PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mehmet Shakaromanov (ranked 724 p4p, 541 weight class) and Tiamat Tenkula (ranked 91 p4p, 66 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Tiamat Tenkula enters the cage!

Shakaromanov
vs
Tenkula

185 cm
26
203
14 - 6 - 0

186 cm
33
190
16 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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NARCOS
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mehmet Shakaromanov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tiamat Tenkula!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Shakaromanov throws a sloppy head kick and Tenkula moves out of range easily.
We've been told by Shakaromanov's head coaches at New York Public Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Shakaromanov connects with an inside leg kick.
Shakaromanov lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Shakaromanov misses with a left hand
and Tenkula connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Tenkula moves into the clinch successfully.
Tenkula misses with a hook from the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Tenkula scores with a nice short uppercut.
Shakaromanov trying to stall but Tenkula improves his position.
Shakaromanov blocks an uppercut.
Tenkula misses with a short punch on the inside.
Shakaromanov is trying to break the clinch but Tenkula is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Shakaromanov is trying to break the clinch but Tenkula is controlling him.
Shakaromanov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tenkula lands a right hand.

Shakaromanov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Shakaromanov swings widly with a right hand
and Tenkula cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shakaromanov thows a body kick. Tenkula tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Shakaromanov throws a sloppy head kick and Tenkula moves out of range easily.
Shakaromanov throws the kick towards the body but Tenkula avoids it.
Tenkula wants to clinch up but Shakaromanov keeps it at a distance.
Shakaromanov misses with a hook
and Tenkula cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Shakaromanov scores with a hook.
Shakaromanov scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

It looks like Tiamat Tenkula has been cut.
Tenkula jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Shakaromanov throws a quick counter head kick but Tenkula was just out of range.
Shakaromanov throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Tenkula swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Shakaromanov connects with a looping right hand.
Tenkula gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tenkula takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Shakaromanov walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Tenkula checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Tenkula! But no joy.
Tenkula tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Tenkula has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Shakaromanov.
Shakaromanov misses with a lunging right hand
and Tenkula counters with a straight right hand.
Tenkula keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Tenkula gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Shakaromanov checks the leg kick nicely there.
Shakaromanov throws a chopping leg kick but Tenkula manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Shakaromanov throws a wild body kick that Tenkula sees coming a mile off.
Shakaromanov misses with a left hand
and Tenkula makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shakaromanov misses with a kick to the body
and Tenkula counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tenkula avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice defenses there by Tenkula.
Shakaromanov misses with a wild combination.
Tenkula throws out a counter right but Shakaromanov avoids it with no problem.
Shakaromanov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Tenkula clinches up with Shakaromanov and pushes him back against the cage.
Tenkula misses with a punch to the body.
Shakaromanov blocking some punches.
Shakaromanov is trying to break free.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shakaromanov.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Shakaromanov swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shakaromanov fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tenkula blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Shakaromanov swings wildly with an uppercut but Tenkula uses good head movement to avoid it.
A hook to the body from Tenkula.
Tenkula has a couple of punches blocked by Shakaromanov.
Tenkula misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Tenkula digs a right hand into Shakaromanov's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Shakaromanov's gas tank.
Tenkula digs a right hand underneath Shakaromanov's ribcage. Shakaromanov let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tenkula working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tenkula prevents a body shot from Shakaromanov.
Tenkula lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shakaromanov backwards.
Shakaromanov looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Tenkula blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Shakaromanov blocks an uppercut.
A short right from Shakaromanov.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mehmet Shakaromanov will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Tiamat Tenkula's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Shakaromanov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tenkula gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A nice leg kick from Shakaromanov, right into the meat of the thigh.

Tenkula rushes Shakaromanov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Tenkula fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Shakaromanov wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Tenkula scores with a nice short uppercut.

Shakaromanov manages to break the clinch.
Tenkula takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tenkula slips a straight right by Shakaromanov.
Tenkula looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Mehmet Shakaromanov is winning the standup battle so far.
Shakaromanov misses with a hook
and Tenkula counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Shakaromanov scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Shakaromanov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tenkula.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tenkula moves out of range of the body kick.
Shakaromanov pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Shakaromanov throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Shakaromanov takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Shakaromanov is rocked!
Tenkula throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Tenkula uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Shakaromanov.
Tenkula bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Oooooh!!! Shakaromanov has knocked Tenkula down with a huge combo! Shakaromanov steps away and waves a wobbly Tenkula back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!
Shakaromanov throws a hook but Tenkula blocks it.
Shakaromanov misses with a lunging right hand
enabling Tenkula to counter with a crisp jab.
Oh Shakaromanov is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Shakaromanov misses with a jab, cross combination.
Shakaromanov scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Shakaromanov seems to have got his legs back now.

That has opened up Tiamat Tenkula's cut even more.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tenkula slips a straight right by Shakaromanov.
Shakaromanov misses with a looping left.
Shakaromanov tries a low kick but Tenkula avoids it.
Tenkula throws out a counter right but Shakaromanov avoids it with no problem.
Shakaromanov is looking to slow Tenkula down with leg kicks.
A big left from Shakaromanov misses.
Shakaromanov swats away the attempt to clinch by Tenkula.

