PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Van Rijn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Van Rijn comes to the cage accompanied by Francesco Zappalà - No Way Out. Vera comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Black Eyed Peas - Bebot kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Mike Van Rijn has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Van Rijn
vs
Vera

196 cm
28
221 lbs
12 - 7 - 0

191 cm
23
205 lbs
8 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Van Rijn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Vera!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Luis Engracia and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Vera instigates a clinch.
Van Rijn controlling the action here for a moment.
Vera avoiding damage as Van Rijn throws knees to the body.
Van Rijn trying to stall but Vera improves his position.
Van Rijn throws a knee to the head but misses.

Vera breaks the clinch.

Van Rijn rushes Vera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Van Rijn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Van Rijn looking to throw knees to the head but Vera is blocking nicely.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Van Rijn misses with a knee to the head.

Vera breaks from the clinch.

Van Rijn clinches up against the cage.
Vera unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Van Rijn throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vera blocks it with crossed arms.
Van Rijn is breathing heavily.
Vera scores with a nice hook to the head.
Van Rijn managing to block the knees to the body from Vera.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vera tries to land knees in the clinch but Van Rijn avoids the damage to the body.
Vera blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Vera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Van Rijn tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Van Rijn is trying to maintain a safe position but Vera gets an underhook and turns Van Rijn into the cage.
Vera lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Mike Van Rijn has been cut.
Vera is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Van Rijn with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vera displaying some good clinch control by pressing Van Rijn up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera missing with knees to the body.
Vera lands a shot to the body.
Van Rijn tries to land knees in the clinch but Vera avoids the damage to the body.
Vera unloads a knee to the mid-section. Van Rijn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

Vera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vera connects with an inside leg kick.
Vera cracks the inside of Van Rijn's front leg.

Vera gets a clinch.
Vera lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Van Rijn or not.
Vera scores a nice knee 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!

Vera manages to break the clinch.

Vera rushes Van Rijn and presses him up against the cage.
Van Rijn tries a knee to the head but Vera blocks it.

Vera manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Vera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Vera scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Vera shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Vera thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Van Rijn clinches with his opponent.

Vera breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Van Rijn has taken the fight to the clinch.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vera avoids it.
Vera throws an elbow that misses.
Van Rijn is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Vera manages to break the clinch.
Vera looks to land a body kick but Van Rijn moved away.

Vera rushes Van Rijn and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Van Rijn is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Vera with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vera lands an elbow that stopped Van Rijn in his tracks for a moment.
Van Rijn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vera avoiding damage as Van Rijn throws knees to the body.
Van Rijn looking to throw knees to the head but Vera is blocking nicely.
Vera wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Van Rijn is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vera is defending well for now.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vera avoids it.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Vera.
Vera is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Vera breaks the clinch.
Vera feints and then cracks Van Rijn's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Van Rijn down.
Vera lands a nice shot to the body.
Vera scores with a head kick. Van Rijn tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Vera connects with an inside leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A slapping leg kick lands for Vera.
A slapping leg kick lands for Vera.
Vera 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.
Van Rijn chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Vera can pounce on him.

Vera clinches up with Van Rijn and pushes him back against the cage.
Knees to the body from Vera.
Vera lands a good knee to the midsection. Van Rijn won't want to take too many of those.

Vera breaks from the clinch.

Vera clinches up with Van Rijn and pushes him back against the cage.
Vera with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Vera breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vera scores with a nice body kick.
Vera works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Mike Van Rijn's cut is getting worse.
Vera throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Van Rijn on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Vera. Vera obviously looking to wear him down.
Vera looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Vera misses with a head kick.
Vera misses with a combination

and Van Rijn moves into the clinch.

Vera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vera misses with a leg kick

and Van Rijn holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Van Rijn keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Vera's efforts to push away.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Vera takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Vera is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Vera has had enough of the clinch but Van Rijn keeps him there for the moment.
Vera is trying to maintain a safe position but Van Rijn gets an underhook and turns Vera into the cage.
Van Rijn lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Vera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mike Van Rijn's cut.
That's time! Van Rijn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Vera looks to throw a body kick

and Van Rijn counters by clinching up.
Van Rijn trying to land knees to the body.

Vera breaks the clinch.

Van Rijn moves into range and clinches up with Vera.
Vera misses with an elbow over the top.
Vera has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Vera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Vera clinches up with Van Rijn and pushes him back against the cage.
Van Rijn with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Van Rijn misses with a knee strike.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vera avoids it.
Vera avoiding damage as Van Rijn throws knees to the body.
Vera lands with a right to the head.

Vera escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Van Rijn takes a kick to the side of the head.

Van Rijn clinches up against the cage.
Van Rijn looking to throw knees to the head but Vera is blocking nicely.
Van Rijn wants to stall.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the head but Vera blocks with his arms.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the head but Vera blocks with his arms.
Vera throws a knee to the head but misses.

Vera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Vera has closed the distance and engaged Van Rijn in a clinch.
A hook to the body from Vera.
Van Rijn is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

Vera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vera throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Van Rijn counters by moving into the clinch.

Vera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vera connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A bone on bone clash there as Van Rijn blocks the leg kick.
Vera tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Vera feints and then cracks Van Rijn's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Van Rijn down.
Vera throws a head kick that Van Rijn semi-blocks.

