PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cholo Van Gaal (ranked 666 p4p, 74 weight class) and Micah Hays (ranked 1037 p4p, 115 weight class). Micah Hays has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Cholo Van Gaal's chin.

Van Gaal
vs
Hays

177 cm
35
158 lbs
22 - 9 - 0

168 cm
35
151 lbs
20 - 14 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

RAGS of a RONIN

Urban Fighter

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 22 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cholo Van Gaal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Micah Hays!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Gwen Towbar and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hays throws out a loose jab but Van Gaal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Gaal lands a two punch combo.
Van Gaal throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hays sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A telegraphed right hand from Hays misses the target.
Hays takes one on the button.
Van Gaal throws a big shot that misses.
Hays throws a good cross that connects.
Hays throws out a loose jab but Van Gaal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hays tries to clinch there but Van Gaal circles away.
Van Gaal slips under a jab from Hays.
Hays misses with a body shot.
Van Gaal moves out of range of the body kick.
Van Gaal defending well as Hays loads up on a big left hand.
Hays is looking to land body kicks.
Hays throws a leg kick that is checked
and Van Gaal counters with a three punch combo that has Hays backing up. Hays nods at Van Gaal to acknowledge the strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Van Gaal throws a right and a left that Hays avoids nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Van Gaal misses with a straight right.
Van Gaal misses with a looping left.
Van Gaal lands with an uppercut that bounces Hays off the cage and back into range.
Hays throws a head kick but Van Gaal moves out of range.
Hays fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Van Gaal.
Van Gaal looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Van Gaal missing with a left hand there. Hays was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hays moves to clinch but Van Gaal breaks away
and Van Gaal counters with a left and a right that stings Hays.
A slow jab from Hays misses its intended target.

Hays has Van Gaal up against the cage in a clinch.
Hays struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Gaal controls his hands.
Van Gaal lands a right hand.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Gaal.
A head punch on the inside from Van Gaal fails to land.
Van Gaal misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short right from Van Gaal.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Van Gaal scores with a shot to the side of Hays's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hays misses with the head strike.
Van Gaal misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Van Gaal.
Hays misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hays is working Van Gaal over against the cage.
Hays misses with a punch on the inside.
Hays is working Van Gaal over against the cage.
Van Gaal throws a head punch that misses.
Hays lands with a short shot to the head.
Hays misses with a punch on the inside.
Hays lands a hook that snaps the head of Van Gaal backwards.
Hays throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hays as Van Gaal tries to tie him up.
Hays scores with a shot to the side of Van Gaal's head.
Good body shot from Hays.
A head punch on the inside from Van Gaal fails to land.
Hays swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Van Gaal lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hays is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Van Gaal swings wildly with an uppercut but Hays uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hays lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hays has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Van Gaal seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Hays can turn it around.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hays has a couple of punches blocked by Van Gaal.
Hays digs a right hand into Van Gaal's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Van Gaal's gas tank.
Hays misses with some punches.
Hays scores with a nice hook to the head.
Van Gaal lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Van Gaal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hays blocking some punches.
Hays has a couple of punches blocked by Van Gaal.
Van Gaal struggles to land a body shot inside as Hays controls his hands.
Hays lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A head punch on the inside from Van Gaal fails to land.
Hays misses with some punches.
Hays misses with the head strike.
Still in the clinch, Van Gaal scores with a nice short uppercut.
Van Gaal throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch on the inside from Van Gaal fails to land.
Hays lands a shot to the body.
Van Gaal working aggressively here.
Hays blocks a body shot from Van Gaal.
Van Gaal blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Van Gaal throws a punch but it's blocked by Hays.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hays working aggressively here.
Still in the clinch, Hays scores with a nice short uppercut.
Van Gaal lands with a short shot to the head.
Van Gaal lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hays lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Van Gaal blocks a body shot from Hays.
Hays working aggressively here.
Hays lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Van Gaal's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Van Gaal scores with a nice hook to the head.
Hays has a couple of punches blocked by Van Gaal.
Van Gaal blocks an uppercut.
Hays misses with a punch on the inside.
Hays misses with the head strike.
Hays throws a head punch that misses.
Van Gaal has a couple of punches blocked by Hays.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hays throws a head punch that misses.
Van Gaal blocking some punches.
Hays working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
A head punch on the inside from Van Gaal fails to land.
Van Gaal can't find room to land a body shot as Hays controls the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Micah Hays will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hays throws a half hearted mid kick.
Van Gaal dodges the punch combination from Hays.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Hays in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Hays lands a leg kick that knocks Van Gaal off balance momentarily.

