PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nikola Veljanovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Miranda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Veljanovski
vs
Miranda

182 cm
25
234 lbs
13 - 7 - 0

193 cm
28
224 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Experienced

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Knockout power

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 13 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikola Veljanovski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rafael Miranda!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Tarja Halkonen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Veljanovski fails with an attempt to clinch.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch but Miranda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Veljanovski misses with a double jab

and Miranda counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Veljanovski!

Miranda thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Miranda wants to control but Veljanovski is keeping him busy.
Veljanovski on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Veljanovski tries to get out of the position.

Miranda is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Veljanovski has escaped the position, nice work there.
Veljanovski defending against the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Miranda tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Miranda in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Miranda wants to lay and pray for a moment but Veljanovski keeps working.

Miranda wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Veljanovski, who protects the arm well.
Veljanovski is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Miranda is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Veljanovski knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Miranda trying to control the action but Veljanovski is working from the bottom.
Veljanovski is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Miranda is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miranda wants to control but Veljanovski is keeping him busy.

Miranda tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Miranda has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Veljanovski knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Miranda on the ground.
Veljanovski wants to get back to his feet but Miranda drags him back down.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Miranda throws an elbow but Veljanovski slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Miranda remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

Miranda thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Veljanovski is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Miranda is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Veljanovski is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Miranda dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Veljanovski wants to clinch up but Miranda keeps it at a distance.
Veljanovski looks to land a right hand but Miranda moved out of range.
Miranda steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Veljanovski.
A big left from Veljanovski misses.
Miranda circles away from the clinch attempt.
A swing and a miss from Veljanovski.
Nikola Veljanovski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Miranda throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Veljanovski sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Veljanovski clobbers Miranda with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Veljanovski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Veljanovski fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Veljanovski misses.
Veljanovski wants to clinch.

Miranda tries to keep at a distance but Veljanovski has taken the fight into the clinch.
Miranda can't get the takedown.
Veljanovski can't find room to land a body shot as Miranda controls the action.

Veljanovski manages to break the clinch.

Veljanovski has Miranda up against the cage in a clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Veljanovski.
Veljanovski throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Veljanovski gets underhooks to prevent Miranda's takedown attempt.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
The referee is keeping an eye on Veljanovski - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Veljanovski seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Nikola Veljanovski.
Veljanovski cracks Miranda with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Miranda avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Veljanovski misses with the combination.
Veljanovski wants to clinch.
Veljanovski throws a leg kick that misses.
Veljanovski misses with a series of wild punches.

Veljanovski closes the distance and pushes Miranda back into the cage.

Veljanovski breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Veljanovski tries to clinch but Miranda moves out of range.

Veljanovski instigates a clinch.
Veljanovski leaning against his opponent.
Veljanovski swings wildly with an uppercut but Miranda uses good head movement to avoid it.

Veljanovski's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Miranda shoots in looking for a takedown. Veljanovski tries to sprawl out of it but Miranda keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Veljanovski manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nikola Veljanovski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Miranda.

Veljanovski has Miranda up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Veljanovski tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikola Veljanovski dominated that second 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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Veljanovski clinches up against the cage.
Miranda blocks an uppercut.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Veljanovski takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

Veljanovski escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Veljanovski doesn't manage to clinch there - Miranda circles away.
Nikola Veljanovski is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Veljanovski is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Veljanovski throws an overhand right that lands on Miranda's shoulder, as Miranda tries to avoid the shot.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up but Miranda swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Veljanovski will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Veljanovski misses with an uppercut. Miranda saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Veljanovski throws a right hand that Miranda ducks under and follows up with a left that Miranda also avoids with ease.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Miranda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Miranda slips a jab and a cross from Veljanovski.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Miranda paws at him with a jab and circles away.
An inside leg kick from Veljanovski misses.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch up but Miranda swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Veljanovski wants to clinch.
Veljanovski tries to clinch up.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch but Miranda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Veljanovski tries to close the distance and clinch but Miranda swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Miranda tries to score a power double leg takedown but Veljanovski sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Miranda somewhat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Miranda.

Veljanovski fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Miranda, pushing him back against the cage.
Veljanovski gets underhooks to prevent Miranda's takedown attempt.

Veljanovski pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Veljanovski fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Miranda, pushing him back against the cage.
Veljanovski lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Miranda has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Veljanovski is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Nikola Veljanovski has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rafael Miranda.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Miranda.

Veljanovski breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Veljanovski throws a series of punches but Miranda avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Miranda keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Miranda shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Veljanovski but Veljanovski pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Veljanovski rushes Miranda and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Miranda drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Veljanovski gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Veljanovski breaks from the clinch.
Veljanovski is looking to clinch but Miranda is avoiding it.
Veljanovski swinging wildly here.

Veljanovski gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Veljanovski pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Miranda avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Veljanovski moves into range and clinches up with Miranda.

Veljanovski manages to break the clinch.

Veljanovski clinches with his opponent.
Veljanovski is pushing Miranda up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Veljanovski goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Veljanovski is pushing Miranda up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Veljanovski prevents a takedown attempt there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nikola Veljanovski showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Veljanovski 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nikola Veljanovski!