PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sami Vatanen (ranked 1643 p4p, 185 weight class) and Maurice Vachon (ranked 2079 p4p, 241 weight class). Vatanen comes to the cage accompanied by Kalmah - Heros to Us. Vachon has chosen Mad Dog Tribute as his entrance music. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Vatanen
vs
Vachon

200 cm
26
287 lbs
11 - 10 - 0

175 cm
33
240 lbs
13 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

IniTech Nutrition
Aspire Nutrition

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 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sami Vatanen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Maurice Vachon!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vachon takes a swing at Vatanen's ribcage but misses.
Vachon throws the left hand but Vatanen avoids the punch easily.
Vatanen misses with a double jab.
Vachon uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vatanen.
Vatanen definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Vatanen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vachon moves away.
Vatanen misses with a body punch

and Vachon holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Vachon has a couple of punches blocked by Vatanen.
Vachon holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Vatanen manages to break the clinch.
Vatanen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Maurice Vachon has been cut.
Vachon takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Vatanen lands a head shot.
Vatanen avoids the body shot from Vachon.
Vatanen throws a right and a left that Vachon avoids nicely.
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!
Vatanen missing with a left hand there. Vachon was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Vatanen lands a jab to the head.
Vachon waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Vatanen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vachon tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Vatanen was well out of range. Poor timing from Vachon.
A jab from Vachon misses.
Vachon fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nice jab there from Vatanen.
Vachon throws a jab but it's blocked by Vatanen.
Vachon lands a jab to Vatanen's midsection.
Vatanen ducks under a wild hook from Vachon.
Nice uppercut lands for Vachon. That snapped Vatanen's head back.
Vatanen misses with the combination.
Vatanen throws a shot from downtown. Vachon moves away and avoids it.
Vachon's coach down at Spar Bros was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Vachon's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Vatanen looks to throw the jab but Vachon is out of range.
Vatanen scores with a nice head shot.

That has opened up Maurice Vachon's cut even more.
Vatanen is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A decent looking cross lands there for Vatanen.

Vachon has managed to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vachon misses with some punches.
Vachon throws a punch but it's blocked by Vatanen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right handed body shot lands from Vachon.
Vatanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Vatanen breaks from the clinch.
Vatanen is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Vatanen takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Jab by Vatanen.
Vatanen looks to land a right hand but Vachon moved out of range.
Vachon tries to clinch but Vatanen is having none of it.
Vachon is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Vatanen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Vachon has time to react.
Vachon slips a straight right by Vatanen.
Vachon wants to counter with a clinch but Vatanen pushes him away.
Vachon looks to score with a jab to the body but Vatanen is just out of range.
Vatanen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Vachon misses the jab.
Vachon uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vatanen.
Danga de danga de dang - Vatanen scores with a four punch combination!
Vatanen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Vachon scores with a nice strike.

It looks like Sami Vatanen has been cut.
Vatanen's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Vachon connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Vatanen scrambles back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vachon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vatanen looks to throw the jab but Vachon is out of range.
Vachon tries to close the distance and clinch but Vatanen swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vatanen lands a jab to the nose.

The cut above Maurice Vachon's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Vatanen bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vachon moves out of range of the strikes.
Vachon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vachon takes a swing at Vatanen's ribcage but misses.
Vatanen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Vatanen misses with a double jab.
Vachon showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Vatanen.
Vachon tries to counter by closing the distance.
Vatanen slips a jab from Vachon.
Vatanen throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Vatanen throws a hook to the side of Vachon's head but Vachon sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Vachon slips under a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen connects with the punch.
Vatanen getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Vatanen throws a right and a left that both miss.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vachon bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Vatanen's head.
Vatanen is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Vatanen scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Vatanen throws an overhand right that lands on Vachon's shoulder, as Vachon tries to avoid the shot.
Vatanen throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Vatanen ducks under a wild hook from Vachon.
Vatanen takes one to the chin there.
The crowd cheers as Vatanen lands an impressive looking overhand right. Vachon doesn't seem phased though.

Maurice Vachon's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
Vatanen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Vachon cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vachon scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Vatanen missing with a left hand there. Vachon was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Vatanen throws a nice looking combination but Vachon bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Vachon connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Vatanen's hands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Vatanen dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Vatanen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Vachon connects with a nice looking jab.
Vatanen scores with a punch to the head.
Vatanen misses with a combination

