side control.
Rourke wants to control but Taphi is keeping him busy.
Rourke is putting a hurting on Taphi here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rourke trying to control the action but Taphi is working from the bottom.
You can see the frustration on Taphi's face as Rourke controls the position.
Rourke wants to control but Taphi is keeping him busy.
The referee asks Rourke politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Rourke prefers to stall for the moment though.
Rourke will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Rourke lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Taphi down.
Taphi is looking for a sweep.
Rourke wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taphi keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rourke connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Taphi some visible discomfort.
Taphi wants to control but Rourke postures up.
Rourke tries to advance to mount but can't.
Taphi can't do much from the bottom here.
Rourke moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Rourke is looking to take a break and control but Taphi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rourke working the ground and pound but Taphi is defending the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Rourke remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Taphi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Nice takedown defense from Taphi. No joy for Rourke on that attempt.
Rourke lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Rourke misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rourke tries to clinch up.
Sloppy strikes from Rourke. Those never looked like landing.
Taphi tries to counter with a clinch but Rourke shakes him off and moves away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Taphi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Taphi pushes Rourke up against the cage in a clinch.
Tareq Taphi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Andrew Rourke is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Taphi ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Taphi no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andrew Rourke showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rourke 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 Konstantin Menshow scores the fight for Andrew Rourke!
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight for Andrew Rourke!
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight for Andrew Rourke!

Andrew Rourke wins by unanimous decision!
Andrew Rourke decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.