PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Taneyev (ranked 362 p4p, 1014 weight class) and Antonio Atunes (ranked 57 p4p, 155 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Taneyev
vs
Atunes

186 cm
29
209
16 - 8 - 0

188 cm
27
215
14 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

SynCity Fightwear
Conviction

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Valentin Taneyev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antonio Atunes!
The judges for this bout are Ben Watson, Eliza Hachem and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Taneyev misses with a straight right.
Good shot there by Taneyev.
A jab from Atunes misses.
Taneyev throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Taneyev keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Taneyev lands the left hand.
Decent striking displayed by Atunes there.

Taneyev takes the fight into the clinch.
Taneyev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Atunes taking a breather.
Atunes letting Taneyev take a breather here.
Taneyev pushes Atunes back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Taneyev tries a body shot but Atunes blocks it.
Atunes blocks a body shot from Taneyev.
Taneyev has a couple of punches blocked by Atunes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Atunes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atunes prevents a body shot from Taneyev.
Taneyev lands a nice shot to the body.
Taneyev lands a right hand.
Atunes looking to slow down the pace here.
Atunes blocks an uppercut.
Taneyev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Taneyev slows down the pace here.
A short uppercut from Taneyev.
Taneyev lands a shot to the body.
Atunes wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Taneyev has him pressed against the cage.
Atunes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taneyev doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Taneyev tries to work over Atunes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Taneyev tries a body shot but Atunes blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev misses with a hook from the clinch.

Atunes manages to break the clinch.
A big left from Taneyev misses.
Taneyev has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Randall's Top Team in the buildup to the fight.
Taneyev throws a lazy uppercut
and Atunes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Atunes lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Atunes throws a lazy right hand but Taneyev sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Taneyev misses with a straight left.
Atunes throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taneyev lands with a hook. Atunes tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Taneyev looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Atunes moves out of range of the strikes.
A jab from Atunes does it's job there.
Taneyev misses with a hook.
Taneyev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Atunes.
Taneyev digs a good hook to Atunes's body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Taneyev. Atunes does a little dance to reset his feet.
Taneyev misses with an uppercut. Atunes saw that one coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A cross from Taneyev lands.
Taneyev doesn't manage to clinch there - Atunes circles away.
Atunes gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Atunes lands a head kick. Taneyev smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Taneyev slips a straight right by Atunes.
Atunes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Taneyev throws a jab but it's blocked by Atunes.
Atunes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A slow jab from Taneyev misses its intended target.

Taneyev takes the fight into the clinch.

Atunes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
The fighters circling - Taneyev throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Taneyev fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Taneyev tries to close the distance and clinch but Atunes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Taneyev scores with a jab. Atunes acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Atunes throws a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Atunes counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
A left lands for Atunes.
Taneyev is looking to clinch.
Atunes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Taneyev tries to close the distance and clinch but Atunes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Atunes throws out a counter right but Taneyev avoids it with no problem.
Taneyev lands with a right hand.
Taneyev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Atunes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Atunes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Taneyev pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Atunes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Taneyev.
It looked like Taneyev wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Atunes ducks under a wild hook from Taneyev.
Taneyev misses with a body shot.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Atunes! But no joy.
Atunes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Atunes on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Nice uppercut lands for Taneyev. That snapped Atunes's head back.
A looping hook to the body misses from Atunes. Taneyev does a little dance to reset his feet.
Taneyev throws a head kick that half lands.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Taneyev dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Atunes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Taneyev was well out of range. Poor timing from Atunes.
Atunes throws a body punch but Taneyev moves out of range.
An attempted straight right counter from Taneyev misses the target.
Atunes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taneyev manages to avoid it.
Valentin Taneyev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Taneyev works the jab nicely.
Atunes swats away the attempt to clinch by Taneyev.
Taneyev is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Atunes can do to turn this around?
Atunes avoids the head kick by Taneyev.
Atunes tries a head kick but it misses.
Atunes finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Taneyev was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Atunes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
It seemed like Atunes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Taneyev is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Taneyev misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Atunes.
Atunes lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Taneyev takes the fight into the clinch.
Taneyev tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Taneyev tries to land a knee to the head but Atunes blocks with his arms.
Taneyev leaning against his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taneyev takes a shot to the head.
Atunes lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Atunes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Taneyev has a couple of punches blocked by Atunes.
Taneyev misses with the head strike.
Taneyev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Atunes's elbow.
Valentin Taneyev has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Taneyev tries to work over Atunes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Atunes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Taneyev throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Atunes tries a body shot but Taneyev blocks it.

Atunes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Taneyev has taken the fight to the clinch.

Atunes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Taneyev throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Atunes's head.
Valentin Taneyev is winning the standup battle so far.
Taneyev throws a combination that misses
and Atunes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Atunes thuds a left hand into Taneyev's body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
No joy there for Taneyev, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev throws an off balance right hand
and Atunes counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Atunes throws a low kick but it's checked well by Taneyev.
Taneyev with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Atunes takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Taneyev uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Atunes has time to react.
A slow jab from Atunes misses its intended target.
Taneyev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Atunes counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Atunes throws a jab but it's blocked by Taneyev.
Taneyev is looking to counter with head kicks.
Atunes throws a hook but Taneyev avoids it easily.
Taneyev missing with a left hand there. Atunes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Atunes slips a jab and a cross from Taneyev.
Taneyev tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Atunes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
It seemed like Atunes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Taneyev works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Jab from Taneyev.