and Vachon holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Vatanen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Vachon.
Vatanen tries to work over Vachon's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A left hand lands to the body for Vachon.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Vachon.
Vatanen stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Vatanen blocks a body shot from Vachon.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Vachon.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vachon throws a head punch that misses.
Vatanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vachon lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Vachon lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Vachon fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Vachon doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatanen prevents a body shot from Vachon.
Vatanen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Vachon can do to turn this around?
Vatanen wants to break the clinch but can't.
Vachon swings wildly with an uppercut but Vatanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Vachon.
Vachon lands with a light punch inside.
Vachon misses with a hook from the clinch.
Vachon lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Vachon misses with a punch to the body.
Vatanen takes a shot to the head.
Vachon cracks Vatanen with a nice body shot.
Vachon misses with a hook from the clinch.
A nice right hand lands inside from Vachon.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Vachon.
Vachon tries to work over Vatanen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Vachon gets through Vatanen's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vachon pressing his opponent against the cage.
Vachon is leaning against Vatanen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vachon swings wildly with an uppercut but Vatanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Good body shot from Vachon.
Vachon tries to throw a body punch but Vatanen avoids it by throwing Vachon back against the cage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Vatanen.
Vatanen tries to land knees in the clinch but Vachon avoids the damage to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Vachon.
Vatanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vachon misses with a punch on the inside.
Vachon is leaning against Vatanen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Vachon keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vatanen's efforts to push away.
Vachon has a couple of punches blocked by Vatanen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen blocks a body shot from Vachon.
Vachon blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Vatanen tries to break the clinch but Vachon is controlling the position.
Vachon misses with a hook from the clinch.

Vatanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vachon slips a jab from Vatanen.
Vachon lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Vatanen at a distance.
Vachon uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vatanen.
Vachon throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Vatanen stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Vatanen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vachon.
Vachon throws out a counter right but Vatanen avoids it with no problem.
Vatanen walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Vachon doesn't manage to clinch there - Vatanen circles away.
An attempted straight right counter from Vatanen misses the target.
Vachon lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Vatanen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

Vachon gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vatanen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vachon lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vachon lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Sami Vatanen's cut is getting worse.
Vachon lands a right hand.
Vachon lands a right hand that snaps the head of Vatanen backwards.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Vachon. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Vachon.

Vatanen is rocked!
Maurice Vachon seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Vatanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Oh Vatanen is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Vatanen blocking some punches.
Vachon misses with a hook from the clinch.
Vachon misses with some punches.
Vachon swings wildly with an uppercut but Vatanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
Vatanen seems to have got his legs back now.
Vachon misses with some punches.
Vachon'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.
Vachon displaying some good clinch control by pressing Vatanen up against the cage.
Vachon lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maurice Vachon showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Vachon pushes Vatanen up against the cage in a clinch.
Vachon tries to throw a body punch but Vatanen avoids it by throwing Vachon back against the cage.
Vachon misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Vatanen breaks from the clinch.
Vachon misses with a body shot.
Vachon tries to clinch but Vatanen is having none of it.
Vachon uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Vatanen.
Vachon swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A swing and a miss from Vatanen.
Vatanen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Vachon doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vatanen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Vachon tries to clinch but Vatanen is having none of it.
Vatanen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Sami Vatanen is winning the standup battle so far.
Vatanen takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Vatanen throws a right and a left that Vachon avoids nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vachon tries to clinch but Vatanen moves out of range.
Vatanen swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Vatanen just misses with a punch to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatanen misses with an uppercut.
Vatanen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vachon.
Vatanen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vachon looks to land a right hand but Vatanen moved out of range.
Vachon misses with a wild body shot.
Vachon tries to clinch up but Vatanen circles away and keeps his distance.
Vachon scores with a nice strike.

Vachon closes the distance and clinches.
Vachon can't find room to land a body shot as Vatanen controls the action.
Vachon swings wildly with an uppercut but Vatanen uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head punch on the inside from Vachon fails to land.
Vachon tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Vachon throws a punch but it's blocked by Vatanen.
Vatanen lands a shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vachon has a couple of punches blocked by Vatanen.
Vatanen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

Vatanen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Sami Vatanen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vatanen scores with a nice strike.
Vachon is looking to clinch but Vatanen is avoiding it.
Vatanen misses with a straight right.
Vatanen swinging wildly here.
Vachon lands with a shot to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vachon dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Vachon catches Vatanen with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Vachon clobbers Vatanen with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
A punch lands to the side of Vatanen 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Vachon clinches up against the cage.
Vachon misses with the head strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Vachon fails to land.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Vachon.
Vachon slowing the pace effectively.
Vatanen lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Vachon backwards.
Vachon swings wildly with an uppercut but Vatanen uses good head movement to avoid it.

Vatanen pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Decent striking displayed by Vatanen there.
Vachon tries to clinch up.
Vachon showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Vatanen.
Vatanen feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Vachons jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Vachon is looking to clinch.
Vatanen cracks Vachon with a good jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen tests Vachon's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Vatanen looks to land a combination but Vachon avoids it well.
Vachon jabbing away but nothing is landing.
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!
Vachon scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Vatanen doesn't seem bothered though.
Vatanen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Nice defenses there by Vachon.
Vachon throws a body shot but no joy.
Vachon fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Vatanen looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Vachon tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A slow jab from Vatanen misses its intended target.
Vachon has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Vatanen ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Vachon staying out of range there.
Vatanen misses with a wild combination.
Vatanen throws a right hand that misses
and Vachon connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Vachon looks to throw the jab but Vatanen is out of range.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Maurice Vachon.
I think Vachon 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maurice Vachon!
After the big win, Maurice Vachon made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors KAISER Nutrition - Q160 and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.
Sami Vatanen spoke after the fight, saying 'Did u fart? or is that ur breath?'.