PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Saúl Tacoronte (ranked 1431 p4p, 3191 weight class) and Vaai Finau (ranked 196 p4p, 397 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Tacoronte
vs
Finau

190 cm
39
208
22 - 16 - 2

196 cm
33
220
11 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

Bondi MMA 🏝️
HELLBENT

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 22 - 16 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Saúl Tacoronte!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vaai Finau!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Bruno Hogan and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Finau misses with the body kick
letting Tacoronte counter with a right hand.

It looks like Vaai Finau has been cut.
Finau uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tacoronte.
Finau lands a nice hook to Tacoronte's body. Tacoronte takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Tacoronte misses the jab.
Tacoronte throws a shot from downtown. Finau moves away and avoids it.
Finau loads up on a big right hand but Tacoronte slips the punch.
Tacoronte throws the left hand but Finau avoids the punch easily.
A solid leg kick lands there for Tacoronte.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tacoronte ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Finau missing with a left hand there. Tacoronte was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tacoronte fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Finau manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finau throws out a powerful jab.
Finau throws a nice outside leg kick.
Finau throws the left hand but Tacoronte avoids the punch easily.
Nice jab there from Finau.
A leg kick checked by Finau.
It seemed like Finau was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Finau looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Tacoronte sizes up Finau with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Tacoronte connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Jab by Finau.
Finau avoids the body shot from Tacoronte.
Tacoronte slips a straight right by Finau.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Finau throws an overhand right that lands on Tacoronte's shoulder, as Tacoronte tries to avoid the shot.
Finau swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Finau throws out a loose jab but Tacoronte uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tacoronte looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Tacoronte throws a wild body kick that Finau sees coming a mile off.
It seemed like Finau was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A swing and a miss from Tacoronte.
Finau takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Tacoronte connects with an inside leg kick.
Tacoronte misses with a lunging right hand
and Tacoronte takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A punch lands to the side of Tacoronte 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Tacoronte defending well as Finau loads up on a big left hand.
Saúl Tacoronte seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tacoronte throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
A low kick from Tacoronte is predictable there
and Finau counters with a straight right hand.
Finau rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tacoronte counters with a thumping low kick.
Finau ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Tacoronte moves away.
Tacoronte throwing a counter right hand but Finau manages to avoid it.
Crunch! Tacoronte slams his shin into Finau's torso.
Nice defenses there by Finau.
Finau lands an overhand right.
Tacoronte throws a poor cross that misses
and Finau counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Tacoronte takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Tacoronte throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finau wants to slow Tacoronte down by chopping away at his legs.
Tacoronte cracks Finau with an open hand slap.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tacoronte pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Tacoronte uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Finau.
Tacoronte misses with a looping right.
Finau blocks the body kick.
Finau looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Tacoronte missing with a left hand there. Finau was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Tacoronte swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Finau misses with a straight left.
An attempted straight right counter from Tacoronte misses the target.
Finau drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Saúl Tacoronte will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vaai Finau's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Finau with the inside leg kick.
Tacoronte throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tacoronte looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Tacoronte is looking to slow Finau down with leg kicks.
Finau throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Tacoronte lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Tacoronte's corner calls for a 1-2. Tacoronte obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big left from Finau misses.
Finau blocks a jab.
Finau ducks under a wild hook from Tacoronte.
Tacoronte throws the kick towards the body but Finau avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tacoronte fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Finau manages to avoid it.
Tacoronte misses with a body shot.
Tacoronte keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Finau.
Tacoronte staying out of range there.
Finau slips a straight right by Tacoronte.
Tacoronte throws a push kick but Finau slaps the foot to one side.
Tacoronte blocks a jab.
Finau connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Finau misses with an uppercut. Tacoronte saw that one coming.
Finau chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tacoronte can pounce on him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Finau finds it's way through Tacoronte's defenses.
A big right from Finau misses.
It looked like Tacoronte was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Finau.
Finau throws the left hand but Tacoronte avoids the punch easily.
Finau throws a shot from downtown. Tacoronte moves away and avoids it.
An attempted straight right counter from Tacoronte misses the target.
Tacoronte tests Finau's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Finau misses with a hook.
Tacoronte lands a glancing blow to the side of Finau's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tacoronte throws a right hand that misses
and Finau counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Finau chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Tacoronte can pounce on him.
Finau moves out of range as Tacoronte throws a body kick.
Finau counters with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tacoronte swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Tacoronte misses with a hook
and Finau counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Tacoronte misses with a body shot.
Tacoronte connects with a good right hand that stumbles Finau. Finau circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Tacoronte turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tacoronte lands a nice shot to the body.
Finau connects with the punch.
Saúl Tacoronte is winning the standup battle so far.
Tacoronte looks to land a left hand but Finau moved out of range nicely.
Tacoronte ducks under a wild hook from Finau.
Tacoronte thinks about countering with a head kick.
Finau throws a hook but Tacoronte avoids it easily.
Tacoronte is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tacoronte connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That has opened up Vaai Finau's cut even more.
Tacoronte throws a chopping leg kick but Finau manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Nice defenses there by Tacoronte.
Tacoronte scores with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Finau throws a sloppy body shot
and Tacoronte counters with an outside leg kick.
Tacoronte thows a left - swing and a miss!
Tacoronte comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Finau's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Finau throws a hook but Tacoronte avoids it easily.
Tacoronte throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Finau might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Tacoronte has got the better of the exchanges.
Tacoronte misses with a right hand
enabling Finau to counter with a crisp jab.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Saúl Tacoronte dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Vaai Finau's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Finau throws an off balance right hand
and Tacoronte counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Finau rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Tacoronte counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Finau is rocked!
Tacoronte slips a jab from Finau.
Finau is still on wobbly legs! Can Tacoronte finish him?
Finau misses with a straight right.
Tacoronte moves out of range of the body kick from Finau.
Finau misses with a lunging right hand
and Finau takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Finau gets clipped by a big right hand and goes down spinning to the canvas! Tacoronte gets the back mount and begins to drop bombs on his rocked foe! Finau is too out of it to defend against the strikes and the referee jumps in to save him from the beatdown!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Saúl Tacoronte!
Our winner, Saúl Tacoronte, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.