PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iain Tower (ranked 4 p4p, 1 weight class) and Peleki Tuala (ranked 18 p4p, 2 weight class). Tower comes to the cage accompanied by Kanye - Power. Tuala has chosen Dock of Fiji as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tower
vs
Tuala

210 cm
28
275 lbs
23 - 3 - 0

190 cm
31
267 lbs
18 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Iain Tower!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Peleki Tuala!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Timothy Bukovac and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tower misses with an uppercut
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Tuala with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

Tower lands a big head kick that sends Tuala tumbling to the mat! Tower takes a step backwards and waves Tuala back to his feet - he wants the finish!

It looks like Peleki Tuala has been cut.
The fighters circling - Tuala throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Tuala throws a right hand that misses

and Tower counters with a crisp right hand that drops Tuala! Tower lets Tuala back up to his feet, looking for a finish!

Tuala is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tower on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Peleki Tuala seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tower tries to bum rush Tuala with a series of wild strikes but Tuala uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Tuala swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Tower is looking to counter punch.
Tower looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Tower staying out of range there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tower checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
An attempted straight right counter from Tower misses the target.
Tower misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tuala.
Tuala scores with a leg kick.
Tower takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Tuala pushes Tower away with a front kick.
Tuala connects with a body shot that sends Tower's belly button to the back.
Tower is breathing heavily.
Tuala looks to land a left hand but Tower moved out of range nicely.
Tower drops his hands momentarily and Tuala takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

It looks like Iain Tower has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuala misses with a low kick.
Tower looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Tower slips under a jab.
Tuala throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tower connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tuala's hands.
Tower connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tuala's hands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tuala missing with a left hand there. Tower was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tuala lands with a cross.
Tuala bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lazy body kick from Tuala
and Tower counters with a nice kick to the body.
Tower scores with a push kick.
Tuala throws a solid leg kick but Tower takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Tuala.
Tower with a hook.
Tuala fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Tuala thumps Tower with a low kick.
Tower is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Tower takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tuala lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Tuala buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tower checks a leg kick.
Tower keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tuala.
Good work by Tower as he checks the leg kick.
Tower looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Tower drops his hands momentarily and Tuala takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Tower fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Tuala checks it well.
Tuala throws the kick towards the body but Tower avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Peleki Tuala will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tuala throws a big shot that misses.
Tower was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tower scores with a kick to the body.
Tuala throws a body kick that misses.
Tower pulls out of a head kick attempt.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Tuala! But no joy.
Tuala throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Tuala sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tower slips a straight right by Tuala.
Tuala throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Tower counters with a stiff right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuala connects with the punch.
Tower chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tuala can pounce on him.
Tuala keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tuala slips under a jab.
Tower throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tuala misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Tower.
Tuala moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Tuala misses with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tower is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Tower takes one on the button.
Tower keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tuala.
Tower appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Tower is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Tuala feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Tower's calf.
Tuala's corner calls for a 1-2. Tuala obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
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!
Tower scores with a hook.
Tuala connects with a body shot.
Good standup being displayed there by Tuala as he connects with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tower uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tuala.
Tuala scores with a shot to the body.
Tuala scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tuala throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Tower sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Tuala connects with a leg kick. Tower looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Tower uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Tuala.
Tower throwing a counter right hand but Tuala manages to avoid it.
Tuala looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tower takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Peleki Tuala seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tower stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Tuala.
Tower keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tuala.
Tower appears to be looking for a big counter.
Tuala throws a lazy right hand but Tower sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Tower was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tower ducks under a wild hook from Tuala.
Tuala throws a lazy uppercut
and Tower counters with a nice uppercut.
Tuala misses with a looping right.
Tower tries to land a body kick
letting Tuala counter with a right hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peleki Tuala showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tuala thuds a left hand into Tower's body.
Tower walks into a straight right hand from Tuala.
Tower throws a jab but it's blocked by Tuala.
Tower slips under a jab from Tuala.
Tower's legs have taken a beating and he's really slowing down as a result.
Tower misses with a hook. Tuala ducked under it nicely.
Tower jabbing away but nothing is landing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tuala gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Tuala gets through Tower's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Tuala tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tower's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tower fails to pull guard.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tuala.
Tuala tries to work over Tower's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tower misses with a body punch.
Tuala scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Tower tries to pull guard but Tuala holds him up against the cage and eventually Tower drops back down to his feet.
Tower misses with some punches.
Tuala misses with a punch to the body.
Tuala swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Tower blocking some punches.
A head punch on the inside from Tuala fails to land.
Tuala tries to work over Tower's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tower is working Tuala over against the cage.
Tuala lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Tower or not.
Tuala working aggressively here.
Tower lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tuala backwards.
Tuala has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Tower pulls guard successfully.
Tuala is stalling in the full guard.
Tower not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuala controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Tower is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tuala is aware though and is defending well.
Tuala is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Tower is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Tuala is aware though and is defending well.
Tuala slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tower not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tuala got a little sloppy there for a moment and Tower has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Tuala has managed to get both his arms back between Tower's legs - danger averted.
Tower working a defensive guard here.
Tuala looking to pass the guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Tower is looking for a triangle but Tuala pushes his legs off easily.
Tuala is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Tower pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Tower tries a low kick but Tuala avoids it.
Tower displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Tuala throws out the jab.
Tower was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Tuala throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Tower counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Tuala lands with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tower takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tuala buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Tuala, as that shot connected.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Peleki Tuala really dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Tuala fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tower manages to avoid it.
Tower appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Tuala ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Tower with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Tuala misses with the combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tuala moves into the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Tower scores with a nice short uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuala misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tower misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short body shot lands from Tuala as the two fighters clinch.
Tuala lands a left hand that snaps the head of Tower backwards.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Tower.
Tuala lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Nice body punch from Tower.
Tuala doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Tuala misses with a punch on the inside.

