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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vaai Finau (ranked 2340 p4p, 3809 weight class) and Tor Troeng (ranked 305 p4p, 470 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.
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| 196 cm
32
220
11 - 9 - 0 |
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187 cm
35
205
21 - 12 - 1 |
Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine |
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Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vaai Finau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 12 - 1, fighting out of New York, Tor Troeng!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Ron Honeybunn and Summer Carpenter.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Troeng closes the distance and clinches.
Troeng's coach down at Deep waters was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Troeng's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Finau stalling.
Troeng swings wildly with an uppercut but Finau uses good head movement to avoid it.
Troeng missing with knees to the body.
Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Finau lands the left hand.
Finau scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Finau's jab looks to have found its range, popping Troeng under the eye.
Troeng moves into the clinch.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Finau.
Finau misses with the head strike.
Troeng tries to land a knee to the head but Finau blocks with his arms.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Troeng misses with a knee strike.
Troeng throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Finau blocks it with crossed arms.
Finau lands with a short shot to the head.
Troeng using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Finau breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Troeng displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Finau throws out the jab.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Finau gets tackled into the cage by Troeng. Troeng maintains the clinch.
Troeng tries a knee to the head but Finau blocks it.
Troeng misses with a knee to the head.
Troeng blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Finau lands a shoulder strike.
Finau breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Troeng moves into the clinch successfully.
The referee is keeping an eye on Finau - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Finau wants to break free but Troeng has control.
Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Troeng closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Troeng tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Troeng throws a knee to the head but misses.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Troeng has Finau up against the cage in a clinch.
Finau stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
The referee calls for Troeng to work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Troeng trying to land knees to the body.
Finau tries a body shot but Troeng blocks it.
Finau lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Finau on the inside.
The referee calls for Finau to work.
Finau tries to work over Troeng's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Finau leaning against his opponent.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Finau wants to get back to striking at distance but Troeng won't allow it.
Finau taking a breather.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troeng looking to throw knees to the head but Finau is blocking nicely.
Troeng pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Troeng lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short body shot lands from Troeng as the two fighters clinch.
Troeng looking to throw knees to the head but Finau is blocking nicely.
Finau tries a body shot but Troeng blocks it.
Finau dodges an elbow strike from Troeng.
Troeng blocks an uppercut.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Troeng with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
It looks like Vaai Finau has been cut.
Troeng digs a right hand into Finau's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Finau's gas tank.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Troeng misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Finau.
Finau misses with a punch to the body.
Finau on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Troeng blocks an uppercut.
Finau is looking to control Troeng's arms but Troeng gets an underhook and turns him. Now Finau has his back to the cage.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Troeng tries to stall but Finau uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
The referee calls for Troeng to work.
Finau breaks from the clinch.
Troeng clinches up against the cage.
Troeng tries a knee to the head but Finau blocks it.
Finau blocks the elbow strike.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Finau's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
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!
Troeng lands an overhand right.
Finau jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Troeng takes the fight into the clinch.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Finau scores with a nice hook to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
A close round but Tor Troeng will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vaai Finau's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!
Troeng throws a sloppy head kick and Finau moves out of range easily.
Troeng slips under a jab from Finau.
Troeng rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Finau counters with a nice uppercut.
Troeng forces Finau back against the cage and clinches.
I was talking to Finau's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Finau breaks the clinch.
Finau will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Troeng swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Finau takes a swing at Troeng's ribcage but misses.
Troeng drives through and clinches with Finau against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Finau breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Troeng gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Finau manages to break the clinch.
Troeng clinches up against the cage.
Troeng struggles to land a body shot inside as Finau controls his hands.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Finau trying to control the position but instead, Troeng has worked for underhooks and has pushed Finau into the cage.
Troeng tries to land a knee to the head but Finau blocks with his arms.
Troeng works on Finau's body with a couple of short punches.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Troeng connects with a nasty looking knee right to Finau's face.
Troeng throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tor Troeng seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Troeng tries a knee to the head but Finau blocks it.
Troeng misses with a knee strike.
Troeng with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Troeng taking a breather.
