PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Diego Samburgerhio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Davor Velcic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Davor Velcic has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Samburgerhio
vs
Velcic

176 cm
24
154 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

168 cm
24
154 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Diego Samburgerhio!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Davor Velcic!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Marco Blurström and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Samburgerhio shoots for a double leg takedown but Velcic sprawls well. He's pushed Samburgerhio's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Samburgerhio throws a body punch but Velcic moves out of range.
Velcic thows a body shot but no joy.
Good work by Samburgerhio as he checks the leg kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Velcic.

Samburgerhio fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Velcic sprawls well initially but Samburgerhio persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Samburgerhio controlling the action here.
Samburgerhio throws a strike but Velcic avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Samburgerhio postures up in Velcic's guard and throws a big left but Velcic blocks it.
Velcic wants to sweep but no luck.
Samburgerhio pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Velcic is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Velcic has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Samburgerhio off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Velcic lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Samburgerhio blocks a low kick nicely.
Velcic works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Velcic tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Velcic works Samburgerhio's body with a nice hook.
Velcic jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Velcic fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Velcic throws a front kick aimed at Samburgerhio's knee but Samburgerhio avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Samburgerhio shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Velcic is trying to defend but Samburgerhio finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Samburgerhio thows a huge punch but Velcic dodges it nicely.
Samburgerhio is looking to advance position but Velcic won't allow it.
Velcic wants to get back to his feet.
Velcic trying to hold on to Samburgerhio's head to control him but Samburgerhio postures up.

Samburgerhio is working for a kimura but Velcic is defending it quite comfortably.
Samburgerhio is figuring out what he wants to do next.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velcic moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Velcic looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Samburgerhio trying to control but Velcic is working from the bottom.
Samburgerhio stays in close to Velcic's body and controls the position.

Velcic pushes Samburgerhio off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Samburgerhio moves out of range of the leg kick from Velcic.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velcic misses with a low kick.
Velcic throws a head kick that misses.
Samburgerhio is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Velcic.
Velcic stuffs the takedown attempt from Samburgerhio. Samburgerhio gets slowly back to his feet.

Velcic closes the distance and clinches.
Samburgerhio tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Samburgerhio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Velcic lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Samburgerhio backwards.
Velcic works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Velcic lands a right hand that snaps the head of Samburgerhio backwards.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Davor Velcic dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A looping hook to the body misses from Samburgerhio. Velcic does a little dance to reset his feet.
Velcic tries to score with a low kick but Samburgerhio moves his leg out of the way.
Horrible takedown by Samburgerhio or perhaps it was just good defense by Velcic which made him look bad.
Velcic throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Samburgerhio checks a low kick from Velcic.
Velcic thuds a left hand into Samburgerhio's body.
Samburgerhio walks into a stiff left hand from Velcic.

Samburgerhio gets tackled into the cage by Velcic. Velcic maintains the clinch.
Velcic can't find room to land a body shot as Samburgerhio controls the action.

Samburgerhio manages to pull guard.
Samburgerhio is controlling Velcic's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samburgerhio is trying to hold Velcic in close to prevent damage but Velcic has managed to pass into half guard.
Samburgerhio is looking to control Velcic's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Samburgerhio avoid being mounted?
Samburgerhio manages to get to full guard.
Velcic postures up.
Velcic scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Velcic passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Samburgerhio regains half guard.
Velcic drops an elbow to the side of Samburgerhio's head.
Velcic sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Samburgerhio defending well though.
Velcic thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Samburgerhio's head.
Velcic prevents Samburgerhio from improving his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samburgerhio gets full guard.
Velcic wants to pass the guard but Samburgerhio is keeping the position.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Velcic trying to control the position from guard on top but Samburgerhio is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Samburgerhio is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Samburgerhio is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Samburgerhio tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Velcic controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Samburgerhio manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velcic is in a horrible position here. Samburgerhio smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Samburgerhio raining down hammerfists from mount.
Samburgerhio punching from mount but Velcic doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Velcic working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Samburgerhio trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Velcic tries to hold on but Samburgerhio pushes him away.
Samburgerhio wants to control the pace but Velcic is squirming around nicely.
Samburgerhio in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samburgerhio in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Velcic in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Velcic is in all sorts of trouble here.
Velcic is bucking up trying to escape but Samburgerhio cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Samburgerhio pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Velcic is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Diego Samburgerhio overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Samburgerhio landing strikes from the mount.
Samburgerhio throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Samburgerhio looking to control but Velcic is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Samburgerhio lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Velcic hang on?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Samburgerhio dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Velcic wants to land a leg kick but Samburgerhio is out of range.
Velcic throws a leg kick but Samburgerhio sees it coming and moves out of range.
Velcic misses with a head kick.
Velcic throws a nice head kick!
Velcic misses with a low kick.
Velcic wants to slow Samburgerhio down by chopping away at his legs.
Velcic fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Velcic tries to land a leg kick but Samburgerhio saw it coming and moves away.
Velcic connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Samburgerhio moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Velcic loads up on a big right hand but Samburgerhio slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samburgerhio staying out of range there.
Velcic throws a solid leg kick but Samburgerhio takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Velcic.
Nice takedown defense from Velcic. No joy for Samburgerhio on that attempt.
Samburgerhio checks the leg kick.
Samburgerhio on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Velcic. Velcic obviously looking to wear him down.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Samburgerhio.
Samburgerhio shoots in for a double leg but Velcic sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Diego Samburgerhio. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Samburgerhio lands the left hand.
Samburgerhio shoots in but Velcic avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Velcic finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Velcic throws a lazy uppercut

and Samburgerhio counters with a nice double leg into side control. Velcic won't be happy with that.
Velcic is looking to regain half guard here but Samburgerhio keeps moving and retains side control.
Samburgerhio sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Velcic is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Samburgerhio tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Samburgerhio is looking to take a break and control but Velcic is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Samburgerhio looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Samburgerhio working away.
Samburgerhio tries to advance position but instead Velcic slips a leg back in to half guard.
Samburgerhio trying to pass the guard but Velcic defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samburgerhio trying to control from half guard but Velcic is working away.
Samburgerhio stops Velcic from getting back to his feet.
Samburgerhio controlling the pace.
Samburgerhio wants to take a breather but Velcic is having none of it.

Samburgerhio is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Velcic is just riding it out for now. Samburgerhio eventually gives up the hold.
Velcic pushes Samburgerhio off looking to stand but Samburgerhio dives back in and keeps control.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Diego Samburgerhio.
I think Samburgerhio has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Diego Samburgerhio!
Diego Samburgerhio was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.