PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Richmond Finch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Newman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Richmond Finch could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Paul Newman's chin.

Finch
vs
Newman

176 cm
38
148 lbs
33 - 20 - 2

165 cm
33
148 lbs
27 - 15 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank

Aspire Clothing

Voodoo Nutrition

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 33 - 20 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Richmond Finch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 15 - 1, fighting out of London, Paul Newman!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Steven Brown and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Newman throws a lazy right hand but Finch sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Finch throws an overhand right that lands on Newman's shoulder, as Newman tries to avoid the shot.
Newman lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Newman throws a head kick but Finch moves out of range.
Finch lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Finch lands a nice looking body shot.
Finch keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Finch lands a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newman steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Finch.
Newman tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Finch misses with an uppercut. Newman saw that one coming.
Finch has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Newman finds it's way round the side to connect with Finch's head.
Newman just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finch lands with an uppercut that bounces Newman off the cage and back into range.
Finch swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Newman will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Newman throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A jab from Newman misses.
Finch darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Newman takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Finch looks to land a left hand but Newman moved out of range nicely.
Finch takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Newman displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Finch swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Newman tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Finch drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Finch keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Newman scores with a decent looking hook.

Finch is rocked!

Newman bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Oh Finch is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Finch tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Newman wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Finch seems to have got his legs back now.

Newman swings around for an armbar but Finch sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Newman's guard.

Newman looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

Newman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Finch gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Finch gets to his feet. Newman looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Finch scores with a head kick.

It looks like Paul Newman has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newman throws a hook but Finch avoids it easily.
Finch was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Finch is looking to chop away at Newman's legs.
Finch lands with a thumping leg kick.
Newman on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Finch blocks a head kick by Newman.
Newman takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Finch throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Finch throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Newman moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Finch moves out of range of the body kick from Newman.
An inside leg kick lands from Newman.
Finch slips a jab from Newman.
Finch moves away from the strike by Newman.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good shot there by Finch.
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!
Finch fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Newman on the side of the head.
Newman lands a jab to the nose.
Finch gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Newman checks the leg kick nicely there.
Finch lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Newman looks to score with a jab to the body but Finch is just out of range.
Finch takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Finch blocks a head kick by Newman.
Newman blocks the body kick.
Finch lands with a cross.
Finch ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Newman moves away.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Newman rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Finch counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richmond Finch dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Paul Newman's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Finch moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Finch throws a jab but it's blocked by Newman.
Newman tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Finch's corner calls for a 1-2. Finch obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Newman throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Finch.
Finch scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Finch on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Finch throws a lazy right hand but Newman sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Finch lands a nice leg kick that just misses Newman's sensitive parts.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newman keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Newman drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Finch defends it well.
Newman throws a body kick that misses.
Newman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Richmond Finch is winning the standup battle so far.
Finch throws a push kick but Newman slaps the foot to one side.
Finch misses with a looping left.
Newman drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Finch defends it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Newman takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
And Newman tries to counter it with a takedown but Finch pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Finch throws a body punch but Newman moves out of range.
Newman misses with an attempted mid kick.
Newman takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Richmond Finch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Finch jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Newman is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Newman ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Newman jabs at Finch's body.
Finch throws a shot from downtown. Newman moves away and avoids it.
Finch throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Finch smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Newman throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Finch misses with a straight left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finch connects with a body shot that sends Newman's belly button to the back.
Newman throws a head kick that Finch semi-blocks.
Finch misses with a straight right.
And Newman tries to counter it with a takedown but Finch pushes his down on his head and steps out.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Finch throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Finch moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Newman jabs Finch to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Newman connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Newman throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Finch counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A swing and a miss from Newman.
Finch misses with a low kick.
Finch displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Newman throws out the jab.
Finch stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Finch takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newman looks for a takedown but Finch sprawls well.
A good leg kick by Finch.
Richmond Finch is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Finch misses the jab.
Finch's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Newman connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Finch scrambles back to his feet.
Finch lands a glancing blow to the side of Newman's head.
Finch cracks Newman with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Finch scores with a leg kick.
Newman throws a right and a left that Finch avoids nicely.
Newman swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Finch thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newman misses with a straight right.
Finch walks into a jab.
Newman scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Newman connects with a jab.
Newman darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Newman feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Finchs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Newman throws out a loose jab but Finch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Finch misses with a low kick.
Newman scores with a sloppy right hand. Finch should have avoided that one.
Finch throws a head kick but Newman moves out of range.
Newman scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Newman lands a nice looking body kick.
Finch tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Paul Newman will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Paul Newman's cut.
That's time! Finch's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Finch ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Newman moves away.
Newman lands with a nice combination. Finch backs away looking to recover.
Finch takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Finch lands a nice hook to Newman's body. Newman takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Finch tries to bum rush Newman with a series of wild strikes but Newman uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Finch moves forwards but Newman connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Finch takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Newman takes a jab right on the kisser.
Newman's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Finch scores with a kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Finch pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Newman changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Finch misses with a body shot.
Newman is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Newman staying out of range there.
Finch with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finch misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Newman throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
It looked like Finch was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Newman.
A telegraphed right hand from Finch misses the target.
Finch on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Finch throws a jab but it's blocked by Newman.
Newman slips under a jab from Finch.
Some wild striking there from Newman.
Newman bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Newman pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Newman!
Newman tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Finch looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finch ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Finch throwing a counter right hand but Newman manages to avoid it.
Finch misses with a low kick.
Newman lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Finch circles away quickly and effectively.
Finch swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Finch jabs Newman to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Newman.
Finch is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newman throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Newman wants to lay and pray for a moment but Finch keeps working.
Newman tries to advance to mount but can't.
Newman working away.
Newman is looking to take a break and control but Finch is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Newman is trying to get an arm triangle but Finch is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Finch is looking for a sweep.
Newman tries to move into full mount but can't pass Finch's legs.

Newman tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Finch tries to escape but Newman is in control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Newman comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Newman 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 James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Paul Newman!
Paul Newman tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.
Richmond Finch spoke after the fight, saying 'I guess I'll be drowning my sorrows instead of celebrating at tonight's after party. '.