PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Danny Sullivan (ranked 3836 p4p, 2743 weight class) and Tiaoali Lvavatai (ranked 0 p4p, 154 weight class). Sullivan's entrance music is The Pogues - Streams of Whiskey. A fine choice. Lvavatai comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Journey kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sullivan
vs
Lvavatai

173 cm
27
145
10 - 14 - 0

171 cm
25
144
7 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Insanely flexible

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Danny Sullivan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tiaoali Lvavatai !
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, John Kavanagh and Franklyn Lucas.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sullivan takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Lvavatai closes the distance and clinches.

Lvavatai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sullivan shoots in for a double leg but Lvavatai sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Sullivan rushes Lvavatai and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Lvavatai manages to break the clinch.

Sullivan gets caught napping as Lvavatai dives in and scores a takedown. Sullivan manages to retain guard.
Lvavatai sitting in guard here, content to control.

Lvavatai gets to his feet - Sullivan follows without any prompting.

Lvavatai moves into the clinch successfully.
Lvavatai wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

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

Lvavatai clinches up with Sullivan and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lvavatai tries to circle away but Sullivan has him pinned against the cage.

Lvavatai breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A decent looking cross lands there for Lvavatai .

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Sullivan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lvavatai is fending him off so far but Sullivan persists. Nope, Lvavatai circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Danny Sullivan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sullivan throws a head kick but Lvavatai moves out of range.
Lvavatai blocks a head kick by Sullivan.
Good shot there by Lvavatai .
Sullivan tries to clinch there but Lvavatai circles away.

Lvavatai darts in and clinches Sullivan up against the cage.
Lvavatai wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Sullivan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lvavatai smiles and moves away.

Lvavatai moves into the clinch.

Lvavatai breaks the clinch.

Lvavatai has managed to clinch.

Lvavatai pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Lvavatai closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lvavatai is trying to force a seperation but Sullivan has the dominant position.

Lvavatai 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sullivan dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Lvavatai . That did some damage!
This has been an exciting period of action!

Sullivan gets caught flat footed, as Lvavatai shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Sullivan kicks Lvavatai off and gets to his feet.
Sullivan throws a leg kick but Lvavatai moved away.

Lvavatai rushes Sullivan and presses him up against the cage.

Lvavatai escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice cross by Lvavatai .
Lvavatai scores with a jab to the head.
Sullivan closes the distance and clinches up with Lvavatai , looking for a takedown. Sullivan pushes Lvavatai against the cage but Lvavatai circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Lvavatai rushes Sullivan and presses him up against the cage.

Sullivan manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Sullivan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lvavatai throwing strikes from guard but Sullivan blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lvavatai is looking to work some ground and pound but Sullivan has wrist control.

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

Lvavatai is trying to control the position but Sullivan postures up.
Lvavatai has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lvavatai keeping full guard, as Sullivan tries to pass.
Lvavatai bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Sullivan's guard.

Lvavatai decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sullivan, up you get!
Sullivan walks into a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lvavatai fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Sullivan sprawls well initially but Lvavatai persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Sullivan keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Lvavatai is looking for a kimura here.
Sullivan is controlling Lvavatai 's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Lvavatai missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Lvavatai is trying to control. Sullivan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lvavatai trying to mount his opponent but Sullivan defends it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Tiaoali Lvavatai dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sullivan with a poor takedown
and Lvavatai counters with a stiff right hand.

Lvavatai moves into range and clinches up with Sullivan.

Lvavatai manages to break the clinch.

Lvavatai gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Lvavatai breaks the clinch.
Sullivan goes for a double leg but Lvavatai avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Lvavatai continues to drive forward.

Lvavatai 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lvavatai scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
A lazy left from Lvavatai finds it's target.
Tiaoali Lvavatai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nice jab there from Lvavatai .
Lvavatai showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Sullivan.

Lvavatai feints and as Sullivan raises his hands in defense, Lvavatai changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Sullivan wants to stand but Lvavatai is controlling the position.

Lvavatai drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Sullivan dives on top into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lvavatai escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Sullivan gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Sullivan wants to control from the top but Lvavatai keeps moving.

Lvavatai is working for submissions here. He's thrown up his legs looking for a triangle but Sullivan frees his head nicely. Oh but Lvavatai has switched to an armbar! Sullivan is tapping furiously! Lovely submission there!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:49 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Armbar). Tiaoali Lvavatai !
A very excited looking Tiaoali Lvavatai made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.