PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Elias Virtanen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raphael Marciano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Virtanen comes to the cage accompanied by Haittavaikutus - Matkalla. Raphael Marciano has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Elias Virtanen's chin.

Virtanen
vs
Marciano

174 cm
29
162 lbs
22 - 5 - 0

168 cm
28
169 lbs
15 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Brute
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Conviction
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 22 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Elias Virtanen!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Raphael Marciano!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marciano fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Marciano crunches a lovely knee into Virtanen's ribcage.
Virtanen lands a damaging elbow.
Virtanen misses with a punch to the body.
Marciano working Virtanen over with knees to the body.
Virtanen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Marciano avoids it.
Marciano unloads a knee to the mid-section. Virtanen lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Virtanen is breathing heavily.
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!
Marciano tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Virtanen's elbow.
Marciano blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Marciano blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Virtanen misses with a hook from the clinch.
Marciano misses with a knee strike.
Marciano just leaning against Virtanen, taking a breather.
Virtanen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Marciano tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Virtanen trying to land knees to the body.
Virtanen throws a knee to the head but misses.
Marciano blocks an elbow strike.
Virtanen throws an elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marciano tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Virtanen tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Virtanen fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Marciano connects with a knee to the head.
Marciano lands a good knee to the midsection. Virtanen won't want to take too many of those.
Marciano tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Marciano lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Marciano throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Virtanen blocks it with crossed arms.
Virtanen comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Virtanen just misses with a elbow thrown towards Marciano's brow.
A hook to the body from Marciano.
Marciano cracks Virtanen with a nice body shot.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Virtanen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Marciano blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
With the fighters up against the cage, Virtanen throws an elbow but misses.
Virtanen takes a knee right on the jaw!
Marciano tries to land knees in the clinch but Virtanen avoids the damage to the body.
Marciano can't find room to land a body shot as Virtanen controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marciano lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Knees in the clinch landing for Marciano.
A short uppercut from Marciano.
Marciano lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Marciano tries to land knees in the clinch but Virtanen avoids the damage to the body.
Nice body punch from Marciano - that landed with a thud.
Marciano cracks Virtanen with a nice body shot.
Virtanen tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Marciano avoids it.
Marciano pushes Virtanen back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Marciano scores a nice knee to the body.
Marciano with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Marciano lands with a light punch inside.
Marciano digs a right hand underneath Virtanen's ribcage. Virtanen let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Virtanen throws a knee to the head but misses.
A short right from Marciano on the inside.
Marciano softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Marciano utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marciano throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Virtanens head.
Marciano lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Virtanen or not.
Marciano tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Virtanen takes a knee to the side of the body.
Virtanen takes a knee to the side of the body.
Marciano lands a left hand.
Marciano lands a body punch in the clinch.
Virtanen misses with an elbow strike.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Marciano.
Stalling in the clinch from Marciano.
Virtanen misses with a body punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Marciano tries to land a knee to the head but Virtanen blocks with his arms.
Virtanen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Marciano is defending well for now.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Marciano.

Virtanen is rocked!
Marciano lands a left hand.
Oh Virtanen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Marciano is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Virtanen is defending well for now.
Marciano on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Marciano trying to land knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marciano pushes Virtanen back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Marciano scores a nice knee to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Marciano.
Marciano lands a shoulder strike.
A knee to the head by Marciano.
Marciano is leaning against Virtanen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Marciano has Virtanen pressed up against the cage in a tight Thai clinch. Virtanen is arching his back, trying to avoid the knees but a big one sneaks through from Marciano - that's hurt Virtanen badly! Oh, another knee lands and Virtanen is covering up! The referee steps in to save him - possibly a bit early but Virtanen doesn't seem to be complaining.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:25 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Knees). Raphael Marciano!
Raphael Marciano is the new lightweight champion!
Raphael Marciano looked relieved post fight as he said the following; 'Don, Leo get up here! No one crosses our family and gets out alive. No black mark on the Marciano family name goes unanswered!'.