PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tony Jaa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ville Apila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jaa's entrance music is Search and Destroy. A fine choice. Apila is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Distance ( OF OUR SKILLS). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Jaa
vs
Apila

174 cm
27
152 lbs
16 - 6 - 0

175 cm
29
150 lbs
18 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Tony Jaa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ville Apila!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Bruno Hogan and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jaa goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Tony Jaa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Apila manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Jaa wants to pass the guard but Apila is keeping the position.
Jaa landing with the ground and pound.
Jaa postures up in Apila's guard and throws a big left but Apila blocks it.
Apila tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Apila is looking for a triangle but Jaa pushes his legs off easily.
Jaa throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Apila works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Jaa slips nicely into half guard.
Apila blocking the ground and pound attempt from Jaa.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Jaa seems content to control.
Apila is not content to let Jaa control the position.
Jaa throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Jaa is nestled in close to Apila, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Apila blocking the ground and pound attempt from Jaa.
Apila is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Jaa's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Jaa's back!
Jaa wants to control his opponent's hands but Apila gets his hands free.

Apila is persistently looking for the submission but Jaa is defending it well.

Jaa defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You can see the frustration on Jaa's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Jaa defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Apila's arms.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jaa has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Jaa manages to reverse the position and now he's in Apila's guard. Nice work there by Jaa.
Jaa trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Apila is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Jaa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Jaa postures up in Apila's guard and throws a big left but Apila blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jaa postures up.
Jaa postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Jaa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Jaa won't allow Apila to sweep him here.
Jaa lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Jaa is pushing down on Apila's leg trying to pass to half guard. Apila is fighting to maintain full guard but Jaa has managed to sneak the leg through.
Apila gets full guard.
Jaa connects with a couple of short punches.
Jaa with a nice head shot there.
Apila is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Apila is pulling down on Jaa's head. It's preventing any offense from Jaa, at least for the moment.
Apila trying to keep a closed guard but Jaa is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jaa is working Apila over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
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!
Jaa working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Apila looking for a sweep. Not yet Apila, not yet.
Apila wants to hit a switch here but Jaa passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Apila there!
Jaa tries to control but Apila wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jaa with good strikes from the mount here!

Jaa working for a submission but Apila is keeping him at bay.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tony Jaa dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Jaa takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
No joy there for Apila, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Apila shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Apila passes into half guard.

Apila is working for a submission of some sort.
Jaa is looking to control Apila's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Jaa avoid being mounted?

Apila is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Jaa is just riding it out for now. Apila eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Jaa is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Apila pulls his head out easily.

Jaa looking for submissions off his back.
Apila trying to control the action but Jaa is working from the bottom.

Apila seems to be looking for submissions.

Jaa actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jaa is pressing down on Apila's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Apila stands and throws Jaa's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Jaa has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Apila tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Jaa takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Jaa avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Apila.
Jaa is looking for a sweep.

Apila swings around for an armbar but Jaa sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Apila's guard.
Jaa trying to control but Apila is working from the bottom.
Jaa scoring with punches to the head and body.
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!
Apila trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apila keeping moving, preventing Jaa from controlling successfully.
Apila preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Apila lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Jaa!
Jaa gets back to half guard.
Jaa trying to hold on to Apila's head to control him but Apila postures up.

Apila is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Jaa still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Jaa has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Tony Jaa overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Jaa throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Apila works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Jaa is keen to just control but Apila is a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Apila trying to control from the bottom.

Jaa is working for a kimura but Apila is defending it quite comfortably.
Jaa missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Apila is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Jaa pulls his head out easily.
Jaa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Apila's head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jaa wants to control but Apila is keeping him busy.
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!
Apila preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ville Apila will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Jaa throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Jaa lands a front kick.
Jaa pushes Apila away with a front kick.
No joy there for Apila, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Some bone on bone action there as Apila checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Apila closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Jaa quickly recovers to half guard.
Jaa gets back to full guard.

Apila postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Jaa is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Apila, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apila wants to sweep here but Jaa controlling him for the moment.
Jaa looking to pass the guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Jaa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Apila working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Jaa doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Jaa manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Apila keeping moving, preventing Jaa from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jaa sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Jaa connects with a couple of short punches.

Apila had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Jaa defends it easily.
Jaa content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Jaa pushing down on Apila's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Apila is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Jaa scores with a couple of nice shots.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Jaa sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Jaa is working for a kimura here but Apila manages to reverse the position and he's now in Jaa's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apila with a flurry of punches that miss.
Apila scoring with some ground and pound.

Jaa looking for a guillotine here but Apila defends easily.

Jaa had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Apila defends it easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jaa avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Jaa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Apila trying to control the position from guard on top but Jaa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jaa is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Apila trying to control but Jaa is working from the bottom.
Apila trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Apila stands up over his opponent, looking to dive in with a big punch. Here he comes, superman style! Oh, the punch misses and Jaa has got him in a triangle choke for good measure! Oh no! Apila manages to get his head free but now Jaa has transitioned to an armbar! Apila grimaces and is forced to tap! Beautiful Jiu Jitsu from Jaa! I'd be surprised if that didn't end up as submission of the night!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Tony Jaa!