PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Finnish Tax Payer (ranked 484 p4p, 324 weight class) and Nacho Varga (ranked 55 p4p, 37 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Tax Payer
vs
Varga

176 cm
28
149
13 - 4 - 0

180 cm
30
145
19 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

FF Gear

Brooklyn Apothecary
SynCity Fightwear

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 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Finnish Tax Payer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nacho Varga!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Donald Grub and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tax Payer scores with a jab to the head.

It looks like Nacho Varga has been cut.
Varga is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Tax Payer sizes up Varga with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Varga is rocked!
Varga moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Varga is still on wobbly legs! Can Tax Payer finish him?
Varga avoids the head kick by Tax Payer.
Varga throws out a counter right but Tax Payer avoids it with no problem.
Varga seems to have recovered his senses.
Tax Payer throws a leg kick
enabling Varga to counter with a crisp jab.
Varga misses the shot to the body.

Varga lands a high kick to the side of Tax Payer's head that stuns him and send him tumbling down to the canvas! Varga dives into guard, looking to finish.

Tax Payer is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Varga sitting in guard here, content to control.
Oh Tax Payer is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Let's hope that Varga has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Tax Payer wants to get back to his feet but Varga is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Varga controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Tax Payer seems to have got his legs back now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tax Payer is looking to stand back up but Varga counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Tax Payer.
Tax Payer looks like he's trying to stand up.
Varga not doing much here.
Varga prevents Tax Payer from standing back up.
Varga is taking a breather. Tax Payer says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Varga is looking to advance position but Tax Payer won't allow it.

Tax Payer pushes Varga off and gets back to his feet.
Nice body kick from Varga.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tax Payer is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Varga.
A countering left hand to the body from Varga misses.
Tax Payer thows a leg kick but Varga checks it
letting Varga counter with a right hand.

A big head kick from Varga and Tax Payer is sent sprawling to the canvas!
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!
Varga trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Tax Payer wants to stand and escape but Varga is having none of it.

Varga gets to his feet - Tax Payer follows without any prompting.
Varga steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Tax Payer.
Tax Payer moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromVarga.
Varga swings for the body but Tax Payer moves out of range.
Tax Payer misses with a looping right.
Varga flicks out a counter leg kick but Tax Payer steps away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Varga has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Varga there as he acknowledges the shot.
Varga throws a body kick that misses
and Tax Payer counters with a straight right hand.
Varga moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Tax Payer lands with a good body shot.
Tax Payer swings for the body but Varga moves out of range.
Tax Payer throws a lazy uppercut
and Varga counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Tax Payer lands with a hook. Varga tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Tax Payer attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Varga just misses with a punch to the body.
Varga jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Varga is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Tax Payer rather than just go for the knockout.
Varga drops his hands momentarily and Tax Payer takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Varga is looking to slow Tax Payer down with leg kicks.
Varga throws the kick towards the body but Tax Payer avoids it.
Tax Payer bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Tax Payer punishes Varga's body with a nice straight punch.
Tax Payer throws a leg kick which misses Varga's front leg but catches the back leg as Varga tries to avoid it.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nacho Varga dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Nacho Varga's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Tax Payer feints a jab promting Varga to slip. Tax Payer then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Varga slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Tax Payer uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Varga.
Tax Payer avoids the body shot from Varga.
Tax Payer throws a shot from downtown. Varga moves away and avoids it.

Tax Payer drops Varga with a beautiful combination! Varga stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Tax Payer is looking for the KO!
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!
Tax Payer throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Varga counters with a body kick.
Varga takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Varga blocks a head kick by Tax Payer.
Tax Payer keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varga throws a body punch but Tax Payer moves out of range.
Varga ducks under a wild hook from Tax Payer.
A lazy left from Varga finds it's target.
Varga moves out of range of the strikes.
Varga looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Nice uppercut there from Varga.
Tax Payer looks to score with a jab to the body but Varga is just out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Varga. Tax Payer does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tax Payer is looking to counter punch.
Nacho Varga seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Varga throws a hook but Tax Payer blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tax Payer uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Varga.
Tax Payer misses with a low kick.
Varga throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Tax Payer to counter with a crisp jab.
A combination from Varga does no damage.
Tax Payer scores with a jab to the head.
Varga looking to land some kicks to the body here.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tax Payer looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Varga let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Varga throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Tax Payer takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Varga takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Varga throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Varga scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Tax Payer looks to land a left hand but Varga moved out of range nicely.
Varga keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tax Payer works Varga's body with a nice hook.
Tax Payer misses with a straight left.
Finnish Tax Payer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tax Payer misses with a looping right.
Tax Payer lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd cheers as Tax Payer lands an impressive looking overhand right. Varga doesn't seem phased though.
Tax Payer avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tax Payer looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Tax Payer fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Finnish Tax Payer dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Nacho Varga's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A swing and a miss from Tax Payer.
Varga throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Tax Payer to counter with a crisp jab.
Tax Payer jabs Varga right on the nose. Varga blinks but takes it well.
Varga punishes Tax Payer's body with a nice straight punch.
Tax Payer chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Varga can pounce on him.
Tax Payer misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Varga counters with an inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Varga walks into a stiff left hand from Tax Payer.
Varga on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Varga looks to throw the jab but Tax Payer is out of range.
Varga walks into a straight right hand from Tax Payer.
Tax Payer takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Tax Payer rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Varga counters with a nice uppercut.
Varga dodges the punch combination from Tax Payer.
Tax Payer swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Tax Payer pushes Varga up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tax Payer misses with some punches.
Varga lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Varga 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.

Tax Payer breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A big right from Tax Payer misses.
Varga is trying to counter with his kicks.
A punch lands to the side of Varga 's head but he takes it in his stride.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Varga lets loose with a powerful body kick. Tax Payer will feel that in the morning.
Varga jabs at Tax Payer's body.
Nice shot by Tax Payer.
It looks like Tax Payer has been trying to sharpen up his punching technique, as it looks crisper than last time we saw him.
Varga moves out of range of the strikes.
Varga has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Tax Payer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tax Payer on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Varga pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Tax Payer was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Tax Payer throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Varga sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Varga now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Tax Payer looks to land a combination but Varga avoids it well.
Tax Payer throws a leg kick
and Varga counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tax Payer wants to clinch up but Varga keeps it at a distance.
Varga replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Tax Payer blocks it well.
Nice shot lands for Tax Payer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Varga misses with a body shot.
Tax Payer does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Tax Payer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Good shot there by Tax Payer.
Tax Payer scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Varga has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Tax Payer scores with a hook.
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!

Varga knocks Tax Payer to the floor with a head kick! Can he finish him!?

Tax Payer sneaks out the side door and pushes Varga away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Tax Payer fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

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 Finnish Tax Payer.
I think Tax Payer 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finnish Tax Payer!
During a confident post fight interview, Finnish Tax Payer thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.