PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Coronnie James Dio (ranked 5433 p4p, 6351 weight class) and Javier Tapia (ranked 617 p4p, 689 weight class). James Dio comes to the cage accompanied by Coronnie James Dio - Rainbow In The Dark. Javier Tapia is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

James Dio
vs
Tapia

180 cm
18
170
1 - 0 - 0

179 cm
18
171
0 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Coronnie James Dio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Javier Tapia!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Gwen Towbar and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good standup being displayed there by James Dio as he connects with a hook.

It looks like Javier Tapia has been cut.
James Dio throws a poor cross that misses

and Tapia counters with a takedown into side control.

Tapia is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, James Dio has escaped the position, nice work there.
James Dio is not content to let Tapia control the position.
James Dio is trying to get back to half guard.
Tapia wants to control but James Dio is keeping him busy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James Dio is looking to regain half guard here but Tapia keeps moving and retains side control.
Tapia passes to full mount! That's big trouble for James Dio!
James Dio on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if James Dio tries to get out of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James Dio avoids a series of strikes thrown by Tapia.
Tapia with a couple of short strikes.
James Dio is squirming around, avoiding Tapia's attempts to control the action.
Tapia looking to control and managing it successfully.
James Dio definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
James Dio avoids a strike by Tapia and manages to complete a very nice reversal in the process, to end up in Tapia's guard! Fantastic escape!

Tapia working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. James Dio doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. James Dio manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
James Dio knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Tapia on the ground.

Tapia working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. James Dio doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. James Dio manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Tapia wants to sweep here but James Dio controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tapia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
James Dio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tapia is keeping the position for now.
James Dio trying to control but Tapia is working from the bottom.
Tapia is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
James Dio trying to control the position from guard on top but Tapia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
James Dio trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James Dio trying to control but Tapia is working from the bottom.
James Dio is really struggling to control Tapia but he's trying to hold on to the position.
James Dio trying to move into half guard but instead Tapia has managed to sweep!

Tapia throws a big right hand that misses.
James Dio keeping moving, preventing Tapia from controlling successfully.

James Dio has his foot on Tapia's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Tapia works his way back into a safe position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Tapia trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

James Dio looking for a guillotine here but Tapia defends easily.
James Dio utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tapia pushing down on James Dio's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Tapia seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead James Dio has recovered full guard.

Tapia drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Tapia jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tapia wants to control from the top but James Dio keeps moving.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Javier Tapia dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Javier Tapia's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

James Dio sizes up Tapia with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Tapia displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as James Dio throws out the jab.
Tapia doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Tapia shoots for a takedown but James Dio saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
James Dio connects with a crisp jab.
Tapia looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Tapia closes the distance and clinches.
Tapia avoiding damage as James Dio throws knees to the body.
James Dio misses with a punch on the inside.
James Dio tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
James Dio lands with a short punch from the clinch.
James Dio throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Tapias head.
Tapia is trying to pull guard but James Dio turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Coronnie James Dio has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Javier Tapia.
Tapia trying to control the position but instead, James Dio has worked for underhooks and has pushed Tapia into the cage.
James Dio fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
James Dio scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
James Dio throws a head punch that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James Dio lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tapia backwards.
James Dio misses with a hook from the clinch.
James Dio is pressed up against the cage. Tapia has hold of a leg and is looking to drag James Dio down to the mat. James Dio avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
James Dio keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
James Dio connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tapia's hands.
Tapia throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tapia walks into a stiff left hand from James Dio.

James Dio gets tackled into the cage by Tapia. Tapia maintains the clinch.
Tapia has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. James Dio is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Tapia is working for takedown but James Dio is calmly controlling the position for now.
Tapia working aggressively here.
James Dio makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
James Dio misses with a punch on the inside.
Tapia tries to break the clinch but James Dio is controlling the position.
A quick uppercut on the inside from James Dio.
James Dio lands with a light punch inside.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tapia can't break the clinch.
James Dio misses with the head strike.
Tapia tries to pull guard but James Dio holds him up against the cage and eventually Tapia drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by James Dio.
James Dio throws a punch but it's blocked by Tapia.
A short left from James Dio.
Tapia fails to pull the fight into his guard.
James Dio misses with some punches.
Tapia is trying to break the clinch but James Dio is controlling him.
James Dio gets through Tapia's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, James Dio creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Tapia fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
James Dio working aggressively here.
James Dio misses with a short punch on the inside.
James Dio lands a hook to the side of the head.
James Dio is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tapia can do to turn this around?
A left hand lands to the body for James Dio.
James Dio throws a head punch that misses.
Tapia on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Tapia drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tapia takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Tapia misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
James Dio lands a jab.
Tapia slips a jab from James Dio.
James Dio misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tapia with the counter takedown but James Dio avoids it easily.

James Dio drops Tapia with a beautiful combination! Tapia stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - James Dio is looking for the KO!

Tapia is rocked!
Coronnie James Dio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
James Dio closes the distance and lands a vicious right hand that drops Tapia! James Dio dives in looking to finish! Tapia is still trying to defend himself but he's taking too many shots and the referee has no choice but to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:29 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Coronnie James Dio!
After winning the bout, Coronnie James Dio thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.