PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Richmond Finch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Speedy Atkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Atkins has chosen big in japan as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Finch
vs
Atkins

176 cm
27
156 lbs
13 - 8 - 0

167 cm
29
150 lbs
21 - 12 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 13 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Richmond Finch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Speedy Atkins!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Andrew Berry and Phil Schofield.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Atkins wants to clinch
and Finch counters with a left to the body.
Finch throws a hook but Atkins blocks it.
Atkins drops his hands momentarily and Finch takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Some wild striking there from Atkins.
Atkins tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Finch paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Atkins doesn't manage to clinch there - Finch circles away.
Atkins checks a leg kick.
Atkins is looking to clinch but Finch is avoiding it.
Nice shot by Atkins.
Atkins fails in his attempt to clinch.
Atkins fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Finch looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Atkins turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Atkins throws a series of punches but Finch moves out of range.
Speedy Atkins seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Atkins slips a straight right by Finch.
Atkins closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Atkins tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Finch paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Finch misses with a looping left.
Finch keeps the fight on the outside.
Atkins lands with a thumping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finch ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Atkins moves away.
Atkins misses the body punch
and Finch cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Atkins uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Finch.
Finch drops his hands momentarily and Atkins takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Atkins throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Finch keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Atkins clinches with his opponent.
Atkins tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Finch's elbow.
Finch misses with a body punch.
Atkins scores with a shoulder strike.
Atkins tries a body shot but Finch blocks it.
Nice body punch from Finch - that landed with a thud.
Atkins misses with a hook to the ribs.
Finch tries to stall but Atkins uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Atkins blocks a body shot from Finch.
Atkins is leaning against Finch and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Finch scores with a shot to the side of Atkins's head.
Finch lands a body shot in the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Atkins tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Finch avoids it.
Atkins tries a body shot but Finch blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finch lands a shoulder strike.
Atkins struggles to land a body shot inside as Finch controls his hands.
A short left from Finch.
Finch blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Atkins goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A left hand lands to the body for Atkins.

Finch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Atkins fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Finch manages to avoid it.
Atkins ducks right into an uppercut from Finch.
Atkins throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Finch blocks a jab.
Atkins tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Atkins throws a low kick, looking for Finch's leg but Finch calmly moves out of range.
Atkins misses with a jab, cross combination.
Finch misses with an uppercut. Atkins saw that one coming.
Finch slips under a jab.
Atkins moves in looking to clinch but Finch pushes him off.
Atkins throws a jab but it's blocked by Finch.
Atkins looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Finch throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finch waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Atkins.

Atkins clinches up against the cage.
Atkins tries to work over Finch's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Atkins scores with a shoulder strike.
Finch lands on the inside with an uppercut.
I was talking to Finch's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Atkins is trying to maintain a safe position but Finch gets an underhook and turns Atkins into the cage.
Finch lands a nice shot to the body.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Finch.
Atkins looks winded!
Finch digs a right hand underneath Atkins's ribcage. Atkins let out a lung full of air as it connected.

Finch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Finch cracks Atkins with an open hand slap.
Finch with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Finch misses with a hook.
Atkins throws a leg kick
and Finch counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Finch uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Atkins has time to react.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Finch bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Atkins misses with a double jab.
Finch checks a low kick from Atkins.
Finch swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An inside leg kick from Finch misses.
The fighters circle momentarily. Finch darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Finch throws a leg kick which misses Atkins's front leg but catches the back leg as Atkins tries to avoid it.
Finch lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Atkins misses the shot to the body.
Finch throws a nice outside leg kick.
Atkins lands with a hook. Finch tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Finch uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Atkins.
Finch throws a hook but Atkins blocks it.
Atkins is looking to clinch but Finch is avoiding it.
Finch scoring well with a low kick there.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Finch - that will leave a mark!
Finch circles away from the clinch attempt.
Finch throws a head kick but Atkins moves out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Finch throws the left hand but Atkins avoids the punch easily.
Atkins tries to close the distance and clinch up but Finch swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Atkins uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Finch.
Finch circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richmond Finch dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Finch throws a solid leg kick but Atkins takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Finch.
Finch is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Atkins can do to turn this around?
Finch misses with a hook
and Atkins counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Atkins is looking to clinch.
Atkins takes a swing at Finch's ribcage but misses.
Finch throws a lazy right hand but Atkins sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Finch avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Finch misses with an uppercut. Atkins saw that one coming.
Atkins tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Finch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Atkins swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jab from Finch.
Finch blocks a head kick by Atkins.
Atkins throws a right hand that Finch ducks under and follows up with a left that Finch also avoids with ease.
Atkins slips under a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Atkins with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Atkins throws a lazy uppercut

