PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Travis Hunter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and mitsi fili (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Hunter
vs
fili

170 cm
23
135 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

180 cm
24
140 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Travis Hunter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, mitsi fili!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Illya Tyunina and Igor Prikhodko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sloppy strikes from fili. Those never looked like landing.
Hunter throws a hook to the side of fili's head but fili sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
fili swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
fili misses the shot to the body.
Good standup being displayed there by fili as he connects with a hook.
fili shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hunter eats them both and turns towards fili to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
fili is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hunter.
Hunter avoids a punch combination nicely.
Good work by fili as he checks the leg kick.
fili connects with a high kick.
Hunter uses good head movement to avoid the hook from fili.

fili gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hunter has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
fili is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Hunter gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hunter thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed fili's head.
Hunter works his way into full mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunter throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Hunter throwing strikes here but fili is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Hunter throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
A nice elbow there by Hunter.
fili wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Hunter.

Hunter goes for an armbar but fili turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from fili.

Hunter has his foot on fili's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. fili works his way back into a safe position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunter wants to sweep here but fili controlling him for the moment.
Hunter is working hard here to advance position.

fili got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hunter has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, fili has managed to get both his arms back between Hunter's legs - danger averted.
fili preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hunter has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but fili can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Hunter has an active guard here but fili has managed to pass into half guard.
fili prevents Hunter from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
fili seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hunter does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hunter gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hunter looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
fili controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hunter looking to hit a scissor sweep but fili is one step ahead there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Travis Hunter will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

The fighters circling - Hunter throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hunter doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Hunter displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as fili throws out the jab.
fili thows a left - swing and a miss!
Nice defenses there by Hunter.
fili connects with a looping right hand.
Hunter takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
fili looks to land a right hand but Hunter moved out of range.

Hunter darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
fili is looking for a sweep. Hunter is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
fili is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hunter thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed fili's head.
Hunter not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunter uses his free foot to push down on fili's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for fili.
fili wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Hunter.
fili blocking the ground and pound.
fili manages to work a leg through to get back to half guard here. Good work there by fili, under a barage of strikes from Hunter.
Hunter wants to pass the guard but fili is defending well.

Hunter looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Hunter is sneakily working for an arm triangle but fili sees it coming and defends easily.

Hunter wants to work for an arm triangle but fili is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Hunter wants to work for an arm triangle but fili is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hunter is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunter throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Hunter jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… fili is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by fili and Hunter has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
An elbow from Hunter crashes against the mat.
Hunter tries to advance to mount but fili denies him.
Hunter has knee on belly momentarily but fili bucks him off and regains half guard.
fili gets back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hunter has gone for a leg lock! fili slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hunter's guard.
Hunter wants to sweep but no luck.
Hunter has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Hunter working for submissions but it's allowed fili to get to half guard.

Hunter looking for subs from the bottom but fili mounts him!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Travis Hunter will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hunter keeps the fight on the outside.
fili throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Hunter takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
fili misses with a few strikes there.
fili throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hunter sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hunter uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from fili.
Travis Hunter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hunter uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from fili.
fili waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hunter.
fili misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hunter.
mitsi fili seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hunter throws a front kick aimed at fili's knee but fili avoids it well.
fili lands a head shot.
A swing and a miss from fili.
Hunter throws a combination but it was largely blocked by fili.
fili tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
fili is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hunter.
fili punishes Hunter's body with a nice straight punch.
fili fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hunter manages to avoid it.
fili takes a swing at Hunter's ribcage but misses.
Hunter lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but fili circles away quickly and effectively.
fili throws a hook but Hunter avoids it easily.
fili misses with a straight left.
fili tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hunter was well out of range. Poor timing from fili.
A big left from Hunter misses.
fili lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
A looping hook to the body misses from fili. Hunter does a little dance to reset his feet.
fili changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Hunter avoids the body shot from fili.
fili misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hunter.
Travis Hunter is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
fili misses with a body shot.
Hunter just misses with a punch to the body.

Hunter shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
fili really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hunter takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Travis Hunter wasn't doing enough on the ground.
fili looks to land a right hand but Hunter moved out of range.
fili swings and misses with a shot to the body
and fili takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
fili tries to clinch
and Hunter counters with a straight right hand.

Hunter gets the takedown into side control.
Hunter is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
fili tries to bench press Hunter off him but Hunter keeps the position.
Hunter is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt fili will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Travis Hunter has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
fili scores with a jab to the head.
fili throws a shot from downtown. Hunter moves away and avoids it.
mitsi fili has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Donk. fili catches Hunter right on the button with a cross.

And that's the end of the fight!
Travis Hunter showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hunter, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Travis Hunter!