Tenkula moves into the clinch successfully.
Tenkula misses with some punches.
Tenkula tries to throw a body punch but Shakaromanov avoids it by throwing Tenkula back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tenkula blocks a body shot from Shakaromanov.
Shakaromanov prevents a body shot from Tenkula.
A short right from Shakaromanov on the inside.
Shakaromanov blocks a body shot from Tenkula.
Shakaromanov is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Tenkula can do to turn this around?
Tenkula has Shakaromanov pressed against the cage, preventing Shakaromanov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tenkula keeps control of Shakaromanov as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Tenkula stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Tenkula tries to work over Shakaromanov's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A body shot lands from Shakaromanov.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Shakaromanov working aggressively here.
Shakaromanov misses with a punch to the body.
Shakaromanov working aggressively here.
Tenkula misses with a punch to the body.
Shakaromanov lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short right from Tenkula.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Tenkula.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shakaromanov tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Tenkula struggles to land a body shot inside as Shakaromanov controls his hands.
Tenkula lands with a short shot to the head.
Tenkula scores with a shoulder strike.
Shakaromanov blocks an uppercut.
Tenkula scores with a nice hook to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A shot in the inside from Tenkula.
Shakaromanov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Shakaromanov is looking to control Tenkula's arms but Tenkula gets an underhook and turns him. Now Shakaromanov has his back to the cage.
Shakaromanov blocking some punches.
Tenkula fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Tenkula misses with the head strike.
Shakaromanov throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Tenkula misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shakaromanov stalling in the clinch but Tenkula improves position.
Tenkula misses with a short punch on the inside.
A short right from Tenkula.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mehmet Shakaromanov dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tiamat Tenkula's cut.
That's time! Shakaromanov's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Shakaromanov throws a head kick but Tenkula moves out of range.
Tiamat Tenkula has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Shakaromanov throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Shakaromanov looks to land a body kick but Tenkula moved away.
Tenkula thinks about the counter body kick.

Tenkula pushes Shakaromanov up against the cage in a clinch.
Tenkula lands a hook to the side of the head.
Tenkula goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tenkula misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tenkula misses with a hook from the clinch.
Shakaromanov scores with a nice hook to the head.
Tiamat Tenkula seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A right hand to the body from Tenkula.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tenkula doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tenkula lands with a short shot to the head.
Tenkula lands a hook that snaps the head of Shakaromanov backwards.
Tenkula working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Tenkula misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Shakaromanov misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short right from Tenkula on the inside.
Shakaromanov blocks a body shot from Tenkula.
A shot in the inside from Shakaromanov.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Shakaromanov.
Tenkula misses with some punches.
Shakaromanov goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Shakaromanov blocks an uppercut.
Tenkula makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shakaromanov.
Shakaromanov throws a head punch that misses.
Tenkula swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tenkula lands a body shot.
Shakaromanov swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A left hand lands to the body for Tenkula.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A head punch on the inside from Tenkula fails to land.
Tenkula goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Tenkula lands a left hand that snaps the head of Shakaromanov backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tenkula lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Tenkula working aggressively here.
A head punch on the inside from Tenkula fails to land.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tenkula lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Shakaromanov throws a head punch that misses.
Tenkula swings wildly with an uppercut but Shakaromanov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tenkula lands a shot to the body.
Shakaromanov tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Shakaromanov misses with a hook to the ribs.
Shakaromanov tries to throw a body punch but Tenkula avoids it by throwing Shakaromanov back against the cage.
Shakaromanov blocks an uppercut.
Nice body punch from Tenkula.
Tenkula scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Shakaromanov taking a breather.
Tenkula misses with a punch on the inside.
Tenkula doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tenkula lands a right hand that snaps the head of Shakaromanov backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Tenkula.
A nice right hand lands inside from Tenkula.
Tenkula lands a left hand.
Tenkula lands with a right to the head.
Tenkula digs a right hand underneath Shakaromanov's ribcage. Shakaromanov let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Tenkula working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Tenkula.
Tenkula lands a shoulder strike.
Tenkula works on Shakaromanov's body with a couple of short punches.
Nice body punch from Tenkula - that landed with a thud.
A short left from Tenkula.
Tenkula gets through Shakaromanov's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Tenkula.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Tenkula lands with a short shot to the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Tenkula.
Tenkula swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tenkula presses Shakaromanov against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tenkula lands a right hand.
Tenkula misses with the head strike.
Tenkula throws a head punch that misses.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Tenkula.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tenkula.
Shakaromanov tries to break free but Tenkula pushes him back against the cage.
Tenkula misses with a body punch.
Tenkula can't find room to land a body shot as Shakaromanov controls the action.
Tenkula lands with a light punch inside.
Shakaromanov trying to stall but Tenkula improves his position.
Tenkula lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shakaromanov backwards.
Shakaromanov can't break the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Tenkula.
Tenkula misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tenkula lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Shakaromanov backwards.
Shakaromanov tries a body shot but Tenkula blocks it.
Tenkula lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Tenkula throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Shakaromanovs head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tiamat Tenkula comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Shakaromanov 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 Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mehmet Shakaromanov!
During a confident post fight interview, Mehmet Shakaromanov thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.