PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vadim Finkle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joell Ortiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Finkle might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to NONE. Ortiz has chosen Thunderstruck as his entrance music. Joell Ortiz has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Finkle
vs
Ortiz

189 cm
26
252 lbs
15 - 13 - 0

182 cm
27
240 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vadim Finkle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joell Ortiz!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Reed Andrews and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A shot to the liver by Finkle. Beautiful body shot.
Ortiz blocks a jab.
Finkle misses with a looping right.
Ortiz misses with a head kick.
Ortiz misses with a head kick.
Finkle throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Ortiz tries to clinch there but Finkle circles away.
Ortiz tries a head kick but it misses.
Finkle missing with a left hand there. Ortiz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ortiz looks to land a combination but Finkle avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Finkle throws a hook but Ortiz blocks it.
Ortiz throws the left hand but Finkle avoids the punch easily.
Finkle ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Vadim Finkle seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ortiz ducks under a wild hook from Finkle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finkle connects with a body shot.
Good shot there by Finkle.
Ortiz closes this distance looking for a takedown but Finkle circles away.
Ortiz looks gassed!
Finkle connects with a right hand. Ortiz shakes it off.
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!

Ortiz darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Finkle wants to control but Ortiz is keeping busy.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Finkle is pressing down on Ortiz's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Finkle keeping moving, preventing Ortiz from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz is looking to work some ground and pound but Finkle has wrist control.
Ortiz throwing strikes from guard but Finkle blocks nicely.
Ortiz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Finkle is keeping the position for now.
Finkle pulls Ortiz in close to his closed guard and prevents Ortiz from doing any damage or advancing position.
Ortiz with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz passes Finkle's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Finkle trying to control but Ortiz postures up.
Finkle keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ortiz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ortiz is trying to control. Finkle wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Ortiz with the ground and pound but Finkle uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Ortiz looking to pass the guard.
Finkle trying to control the position.

That's four 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.
Ortiz looking to pass the guard.
Ortiz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Finkle utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ortiz throws a strike but Finkle rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Finkle slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vadim Finkle dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Ortiz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Finkle misses with a body shot.
Finkle looks to throw the jab but Ortiz is out of range.
Finkle is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ortiz.
Finkle misses with a hook. Ortiz ducked under it nicely.
Ortiz misses the shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ortiz is looking to clinch but Finkle is avoiding it.
Ortiz shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Finkle but Finkle pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Finkle thows a body shot but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Finkle ducks under a wild hook from Ortiz.
Finkle swings for the body but Ortiz moves out of range.
Ortiz swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling Finkle to counter with a crisp jab.
Finkle throws out a loose jab but Ortiz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Finkle misses with an uppercut. Ortiz saw that one coming.
Finkle swings away with a body shot that misses
and Ortiz counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Ortiz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Finkle manages to avoid it.
Finkle swings for the body but Ortiz moves out of range.
Ortiz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Finkle.
Ortiz slips a straight right by Finkle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ortiz staying out of range there.

Ortiz shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Finkle napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Ortiz postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Finkle is not content to let Ortiz control the position.
Ortiz creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Finkle sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The ground and pound from Ortiz seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Ortiz throwing strikes but Finkle manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz is being controlled here.
Ortiz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Ortiz manages to work his way to half guard, despite Finkle's best efforts.

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.
Ortiz trying to hold on to Finkle's head to control him but Finkle postures up.
Ortiz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Finkle is looking to advance position but Ortiz won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Vadim Finkle will probably get the nod.
That's time! Finkle's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Ortiz slips under a jab from Finkle.
Ortiz throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Finkle connects with a crisp jab.
Finkle misses with a straight right.
Ortiz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Finkle.
Finkle jabs at Ortiz's body.
Ortiz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Finkle.
Ortiz moves out of range as Finkle strikes.
Finkle misses with a shot to the body

and Ortiz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ortiz.
Ortiz postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz tries to free his leg and advance position but Finkle is retaining full guard.
Finkle preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ortiz pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Finkle is keeping the position for now.
Ortiz throws and elbow that misses. Finkle uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ortiz's guard. Nice move by Finkle!
Ortiz keeping moving, preventing Finkle from controlling successfully.

That's two 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.
Ortiz can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Finkle controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ortiz is trying to control the position but Finkle postures up.

That's four 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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Finkle misses with an uppercut. Ortiz saw that one coming.
Ortiz needs to keep his hands up - Finkle had a free shot at his head there.
Ortiz is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Finkle rather than just go for the knockout.
Ortiz pivots, looking for a leg kick but Finkle is out of range and Ortiz settles back down.

Ortiz moves into the clinch.
Ortiz tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Ortiz lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Finkle or not.
Ortiz is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Joell Ortiz has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ortiz takes a shot to the head.

Ortiz gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Finkle blocking the ground and pound attempt from Ortiz.
Finkle is not content to let Ortiz control the position.

Finkle is defending against the submission attempts here by Ortiz.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Joell Ortiz.
I think Finkle has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Vadim Finkle!