PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alphonzo Mirage (ranked 2193 p4p, 2764 weight class) and Vaai Finau (ranked 285 p4p, 359 weight class). Vaai Finau has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Mirage
vs
Finau

191 cm
41
212
34 - 24 - 0

196 cm
32
220
10 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 34 - 24 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alphonzo Mirage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vaai Finau!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, John Mangel and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Finau throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mirage moves out of range as Finau strikes.
Finau throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Finau lands with a shot to the body.
Mirage throws a jab when Finau was well out of range.
Mirage swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Finau blocks a jab.
No joy there for Mirage, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Finau swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mirage throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Finau to counter with a crisp jab.
Mirage slips under a jab from Finau.
Mirage slips under a jab.
Mirage throws a low kick but Finau avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finau thuds a left hand into Mirage's body.
Mirage misses with a hook. Finau ducked under it nicely.
Finau throws a leg kick which misses Mirage's front leg but catches the back leg as Mirage tries to avoid it.
Finau dips to his left and cracks Mirage with an uppercut!
Mirage ducks right into an uppercut from Finau.
Finau takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Finau slips under a jab.
Mirage fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Finau has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Mirage throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Finau connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
The fighters circling - Mirage throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Finau swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mirage throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Finau. Mirage does a little dance to reset his feet.
Finau throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A little feinted left hand from Mirage on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Finau has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Finau lands with a nice combination. Mirage backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Alphonzo Mirage has been cut.
Mirage throws a poor cross that misses
and Finau counters with a stiff right hand.
Finau cracks Mirage with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.

Mirage ducks straight into an uppercut from Finau and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Mirage manages to regain guard straight away.

Mirage is rocked!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Finau seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Oh Mirage is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Finau's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Mirage seems to have got his legs back now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mirage is looking for a triangle but Finau pushes his legs off easily.
Finau is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mirage has control of Finau's left arm, preventing Finau from doing any damage.
Finau slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Alphonzo Mirage seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Finau throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Mirage counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mirage fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Finau has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mirage scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Finau ducks under a wild hook from Mirage.
Mirage throws a body punch but Finau moves out of range.
Mirage moves out of range of the strikes.
Finau uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Mirage.
Finau drops his hands momentarily and Mirage takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Finau defending well as Mirage loads up on a big left hand.
Mirage moves out of range of the body kick.
Mirage throws a head kick but Finau moves out of range.
A big left from Mirage misses.
Mirage looks to land a left hand but Finau moved out of range nicely.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Vaai Finau dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Alphonzo Mirage's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Mirage moves out of range of the strikes.
Finau throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Finau is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Mirage.
Mirage wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Finau misses with a right hand
and Mirage counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Finau moves out of range as Mirage strikes.
Finau swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Finau might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Finau just misses with a punch to the body.
Mirage appears to be looking for a big counter.
Mirage throws an overhand right that lands on Finau's shoulder, as Finau tries to avoid the shot.
Mirage looks to land a left hand but Finau moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mirage throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Finau looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Finau throws a half hearted mid kick.
A swing and a miss from Mirage.
A little jabbing left from Finau on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finau staying out of range there.
Finau avoids the body shot from Mirage.
Finau has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mirage pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Mirage scores with a sloppy right hand. Finau should have avoided that one.

It looks like Vaai Finau has been cut.
A jab from Finau does it's job there.
Finau throws the kick towards the body but Mirage avoids it.
A combination from Mirage does no damage.
Mirage takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Mirage gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Mirage takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mirage misses with an uppercut. Finau saw that one coming.
Mirage throws a low kick but Finau moves out of range easily.
Finau moves out of range of the strikes.
Mirage misses with an uppercut
and Finau counters with a thumping low kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mirage looks to score with a jab to the body but Finau is just out of range.
Mirage swings widly with a right hand
and Finau counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mirage connects with a looping right hand.
Mirage misses with a body kick.
It seemed like Finau was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mirage needs to keep his hands up - Finau had a free shot at his head there.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Finau, as that shot connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mirage tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Finau was well out of range. Poor timing from Mirage.
Mirage misses with a hook

and Finau counters with a beautiful punch that sends Mirage to the canvas!
Finau is stalling in the full guard.
Let's hope that Finau 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finau pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mirage is keeping the position for now.
Finau controlling from the top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Finau jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Mirage bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Mirage scores with a nice strike.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The fighters circling - Mirage throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A decent looking cross lands there for Finau.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Vaai Finau showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. And we move into the final round!

Mirage takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Mirage drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Mirage misses with a right hand
letting Finau counter with a right hand.
Mirage throws a good cross that connects.
Mirage throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
It seemed like Finau was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Mirage throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Finau stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Mirage darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Mirage seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mirage tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Mirage is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A nice inside leg kick there by Mirage. That's going to slow Finau down.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Finau fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mirage thows a left - swing and a miss!
Finau throws out a counter right but Mirage avoids it with no problem.
Finau feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Mirages jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Mirage lands a nice hook to Finau's body. Finau takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Finau misses with a looping left.
A punch lands to the side of Mirage 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Mirage uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Finau.
Mirage misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Finau looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Good standup being displayed there by Finau as he connects with a hook.
Vaai Finau is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mirage takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Finau fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Mirage looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Finau misses with a straight left.
Mirage looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Mirage misses with a hook. Finau ducked under it nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Finau throws a hook but Mirage avoids it easily.
Mirage looks to throw the jab but Finau is out of range.
Finau swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Mirage swings for the body but Finau moves out of range.
A big right from Finau misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Mirage misses the target.
Finau scores with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finau scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Mirage steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Finau.
Finau misses with a hook
and Mirage counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Mirage misses with an uppercut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Mirage. Finau does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little jabbing left from Finau on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Mirage thows a left - swing and a miss!
Vaai Finau seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Finau throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Mirage takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Mirage lands with an uppercut that bounces Finau off the cage and back into range.
Finau smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finau scores with a nice head shot.
Mirage throws a right hand that misses
and Finau counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Finau smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Mirage drops his hands momentarily and Finau takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Nice body punch from Mirage.
A telegraphed right hand from Mirage misses the target.
Mirage throws a big shot that misses.
Finau appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Mirage throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Mirage misses with a left hand
and Finau counters with a three punch combo that has Mirage backing up. Mirage nods at Finau to acknowledge the strikes.
Alphonzo Mirage has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mirage ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Finau moves away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Vaai Finau comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Finau has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 27:30

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