PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Howie Finkelman (ranked 5085 p4p, 5575 weight class) and Petr Vrabec (ranked 420 p4p, 442 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Finkelman
vs
Vrabec

174 cm
20
152
1 - 2 - 0

170 cm
22
148
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Fast

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Howie Finkelman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Petr Vrabec!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, John Kavanagh and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vrabec is looking to land body kicks.
Vrabec misses with a body kick.
Vrabec throws a half hearted mid kick.

Finkelman takes the fight into the clinch.
Vrabec trying to land knees to the body.

Vrabec gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Vrabec prevents Finkelman from getting back to his feet.
Vrabec sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Finkelman's guard.

Vrabec is working for a submission of some sort.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Vrabec is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Finkelman doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Vrabec.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Finkelman is looking to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vrabec is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Vrabec is looking for a kimura here.

Vrabec is working for a kimura but Finkelman is defending it quite comfortably.
Finkelman blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vrabec.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Finkelman is looking to improve his position.

Vrabec seems to be working for a kimura but Finkelman defends the submission attempt.

Vrabec seems to be looking for submissions.

Vrabec is working for a submission of some sort.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Finkelman looks like he's trying to stand up.

Vrabec seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vrabec is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Finkelman has managed to free his arm - good work.

Finkelman is defending against the submission attempts here by Vrabec.
Finkelman wants to get back to his feet.
Vrabec trying to mount his opponent but Finkelman defends it.
Finkelman wants to get back to his feet.
Vrabec passes to full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finkelman tries to lock up and control but Vrabec gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Vrabec goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Finkelman is on top in guard.
Finkelman wants to stand but Vrabec is controlling his posture from full guard.

Finkelman decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
An inside leg kick lands from Finkelman.
Vrabec looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Finkelman jabs at Vrabec's body.
Finkelman keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Vrabec shoots in looking for a takedown but Finkelman manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Vrabec's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Finkelman has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Vrabec.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jab from Finkelman.

Finkelman fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Vrabec to the ground. Finkelman is now in Vrabec's guard.

Finkelman stands up from Vrabec's guard - Finkelman perhaps looking for a knockout.
Vrabec tries to move into range but Finkelman moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Vrabec takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Finkelman ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Finkelman lands a really nice looking cross but Vrabec seems unphased.
Vrabec closes the distance and clinches up with Finkelman, looking for a takedown. Vrabec pushes Finkelman against the cage but Finkelman circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Vrabec shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Finkelman pinned against the cage. Finkelman gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A nice inside leg kick there by Vrabec. That's going to slow Finkelman down.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Finkelman digs a good body shot into Vrabec's ribs.

Finkelman gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Finkelman pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've been told by Finkelman's head coaches at Doom's Gym that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.

Finkelman feints and as Vrabec raises his hands in defense, Finkelman changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vrabec looking for a guillotine here but Finkelman defends easily.
Vrabec not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Finkelman wants to get up but he can't break Vrabec's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Finkelman gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Finkelman is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vrabec can do to turn this around?
A shot to the liver by Finkelman. Beautiful body shot.
Vrabec throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Vrabec misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Finkelman to counter with a crisp jab.
Howie Finkelman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Petr Vrabec.
Finkelman stuffs the takedown attempt from Vrabec. Vrabec gets slowly back to his feet.
A lazy body kick from Vrabec
and Finkelman counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Finkelman lands but Vrabec takes it in his stride.
Finkelman lands with a right hand.
Finkelman avoids the body shot from Vrabec.
Finkelman turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vrabec on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Finkelman checks a leg kick nicely.
Finkelman looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Finkelman blocks the body kick.
Vrabec looks for the body kick but Finkelman saw that one coming.
Finkelman scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Vrabec shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Finkelman counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Finkelman gets the takedown into side control.

Finkelman decides to stand back up.
Vrabec throws a nice inside leg kick.
Finkelman throws a shot to the body.
Finkelman checks the leg kick nicely there.
Vrabec throws a body kick that misses.
Vrabec misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finkelman scores with a sloppy right hand. Vrabec should have avoided that one.
Vrabec gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Nice uppercut there from Finkelman.
Finkelman scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Finkelman connects with a jab.
Finkelman fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Vrabec on the side of the head.

Finkelman drives through and clinches with Vrabec against the cage.
Finkelman blocks an uppercut.
Finkelman prevents the takedown attempt.
Vrabec is trying to drag Finkelman to the mat but Finkelman just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Finkelman on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Finkelman breaks the clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
A jab from Finkelman does it's job there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vrabec pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finkelman steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vrabec.
Finkelman swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Finkelman defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Vrabec.
Vrabec is breathing heavily.
Vrabec looks to land a body kick but Finkelman moved away.
A little feinted left hand from Finkelman on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Finkelman connects with a jab.
Vrabec on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nice cross by Finkelman.
A shot to the liver by Finkelman. Beautiful body shot.
Nice cross by Finkelman.
Vrabec ducks right into an uppercut from Finkelman.
Finkelman catches Vrabec with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Vrabec tries for a takedown but Finkelman sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Finkelman lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

Vrabec is rocked!
Vrabec tries to land a front kick but Finkelman steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Vrabec fails with the takedown
and Finkelman counters with a stiff right hand.
Vrabec is still on wobbly legs! Can Finkelman finish him?
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vrabec takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Vrabec seems to have recovered his senses.
Vrabec looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Finkelman jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Finkelman connects with a leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Howie Finkelman dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Finkelman keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Vrabec misses with a low kick.
Vrabec throws a nice inside leg kick.

Finkelman scores with a takedown into Vrabec's guard.
Finkelman has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Vrabec is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Vrabec is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Vrabec is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Finkelman is defending against the submission attempts here by Vrabec.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vrabec is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Finkelman is trying to stand.
Vrabec blocks the strikes from Finkelman.
Finkelman pushes Vrabec off looking to stand but Vrabec dives back in and keeps control.
Finkelman has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Vrabec is working away from the top position though.
Vrabec prevents Finkelman from improving his position.
Finkelman looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Vrabec in half guard on the top. He's looking for a kimura... He's got it locked and he's managed to free his trapped foot. Finkelman tries to escape but it's on too tight and he has to tap! Great BJJ skills there from Vrabec!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:25 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Petr Vrabec!