PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ville Valo (ranked 3322 p4p, 4311 weight class) and Sherman Manau (ranked 128 p4p, 150 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Valo
vs
Manau

225 cm
25
300
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
300
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Neon Zombie
SynCity Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ville Valo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Sherman Manau!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Illya Tyunina and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manau gets cracked there but stands up to it.

It looks like Sherman Manau has been cut.

Manau rushes Valo and presses him up against the cage.

Manau pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Manau darts in and clinches Valo up against the cage.
Manau lands a left hand.
Manau is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Valo stalls.
Valo jumps guard but Manau stands there with Valo around his waist. Valo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Valo.
Valo tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Manau smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Manau circles away.
Manau unleashes a big counter combination but Valo bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ville Valo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Manau rushes Valo and presses him up against the cage.

Manau drags the fight down to the ground.
Valo trying to control the position from guard on top but Manau is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valo is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Valo prevents Manau from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Manau swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Manau working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Valo.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Manau can do anything to dispel that myth.
Valo throwing strikes from guard but Manau blocks nicely.
Manau wants to stand and escape but Valo is having none of it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Sherman Manau is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Valo closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Manau did well to prevent Valo getting side control.
Valo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Manau kicks off Valo and gets to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Valo darts in and clinches Manau up against the cage.
Manau lands a right hand that snaps the head of Valo backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valo effectively controlling the action here.

Manau is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Valo can't fight it off and eventually Manau manages to take the fight to the floor. Valo looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Valo throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Manau forces his way into half guard.

Manau escapes and gets back to his feet.
Valo throws a head kick but Manau moves out of range.
Manau is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.

Valo gets tackled into the cage by Manau. Manau maintains the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Manau manages to break the clinch.
Valo shoots and misses
letting Manau counter with a right hand.

It looks like Ville Valo has been cut.
Sloppy strikes from Valo. Those never looked like landing.
Valo is breathing heavily.
Valo connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Manau gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Manau missing with knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Manau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Valo misses the jab.
Despite the aggression on Manau's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Manau moves into range and clinches up with Valo.
Valo working aggressively here.

Manau breaks the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sherman Manau 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.

Valo throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Valo has closed the distance and engaged Manau in a clinch.
Manau stalls.
Valo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Valo looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Valo tries to pull guard but Manau won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Valo jumps guard but Manau turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ville Valo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Valo fails to pull guard.
Valo avoiding damage as Manau throws knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Manau manages to break the clinch.

Manau closes the distance and clinches.

Manau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sherman Manau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Manau closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Manau closes the distance and pushes Valo back into the cage.
Valo lands an uppercut.
Manau stalls.
Manau trying to land knees to the body.
Valo is looking to break free of the clinch but Manau has double underhooks.
Valo is trying to pull guard but Manau turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Valo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Manau lands a jab to the head.
Valo darts in trying to clinch
and Manau counters with a nice uppercut.

Valo shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Valo was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Manau explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Manau throws a hook but Valo blocks it.
Valo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Manau as he avoids it easily.
Valo sets himself, and Manau steps forward looking for the clinch! Valo avoids it this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Valo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Manau counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

Valo tries to keep at a distance but Manau has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manau can't get the takedown.
Sherman Manau seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Manau's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Valo misses with a wild combination.
Manau doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Manau clinches with his opponent.
Valo is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The referee calls for Manau to work.
Valo wants a takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Manau breaks from the clinch.
A punch lands to the side of Manau 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Ville Valo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valo shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Manau pinned against the cage. Manau gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Manau wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Manau has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sloppy strikes from Manau. Those never looked like landing.

Manau clinches up with Valo and pushes him back against the cage.

Manau's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Sherman Manau 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.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Manau cracks Valo with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Valo fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Manau, pushing him back against the cage.
Valo is looking for a takedown.

Valo manages to break the clinch.
Good shot there by Valo.
Valo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Manau.
A jab from Valo misses.
Manau circles away from the clinch attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manau misses with a series of wild punches.
Valo feinted there with a counter leg kick.

Manau clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Manau breaks the clinch.
Manau takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Manau fails to land with a series of punches.
Sherman Manau seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Manau clinches up with Valo and pushes him back against the cage.
Manau jumps guard but Valo turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Stalling in the clinch from Manau.
Valo fails to pull guard.
Manau lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Valo is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Manau tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Valo avoids it.

Valo successfully pulls guard.
Sherman Manau has got the better of the ground game so far.
Manau would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Manau stands and steps away. Valo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valo throws a head kick but Manau moves out of range.

Valo closes the distance and clinches.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Manau breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Valo with a poor takedown
and Manau counters with a huge uppercut, hook combination that drops Valo! The ref has seen enough - he's dived in to stop the fight! Brutal strikes by Manau!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sherman Manau!
In defeat, Ville Valo stepped up to the mic, saying 'Sleep with both your eyes open. '.