PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Daniel Moa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ilivasi Veitayaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ilivasi Veitayaki has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Daniel Moa's chin.

Moa
vs
Veitayaki

195 cm
19
252 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
23
265 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Daniel Moa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ilivasi Veitayaki!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Darius Henderson and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moa is looking to clinch but Veitayaki is avoiding it.

Veitayaki forces Moa back against the cage and clinches.

Moa has hold of one of Veitayaki's legs. Veitayaki is fighting the takedown attempt but Moa gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Veitayaki has his feet on Moa's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Moa connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Veitayaki fails with a takedown attempt.
Moa tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Veitayaki manages to circle out of the way.
Moa lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Veitayaki goes for a double leg but Moa avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Moa continues to drive forward.
Moa fails with a takedown attempt.
Veitayaki is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moa thuds his right hand into Veitayaki's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

Moa feints and as Veitayaki raises his hands in defense, Moa changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Veitayaki uses the cage to get back to his feet.

Moa fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Veitayaki, pushing him back against the cage.
Veitayaki tries to pull guard but Moa won't allow it.
Daniel Moa has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilivasi Veitayaki.

Moa breaks the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Moa as Veitayaki shoots in.
Veitayaki looks winded!

Moa gets caught napping as Veitayaki dives in and scores a takedown. Moa manages to retain guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Moa lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Moa wants to control from the top but Veitayaki keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Veitayaki avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Moa looking to sit in guard and control but Veitayaki gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Moa trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Moa wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veitayaki lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Veitayaki is standing up over Moa. Moa looks to escape but Veitayaki dives into side control.

Veitayaki is trying to get an arm triangle but Moa is defending well.

Veitayaki swings around for an armbar but Moa sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Veitayaki's guard.
Veitayaki pulls Moa in close to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moa tries to free his leg and advance position but Veitayaki is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veitayaki controlling Moa's posture.
Moa passes Veitayaki's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Veitayaki has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Moa is working away from the top position though.

Moa is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Veitayaki has managed to free his arm - good work.

Moa decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Daniel Moa will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Moa wants to clinch.
Daniel Moa is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Veitayaki.
Moa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Veitayaki but Veitayaki pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Moa is looking to clinch but Veitayaki is avoiding it.
Ilivasi Veitayaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Veitayaki shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Veitayaki showed some decent athleticism there.
Moa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Moa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Veitayaki manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veitayaki keeping moving, preventing Moa from controlling successfully.
Veitayaki pulls Moa in close to his closed guard and prevents Moa from doing any damage or advancing position.
Moa wants to control from the top but Veitayaki keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Veitayaki pushes Moa off and gets back to his feet.
Moa fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Veitayaki is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Moa shoots for a double leg takedown but Veitayaki sprawls well. He's pushed Moa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Daniel Moa. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Veitayaki wants to clinch up but Moa keeps it at a distance.

Veitayaki dives in and scores a takedown into Moa's guard.

Moa is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Moa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Moa jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Veitayaki walks away with a smile on his face. Moa gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Veitayaki.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veitayaki is looking to take a break and control but Moa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Veitayaki working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Veitayaki is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Moa has escaped the position, nice work there.
Veitayaki creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Moa sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Moa is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moa wants to control but Veitayaki postures up.
Veitayaki looks up at the clock and then as Moa takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Veitayaki smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Moa is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Veitayaki trying to control the action but Moa is working from the bottom.

Veitayaki is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Moa has escaped the position, nice work there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Veitayaki looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ilivasi Veitayaki showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A solid leg kick lands there for Moa.

Veitayaki looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Moa looking for a sweep. Not yet Moa, not yet.
Moa is pulling down on Veitayaki's head to control his posture.

Moa throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Veitayaki working his ground and pound in the gym. So far it seems to be working well.
Veitayaki is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moa keeping moving, preventing Veitayaki from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Veitayaki keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Moa's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Moa is on top in guard.

We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Veitayaki can do anything to dispel that myth.
Moa seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Veitayaki pulls Moa in to control the position.
Veitayaki is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Moa accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Veitayaki is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Moa presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Moa has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Veitayaki after a bit of a struggle.

Moa's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Moa with a poor takedown

and Veitayaki counters with a shoot takedown. Moa fights it but they end up in guard.
Ilivasi Veitayaki has got the better of the ground game so far.
Veitayaki is in close to Moa's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Veitayaki working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Veitayaki chips away with some ground and pound.
Veitayaki lands a couple of elbows.
Veitayaki is working Moa over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Moa looking for a sweep. Not yet Moa, not yet.

Veitayaki drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Veitayaki jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Veitayaki postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veitayaki trying to control but Moa is working from the bottom.

Moa has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Veitayaki can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Moa trying to control the position.
Moa wants to stand up but Veitayaki is controlling him.

Veitayaki drops back looking for a leg! Moa is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Moa manages to kick Veitayaki off! Veitayaki jumps back into Moa's guard.
Veitayaki with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Moa has momentary wrist control but Veitayaki slips an elbow through the middle.
Veitayaki is in close to Moa's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Veitayaki cracks Moa with a solid left hand.
Moa is looking to stand up but Veitayaki isn't so interested in that idea.
Veitayaki is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Veitayaki scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Veitayaki trying to control but Moa is working from the bottom.
Moa wants to get back to his feet but Veitayaki is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ilivasi Veitayaki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Veitayaki has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ilivasi Veitayaki!