PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tap Taparoo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joven Eriksson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Taparoo
vs
Eriksson

175 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

200 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tap Taparoo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joven Eriksson!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Mauricio Rocha and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Eriksson swats away the attempt to clinch by Taparoo.
Taparoo looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Eriksson tries to clinch but Taparoo moves away

and Taparoo counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Eriksson throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Taparoo escapes and throws Eriksson's legs to the side, diving into side control!

Taparoo thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Eriksson sneaks back into half guard.
Eriksson trying to control but Taparoo postures up.
Eriksson is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eriksson is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Eriksson is trying to get back to full guard.
Eriksson tries to kick Taparoo off but Taparoo keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Eriksson really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Taparoo. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Taparoo seems to be looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Eriksson fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Eriksson misses with the combination.
Joven Eriksson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Eriksson throws a leg kick but Taparoo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Eriksson misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Eriksson throws a one two combo.
Taparoo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Eriksson misses with a combination
and Taparoo makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Eriksson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Taparoo scores with a takedown into Eriksson's guard.

Taparoo gets to his feet. Eriksson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Nice combo by Eriksson! Oh, that's hurt him - Taparoo falls to the canvas and Eriksson follows him into side control.

Taparoo is rocked!
Eriksson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Taparoo keeps working.

Eriksson stands up.
Eriksson misses with an uppercut. Taparoo saw that one coming.
Eriksson throws a left and a right that both miss

and Taparoo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Taparoo.
Taparoo jumps guard but Eriksson stands there with Taparoo around his waist. Taparoo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Eriksson is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eriksson wants to stall.
Taparoo prevents Eriksson from breaking the clinch.
Eriksson wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Taparoo has him pressed against the cage.
Taparoo is trying to stall.
Eriksson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Taparoo pulls his leg out and moves away.
Eriksson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Taparoo.
Eriksson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Taparoo has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Eriksson.

Taparoo takes the fight into the clinch.
Taparoo is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Eriksson pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Eriksson lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Taparoo has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Eriksson avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Tap Taparoo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Eriksson tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Taparoo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Eriksson breaks from the clinch.
Taparoo blocks a jab.
No joy there for Eriksson, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Taparoo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Eriksson as he avoids it easily.
Eriksson swinging wilding here.
Taparoo tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Eriksson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Taparoo drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Taparoo postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joven Eriksson will probably get the nod.
That's time! Taparoo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Jab by Taparoo.
Eriksson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Taparoo missing with a left hand there. Eriksson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Eriksson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Eriksson swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Taparoo counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Eriksson!
Taparoo content just to control the position here.
Taparoo wants to take his opponent's back but Eriksson doesn't allow it.

Taparoo looking for a guillotine from mount but Eriksson is having none of it.
Eriksson stops Taparoo from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taparoo is working hard here to advance position.
Eriksson tries to hold on but Taparoo pushes him away.
Taparoo misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

Taparoo swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Eriksson is now in Taparoo's guard. A big mistake from Taparoo there, giving up the dominant position!
Eriksson wants to pass the guard but Taparoo is keeping the position.
Eriksson tries to stand but Taparoo is controlling from the bottom.
Taparoo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Eriksson's guard.

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.
Taparoo postures up.
Eriksson wants to stand up but Taparoo is controlling him.
Taparoo throws a big right hand that misses.
Eriksson can't keep his opponent in guard - Taparoo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Eriksson is looking to control Taparoo's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Eriksson avoid being mounted?
Taparoo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Taparoo is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Eriksson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Taparoo.

Taparoo is looking for a kimura but Eriksson is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Taparoo to get the leverage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taparoo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Taparoo wants to free his trapped foot but Eriksson is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Taparoo is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Eriksson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four 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.
Taparoo has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Eriksson squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Eriksson has given up his back.
Eriksson is keeping busy.

Taparoo looking for the RNC.

Taparoo looking for the choke from the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tap Taparoo dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Eriksson misses with a body kick.
Eriksson throws a leg kick

and Taparoo counters with a single leg into guard. Eriksson didn't expect that.
Taparoo stands and throws Eriksson's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Taparoo looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Taparoo prevents Eriksson from escaping the position.
Taparoo misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

Taparoo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Eriksson is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Eriksson is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Taparoo has hold of Eriksson's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Eriksson seems comfortable defending it but Taparoo has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Eriksson is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Eriksson is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Taparoo couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Tap Taparoo!