PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Kane Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodolfo Viei (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Velasquez
vs
Viei

182 cm
25
250 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

187 cm
25
265 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Brawler
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kane Velasquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Rodolfo Viei!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Josh West and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Velasquez.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Sloppy strikes there by Velasquez.
Viei is trying to get back to his feet.
Viei tries to improve position but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Viei is not content to let Velasquez control the position.
Viei is looking for a sweep.
Velasquez in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Velasquez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Viei keeps working.
Viei is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Velasquez off and has taken his back!
I really don't envy Velasquez right now.
Viei doesn't have the hooks in and Velasquez manages to turn into his guard.
Velasquez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Velasquez stands and throws Viei's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Viei taking a bit of punishment here - Velasquez scoring with strikes.
Velasquez wants to control but Viei is keeping him busy.
Viei is trying to get back to his feet.
Viei is looking to regain half guard here but Velasquez keeps moving and retains side control.
Velasquez wants to control but Viei is keeping him busy.
You can see the frustration on Viei's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Velasquez could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Velasquez wants to stand but Viei has him controlled and pulls him back into his guard.
Velasquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Viei is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Viei keeping full guard, as Velasquez tries to pass.
Viei wants to stand and escape but Velasquez is having none of it.
Viei manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Velasquez manages to get himself to full guard.
Velasquez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Viei is one step ahead there.
Velasquez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Viei on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Viei with a flurry of punches that miss.
Viei slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Viei stands up from Velasquez's guard - Viei perhaps looking for a knockout.
Viei tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Velasquez swivels and escapes.
Viei slaps away a takedown attempt from Velasquez, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Velasquez shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Viei napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Velasquez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Velasquez is working Viei over with some ground and pound from side control.
Viei is not content to let Velasquez control the position.
Viei is trying to control Velasquez's posture but Velasquez avoids it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Velasquez sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Viei is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Velasquez prevents Viei from escaping the position.
Velasquez laying and praying for a moment but Viei takes advantage and regains half guard.
Viei gets back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Velasquez sitting in guard, not really doing much.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kane Velasquez dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Velasquez circles away from the clinch attempt

and Velasquez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Viei throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Viei wants to stand up but Velasquez is controlling him.
Velasquez lands a couple of decent looking shots.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Velasquez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Velasquez keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Viei's head.
Viei avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Velasquez wants to control from the top but Viei keeps moving.
Viei wants to sweep but no luck.
Velasquez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Viei is keeping the position for now.
Velasquez is working hard here to advance position.
Kane Velasquez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Viei tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Viei is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Viei 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.
Velasquez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Viei is keeping the position for now.
Velasquez advances to half guard.
Velasquez missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Velasquez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Viei is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Viei moves into full guard.
Velasquez trying to control but Viei is working from the bottom.
Velasquez postures up in Viei's guard and throws a big left but Viei blocks it.
Velasquez postures up.
Velasquez postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Viei wants to stand but Velasquez is controlling the position.
Velasquez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Viei swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Viei looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Velasquez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Viei trying to keep a closed guard but Velasquez is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez trying to control the position from guard on top but Viei is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Velasquez is really struggling to control Viei but he's trying to hold on to the position.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Velasquez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Viei shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Velasquez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Viei trying to control the position from guard on top but Velasquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Velasquez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Velasquez working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Viei has passed into half guard!
Viei thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez tries to get to full guard but Viei has control of the leg.
Viei throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Velasquez tries to roll over but Viei keeps him under control.
Viei is keen to just control but Velasquez is a slippery customer.
Velasquez is looking for a sweep. Viei is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Viei passes to side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Viei has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Viei will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Kane Velasquez will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Velasquez misses with a takedown attempt - Viei sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Velasquez fails with the takedown.
Velasquez with a poor takedown
and Viei connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

It looks like Kane Velasquez has been cut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Kane Velasquez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Velasquez misses with a takedown

and Viei counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Viei trying to control from half guard but Velasquez is working away.
Velasquez is looking to improve his position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Velasquez is trying to stand up here but Viei is controlling him well.
Viei tries to stand and escape but Velasquez is controlling the position.
Velasquez wants to get back to full guard but Viei has passed into side control.
Viei is looking to take a break and control but Velasquez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Viei working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Viei trying to control the position but Velasquez is working away.
Viei is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Velasquez tries to buck Viei off but Viei is having none of it.

Viei has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Viei or perhaps it was just good defense by Velasquez which made him look bad.
Viei dives in for a single leg takedown but Velasquez sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Velasquez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Viei avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Velasquez turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Velasquez trying to control the action but Viei is working from the bottom.
The strikes coming from Velasquez are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
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!
You can see the frustration on Viei's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Velasquez working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Velasquez taking a break here but Viei is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Viei moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Velasquez is in close to Viei's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Viei keeping full guard, as Velasquez tries to pass.
Velasquez is looking to pass into half guard but Viei pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Viei is in guard.

Velasquez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Viei gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Viei is pushing down on Velasquez's leg trying to pass to half guard. Velasquez is fighting to maintain full guard but Viei has managed to sneak the leg through.
Viei missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Viei is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Velasquez is trying to get back to full guard.
Viei tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Viei passes to side control.
Velasquez tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Viei presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Viei tries to control but Velasquez wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rodolfo Viei comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Velasquez has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight for Kane Velasquez!
Judge Josh West scores the fight for Kane Velasquez!
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight for Kane Velasquez!

Kane Velasquez wins by unanimous decision!