PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Edgar Allen Poe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Reino Vaananen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Poe comes into the arena with Heartbeats blaring out of the sound system. 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.

Allen Poe
vs
Vaananen

210 cm
26
218 lbs
10 - 1 - 1

182 cm
22
199 lbs
9 - 1 - 1

Decent wrestler
Excellent MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

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 10 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Edgar Allen Poe!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reino Vaananen!
The judges for this bout are Stewart Dunkirk, Daniel Franklin and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vaananen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Poe.
Poe throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Vaananen misses with a body kick.
Vaananen listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Vaananen throws a right and a left that Poe avoids nicely.
A head kick misses from Vaananen.
Vaananen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Poe counters with a nice body shot.
Vaananen throws a sloppy head kick
and Poe counters with a stiff right hand.
Vaananen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Poe misses with a looping right.
Vaananen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Poe.
Vaananen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Vaananen swings widly with a right hand
and Poe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Vaananen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Poe tries to clinch up.
Poe misses the jab.
Vaananen throws a lazy uppercut
and Poe makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Vaananen crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Poe - the referee stops the clock and Vaananen gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Poe. Vaananen manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A nice leg kick lands there from Poe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaananen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vaananen throws a right hand that misses
and Poe counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Poe closes the distance but Vaananen moves to the side
and Vaananen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Good standup being displayed there by Poe as he connects with a hook.
Poe takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Poe really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Vaananen throws an off balance right hand

and Poe counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Poe.
Poe misses with a body punch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Poe.
A head punch on the inside from Poe fails to land.
Poe struggles to land a body shot inside as Vaananen controls his hands.
Poe misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Vaananen wants to break free but Poe has control.
Poe has a couple of punches blocked by Vaananen.
Poe trying to land knees to the body.
Poe misses with an elbow over the top.
Vaananen blocks an elbow strike.
Poe crunches a lovely knee into Vaananen's ribcage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vaananen blocks an elbow strike.
Poe pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Poe misses with an elbow over the top.
Poe prevents Vaananen from breaking the clinch.
Poe trying to land knees to the body.
Vaananen on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Vaananen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Poe creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Vaananen avoids the elbow strike from Poe, against the cage.
Poe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vaananen avoids it.
Poe is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vaananen is defending well for now.
Poe trying to control the position but instead, Vaananen has worked for underhooks and has pushed Poe into the cage.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vaananen throws a jab when Poe was well out of range.
Vaananen throws out a loose jab but Poe uses good head movement to avoid it.
Vaananen might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Vaananen takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Vaananen throws a right hand that Poe ducks under and follows up with a left that Poe also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Vaananen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Poe is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Vaananen looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Poe lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Vaananen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Poe pivots, looking for a leg kick but Vaananen is out of range and Poe settles back down.
Vaananen swats away the attempt to clinch by Poe.
Poe misses with a low kick.
Vaananen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Poe takes the fight into the clinch.
Poe creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Poe tries to stall but Vaananen uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Poe tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vaananen avoids a wild elbow strike from Poe.
Vaananen avoiding damage as Poe throws knees to the body.
Poe throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Poe tries to land knees in the clinch but Vaananen avoids the damage to the body.

That's four 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.
Poe keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vaananen's efforts to push away.
Vaananen blocks an elbow strike from Poe.
Vaananen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Vaananen is trying to push Poe away but Poe has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Poe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vaananen avoids it.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Vaananen blocks the elbow strike.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Vaananen wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Vaananen avoids a wild elbow strike from Poe.
Poe misses with an elbow over the top.
Poe working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Vaananen content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Poe misses with an elbow strike.
Vaananen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Poe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vaananen.
Poe tries a knee to the head but Vaananen blocks it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Allen Poe dominated that round.
That's time! Poe's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Vaananen throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Vaananen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
The fighters circling - Vaananen throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Vaananen misses with a shot to the body

and Poe counters by clinching up.
Poe can't find room to land a body shot as Vaananen controls the action.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Vaananen.
Poe tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vaananen avoids it.

Vaananen manages to break the clinch.
Vaananen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Vaananen throws a jab when Poe was well out of range.
Vaananen throws a poor cross that misses

and Poe counters by clinching up.
Poe tries to throw a body punch but Vaananen avoids it by throwing Poe back against the cage.
Poe is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poe with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Poe pushes off an throws an elbow but Vaananen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Poe tries to land knees in the clinch but Vaananen avoids the damage to the body.
Vaananen managing to block the knees to the body from Poe.
Vaananen dodges an elbow strike from Poe.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poe throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vaananen blocks it with crossed arms.
Vaananen avoiding damage as Poe throws knees to the body.
Poe has Vaananen pressed against the cage, preventing Vaananen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Vaananen is trying to break the clinch but Poe has him pressed against the cage.
Vaananen wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Vaananen managing to block the knees to the body from Poe.
Vaananen avoiding damage as Poe throws knees to the body.
Vaananen is trying to force a seperation but Poe has the dominant position.
Vaananen blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Poe landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Poe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vaananen.
Poe tries to land knees in the clinch but Vaananen avoids the damage to the body.
Poe prevents Vaananen from breaking the clinch.
Vaananen is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.

Vaananen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Vaananen!
Vaananen swats away the attempt to clinch by Poe.
Vaananen looks to throw the jab but Poe is out of range.
Reino Vaananen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vaananen throws a sloppy head kick
and Poe counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vaananen misses with a lunging right hand

and Poe holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Vaananen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
With the fighters up against the cage, Poe throws an elbow but misses.
Poe with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Poe with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vaananen looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Poe misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vaananen.

