PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Will Apae (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zach Irracha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Will Apae could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Zach Irracha's chin.

Apae
vs
Irracha

180 cm
26
178 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

188 cm
22
178 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Will Apae!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Zach Irracha!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Irracha tries to clinch up.
Irracha tries to clinch but Apae is having none of it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Irracha.
Irracha misses with a low kick.
Zach Irracha seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Irracha wants to clinch
enabling Apae to counter with a crisp jab.
Irracha paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.

Irracha closes the distance and pushes Apae back into the cage.
Irracha looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Apae blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Apae lands with a left to the head.
Apae fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Irracha.
Apae blocks an elbow strike.
Irracha trying to land knees to the body.
Irracha tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Irracha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Apae avoids it.
Nice elbow from Irracha.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Irracha obliges.
Irracha has a couple of punches blocked by Apae.
Apae misses with some punches.
Irracha scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Will Apae has been cut.
Apae lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Irracha backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irracha pushes off an throws an elbow but Apae leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Irracha utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Apae swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Apae avoiding damage as Irracha throws knees to the body.
Irracha landing knees to the body.
A short right from Apae on the inside.
Irracha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Apae is defending well for now.
Irracha tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Apae avoids the elbow strike from Irracha, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Irracha throws an elbow but misses.
Apae fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Irracha gets through Apae's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Apae managing to block the knees to the body from Irracha.
Irracha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Irracha throws a punch but it's blocked by Apae.
Apae avoids the elbow strike from Irracha, against the cage.
Nice body punch from Irracha - that landed with a thud.
Apae throws a punch but it's blocked by Irracha.
Apae throws a punch but it's blocked by Irracha.
Irracha missing with knees to the body.
Apae misses with some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Apae misses with a knee to the head.
Apae blocks the elbow strike.
Apae avoids a wild elbow strike from Irracha.
Apae using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Irracha has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Irracha blocks an uppercut.
Apae blocks an elbow strike.
Apae throws a punch but it's blocked by Irracha.
Irracha lands a nice knee to the body.
Irracha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Apae avoids it.
Apae blocks an elbow strike.
Irracha tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Apae blocks an elbow strike.
Irracha tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Irracha utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Irracha tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Apae avoids it.
Apae swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Apae working aggressively here.
Irracha pushes Apae back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Irracha throws an elbow that misses.
Irracha throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Apae blocks it with crossed arms.
Apae fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irracha misses with an elbow over the top.
Irracha throws an elbow but it misses.
Apae takes an elbow to the forehead.
Irracha misses with the head strike.
Irracha throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Irracha misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Irracha.
Apae misses with some punches.
Irracha comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Irracha with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
A right hand to the body from Irracha.
Irracha pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Irracha.
Irracha throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Irracha lands a knee to the body.
Apae managing to block the knees to the body from Irracha.
Irracha with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Irracha misses with a hook from the clinch.
Irracha blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Irracha lands a nice elbow.
Irracha fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irracha blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Apae pushes Irracha back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
With the fighters up against the cage, Irracha throws an elbow but misses.
Irracha blocks an uppercut.
Irracha pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Irracha lands a body punch.
Apae avoiding damage as Irracha throws knees to the body.
Irracha creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Apae's defenses.
Irracha lands a knee to the head.
Apae looking to throw knees to the head but Irracha is blocking nicely.
Apae managing to block the knees to the body from Irracha.
Irracha blocks an uppercut.
Apae using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Irracha has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Irracha throws an elbow but it misses.
Apae avoids a wild elbow strike from Irracha.
Irracha misses with a hook from the clinch.
Irracha throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Apae blocks it with crossed arms.
Apae blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Irracha lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Apae dodges an elbow strike from Irracha.
Irracha comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Irracha blocking some punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zach Irracha dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Will Apae's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Apae throws a poor cross that misses
and Irracha counters with a nice leg kick.
Apae takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Irracha in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

Irracha moves into the clinch.
Irracha crunches a lovely knee into Apae's ribcage.
Apae using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Irracha has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Irracha pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Irracha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Apae.
Apae takes an elbow to the forehead.
Irracha lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Irracha pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Apae lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Irracha backwards.
Apae blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Apae fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Apae misses with a knee to the head.
Apae takes an elbow to the forehead.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Irracha.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Irracha.
Irracha softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Irracha lands with a light punch inside.
Irracha pushes off an throws an elbow but Apae leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Irracha working Apae over with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irracha using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Apae has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Irracha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Irracha gets through Apae's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Irracha blocks an uppercut.
Irracha lands an elbow inside.
Nice body punch from Irracha.
Apae takes an elbow to the forehead.
Irracha blocking some punches.
Irracha lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Will Apae's cut is getting worse.
A head punch on the inside from Irracha fails to land.
Irracha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Irracha gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Irracha landing knees to the body.
Nice elbow from Irracha.
Irracha lands a damaging elbow.
Apae has a couple of punches blocked by Irracha.
Apae blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Irracha blocks an uppercut.
Irracha utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Irracha.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irracha lands a knee to the body.
Irracha looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Irracha doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Apae blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Apae takes a knee to the side of the body.
Irracha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Irracha looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Irracha putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Apae in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Irracha lands an elbow inside.
Irracha lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Irracha creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Apae's defenses.
Irracha lands a nice elbow.
Irracha pushes Apae back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Apae misses with a hook from the clinch.
Irracha misses with an elbow strike.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Irracha.
Irracha gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Irracha is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Apae is defending well for now.
Nice elbow from Irracha.
Apae tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Irracha lands an elbow just above Apae 's eye.

Will Apae's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Apae.
Irracha lands an elbow just above Apae 's eye.
Apae misses with a short punch on the inside.
Irracha softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Apae blocks an uppercut.
Irracha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Apae.
Apae swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Irracha lands a knee to the body.
Apae lands a hook to the side of the head.
Still in the clinch, Apae scores with a nice short uppercut.
Irracha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Irracha pushes Apae back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Irracha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Irracha misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Apae.
Apae with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Irracha misses with a short punch on the inside.
Irracha lands an elbow just above Apae 's eye.
Irracha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Irracha lands a knee to the head.
Apae throws a head punch that misses.
Irracha lands an elbow inside that Apae shrugs off.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irracha lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

Jeez, Will Apae's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.
Apae throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Irracha blocks it with crossed arms.
Irracha lands an elbow just above Apae 's eye.
Apae misses with some punches.
Apae with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Irracha is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Apae tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Irracha lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Apae tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Irracha misses with a body punch.
Irracha creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Irracha lands a good knee to the midsection. Apae won't want to take too many of those.
Apae avoids a wild elbow strike from Irracha.
Irracha throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Irracha lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Irracha lands an elbow inside that Apae shrugs off.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Will Apae's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Zach Irracha!