PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Fred Torab (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ville Apila (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Torab
vs
Apila

195 cm
22
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Solid chin

5th Round
Hell's Balls Fightwear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Fred Torab!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ville Apila!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Torab throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Torab misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Torab defending well as Apila loads up on a big left hand.
Fred Torab seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Torab tries a head kick but it misses.
Apila throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Torab tries to close the distance and clinch up but Apila swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Torab pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Apila fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Torab sprawls well initially but Apila persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Apila thows a huge punch but Torab dodges it nicely.
Apila not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Apila misses with a head shot. Torab uses the momentum to regain guard.
Apila trying to control the position from guard on top but Torab is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Apila wants to pass the guard but Torab is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Torab is controlling Apila's posture.
Torab preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Torab will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Torab keeping moving, preventing Apila from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Apila fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Torab sprawls well initially but Apila persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Apila is tying to control. Torab wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Torab is defending against the submission attempts here by Apila.

Apila looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apila not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Torab wants to get back to full guard.
Apila is tying to control. Torab wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Torab has hold of Apila's hands but Apila slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Apila throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Apila working the head and body with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Apila is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Torab doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Apila.
Torab knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Apila on the ground.
Torab controlling the position for now.
Torab keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Torab keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Torab is trying to get back to full guard.
Apila has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Apila thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Apila wants to lay and pray for a moment but Torab keeps working.
Apila missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Apila closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Torab to the mat! Torab manages to get full guard.
Torab is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Apila trying to control the position from guard on top but Torab is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Apila thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Torab seems keen to control Apila's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ville Apila dominated that round.
That's time! Torab's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Apila avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Torab tries to clinch there but Apila circles away.
Torab pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Torab tries to clinch there but Apila circles away.
A slow jab from Torab misses its intended target.
Torab goes for a high kick. It partially lands.

It looks like Ville Apila has been cut.
Torab misses with a head kick.
Apila misses with a hook.
A head kick misses from Torab.
Apila throws a shot from downtown. Torab moves away and avoids it.
Apila throws a body punch but Torab moves out of range.
Fred Torab is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Apila misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Torab.
Torab pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fred Torab is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apila fails to land with a series of punches.
Torab moves out of range of the strikes.
Torab misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Apila, as that shot connected.
Apila shoots in but Torab avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Torab slips under a jab from Apila.
Torab throws a head kick that misses.
Apila circles away from the clinch attempt.
Torab tries to clinch but Apila moves out of range.
Apila avoids the head kick by Torab.
Torab pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Torab wants to clinch up but Apila keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Torab throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Torab tries to clinch up.
A combination from Apila does no damage.
A head kick misses from Torab.
Torab throws a sloppy head kick and Apila moves out of range easily.
Apila blocks a head kick by Torab.
Torab tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Torab slips a jab and a cross from Apila.
Apila is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Apila tries to clinch up but Torab circles away and keeps his distance.
Torab tries a head kick but it misses.
Apila lands a body shot.

Apila looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Apila frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Apila with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Apila putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Apila landing strikes, looking to finish!
Torab is squirming around, avoiding Apila's attempts to control the action.
Torab tries to lock up and control but Apila gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Apila putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Apila punching from mount but Torab doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Apila thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Apila punishing his opponent with strikes.
Torab is wriggling around trying to escape.
Apila working Torab over with strikes here.

Apila moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Torab has worked his arm free - good work by Torab!
Torab is looking to regain half guard here but Apila keeps moving and retains side control.
Torab really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Torab on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ville Apila showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Ville Apila's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Torab tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Apila paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Torab throws a head kick that misses.
Torab clinches but Apila breaks the clinch
enabling Apila to counter with a crisp jab.

Apila shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Apila was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Torab tries to hold on but Apila pushes him away.
Apila lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Apila scoring with strikes but Torab is staying in there.
Torab can't escape the position.
Torab is in a horrible position here. Apila smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Torab in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Apila landing shots from mount.

Apila goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Torab turns into him and now he's in Apila's guard.

Apila looking for a guillotine here but Torab defends easily.
Apila keeping full guard, as Torab tries to pass.
Torab has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Apila has his foot on Torab's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Torab works his way back into a safe position though.

Apila is working an open guard so Torab takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Apila blocks a head kick by Torab.
Torab throws a head kick that misses

and Apila counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Apila.
Apila stopping the sweep attempt from Torab.
Torab utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Apila postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Apila lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Apila passes Torab's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Apila not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Apila seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Torab does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Torab keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Apila tries to pass to full mount but Torab defends it.
Torab trying to control here.

Apila is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Torab is just riding it out for now. Apila eventually gives up the hold.
Torab is looking to escape.

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.
Torab keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Torab punishes Apila's body with a nice straight punch.
Apila blocks a head kick by Torab.
Torab fails in his attempt to clinch.
Torab keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Torab lands a head kick!
Apila scores with a jab to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ville Apila really dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Ville Apila's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Torab tries a head kick but it misses.
Torab throws a head kick but Apila moves out of range.
A head kick from Torab lands but Apila takes it in his stride.
Apila throws a right and a left that both miss.
Torab tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Apila shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Apila showed some decent athleticism there.

Apila is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Torab sees it coming and defends easily.
Torab is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Apila scores with a couple of nice shots.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.
Torab is staying active underneath Apila, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Apila is trying for a kimura here. Torab looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Apila wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:21 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ville Apila!
Ville Apila is the new featherweight champion!