PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Max Houston (ranked 1784 p4p, 232 weight class) and Aldo Vurny (ranked 797 p4p, 107 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Houston
vs
Vurny

179 cm
28
199 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

187 cm
35
203 lbs
28 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best Nutrition

Urban Fighter
Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Max Houston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 28 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Aldo Vurny!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Houston fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Houston throws a hook but Vurny avoids it easily.
Max Houston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vurny scores with a jab.
Houston lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.

It looks like Aldo Vurny has been cut.
Houston lunges at Vurny with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Vurny's hand.
Houston looks to score with a jab to the body but Vurny is just out of range.
Houston slips a jab from Vurny.
Vurny misses with a few strikes there.
Houston throws a right hand that Vurny ducks under and follows up with a left that Vurny also avoids with ease.
Vurny was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Vurny connects with a nice looking jab.
Nice defenses there by Vurny.
A little jabbing left from Vurny on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Vurny lands a jab to the nose.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vurny takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston lands an overhand right.
Houston cracks a nice hook into Vurny's ribs.
Houston pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Vurny appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Vurny moves out of range of the strikes.
Houston shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Vurny slips under a jab from Houston.
Houston throws a body punch but Vurny moves out of range.
Houston throws a hook but Vurny blocks it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Houston. Vurny does a little dance to reset his feet.
Houston dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Houston throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Vurny's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houston has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Vurny finds it's way round the side to connect with Houston's head.
The fighters circling - Houston throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Vurny jabs Houston right on the nose. Houston blinks but takes it well.
Max Houston is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Houston comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Houston throws a looping overhand right but Vurny ducks down to avoid it.
Houston has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Beast in the buildup to the fight.
Vurny uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Houston.
A countering left hand to the body from Vurny misses.
Houston throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Vurny slips under a jab from Houston.
Vurny throws out a counter right but Houston avoids it with no problem.
Houston connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Vurny momentarily.

That has opened up Aldo Vurny's cut even more.
Houston lands a nice shot to the body.
Houston lands a nice shot to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Houston. Vurny does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vurny was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Vurny looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Houston tries a low kick but Vurny avoids it.
Houston throws the left hand but Vurny avoids the punch easily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Houston.
Houston chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Houston fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Vurny slips a straight right by Houston.
Houston misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Vurny.
It seemed like Vurny was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Houston misses the shot to the body.
Vurny swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Houston sizes up Vurny with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Vurny fails to land with a series of punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vurny ducks under a wild hook from Houston.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Houston.
Vurny steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Houston.
Vurny slips a straight right by Houston.
Houston changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
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!
Vurny walks into a left hand.
Houston misses with a kick to the body
and Vurny counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Houston tries to move into range but Vurny moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Vurny misses with a body shot.
Houston waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Vurny.
Vurny takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Houston dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Aldo Vurny's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Houston's corner calls for a 1-2. Houston obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Vurny avoids the head kick by Houston.
Houston throws a front kick aimed at Vurny's knee but Vurny avoids it well.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with eachother but Vurny might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Houston has got the better of the exchanges.
Vurny shoots in but no luck this time.
Vurny steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Houston.
A head kick misses from Houston.
Vurny is looking to score with low kicks.
Houston throws a big shot that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vurny has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Houston.
Houston lands a lovely overhand right.
Houston misses with a body shot.
Houston throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston misses with a looping left.
Houston throws a right hand that Vurny ducks under and follows up with a left that Vurny also avoids with ease.
A telegraphed right hand from Houston misses the target.
Vurny slips under a jab.
And Vurny tries to counter it with a takedown but Houston pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Vurny throws a lazy right hand but Houston sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Houston dips to his left and cracks Vurny with an uppercut!
Houston misses with a lunging right hand

and Vurny counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Vurny looks to land a strike but Houston avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vurny working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Vurny loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Houston is pulling down on Vurny's head. It's preventing any offense from Vurny, at least for the moment.
Vurny throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vurny throws a big right hand that misses.
Vurny throws a big elbow that misses.
Vurny with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vurny is in close to Houston's body, working some short punches and elbows.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Vurny accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
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!
Vurny with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vurny scoring with some ground and pound.
Houston is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Vurny throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Vurny throws a big right hand that misses.
Houston is trying to control the position but Vurny postures up.
Vurny throws a big right hand that misses.
Vurny is in close to Houston's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vurny trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Houston utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Vurny with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vurny wants to control from the top but Houston keeps moving.
Houston wants to stand up but Vurny is controlling him.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
A head kick misses from Houston.
Vurny looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Vurny shoots in for a double leg but Houston sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Nice defenses there by Vurny.
Decent striking displayed by Houston there.
Houston dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Vurny. That did some damage!
Houston jabs at Vurny's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Houston throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Vurny sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Vurny is looking for the big counter here.
Houston lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Houston throws a head kick that misses.
Vurny has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Vurny on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

The cut above Aldo Vurny's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Houston feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Vurnys jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Houston throws a lazy right hand but Vurny sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
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 swing and a miss from Houston.
Max Houston is winning the standup battle so far.
A head kick by Houston misses

and Vurny counters with a nice double leg into side control. Houston won't be happy with that.
Houston tries to improve position but can't.
Houston is trying to control Vurny's posture but Vurny avoids it.
Vurny landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Max Houston dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Aldo Vurny's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A lazy left from Houston finds it's target.
Houston tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Vurny with the counter takedown but Houston avoids it easily.
Vurny throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Houston sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Vurny lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Houston circles away quickly and effectively.
A big left from Vurny misses.
Houston lands a lovely overhand right.
Houston cracks the inside of Vurny's front leg.
Houston scores with a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Houston misses with a body shot.

Vurny shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Vurny showed some decent athleticism there.
Houston tries to get to full guard but Vurny has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vurny throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Vurny is trying to control. Houston wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Houston wants to control but Vurny is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Vurny lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Vurny throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Houston to regain full guard.
Houston is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Houston content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Houston not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vurny is looking to control Houston's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Vurny avoid being mounted?
Aldo Vurny has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houston lands strikes from half guard.
Vurny has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Houston in particular looking to stall.
Houston's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Houston is trying to control the action in half guard but Vurny is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Houston prevents Vurny from improving his position.
Vurny is still trying to improve position.
Houston trying to pass the guard but Vurny defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vurny tries to roll over but Houston keeps him under control.
Houston trying to mount his opponent but Vurny defends it.
Houston is looking to take a break and control but Vurny is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Aldo Vurny has got the better of the ground game so far.
Houston controlling the action here.
Houston working the head and body with strikes.
Vurny tries to roll over but Houston keeps him under control.
Houston trying to control from half guard but Vurny is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Houston trying to pass the guard but Vurny defending well.
Max Houston is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Vurny is trying to get back to full guard.
Vurny is not content to let Houston control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
A head kick by Houston misses
and Vurny counters with a straight right hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Houston rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vurny moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Vurny drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Houston defends it well.
A lazy left from Houston finds it's target.
Houston tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Max Houston showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Houston, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27
Judge George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Max Houston!
Max Houston seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.