PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Yrjoe Velmu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hai Shang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Velmu
vs
Shang

192 cm
26
200 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

192 cm
26
198 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
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 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yrjoe Velmu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Hai Shang!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, Russell Pearce and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Velmu paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Velmu gets a clinch.
Velmu blocks the elbow strike.
Shang throws an elbow that misses.
Still in the clinch, Shang scores with a nice short uppercut.
Velmu tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shang tries to land a knee to the head but Velmu blocks with his arms.
Shang lands an elbow that stopped Velmu in his tracks for a moment.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Shang.
Velmu managing to block the knees to the body from Shang.
Velmu managing to block the knees to the body from Shang.
Shang tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Velmu avoids it.
Shang with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Shang has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Velmu avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Velmu lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Velmu's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Velmu with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Velmu has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Velmu taking a breather.
Shang is trying to maintain a safe position but Velmu gets an underhook and turns Shang into the cage.
Velmu takes an elbow to the forehead.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shang looking to throw knees to the head but Velmu is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shang tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Velmu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Shang tries to land knees in the clinch but Velmu avoids the damage to the body.
Velmu tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Velmu misses with a knee to the head.
Velmu scores with a shot to the side of Shang's head.
Velmu lands with a short shot to the head.
Velmu managing to block the knees to the body from Shang.
Shang is looking for a takedown.
Velmu landing knees to the body.
Shang looks winded!
Shang looking to throw knees to the head but Velmu is blocking nicely.
Shang avoiding damage as Velmu throws knees to the body.
Velmu looking to throw knees to the head but Shang is blocking nicely.
Velmu is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Shang is keeping busy.
Velmu blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Velmu digs a right hand into Shang's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Shang's gas tank.
Shang tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Velmu working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Shang just leaning against Velmu, taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velmu is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Velmu doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Shang prevents a body shot from Velmu.
Velmu tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Shang blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Velmu can't find room to land a body shot as Shang controls the action.
Shang connects with a knee to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Shang just misses with a elbow thrown towards Velmu's brow.
A nice right hand lands inside from Velmu.
Velmu on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Velmu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Shang misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Velmu.
Velmu misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Shang.
Knees to the body from Velmu.
Shang misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Velmu.
A hook to the body from Velmu.
Velmu is trying to maintain a safe position but Shang gets an underhook and turns Velmu into the cage.
Shang has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Velmu seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Shang can turn it around.
Nice body punch from Velmu - that landed with a thud.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Shang misses with the head strike.
Velmu stalls.
Velmu tries to land knees in the clinch but Shang avoids the damage to the body.
Velmu presses Shang against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Shang takes a shot to the head.
Velmu looking to throw knees to the head but Shang is blocking nicely.
Shang tries a body shot but Velmu blocks it.
Velmu tries to stall but Shang uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Shang changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Velmu fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Yrjoe Velmu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hai Shang.
No joy there for Velmu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
The fighters circle momentarily. Velmu darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Velmu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Velmu throws a chopping leg kick but Shang manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Shang throws a nice looking combination but Velmu bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Velmu doesn't manage to clinch there - Shang circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Shang throws a leg kick but Velmu sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Shang shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Velmu as he jumps to the side.
Shang misses with a low kick.
Shang takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Shang just misses with a punch to the body.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Shang, as that shot connected.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Velmu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Velmu scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Velmu lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Shang is rocked!
Velmu gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Shang.
Shang is still on wobbly legs! Can Velmu finish him?
Velmu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Shang seems to have recovered his senses.
Velmu tries to clinch but Shang moves out of range.
Shang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yrjoe Velmu dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Shang fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Velmu to the ground. Shang is now in Velmu's guard.
Shang lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Shang pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Velmu is keeping the position for now.
Shang throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Shang trying to control but Velmu is working from the bottom.
Velmu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Velmu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Velmu is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Velmu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Shang.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Shang misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Velmu.
Shang lands a slapping body shot.
Shang tries a head kick but it misses.
Shang changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Shang throws a chopping leg kick but Velmu manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Velmu with a jab.
Velmu scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
A swing and a miss from Velmu.
Shang is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Velmu rather than just go for the knockout.
Velmu misses with a low kick.
Velmu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Shang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Shang lands an overhand right.
Velmu ducks under a wild hook from Shang.
Shang is looking to chop away at Velmu's legs.
Shang throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Velmu's waist but Velmu gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Shang off to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Good standup being displayed there by Velmu as he connects with a hook.
Velmu thuds a left hand into Shang's body.
Shang is looking to land body kicks.
Velmu connects with the punch.
Velmu throws a nasty head kick that just misses. He throws another kick to the head of his opponent and almost takes it off! Shang crumples to the floor and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:23 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Yrjoe Velmu!
A very excited looking Yrjoe Velmu made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.