PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joshua Li (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Milos Vasic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Li comes to the cage accompanied by System. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Li
vs
Vasic

165 cm
24
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
25
280 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Joshua Li!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Milos Vasic!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Marco Blurström and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Li tries to clinch up.
Li slips a jab and a cross from Vasic.
The fight stays on the outside here - Li looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vasic fails to land the takedown.
A head kick misses from Vasic.
Li shoots in for a double leg but Vasic sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Vasic misses with an attempted mid kick.
Li wants to clinch

and Vasic counters with a shoot takedown. Li fights it but they end up in guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Vasic trying to control but Li is working from the bottom.
Vasic throws an elbow that misses. Li uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Vasic's guard. Nice move by Li!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasic keeping moving, preventing Li from controlling successfully.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Li being controlled here momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Milos Vasic has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Li throws a series of punches but Vasic avoids them all with ease.

Vasic clinches up against the cage.
Vasic trying to land knees to the body.
Li is trying to force a seperation but Vasic has the dominant position.
Li can't break the clinch.

Vasic escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Li tries to clinch there but Vasic circles away.
Li misses with a body kick.
Vasic misses with a kick to the body.
Li is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Li forces Vasic back against the cage and clinches.
Li wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
The referee calls for Vasic to work.
Vasic is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Li is defending well.
Li is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Li keeps control of Vasic as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Li working hard to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li is looking for a takedown.

Li breaks the clinch.
Vasic throws a head kick that half lands.

It looks like Joshua Li has been cut.
Li blocks a head kick by Vasic.
Vasic shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Li as he avoids it easily.
Joshua Li has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Milos Vasic.
Vasic tries to clinch up but Li circles away and keeps his distance.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Vasic moves out of range easily.
Li doesn't manage to clinch there - Vasic circles away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Vasic thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Li if he has to take too many more of those.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Li shoots in but no luck this time.
Sloppy strikes from Vasic. Those never looked like landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Milos Vasic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joshua Li's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Vasic throws a body punch but Li moves out of range.
Vasic fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vasic throws a series of punches but Li avoids them all with ease.
Li throws a solid leg kick but Vasic takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Li.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Li tries to clinch there but Vasic circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Li looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Li looks for a takedown but Vasic sprawls well.
Vasic dives in and grabs Li's left leg, looking for a takedown. Li pushes down on Vasic's head and hops out.
Li misses with a body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vasic slaps away a takedown attempt from Li, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Joshua Li seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Li throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Li tries to clinch up.
Li closes the distance and clinches up with Vasic, looking for a takedown. Li pushes Vasic against the cage but Vasic circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joshua Li. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vasic misses with a kick to the body
and Li cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Li misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Li shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Vasic looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Li is fending him off so far but Vasic persists. Nope, Li circles away and we're back to standing.
Vasic shoots for a double leg takedown but Li sprawls well. He's pushed Vasic's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Vasic pushes Li up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasic is looking to control Li's arms but Li gets an underhook and turns him. Now Vasic has his back to the cage.
Li is working for takedown but Vasic is calmly controlling the position for now.

Vasic manages to break the clinch.
Joshua Li is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vasic jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Li on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Li tries to clinch there but Vasic circles away.
Vasic looks to land a body kick but Li moved away.
Vasic is breathing heavily.

Vasic gets caught flat footed, as Li shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vasic is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Li kicks Vasic off and gets back to his feet.
Vasic looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Li shoots in but no luck this time.
Li pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Li on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Vasic. Vasic obviously looking to wear him down.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Li is defended easily by Vasic.
Vasic fails to land the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Vasic counters with a nice body kick.
Vasic fails with the takedown.
Li wants to clinch but Vasic slips to the side

and Vasic counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Li tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vasic smiles and moves away.
Li scores with a decent looking hook.
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 Joshua Li will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Joshua Li's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Li tries to clinch
and Vasic counters with a big head kick but Li shrugs it off.
Vasic blocks a head kick by Li.
Vasic shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Li throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Some wild striking there from Vasic.

Vasic closes the distance and pushes Li back into the cage.

Vasic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Li will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Li is looking to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Li looks to land a combination but Vasic avoids it well.
Li misses with an uppercut.
Li explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Li shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Vasic defends it nicely.
Li fails with an attempt to clinch.
Vasic tries to score a power double leg takedown but Li sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Vasic somewhat.
Vasic takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Vasic misses with a straight left.
Milos Vasic seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Li buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Vasic misses with a two punch combination.
Li tries to land a body kick
and Vasic counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Vasic shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Li as he jumps to the side.
Joshua Li has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Milos Vasic.
Vasic doesn't manage to clinch there - Li circles away.
Li lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Vasic circles away quickly and effectively.
Vasic throws a low kick but it's checked well by Li.
Vasic takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Li tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vasic swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Li tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Vasic manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vasic slaps away a takedown attempt from Li, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Vasic tries for a takedown but Li sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Vasic rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Li moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Li tries to close the distance and clinch but Vasic swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Li takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Li throws a sloppy head kick and Vasic moves out of range easily.
Li throws a head kick but Vasic moves out of range.
Vasic is trying hard to land a takedown here. Li sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Li tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Vasic manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Li rushes Vasic and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Li is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Vasic to keep the fight standing.
Li prevents Vasic from breaking the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Li tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vasic smiles and moves away.
Li throws a head kick that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joshua Li showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Li 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 Anni Minnemäki scores the fight for Milos Vasic!
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight for Joshua Li!
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight for Milos Vasic!

Milos Vasic wins by split decision!