PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nikola Veljanovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikola Veljanovski has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Veljanovski
vs
Almeida

182 cm
25
234 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

196 cm
24
238 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikola Veljanovski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricardo Almeida!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Donald Grub and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Almeida checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Veljanovski connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Veljanovski tries to bum rush Almeida with a series of wild strikes but Almeida uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Veljanovski moves into range and clinches up with Almeida.
Almeida is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Veljanovski to keep the fight standing.
Almeida is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Veljanovski is keeping busy.
Veljanovski slowing the pace effectively.
Almeida jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Veljanovski walks away with a smile on his face. Almeida gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Veljanovski tries to clinch but Almeida is having none of it.
Almeida avoids a punch combination nicely.
Veljanovski swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida ducks under a wild hook from Veljanovski.
Veljanovski wants to clinch up but Almeida keeps it at a distance.

Veljanovski forces Almeida back against the cage and clinches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Veljanovski.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch.
Veljanovski fails with an attempt to clinch.
Almeida keeps the fight on the outside.

Veljanovski rushes Almeida and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Veljanovski is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Veljanovski throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Veljanovski escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Veljanovski throws a right and a left that both miss.

Veljanovski gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Veljanovski swings wildly with an uppercut but Almeida uses good head movement to avoid it.
Veljanovski has a couple of punches blocked by Almeida.
Veljanovski is pressed up against the cage. Almeida has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Veljanovski down to the mat. Veljanovski avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nikola Veljanovski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Almeida.

Veljanovski moves into the clinch.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Veljanovski fails in his attempt to clinch.
Veljanovski doesn't manage to clinch there - Almeida circles away.
Veljanovski thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch.

Veljanovski drives through and clinches with Almeida against the cage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Veljanovski.
Almeida fails to pull guard.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch.
Veljanovski throws a hook to the side of Almeida's head but Almeida sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Almeida swats away the attempt to clinch by Veljanovski.

Veljanovski gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veljanovski throws a head punch that misses.
Almeida blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Veljanovski has Almeida pushed against the cage.
Almeida is trying to stall.

Veljanovski breaks from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Veljanovski tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A big left from Veljanovski misses.
Almeida circles away from the clinch attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Veljanovski swinging wildly here.
Veljanovski tries to clinch there but Almeida circles away.
Veljanovski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Veljanovski wants to clinch.
Veljanovski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Veljanovski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Almeida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veljanovski tries to clinch up but Almeida circles away and keeps his distance.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch but Almeida swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Veljanovski doesn't manage to clinch there - Almeida circles away.
Nikola Veljanovski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Veljanovski clinches.
Almeida blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Almeida blocks an uppercut.

Veljanovski manages to break the clinch.
Veljanovski tries to clinch but Almeida is having none of it.
Almeida circles away from the clinch attempt.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch but Almeida is avoiding it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Veljanovski closes the distance and clinches.
Veljanovski controlling the action here for a moment.
Almeida fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Veljanovski fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Veljanovski takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Veljanovski blocks an uppercut.
Veljanovski fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Almeida has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Veljanovski is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Veljanovski has Almeida pushed against the cage.
Almeida blocking some punches.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Almeida tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Nikola Veljanovski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Almeida.
Almeida is trying to pull guard but Veljanovski has him pressed against the cage.
Veljanovski has a couple of punches blocked by Almeida.
Come on Veljanovski - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Veljanovski gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Veljanovski escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Veljanovski lands with a right hand.
Veljanovski lands a jab to the nose.
Veljanovski doesn't manage to clinch there - Almeida circles away.
Veljanovski fails with an attempt to clinch.
Almeida avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Veljanovski throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Veljanovski wants to clinch up but Almeida keeps it at a distance.

Veljanovski clinches up against the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Veljanovski escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikola Veljanovski dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Veljanovski throws a right and a left that both miss.
Veljanovski fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Veljanovski has managed to clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Veljanovski.
Veljanovski has Almeida pressed against the cage.
Almeida blocks an uppercut.
A short uppercut from Veljanovski.
Almeida tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Veljanovski just stands there and leans against the cage.
Veljanovski has Almeida pressed against the cage.

Veljanovski breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veljanovski doesn't manage to clinch there - Almeida circles away.

Veljanovski has managed to clinch.
Almeida wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Almeida letting Veljanovski take a breather here.
Almeida drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Veljanovski pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Veljanovski throws a knee to the head but misses.
Almeida goes for a takedown in the clinch but Veljanovski prevents it.
Nikola Veljanovski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricardo Almeida.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Veljanovski.
Almeida wants to break free but Veljanovski has control.
Veljanovski avoiding damage.
Almeida tries to score a body lock takedown but Veljanovski shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Veljanovski lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Almeida wants to break free but Veljanovski has control.
Veljanovski slowing the pace effectively.
Veljanovski misses with a knee strike.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Veljanovski has a couple of punches blocked by Almeida.
Almeida has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Veljanovski avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Nikola Veljanovski has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Veljanovski has a couple of punches blocked by Almeida.
Veljanovski tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Almeida tries to break the clinch but Veljanovski is controlling the position.
Almeida tries to score a body lock takedown but Veljanovski shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Veljanovski slowing the pace effectively.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch but Almeida is avoiding it.

Veljanovski closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Veljanovski lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

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

Veljanovski closes the distance and clinches.
Almeida is looking for a takedown.
Veljanovski taking a breather.
Veljanovski misses with a knee to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Almeida blocking some punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikola Veljanovski showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Veljanovski 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikola Veljanovski!