PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jerome Tucker (ranked 3428 p4p, 2847 weight class) and Shahriyar Chai (ranked 373 p4p, 334 weight class). Tucker comes to the cage accompanied by Ave Maria. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Tucker
vs
Chai

176 cm
24
166
4 - 3 - 0

179 cm
20
169
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Seventh Circle Clothing
Fantasy Threads

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Jerome Tucker!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Shahriyar Chai!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Trevor Gratis and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tucker throws a series of punches but Chai moves out of range.
A combination from Tucker does no damage.
Tucker wants to clinch.
Chai swings away with a body shot that misses
and Tucker counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Chai throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Tucker on the side of the head.

It looks like Jerome Tucker has been cut.
Tucker moves to clinch but Chai breaks away
and Chai counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tucker throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Tucker walks into a straight right hand from Chai.
Chai tries for a takedown but Tucker sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
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!
Tucker fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Chai scores with a hook.
Tucker throws a head kick that Chai semi-blocks.

Chai shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Chai showed some decent athleticism there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chai lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Chai sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Tucker on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Tucker trying to control from the bottom.
Tucker taking some punishment here, with Chai in his half guard.
Tucker regains full guard. Nicely done.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Chai working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Chai working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Tucker's head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tucker wants to stand but Chai is controlling the position.
Chai must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tucker trying to control the position.

Tucker escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Chai gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Tucker wants to stand up but Chai is controlling him.
Tucker punching from the bottom.
Chai lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Tucker trying to keep a closed guard but Chai is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chai lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Chai stands up over Tucker, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Chai with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Chai postures up.
Tucker wants to get back to his feet but Chai is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Tucker tries to clinch up.
Tucker shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Chai as he jumps to the side.
Tucker drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Chai cracks Tucker with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Tucker ducks straight into an uppercut from Chai and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Tucker manages to regain guard straight away.

Tucker is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Chai working some strikes from top position.
Oh Tucker is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Chai lands a couple of digs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chai preventing the sweep.
Tucker seems to have got his legs back now.
Chai is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Tucker is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Tucker seems to be looking for submissions.
Chai gets full guard.
Chai wants to sweep here but Tucker controlling him for the moment.
Chai managing to control the position.
Tucker throwing strikes but missing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shahriyar Chai dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jerome Tucker's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tucker takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Tucker has managed to clinch.
Chai tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tucker misses with some punches.
Tucker landing knees to the head.
Chai prevents the takedown attempt.
Chai lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Chai prevents the takedown attempt.
Chai tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tucker's elbow.

Tucker breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice takedown defense from Chai. No joy for Tucker on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jerome Tucker. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Chai moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Chai gets caught flat footed, as Tucker shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Chai wants to sweep but no luck.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Chai can do anything to dispel that myth.
Tucker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Chai is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tucker is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Tucker wants to control from the top but Chai keeps moving.

Tucker postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Chai is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Tucker, into his guard.

Chai trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Tucker not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chai trying to control the position from guard on top but Tucker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Chai makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Chai has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tucker is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Chai makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Chai lands a couple of digs.
Tucker keeping full guard, as Chai tries to pass.
Tucker seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Tucker trying to strike off his back.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chai throwing strikes but missing.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Tucker with a poor takedown
and Chai cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Nice takedown defense from Chai. No joy for Tucker on that attempt.
Shahriyar Chai seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A low kick from Tucker misses
and Tucker takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tucker shoots in for a double leg but Chai sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nice takedown defense from Chai. No joy for Tucker on that attempt.
Chai swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

Chai cracks Tucker with an uppercut from hell and Tucker crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Chai's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Chai trying to control but Tucker is working from the bottom.
Chai passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Chai in side control lands a decent elbow.
Chai is putting a hurting on Tucker here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chai scores with a couple of short elbows.
Chai works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Tucker on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Shahriyar Chai has got the better of the ground game so far.
Tucker is trying to control Chai's posture but Chai avoids it.
Tucker manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Tucker trying to control from half guard but Chai is working away.
Chai controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Tucker is keen to just control but Chai is a slippery customer.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Shahriyar Chai showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jerome Tucker's cut.
That's time! Tucker's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Chai moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Tucker goes down! Can Chai finish him!?
Tucker has momentary wrist control but Chai slips an elbow through the middle.
Chai scoring with some ground and pound.

Tucker has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Chai has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Chai is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Chai creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Chai lands a big right hand that drops Tucker! The killer instinct kicks in and Chai finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Chai!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Shahriyar Chai!
A relieved looking Shahriyar Chai thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Jerome Tucker spoke after the fight, saying 'Growing up in my house, my father, who was a Pastor, said that violence was never the answer. Tonight I realised he was right. It was the question. It's always the question.'.