Mike Van Rijn's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

Vera rushes Van Rijn and presses him up against the cage.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Vera trying to stall but Van Rijn improves his position.
Vera looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Vera is trying to force a seperation but Van Rijn has the dominant position.
Van Rijn connects with a nasty looking knee right to Vera's face.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vera avoids it.

Vera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Vera has Van Rijn up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Rijn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vera holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Van Rijn looking to throw knees to the head but Vera is blocking nicely.

Vera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Van Rijn gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Van Rijn has Vera pressed against the cage, preventing Vera from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Van Rijn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vera looks to throw an elbow but misses.
A frustrated look appears on Vera's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

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

Vera has closed the distance and engaged Van Rijn in a clinch.
Vera tries to stall but Van Rijn uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Vera looking to throw knees to the head but Van Rijn is blocking nicely.

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

Vera tries to keep at a distance but Van Rijn has taken the fight into the clinch.

Vera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera misses with a two punch combination.
Vera will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Van Rijn clinches.
Van Rijn looking to stall.
Vera misses with a knee strike.
Van Rijn throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Vera blocks it with crossed arms.
Vera managing to block the knees to the body from Van Rijn.
Van Rijn managing to block the knees to the body from Vera.
Vera lands a body shot in the clinch.
Vera utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Vera wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Vera is looking to break free of the clinch but Van Rijn has double underhooks.
Van Rijn is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Vera is keeping busy.
Vera throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Vera tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Van Rijn avoids it.
Van Rijn throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vera using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Van Rijn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Vera working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Van Rijn is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Vera is keeping busy.
Vera wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Van Rijn has him pressed against the cage.
Vera trying to land knees to the body.
Van Rijn keeps control of Vera as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Vera has had enough of the clinch but Van Rijn keeps him there for the moment.
Van Rijn misses with a knee strike.

Vera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Vera tries to keep at a distance but Van Rijn has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vera creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Vera can't break the clinch.
The referee is keeping an eye on Vera - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Vera is looking to break free of the clinch but Van Rijn has double underhooks.
Van Rijn lands a nice elbow.
Vera pushes Van Rijn back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vera has had enough of the clinch but Van Rijn keeps him there for the moment.
Van Rijn avoiding damage as Vera throws knees to the body.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vera wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Van Rijn using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Vera has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Van Rijn is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Vera is defending well for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Vera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Mike Van Rijn's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Vera attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

Van Rijn gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Vera connects with a nasty looking knee right to Van Rijn's face.
Vera throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vera lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Van Rijn or not.

Vera breaks the clinch.
Michael Vera seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vera throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Vera lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Vera feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Van Rijn's calf.
Vera fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Vera throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Van Rijn takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Van Rijn rushes Vera and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the head but Vera blocks with his arms.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Vera is trying to push Van Rijn away but Van Rijn has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A right hand to the body from Vera.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Vera as Van Rijn tries to tie him up.
Vera lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Vera.
Vera throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Van Rijn blocks it with crossed arms.
A knee to the head by Van Rijn.
Michael Vera seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Vera breaks from the clinch.
Vera throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vera throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Van Rijn counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Vera unloads a knee to the mid-section. Van Rijn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Vera wants to break free but Van Rijn has control.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Vera avoids it.
Van Rijn tries a knee to the head but Vera blocks it.
Van Rijn has Vera pressed against the cage, preventing Vera from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vera misses with a knee strike.
Vera lands a knee to the head.

Jeez, Mike Van Rijn's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Van Rijn takes a knee to the side of the body.
Van Rijn misses with a knee to the head.

Vera breaks the clinch.
Vera tries a head kick but it misses.

Van Rijn gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mike Van Rijn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Rijn trying to land knees to the body.

Vera breaks the clinch.
Vera dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Van Rijn. That did some damage!
Vera throws a leg kick that is checked

and Van Rijn counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Vera breaks from the clinch.
Vera connects with an inside leg kick.
Vera throws a front kick that sends Van Rijn stumbling back into the cage.
Vera wants to slow Van Rijn down by chopping away at his legs.

Vera moves into the clinch successfully.
Van Rijn misses with a knee to the head.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Vera takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Vera is looking to control Van Rijn's arms but Van Rijn gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vera has his back to the cage.
Vera misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Van Rijn.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Vera.
Van Rijn with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Vera breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Van Rijn blocks a head kick by Vera.

Van Rijn clinches with his opponent.
Vera connects with a knee to the head.

Vera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Vera tries a head kick but it misses.
Vera cracks the inside of Van Rijn's front leg.
Vera turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Van Rijn moves into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Van Rijn as Vera tries to tie him up.

Vera breaks the clinch.
Vera misses the shot to the body.
Vera misses with a leg kick

and Van Rijn counters by clinching up.
Van Rijn tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vera lands a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vera wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Van Rijn has him pressed against the cage.
Vera tries to circle away but Van Rijn has him pinned against the cage.

Vera's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Van Rijn darts in and clinches Vera up against the cage.
Van Rijn throws an elbow that misses.
Van Rijn looking to throw knees to the head but Vera is blocking nicely.

Vera pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters circling a little - Vera finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Vera shoots in looking for a takedown but Van Rijn manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Vera's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Vera delivers a nice body kick.
Vera fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Van Rijn checks it well.
Vera fakes the leg kick and cracks Van Rijn in the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vera misses with a looping left.
Vera throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Van Rijn 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.

Vera has closed the distance and engaged Van Rijn in a clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Vera comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Vera 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Vera!