PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Vasconcelos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tim Finnegan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Vasconcelos
vs
Finnegan

182 cm
19
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

189 cm
22
194 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rafael Vasconcelos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tim Finnegan!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vasconcelos misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Vasconcelos shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Finnegan manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Vasconcelos stands and steps away. Finnegan gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Finnegan displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Vasconcelos throws out the jab.
Vasconcelos swinging wilding here.
Vasconcelos tries to bum rush Finnegan with a series of wild strikes but Finnegan uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Finnegan avoids the head kick by Vasconcelos.
Finnegan takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Finnegan.
Finnegan controls the position.
Vasconcelos pushes Finnegan away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Finnegan gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Finnegan is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Vasconcelos will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vasconcelos is pushing Finnegan's head away, looking to escape. Finnegan manages to hold on to the position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finnegan controls the position.
Vasconcelos is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Finnegan is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Vasconcelos will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Vasconcelos is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Finnegan has just dragged him back down to the mat.
A lull in the action here as Finnegan stalls from top position.
Vasconcelos prevents Finnegan from moving into mount.
Finnegan is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Vasconcelos's shoulder. That is not cool.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Despite being in the dominant position, Tim Finnegan just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vasconcelos uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Finnegan has time to react.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Vasconcelos misses with a few strikes there.
Vasconcelos connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Vasconcelos throws a big shot that misses.
Vasconcelos scores with a nice right hand.
Vasconcelos cracks the inside of Finnegan's front leg.
Finnegan takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Vasconcelos looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Vasconcelos throws a series of punches but Finnegan avoids them all with ease.
Vasconcelos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Finnegan moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Some wild striking there from Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos throws a jab when Finnegan was well out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos lands with a thumping leg kick.
Finnegan keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Finnegan checks the leg kick nicely there.
Vasconcelos buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Finnegan slips under a jab from Vasconcelos.
Finnegan blocks a jab.
Finnegan stuffs the takedown attempt from Vasconcelos. Vasconcelos gets slowly back to his feet.
Vasconcelos scores with a jab. Finnegan acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Finnegan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Finnegan takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finnegan shoots in for a takedown but Vasconcelos shows good takedown defense.

Finnegan changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Vasconcelos looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Finnegan looks gassed!
Vasconcelos wants to get back to his feet but Finnegan drags him back down.
Vasconcelos is trying to control Finnegan's posture but Finnegan avoids it.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Finnegan has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Vasconcelos!
Vasconcelos is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Finnegan content just to control the position here.
Vasconcelos squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Vasconcelos dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Vasconcelos fails in his attempt to clinch.
Rafael Vasconcelos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vasconcelos connects with a nice looking jab.
Vasconcelos bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Vasconcelos throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Finnegan uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos wants to clinch up but Finnegan keeps it at a distance.
Vasconcelos cracks Finnegan with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Finnegan checks the leg kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos misses with a double jab.
Vasconcelos scores with a decent looking hook.
Finnegan takes a jab right on the kisser.
Finnegan tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finnegan ducks under a wild hook from Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos is looking to chop away at Finnegan's legs.
Finnegan steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vasconcelos.
Finnegan looks for a takedown but Vasconcelos sprawls well.
Finnegan looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A punch combination from Vasconcelos misses.
Finnegan takes one to the side of the head.
Rafael Vasconcelos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
The crowd cheers as Vasconcelos lands an impressive looking overhand right. Finnegan doesn't seem phased though.
Finnegan moves out of range of the strikes.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Finnegan is defended easily by Vasconcelos.
Finnegan avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finnegan swats away the attempt to clinch by Vasconcelos.
Nice straight punches there by Vasconcelos. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Vasconcelos.
Rafael Vasconcelos is winning the standup battle so far.
Finnegan takes a jab right on the kisser.
Vasconcelos pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Vasconcelos looks to land a right hand but Finnegan moved out of range.
Vasconcelos dives in and grabs Finnegan's left leg, looking for a takedown. Finnegan pushes down on Vasconcelos's head and hops out.
Vasconcelos looks to land a right hand but Finnegan moved out of range.
A nice leg kick lands there from Vasconcelos.
Finnegan misses with a takedown attempt - Vasconcelos sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Rafael Vasconcelos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Finnegan.
Finnegan uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Vasconcelos.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finnegan is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Vasconcelos.

It looks like Tim Finnegan has been cut.
Vasconcelos tried to score with a low kick but Finnegan checks it.
Finnegan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Vasconcelos throws a nice looking combination but Finnegan bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Vasconcelos shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Finnegan is breathing heavily.
Vasconcelos lands with a punch from half guard.
Finnegan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos tries to stand and escape but Finnegan is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vasconcelos wants to stand but Finnegan has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Vasconcelos is controlling the pace.
Finnegan keeping hold of Vasconcelos's head, controlling as best he can.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vasconcelos is looking to take a break and control but Finnegan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Vasconcelos dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Tim Finnegan's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Finnegan tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
A slapping leg kick lands for Vasconcelos.
Vasconcelos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vasconcelos fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Finnegan.
A left and a right from Vasconcelos both land. Nice combination.
Vasconcelos lands a nice looking kick to the body. Finnegan takes a step back to recover.
Vasconcelos moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Vasconcelos drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Vasconcelos in side control, throwing shots but Finnegan defends.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasconcelos is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Finnegan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Vasconcelos is looking to take a break and control but Finnegan is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Vasconcelos stands up.
Vasconcelos jabs Finnegan right on the nose. Finnegan blinks but takes it well.
Vasconcelos looks to land a left hand but Finnegan moved out of range nicely.
Tim Finnegan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos with a jab.
Vasconcelos tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Finnegan fails with the takedown
and Vasconcelos cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Vasconcelos darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Finnegan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Vasconcelos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vasconcelos not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vasconcelos tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Finnegan is refusing to be controlled, as Vasconcelos sits in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasconcelos wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Finnegan uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Vasconcelos wants to get up but he can't break Finnegan's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Finnegan is looking to stand up but Vasconcelos isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vasconcelos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Finnegan's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
A solid leg kick lands there for Vasconcelos.
Finnegan fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Donk. Vasconcelos catches Finnegan right on the button with a cross.

Vasconcelos looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Vasconcelos decides to return to a standing position.
Rafael Vasconcelos is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Good leg kick by Vasconcelos there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vasconcelos lands a slapping body shot.

Vasconcelos scores with a takedown into Finnegan's guard.

Vasconcelos stands up from guard. Let's bang!

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Vasconcelos showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Vasconcelos 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:25
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:25
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:25

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Vasconcelos!