PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jarppi Virne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gab Batista (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Virne comes to the cage accompanied by Jeff van Dyck - Soldier's Chant. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Virne
vs
Batista

187 cm
45
262 lbs
23 - 38 - 1

199 cm
32
264 lbs
11 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Victory! Sports Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 23 - 38 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Jarppi Virne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 14 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gab Batista!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Joseph Jones and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Batista looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Virne throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Batista blocks a body shot from Virne.
Virne scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Virne taking a breather.
Batista wants to break free but Virne has control.
Virne scores with a nice hook to the head.

Batista gets control of Virne's arms and successfully pulls guard. Batista will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Batista controls Virne momentarily but Virne frees himself.
Virne is stalling in the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Batista tries to strike from the bottom.
Virne in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Batista has his foot on Virne's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Virne works his way back into a safe position though.
Batista wants to sweep but no luck.
Batista lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Batista looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Batista wants to control from the top but Virne keeps moving.
Virne is adopting a defensive guard.
Batista trying to control but Virne is working from the bottom.
Virne working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Batista.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Batista thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Batista told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Virne looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Virne has a closed guard, preventing Batista from standing up.
Batista wants to control from the top but Virne keeps moving.
Batista tries to free his leg and advance position but Virne is retaining full guard.
Batista not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A slapping leg kick lands for Batista.
Batista throws out a loose jab but Virne uses good head movement to avoid it.
Virne tries to close the distance and clinch up but Batista swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Virne rushes Batista and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Batista lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Virne escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Batista gets tackled into the cage by Virne. Virne maintains the clinch.
I was talking to Virne's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Batista tries to work over Virne's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Virne managing to block the knees to the body from Batista.
Batista digs a right hand underneath Virne's ribcage. Virne let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Batista stalling in the clinch but Virne improves position.
Batista stalling in the clinch but Virne improves position.
Virne lands a body punch.
Batista jumps guard but Virne turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Virne drags the fight down to the ground.
Virne trying to control the position here.
Batista tries to free his leg and advance position but Virne is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Virne trying to control the position.

Virne is working an open guard so Batista takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Batista circles away from the clinch attempt.

Virne shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Batista is trying to defend but Virne finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Virne prevents Batista from improving his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Gab Batista will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Batista circles away from the clinch attempt.
Virne tries to clinch but Batista moves out of range.
Batista keeps the fight on the outside.
Despite the aggression on Batista's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Virne is looking to clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Batista presses Virne against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Virne stalling in the clinch but Batista improves position.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Virne.

Virne breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Batista moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Jarppi Virne has been cut.
Virne is looking to clinch but Batista is avoiding it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Batista shoots in but no luck this time.
Batista is trying hard to land a takedown here. Virne sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Batista misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Virne walks into a straight right hand from Batista.
Batista closes the distance and clinches up with Virne, looking for a takedown. Batista pushes Virne against the cage but Virne circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Jarppi Virne has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gab Batista.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Virne will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Virne wants to clinch up but Batista keeps it at a distance.
Virne takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Batista lands a big right hand that sends Virne crashing to the mat! Batista stays standing though and waves Virne back to his feet!

Virne is rocked!
Virne is looking to chop away at Batista's legs.
Batista circles to his right before unloading a perfect head kick! Virne drops to the canvas, hurt badly! Batista follows Virne to the ground and unloads with a series of strikes that force the referee to step in and end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:30 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gab Batista!
An out of breath Gab Batista thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.