Vaananen breaks the clinch.
Vaananen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Poe.
Vaananen throws a head kick that misses
and Poe counters with a thumping low kick.
Vaananen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vaananen throws a jab when Poe was well out of range.
Vaananen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Poe counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Poe slips under a jab.
Poe bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Vaananen scores with a hook.
Poe tries to clinch
and Vaananen counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vaananen throws a big shot that misses.
Poe is looking to clinch.
Poe throws an off balance right hand
and Vaananen counters with a straight right hand.
Vaananen motions for Poe to come forward. Vaananen throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Vaananen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Vaananen lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Poe throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Poe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Vaananen paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Poe throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vaananen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The fighters circling - Poe throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Vaananen throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Poe is looking to clinch.
Poe moves out of range of the strikes.
Poe moves away from the strike by Vaananen.
Vaananen looks to throw the jab but Poe is out of range.

That's four 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.
Poe scores with a jab to the jaw.
Vaananen lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Poe looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Vaananen misses the jab.
Vaananen throws a left and a right that both miss
and Poe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Vaananen takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Vaananen throws a poor cross that misses
and Poe counters with a slapping leg kick.
Poe lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Poe throws a hook but Vaananen avoids it easily.
Poe doesn't manage to clinch there - Vaananen circles away.
Vaananen tries to land a front kick but Poe steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Poe thows a leg kick but Vaananen checks it
letting Vaananen counter with a right hand.
Poe tries to clinch but Vaananen is having none of it.
Vaananen takes one to the side of the head.
Vaananen lands a really nice looking cross but Poe seems unphased.
Vaananen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Poe counters with a nice leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edgar Allen Poe dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Vaananen throws a head kick but Poe moves out of range.
Vaananen loads up on a big right hand but Poe slips the punch.
A left lands for Poe.
Vaananen has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Poe.
Good standup being displayed there by Vaananen as he connects with a hook.
An inside leg kick from Poe misses.
Vaananen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Poe counters with a thumping low kick.
Vaananen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Vaananen waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Poe.
Poe staying out of range there.
Vaananen lands a head shot.
Vaananen avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Poe avoids the head kick by Vaananen.
Vaananen swats away the attempt to clinch by Poe.
Vaananen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Poe counters with a right hand to the body.
Edgar Allen Poe is winning the standup battle so far.
Sloppy strikes from Vaananen. Those never looked like landing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vaananen lands a body shot.
Poe thows a body shot but no joy.
Poe keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Vaananen.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Vaananen.
Poe uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Vaananen has time to react.
Vaananen throws a jab when Poe was well out of range.
Vaananen dips to his left and cracks Poe with an uppercut!
Vaananen misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vaananen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Poe counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Poe bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vaananen misses with a left hand
and Poe counters with a left to the body.
Poe just misses with a punch to the body.
A jab lands there for Vaananen.
Vaananen misses the jab.
Poe steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vaananen.
Vaananen misses with a straight left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poe throws an off balance right hand
and Vaananen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Vaananen throws an off balance right hand
and Poe counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Vaananen thinking.
Poe is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Poe cracks Vaananen with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Poe displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Vaananen throws out the jab.
Vaananen throws a head kick that misses
and Poe makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Poe. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Poe.
A head kick misses from Vaananen.
Vaananen with a nice cross.
Poe looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Vaananen thuds his right hand into Poe's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Poe tries to clinch there but Vaananen circles away.
Vaananen scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A swing and a miss from Poe.
Poe walks into a left hand.
Vaananen throws an overhand right that lands on Poe's shoulder, as Poe tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poe tries to clinch up but Vaananen circles away and keeps his distance.
Vaananen throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Poe counters with a stiff right hand.
Vaananen throws an overhand right that lands on Poe's shoulder, as Poe tries to avoid the shot.
Vaananen misses with a left hand

and Poe counters by clinching up.
Vaananen wants to break free but Poe has control.
Poe tries to land knees in the clinch but Vaananen avoids the damage to the body.
Poe looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Vaananen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Vaananen blocks an elbow strike.
Poe tries to land knees in the clinch but Vaananen avoids the damage to the body.
Poe with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vaananen blocks an elbow strike from Poe.
Poe swings wildly with an uppercut but Vaananen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Poe looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Poe pushes off an throws an elbow but Vaananen leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Poe is trying to maintain a safe position but Vaananen gets an underhook and turns Poe into the cage.
Vaananen managing to block the knees to the body from Poe.

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.
Poe missing with knees to the body.

Vaananen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vaananen misses with a lunging right hand
and Poe counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Poe takes one to the side of the head.
Vaananen drops his hands momentarily and Poe takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Vaananen defending well as Poe loads up on a big left hand.
Vaananen misses with a hook
and Poe connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Poe uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Vaananen.
Poe fakes the leg kick and cracks Vaananen in the body.
Vaananen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Poe.
Vaananen throws a sloppy head kick
and Poe counters with an inside leg kick.
Vaananen misses with a hook
and Poe counters with a right hand to the body.
Poe moves out of range as Vaananen strikes.
Poe works Vaananen's body with a nice hook.
Poe dodges the punch combination from Vaananen.
Reino Vaananen has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Poe lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edgar Allen Poe showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Poe has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edgar Allen Poe!