Still in the clinch, Troeng scores with a nice short uppercut.
Troeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Finau breaks from the clinch.
Troeng drives through and clinches with Finau against the cage.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finau slowing the pace effectively.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Troeng has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Troeng tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Troeng misses with a knee to the head.
A right hook to the body lands for Finau.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Finau pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Troeng darts in and clinches Finau up against the cage.
Finau breaks from the clinch.
Finau scores with a jab to the head.
Troeng instigates a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Finau's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Troeng blocks an uppercut.
Troeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Troeng pushes off an throws an elbow but Finau leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Troeng misses with a knee strike.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finau breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Troeng gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Troeng misses with a knee strike.
Troeng stalling in the clinch but Finau improves position.
Finau working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Troeng tries a knee to the head but Finau blocks it.
Finau blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Finau is pushing Troeng up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Troeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
A bit of stalling here from Finau.
Finau throws a head punch that misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Troeng blocking some punches.
Finau looking to stall.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Troeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Troeng letting Finau take a breather here.
Finau tries to break the clinch but Troeng is controlling the position.
Troeng misses with a punch on the inside.
Finau lands a shoulder strike.
Troeng blocks a body shot from Finau.
Troeng with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Troeng using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finau has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Troeng blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
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!
Finau lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Troeng keeps control of Finau as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Finau is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Finau lands with a short shot to the head.
Finau lands a left hand that snaps the head of Troeng backwards.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.
Tor Troeng showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Vaai Finau's cut.
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!
Finau throws a chopping leg kick but Troeng manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Troeng closes the distance and clinches.
Finau is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Troeng tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Finau breaks the clinch.
Troeng gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Finau is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Troeng is keeping busy.
A right hook to the body lands for Finau.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice right hand lands inside from Troeng.
Finau misses with a short punch on the inside.
Troeng tries to land a knee to the head but Finau blocks with his arms.
Troeng landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Troeng throws a knee to the head but misses.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Finau is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Troeng crunches a lovely knee into Finau's ribcage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Troeng tries to land knees in the clinch but Finau avoids the damage to the body.
Troeng throws a knee to the head but misses.
Finau tries to stall but Troeng uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Still in the clinch, Finau scores with a nice short uppercut.
Finau lands a right hand.
Troeng with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Troeng is looking to control Finau's arms but Finau gets an underhook and turns him. Now Troeng has his back to the cage.
Finau on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Finau.
Finau manages to break the clinch.
Troeng has taken the fight to the clinch.
Finau lands with a light punch inside.
Finau misses with a punch on the inside.
Vaai Finau has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Troeng tries a knee to the head but Finau blocks it.
Troeng wants to stall.
Finau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Nice uppercut lands for Finau. That snapped Troeng's head back.
Finau throws a series of punches but Troeng avoids them all with ease.
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!
Troeng uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Finau.
Troeng gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Troeng tries to land a knee to the head but Finau blocks with his arms.
Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Troeng ducks under a wild hook from Finau.
Troeng clinches up with Finau and pushes him back against the cage.
Finau has Troeng pressed against the cage.
Troeng tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Finau avoids it.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Troeng with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Troeng connects with a nasty looking knee right to Finau's face.
Finau stalls.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Troeng.
Finau dodges an elbow strike from Troeng.
Troeng throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Finau blocks it with crossed arms.
Troeng throws a knee to the head but misses.
Finau working aggressively here.
Finau is looking to control Troeng's arms but Troeng gets an underhook and turns him. Now Finau has his back to the cage.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Finau can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Finau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Finau pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Troeng instigates a clinch.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Troeng misses with a knee to the head.
Finau throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Troeng takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Troeng tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Tor Troeng is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Finau is trying to break free.
Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Troeng moves away from the strike by Finau.
Tor Troeng seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Troeng rushes Finau and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Finau throws a punch but it's blocked by Troeng.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Finau doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Finau will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Troeng up against the cage.
Finau lands with a right to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Finau fails to land.
And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Tor Troeng.
I've got Troeng winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 27:30
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tor Troeng!
Tor Troeng thanked the fans post fight for their support.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
57% |
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