PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Holden James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dmitrii Vitali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James comes into the arena with Aerials blaring out of the sound system. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

James
vs
Vitali

178 cm
29
187 lbs
15 - 11 - 1

180 cm
25
200 lbs
6 - 4 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Holden James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dmitrii Vitali !
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Emerson Jorge and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
James looks to land a left hand but Vitali moved out of range nicely.
Vitali misses with a left hand

and James holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
James lands an elbow just above Vitali 's eye.
Vitali has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Vitali misses with some punches.

James breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
James delivers a nice body kick.
Vitali pulls out of a head kick attempt.
James misses with a looping left.
Vitali walks into a stiff left hand from James.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vitali connects with a good right hand that stumbles James. James circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

James gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Vitali .
Vitali goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vitali wants to break free but James has control.
James has Vitali pushed against the cage.
Vitali blocks an elbow strike from James.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
James is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vitali is defending well for now.
Vitali is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Vitali blocks an elbow strike from James.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Vitali .
Vitali looking to stall.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, James just misses with a elbow thrown towards Vitali 's brow.
James lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Good body shot from James.
Nice elbow from James.
Vitali taking a breather.
James is struggling to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James has Vitali pressed against the cage, preventing Vitali from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Vitali working aggressively here.
James lands an elbow inside that Vitali shrugs off.
Vitali is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Vitali wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Vitali stalling in the clinch but James improves position.
James lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Dmitrii Vitali has been cut.

James breaks from the clinch.
A bone on bone clash there as Vitali blocks the leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vitali is looking to land body kicks.
James avoids a punch combination nicely.
Vitali misses with an uppercut.
Vitali throws out a loose jab but James uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vitali lands a right hook to the body.
Vitali loads up on a big right hand but James slips the punch.
Vitali misses with an uppercut.
Vitali scores with a hook.
Dmitrii Vitali seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vitali delivers a nice body kick.
James fails with an attempt to clinch.
James blocks a low kick nicely.
James blocks the body kick.
Vitali looks to throw the jab but James is out of range.
Nice body punch from Vitali .
Vitali fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
James fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vitali swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Vitali throws a sloppy head kick
and James counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Vitali is lucky that one didn't land flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

James gets a clinch.
James throws an elbow but it misses.
James pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
James throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Vitali s head.
Vitali takes an elbow to the temple.
Nice elbow from James.

James escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vitali explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Vitali connects with a good right hand that stumbles James. James circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Vitali will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
James lands an overhand right.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Vitali jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Vitali swings and misses with a hook to the body.

James darts in and clinches Vitali up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holden James dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Dmitrii Vitali 's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Vitali throws a leg kick
and Vitali takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vitali misses the jab.
James tries to clinch up.
James buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
James keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vitali throws a right hand that misses

and James counters with a head kick that drops Vitali to the mat! Vitali scrambles across the canvas and gets back to his feet, still wobbly!

Vitali is rocked!
This has been an exciting period of action!
James wants to clinch.
Vitali is still on wobbly legs! Can James finish him?
That kick from James tenderised Vitali 's leg. Vitali is trying to keep his angry face on.
James pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Vitali seems to have recovered his senses.
Vitali throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent James stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
James tries to clinch up.
Nice cross by Vitali .

James moves into the clinch.
James gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
James blocks an uppercut.
Vitali tries to break free but James pushes him back against the cage.

James breaks the clinch.
Vitali misses with a looping left.
Vitali connects with a body shot that sends James's belly button to the back.
Vitali is looking to chop away at James's legs.
Vitali just misses with a punch to the body.
James blocks a jab.
James bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vitali drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Vitali throws a nice outside leg kick.
Vitali throws the left hand but James avoids the punch easily.
Vitali scores with a hook to the body. James takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
James tries to close the distance and clinch but Vitali swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Vitali . That did some damage!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
James misses with a head kick.
James wants to clinch.
Vitali pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Vitali ducks down and throws a hook to the body but James moves away.
James uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Vitali .

James rushes Vitali and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Vitali is trying to force a seperation but James has the dominant position.
James has Vitali pressed against the cage, preventing Vitali from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Vitali wants to get back to striking at distance but James won't allow it.
James lands a nice elbow.

James's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vitali gets off balance looking for a body kick
and James counters with a stiff right hand.
Nice straight punches there by Vitali . You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Vitali .
James moves out of range as Vitali strikes.
James blocks a jab.
Vitali thows a left - swing and a miss!
Vitali misses with a looping left.
Holden James is winning the standup battle so far.
James takes a jab right on the kisser.
Vitali on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vitali throws a right hand that misses

and James counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by James.
Vitali avoiding damage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Vitali is trying to break the clinch but James has him pressed against the cage.
James keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vitali 's efforts to push away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

James pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vitali throws a series of punches but James avoids them all with ease.
James lands a lovely overhand right.
Vitali swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vitali moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

James closes the distance and pushes Vitali back into the cage.
James lands an elbow just above Vitali 's eye.
Vitali is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

James breaks from the clinch.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Vitali misses with a straight left.
James looks to land a left hand but Vitali moved out of range nicely.
James throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Holden James dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Dmitrii Vitali 's cut.
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!

James moves out of range of the strikes.
James moves out of range of the leg kick from Vitali .
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Vitali .
James is looking to clinch.
James works the jab nicely.
James tries to clinch but Vitali moves out of range.
Vitali thows a left - swing and a miss!
Vitali looks to land a body kick but James moved away.
Vitali throws a lazy head kick

and James counters with a nice right hand that sends Vitali toppling to the canvas! Vitali scrambles and gets back to his feet - can James finish him?!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vitali swings for the body but James moves out of range.
Vitali misses with an uppercut. James saw that one coming.
James throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vitali staying out of range there.
Vitali misses with a hook

and James counters by clinching up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vitali is trying to break the clinch but James is controlling him.
James scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Holden James has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Vitali misses with some punches.
Vitali avoids the elbow strike from James, against the cage.
Vitali goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Vitali escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vitali throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent James stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Vitali tries to land a body kick
and James counters with a leg kick.
Vitali takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Vitali moves forwards but James connects with a nice, crisp jab.
James connects with a jab and follows up with a big overhand right! Oh that's hurt Vitali ! He's out on his feet! James rushes in and drops Vitali with another big right hand, forcing the referee to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Holden James!
Holden James spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.