Hays forces Van Gaal back against the cage and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Gaal.
Van Gaal lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Van Gaal working aggressively here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Van Gaal.
Van Gaal blocks a body shot from Hays.
Hays lands with a short punch from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hays.
Hays tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Van Gaal scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Hays blocking some punches.
Hays throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Gaal.
Van Gaal pushes Hays back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Van Gaal working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hays can't find room to land a body shot as Van Gaal controls the action.
Van Gaal throws a punch but it's blocked by Hays.
Van Gaal blocks an uppercut.
Hays fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Van Gaal lands a hook that snaps the head of Hays backwards.
Van Gaal tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hays's elbow.
Hays throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Hays has a couple of punches blocked by Van Gaal.
Van Gaal takes a shot to the head.
Hays lands a left hand that snaps the head of Van Gaal backwards.
Van Gaal misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hays lands a body punch in the clinch.
A short right from Hays.
Van Gaal tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hays's elbow.
A head punch on the inside from Hays fails to land.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Gaal.
Hays tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hays swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Gaal uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Hays.
Hays has a couple of punches blocked by Van Gaal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Gaal lands a shoulder strike.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hays doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Van Gaal lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hays creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Van Gaal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hays tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Van Gaal has a couple of punches blocked by Hays.
A right handed body shot lands from Van Gaal.
Hays misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hays misses with some punches.
Hays lands with a light punch inside.
Van Gaal swings wildly with an uppercut but Hays uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hays.
A short left from Van Gaal.
Van Gaal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A shot in the inside from Hays.
Van Gaal blocks a body shot from Hays.
Hays lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
A short uppercut from Hays.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hays tries to throw a body punch but Van Gaal avoids it by throwing Hays back against the cage.
Hays cracks Van Gaal with a nice body shot.
Hays lands a nice uppercut.
Van Gaal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Van Gaal.
Van Gaal misses with some punches.
Van Gaal prevents a body shot from Hays.
Van Gaal tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hays.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Van Gaal.
Hays fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Van Gaal works on Hays's body with a couple of short punches.
Van Gaal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Van Gaal.
Hays lands a body shot in the clinch.
Van Gaal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Micah Hays seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hays softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hays tries to throw a body punch but Van Gaal avoids it by throwing Hays back against the cage.
Hays swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Gaal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Gaal swings wildly with an uppercut but Hays uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Gaal lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hays or not.
Hays blocks a body shot from Van Gaal.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Gaal.
Hays swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Gaal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Gaal lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Van Gaal misses with a punch to the body.
Van Gaal lands with a right to the head.
Hays pushes Van Gaal back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Hays working aggressively here.
Hays fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Hays misses with some punches.
Van Gaal blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hays misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hays blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Van Gaal fails to land.
Hays has a couple of punches blocked by Van Gaal.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hays.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Micah Hays showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Hays smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Van Gaal scores with a sloppy right hand. Hays should have avoided that one.
Van Gaal avoids the head kick by Hays.
Van Gaal lands the left hand.
Van Gaal waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hays.
Hays throws a leg kick but Van Gaal checks it.
Van Gaal looks to land a right hand but Hays moved out of range.
Van Gaal has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Hays.

Hays forces Van Gaal back against the cage and clinches.
Van Gaal prevents a body shot from Hays.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hays misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short right from Hays on the inside.
Van Gaal swings wildly with an uppercut but Hays uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hays tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Van Gaal's elbow.
Hays scores with a hook to the body.
Nice body punch from Hays - that landed with a thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Van Gaal.
Hays struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Gaal controls his hands.
Hays lands a left hand that snaps the head of Van Gaal backwards.
Van Gaal swings wildly with an uppercut but Hays uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Gaal working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Van Gaal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Van Gaal working aggressively here.
Van Gaal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hays.
Hays goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Van Gaal misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hays swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Gaal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Van Gaal lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hays backwards.
Van Gaal misses with a short punch on the inside.
Still in the clinch, Hays scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hays misses with a punch to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hays.
Hays tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Gaal misses with the head strike.
Hays throws a punch but it's blocked by Van Gaal.
Hays lands with a right to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Gaal misses with a body punch.
Van Gaal tries to work over Hays's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Van Gaal has a couple of punches blocked by Hays.
Van Gaal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Van Gaal fails to land.
Hays swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A nice left hand lands by Van Gaal.
Hays throws a head punch that misses.
Van Gaal working aggressively here.
Hays fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Van Gaal lands a left hand.
Hays swings wildly with an uppercut but Van Gaal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hays working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Van Gaal blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Van Gaal prevents a body shot from Hays.
Hays misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Van Gaal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hays can't find room to land a body shot as Van Gaal controls the action.
Van Gaal is looking to control Hays's arms but Hays gets an underhook and turns him. Now Van Gaal has his back to the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Van Gaal creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Van Gaal swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hays tries to throw a body punch but Van Gaal avoids it by throwing Hays back against the cage.
Cholo Van Gaal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hays lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Van Gaal.
Van Gaal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Van Gaal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Van Gaal tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hays blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Van Gaal throws a head punch that misses.
Hays blocks an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hays.
Hays swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Van Gaal blocks an uppercut.
Hays tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Van Gaal lands a right hand.
Van Gaal lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hays backwards.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hays misses with a hook to the ribs.
Van Gaal works on Hays's body with a couple of short punches.
Hays struggles to land a body shot inside as Van Gaal controls his hands.
Van Gaal throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Hays takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
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!
A shot in the inside from Van Gaal.
Hays tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hays lands a nice shot to the body.
Van Gaal misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hays working aggressively here.
Van Gaal lands a body shot.
Micah Hays is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hays misses with a punch on the inside.
Hays blocking some punches.
Hays has a couple of punches blocked by Van Gaal.
Van Gaal fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Hays tries to work over Van Gaal's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hays working aggressively here.
Van Gaal misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hays gets through Van Gaal's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hays's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Van Gaal misses with the head strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Cholo Van Gaal.
I think Hays 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Micah Hays!
Micah Hays very nearly forgot to thank Humanoid Nutrition (160Q for 180$) amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.
Cholo Van Gaal spoke after the fight, saying 'I ain't no terminator but... ILL BE BACK!'.