Taneyev closes the distance and pushes Atunes back into the cage.
Taneyev lands with a light punch inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Atunes is keeping busy.
Taneyev swings wildly with an uppercut but Atunes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Taneyev misses with a body punch.
Taneyev goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Taneyev misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Atunes is trying to force a seperation but Taneyev has the dominant position.
Taneyev cracks Atunes with a nice body shot.
Atunes prevents a body shot from Taneyev.
Taneyev stalling.
Taneyev has a couple of punches blocked by Atunes.
Taneyev tries a body shot but Atunes blocks it.
A shot in the inside from Taneyev.
Good body shot from Taneyev.
Taneyev tries to throw a body punch but Atunes avoids it by throwing Taneyev back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Atunes's elbow.
Atunes can't find room to land a body shot as Taneyev controls the action.
Taneyev misses with a hook to the ribs.
Taneyev lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Atunes backwards.
Taneyev cracks Atunes with a nice body shot.
Taneyev working aggressively here.
Taneyev tries to throw a body punch but Atunes avoids it by throwing Taneyev back against the cage.
Taneyev working aggressively here.
Taneyev is leaning against Atunes and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Taneyev tries a body shot but Atunes blocks it.
Taneyev misses with a hook from the clinch.
Taneyev struggles to land a body shot inside as Atunes controls his hands.
Taneyev stalls.
Taneyev tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Valentin Taneyev dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Atunes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Taneyev tries to close the distance and clinch but Atunes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Taneyev has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Atunes.
Taneyev is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Atunes.
Atunes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Atunes dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Taneyev digs a good body shot into Atunes's ribs.
Taneyev throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Taneyev avoids the head kick by Atunes.
A jab lands there for Taneyev.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Atunes lets loose with a powerful body kick. Taneyev will feel that in the morning.
Taneyev misses with a looping left.
Taneyev scores with a nice right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Taneyev has Atunes up against the cage in a clinch.
Taneyev tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Atunes's elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Taneyev working aggressively here.
Taneyev fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Taneyev tries to work over Atunes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Atunes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Atunes wants to break the clinch but can't.

Atunes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
A head kick misses from Taneyev.
Atunes misses with a wild body shot.
Atunes punishes Taneyev's body with a nice straight punch.
Taneyev misses with a head kick.
It seemed like Atunes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Atunes swings away with a body shot that misses
and Taneyev counters with a nice uppercut.
Atunes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Atunes walks into a straight right hand from Taneyev.
Taneyev fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Atunes manages to avoid it.
Nice shot by Atunes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Atunes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Taneyev tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Atunes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Atunes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Taneyev wants to clinch up but Atunes keeps it at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Atunes blocks a head kick by Taneyev.
Taneyev waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Atunes.
Atunes appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Atunes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Taneyev manages to avoid it.
A decent looking cross lands there for Taneyev.
Atunes is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Taneyev rather than just go for the knockout.
Atunes throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Taneyev throws a head kick that misses.
Atunes throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Taneyev moves to clinch but Atunes breaks away
and Atunes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
A decent looking cross lands there for Taneyev.
Taneyev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Atunes slips a jab from Taneyev.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Taneyev defending well as Atunes loads up on a big left hand.
Atunes ducks under a wild hook from Taneyev.
Taneyev thows a left - swing and a miss!
Taneyev blocks a leg kick.
Taneyev blocks a head kick by Atunes.
Taneyev thinks about countering with a head kick.
Valentin Taneyev is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Atunes slips under a jab from Taneyev.
Atunes throws a body punch but Taneyev moves out of range.
Atunes feints and then cracks Taneyev's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Taneyev down.
Taneyev ducks under a wild hook from Atunes.
Taneyev looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Taneyev takes a swing at Atunes's ribcage but misses.
Taneyev throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Taneyev lands a nice shot to the body.
Taneyev throws a series of punches but Atunes moves out of range.
Atunes shapes to counter with a head kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Atunes. Taneyev does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Taneyev throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Atunes takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Taneyev throws a jab but it's blocked by Atunes.
Taneyev moves in looking to clinch but Atunes pushes him off.
Taneyev ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Atunes moves away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Taneyev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Atunes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Atunes takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Atunes misses with a lunging right hand
and Taneyev counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Taneyev closes the distance looking to clinch
and Atunes counters with a nice uppercut.
Atunes throws a shot to the body.
Atunes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Taneyev uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Atunes.
Taneyev avoids the head kick by Atunes.
Antonio Atunes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Taneyev tries to close the distance and clinch up but Atunes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Atunes swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.

And that's the end of the fight!
Valentin Taneyev showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Taneyev has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Valentin Taneyev!
A relieved looking Valentin Taneyev thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.