and Finch counters with a crisp one two that drops Atkins! Finch thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Atkins to his feet! Atkins is in big trouble!

Atkins is rocked!
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!
Atkins tries to close the distance and clinch but Finch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Atkins is still on wobbly legs! Can Finch finish him?
Finch misses the jab.
Atkins tries to close the distance and clinch but Finch swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Atkins seems to have recovered his senses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Atkins closes the distance and clinches.
Finch can't find room to land a body shot as Atkins controls the action.
Finch misses with a hook to the ribs.
Atkins misses with some punches.
Finch softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Finch lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Atkins lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Atkins misses with a punch to the body.
Atkins stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Finch tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Finch lands a shot to the body.
Finch has a couple of punches blocked by Atkins.
Atkins scores with a shot to the side of Finch's head.
Finch tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Atkins's elbow.
Atkins blocking some punches.
Atkins putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Finch in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Finch misses with a hook to the ribs.
A shot in the inside from Finch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Finch manages to break the clinch.
Atkins scores with a jab. Finch acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finch lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Atkins throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Atkins wants to clinch.
Finch misses with a straight left.
Speedy Atkins is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Atkins displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
That kick from Finch tenderised Atkins's leg. Atkins is trying to keep his angry face on.
Atkins throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Atkins lands with a shot to the body.
Finch moves out of range as Atkins strikes.
Finch cracks Atkins with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Atkins wants to clinch.
Finch tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Atkins feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Finch's calf.
Atkins is looking to clinch but Finch is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finch throws a jab when Atkins was well out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Finch.
Finch lands a right hook to the body.
Finch displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Atkins throws out the jab.
Atkins tries to close the distance and clinch up but Finch swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A slow jab from Finch misses its intended target.
Atkins is looking to clinch.
Richmond Finch is winning the standup battle so far.
Atkins wants to clinch.
Atkins misses with a body shot.
Atkins is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Atkins takes a jab right on the kisser.
Atkins displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Atkins closes the distance and clinches.
Finch blocks a body shot from Atkins.
Atkins using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Finch has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Finch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Atkins connects with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Atkins throws a low kick but it's checked well by Finch.
Finch tries a head kick but it misses.
Atkins misses with a head kick.
A punch combination from Atkins misses.
Atkins misses with a wild combination.
A head kick misses from Atkins.
Finch moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

Atkins has taken the fight to the clinch.
Finch lands a left hand.
Atkins misses with a punch to the body.
Finch fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Finch fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Atkins's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Finch lands a body punch.
Finch lands an uppercut.
Atkins scores with an uppercut up the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Speedy Atkins will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Atkins tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Finch manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Atkins wants to slow Finch down by chopping away at his legs.
Finch moves away from the strike by Atkins.
Atkins swings widly with a right hand
and Finch cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Finch checks a leg kick.
Atkins tries to clinch there but Finch circles away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Finch, right into the meat.
Finch thows a left - swing and a miss!
Atkins fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Finch, right into the meat.

Finch drops Atkins with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Atkins looks back up at him and smiles so Finch waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Finch circles away from the clinch attempt.

Finch cracks Atkins with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Finch has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Atkins to stand back up!
Atkins tries to clinch there but Finch circles away.
Finch cracks Atkins with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
The fight stays on the outside here - Atkins looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Atkins misses with a double jab.
Finch drops Atkins with a big left hand! Atkins is injured, injured bad! Finch jumps in and finished him with strikes! The fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:05 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Richmond Finch!
A less than humble Richmond Finch misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.