PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sami Vatanen (ranked 3208 p4p, 334 weight class) and Brent Boston (ranked 668 p4p, 68 weight class). Vatanen comes to the cage accompanied by Kalmah - Heros to Us. Brent Boston told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Vatanen
vs
Boston

200 cm
27
282 lbs
11 - 13 - 0

182 cm
26
265 lbs
16 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

IniTech 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 - 13 - 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 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Brent Boston!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Chad Campbell and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Boston bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Vatanen looks to land a right hand but Boston moved out of range.
A combination from Vatanen does no damage.
Vatanen misses with a wild combination.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Vatanen.
Vatanen has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Vatanen sizes up Boston with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Boston on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Sami Vatanen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boston fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Vatanen manages to avoid it.
Vatanen throws a shot from downtown. Boston moves away and avoids it.
Boston is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Vatanen with a body shot.
Nice jab there from Vatanen.
Vatanen stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatanen throws a hook but Boston avoids it easily.
Vatanen is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Vatanen sends Boston crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Vatanen is motioning to the referee to let Boston up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Vatanen throws a left and a right that both miss

and Boston counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Boston preventing the sweep.
Boston controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Vatanen has momentary wrist control but Boston slips an elbow through the middle.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Boston scoring with punches to the head and body.
Boston trying to control but Vatanen is working from the bottom.
Boston engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boston working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boston postures up in Vatanen's guard and throws a big left but Vatanen blocks it.
Boston postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boston tries to free his leg and advance position but Vatanen is retaining full guard.
Vatanen avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Boston trying to control the position from guard on top but Vatanen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vatanen is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Vatanen with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen misses with a shot to the body

and Boston counters with a shoot takedown. Vatanen fights it but they end up in guard.
Vatanen keeping moving, preventing Boston from controlling successfully.
Boston working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Boston postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Boston postures up in Vatanen's guard and throws a big left but Vatanen blocks it.
Boston throwing strikes but missing.
Boston throws a strike but Vatanen rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Our spies down at at LOD: Contenders (Max ID290) inform us that Boston has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Vatanen won't allow Boston to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen tries to stand but Boston is controlling from the bottom.
Boston managing to control the position.
Vatanen has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Boston is proving hard to escape from.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Vatanen throws a shot from downtown. Boston moves away and avoids it.
Vatanen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vatanen throws an overhand right that lands on Boston's shoulder, as Boston tries to avoid the shot.
Vatanen scores with a jab.
Vatanen throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Boston counter with a right hand.
Boston slips under a jab from Vatanen.
Vatanen is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Boston uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Vatanen.
A nice side step and Boston releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Sami Vatanen is winning the standup battle so far.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Vatanen, as that shot connected.
Vatanen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Boston cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Boston on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Vatanen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vatanen takes one on the chin but seems OK.

It looks like Sami Vatanen has been cut.
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 jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A little jabbing left from Boston on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatanen misses with a hook. Boston ducked under it nicely.
Boston tries to counter by closing the distance.
Vatanen scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Vatanen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Boston swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Vatanen misses with an uppercut.
Vatanen with a hook.
Vatanen misses with a looping left.
Vatanen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Vatanen throws a right hand that misses
enabling Boston to counter with a crisp jab.
Boston slips under a jab from Vatanen.
Sami Vatanen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vatanen throws a right hand that Boston ducks under and follows up with a left that Boston also avoids with ease.
Vatanen swings widly with a right hand
and Boston counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Boston slips under a jab from Vatanen.
Boston looks like he wants to counter punch here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Vatanen!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A combination from Vatanen does no damage.
Vatanen misses with an uppercut
and Vatanen takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vatanen misses with an uppercut
and Boston counters with a right hand to the body.
Boston sizes up Vatanen with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Boston uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vatanen.
Vatanen keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Vatanen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Boston circles away quickly and effectively.
Boston looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Vatanen throws a right hand that misses

and Boston counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Boston.
Boston misses with a body punch.

Vatanen breaks the clinch.
Boston slips a jab from Vatanen.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatanen misses with a looping left.

Boston rushes Vatanen and presses him up against the cage.
Vatanen has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Boston lands a shot to the body.
Boston keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vatanen's efforts to push away.
Vatanen wants to break free but Boston has control.

Vatanen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vatanen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Boston can do to turn this around?
Vatanen misses with a hook.
A countering left hand to the body from Boston misses.
Boston keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vatanen bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Sami Vatanen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vatanen on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No luck for Boston with that takedown attempt.
Boston displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Vatanen throws out the jab.
Vatanen looks to throw the jab but Boston is out of range.
Boston uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vatanen.
Vatanen keeps the fight on the outside.
Vatanen fails to land with a series of punches.
A nice side step and Boston releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Vatanen misses with a looping right.
Vatanen misses with a looping left.
The fight stays on the outside here - Boston looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vatanen works the jab nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sami Vatanen dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Sami Vatanen's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Vatanen lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Boston circles away quickly and effectively.
Boston moves away from the strike by Vatanen.
Vatanen throws a looping overhand right but Boston ducks down to avoid it.
Boston is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Vatanen with a body shot.
No joy there for Vatanen, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A swing and a miss from Vatanen.

Boston shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Boston was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Sloppy strikes there by Boston.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vatanen taking punishment in the form of punches.
Boston working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Vatanen taking a bit of punishment here - Boston scoring with strikes.
Boston has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The strikes coming from Boston are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Brent Boston has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Boston throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Boston working the ground and pound from side control.
Vatanen on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Boston lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Boston wants to control but Vatanen is keeping him busy.
Boston looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Vatanen is avoiding damage well.
Boston throwing shots but missing, from side control.
An elbow from Boston crashes against the mat.
Boston lands a nice forearm strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Boston misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
An elbow from Boston crashes against the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Boston controls the position from side control.
Boston in side control, throwing shots but Vatanen defends.
Vatanen is not content to let Boston control the position.
Boston throws a strike aimed at the side of Vatanen's head but Vatanen avoids it well.
Sami Vatanen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Boston tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Boston lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
You can see the frustration on Vatanen's face as Boston controls the position.
Vatanen regains half guard, as Boston was trying to land strikes.
Boston thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Boston throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Boston throwing shots but Vatanen is blocking nicely.
Boston with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Boston lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Sami Vatanen's cut is getting worse.
Vatanen throws a shot from downtown. Boston moves away and avoids it.
Vatanen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Vatanen misses the target.
Vatanen connects with a looping right hand.
Vatanen throws a right and a left that Boston avoids nicely.
Boston dodges the punch combination from Vatanen.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vatanen misses with a double jab.
And Boston tries to counter it with a takedown but Vatanen pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Vatanen misses with an uppercut
and Boston counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Brent Boston has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Vatanen is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Boston.
Boston steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Vatanen.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brent Boston comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vatanen has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight for Sami Vatanen!
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight for Sami Vatanen!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Sami Vatanen!

Sami Vatanen wins by unanimous decision!
Sami Vatanen gave a mention to IniTech Nutrition in his post fight interview. That will please them (and hopefully generate some sales).