PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Darko Filipovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brandon Vega (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Filipovic comes into the arena with Cro Cop Song blaring out of the sound system. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Filipovic
vs
Vega

188 cm
23
227 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

196 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Darko Filipovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Brandon Vega!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vega tries to close the distance and clinch but Filipovic swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Filipovic clinches but Vega breaks the clinch

and Vega counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Filipovic!
Filipovic is squirming around, avoiding Vega's attempts to control the action.
Filipovic keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Vega landing strikes from the mount.
Filipovic is trying desperately to improve position.
Vega working the ground and pound effectively.
Filipovic is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Filipovic is working to get back to half guard.
Vega has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Vega.
Filipovic taking shots to the head.
Filipovic blocking the ground and pound.
Vega unloads with some shots from mount but Filipovic bucks and avoids them well.
Vega throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Poor strikes thrown by Vega there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Vega can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Filipovic is looking to escape.
Filipovic is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vega is landing with some decent strikes but Filipovic is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Vega punishing his opponent with strikes.
Vega looks gassed!
Vega thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Filipovic in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Filipovic is trying to stand.
Vega raining down shots from the mount!
Filipovic is bucking up trying to escape but Vega cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Vega lands a big elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vega unloading with bombs!
Vega connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Vega lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Filipovic hang on?
Vega putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Vega in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Filipovic knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Vega on the ground.
Vega looking to finish with strikes here!
Vega is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Filipovic can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Vega lands a heavy elbow.
Vega raining down shots from the mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Vega landing strikes, looking to finish!
Vega has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Filipovic's face.
Vega is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Filipovic can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Vega punishing his opponent with strikes.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vega with the ground and pound from mount.
Vega postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Filipovic looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Vega dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Filipovic tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vega fails with the takedown.
Filipovic is looking to clinch.
Filipovic tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Darko Filipovic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Filipovic tries to clinch up

and Vega counters by moving into the clinch.
Vega wants a takedown but no success here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Filipovic lands a knee to the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Filipovic with a knee to the head.
Filipovic lands a good knee to the midsection. Vega won't want to take too many of those.
Nice elbow from Filipovic.
Filipovic lands a good knee to the midsection. Vega won't want to take too many of those.
Filipovic lands with a light punch inside.
Filipovic throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vega blocks it with crossed arms.
Vega can't get the takedown.
Darko Filipovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brandon Vega.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vega has Filipovic pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Filipovic manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Vega is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Filipovic gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Vega tries for a takedown but Filipovic manages to get underhooks.
Filipovic with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Filipovic with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Vega takes a knee right on the jaw!
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Vega has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Filipovic avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Filipovic lands a knee to the head.

Filipovic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Filipovic slips a jab and a cross from Vega.

Filipovic closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Filipovic using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Vega gets underhooks to prevent Filipovic's takedown attempt.
Filipovic with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vega is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Filipovic connects with a knee to the head.
Filipovic working Vega over with knees to the body.
Filipovic with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vega tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Filipovic just stands there and leans against the cage.

Filipovic manages to break the clinch.
Filipovic tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vega swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic wants to clinch

and Vega counters with a takedown into side control.
Filipovic defending against the ground and pound.
Vega works to advance to full mount. Filipovic defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Filipovic is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Vega unloading with bombs!
Filipovic avoids a series of strikes thrown by Vega.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Vega lands with some strikes.
Vega lands a nice shot to the head.
Vega scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Filipovic?
Vega lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Filipovic hang on?
Brandon Vega has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vega with shots to the head and body - Filipovic looks very uncomfortable down there.
Filipovic is wriggling around trying to escape.
Filipovic blocking the ground and pound.
Vega throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vega breaks from Filipovic's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Vega lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Filipovic tries to hold on but Vega postures up.
Vega looking to ground and pound but Filipovic is blocking nicely.
Vega trying to control but Filipovic is having none of it.
Filipovic is bucking up trying to escape but Vega cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Vega showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Filipovic lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Vega swats away the attempt to clinch by Filipovic.
Nice sprawl there from Filipovic as Vega shoots in.
Filipovic slaps away a takedown attempt from Vega, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Filipovic's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Filipovic duly obliges.
Filipovic fails with an attempt to clinch.
Filipovic tries to clinch but Vega moves away

and Vega counters with a single leg into guard. Filipovic didn't expect that.
Vega wants to pass the guard but Filipovic is keeping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Vega stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Filipovic looks to clinch

and Vega counters with a single leg into guard. Filipovic didn't expect that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipovic has momentary wrist control but Vega slips an elbow through the middle.
Vega loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vega landing some decent shots from guard.
Vega throwing strikes but missing.
Vega lands a couple of elbows.
Vega throwing strikes from guard but Filipovic blocks nicely.
Vega trying to control but Filipovic is working from the bottom.

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.
Vega is looking to work some ground and pound but Filipovic has wrist control.
Vega with a flurry of punches that miss.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A head kick misses from Filipovic.
Vega fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Darko Filipovic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brandon Vega.
Vega fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
No luck for Vega with that takedown attempt.

Filipovic has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vega is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Filipovic gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Vega takes a knee right on the jaw!
Filipovic looking to throw knees to the head but Vega is blocking nicely.
Filipovic unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Filipovic blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Filipovic throws a knee to the head but misses.

Vega has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Filipovic uses from the top position.
Filipovic working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Vega tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Filipovic throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Vega works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vega lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Filipovic!
Vega landing shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filipovic takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vega scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Filipovic?
Vega prevents Filipovic from getting the reversal.
Vega punching from mount but Filipovic doing a good job of avoiding damage.

Vega has control of Filipovic's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Filipovic regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Filipovic taking shots to the head.
Darko Filipovic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Brandon Vega is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Filipovic is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brandon Vega comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Vega 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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 26:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 26:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brandon Vega!