Tower jumps into guard, dragging Tuala to the mat.
Tuala stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Tower swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Tuala trying to control but Tower is working from the bottom.
Tower is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuala controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Tower has his hands on Tuala's head, controlling the position.
Iain Tower has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Tower looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Tower not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tuala controlling from the top position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Tuala connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Tower's hands.
Tuala misses with a low kick as Tower jumps back.
Tower thinks about countering with a body kick.
Tuala misses with a lunging right hand
and Tower counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Tuala slips a straight right by Tower.
A low kick from Tuala is predictable there
and Tower counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tower looks to land a left hand but Tuala moved out of range nicely.
Tuala tries to land a body kick
and Tuala takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Tower looks to land a left hand but Tuala moved out of range nicely.
Tuala moves out of range of the body kick from Tower.
Tuala keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Tower.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tower rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tuala counters with a good, hard body kick but Tower shrugs it off.
Tuala throws a sloppy body shot
and Tower counters with a two punch combo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Iain Tower had his way with Peleki Tuala in that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Tower misses with a straight left.
Tuala throws a half hearted mid kick.
Tower scores with a hook to the body. Tuala takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Tuala throws a body kick that misses.
A cross from Tuala lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice leg kick lands there from Tuala.
Nice defenses there by Tower.
Tuala missing with a left hand there. Tower was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tuala tests Tower's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tower is looking to slow Tuala down with leg kicks.
Tower misses with a shot to the body
and Tuala cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tuala darts in trying to clinch
letting Tower counter with a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tuala pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tower is looking to counter punch.
A big left from Tuala misses.
Tower rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tuala counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Tuala connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tower. Tuala does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tuala misses with a straight left.
Tuala misses with a body shot
and Tower counters with a body kick that stops Tuala in his tracks momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tower cracks Tuala with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Tuala loads up on a big right hand but Tower slips the punch.
Tower quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Tuala lands an overhand right.
Tuala misses the jab.
Tower jabs at Tuala's body.
Tuala attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Tuala scores with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tower takes a swing at Tuala's ribcage but misses.
Tower slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Tower throws a front kick that sends Tuala stumbling back into the cage.
Tuala is wobbling all over the place through exhaustion. Will he make it to the final bell?
Tower misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
It seemed like Tuala was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Tuala looks to throw the jab but Tower is out of range.
Tower throwing a counter right hand but Tuala manages to avoid it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Tuala swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A little feinted left hand from Tower on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Tower blocks a low kick nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Peleki Tuala.
I think Tuala has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 5 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 46:49
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 48:48
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 46:49

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Peleki Tuala!
Peleki Tuala thanked the fans post fight for their support.