PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Tarmo Hovi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Caiaphas Caine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hovi's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Die for Metal. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Hovi
vs
Caine

200 cm
27
246 lbs
14 - 5 - 1

202 cm
32
290 lbs
29 - 16 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Hellbent

VIRAL COMBAT

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 14 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Tarmo Hovi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 16 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Caiaphas Caine!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hovi stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

It looks like Caiaphas Caine has been cut.
Caine connects with a body shot.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Caine is defended easily by Hovi.

Hovi instigates a clinch.
Hovi looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Caine throws a punch but it's blocked by Hovi.
Caine blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
I was talking to Hovi's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Hovi misses with a punch to the body.
A nice right hand lands inside from Caine.
Caine lands an uppercut.
Hovi blocking some punches.
Caine misses with a body punch.
Caine is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hovi pulls him back up using the underhooks.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice body punch from Hovi - that landed with a thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Caine digs a right hand underneath Hovi's ribcage. Hovi let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Caine misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Nice body punch from Caine - that landed with a thud.
Caine tries to score a body lock takedown but Hovi shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Tarmo Hovi has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Caiaphas Caine.
Hovi blocking some punches.

Caine has picked Hovi up - he's going for a ride! Caine dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Caine looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Caine throwing shots but Hovi is blocking nicely.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Caine not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Caine works his way into side control.
Caine working away.
Hovi is trying to get back to his feet.
Hovi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hovi wants to control but Caine is keeping busy.
Caine is keen to just control but Hovi is a slippery customer.
Hovi regains full guard. Nicely done.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hovi wants to stand up but Caine is controlling him.
Caine wants to control from the top but Hovi keeps moving.
Hovi pulls Caine in to control the position.
Caine throws a big right hand that misses.
Caine controlling from the top position.
Caine being controlled here momentarily.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tarmo Hovi wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hovi throws a head kick that misses

and Caine counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hovi won't be happy with that.
Hovi tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Caine wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Hovi's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hovi sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi tries to roll over but Caine keeps him under control.

Caine is working for a kimura but Hovi is defending it quite comfortably.
Caine wants to control but Hovi is keeping him busy.
Hovi is positioning himself well to prevent Caine advancing to mount.
Hovi tries to roll over but Caine keeps him under control.
Caine is trying to control the action in half guard but Hovi is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hovi keeps control of the position for the meantime.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Caiaphas Caine has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Hovi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Caine.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hovi looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Hovi scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Hovi looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Nice straight punches there by Caine. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Caine.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hovi throws a low kick, looking for Caine's leg but Caine calmly moves out of range.
A head kick misses from Hovi.
Caine shoots for a double leg takedown but Hovi sprawls well. He's pushed Caine's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Caine ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Caine throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Caine misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Hovi counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Hovi enables Caine to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Hovi manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Caiaphas Caine dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Caiaphas Caine's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hovi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Caine tries to clinch up but Hovi circles away and keeps his distance.
Caine throws a body punch but Hovi moves out of range.
Caine takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Caine blocks a low kick nicely.
Some bone on bone action there as Hovi checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Hovi doesn't manage to clinch there - Caine circles away.
Hovi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A left and a right from Hovi both land. Nice combination.
Tarmo Hovi is winning the standup battle so far.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hovi chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Caine is looking to land body kicks.
Hovi takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A solid body kick from Hovi.
Hovi takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Caine throws a push kick but Hovi slaps the foot to one side.
Caine has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Hovi.
Caine is breathing heavily.

Oooooh!!! Hovi has knocked Caine down with a huge combo! Hovi steps away and waves a wobbly Caine back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

Caine is rocked!
Tarmo Hovi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Caine on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hovi. Hovi obviously looking to wear him down.
Hovi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Caine dodges the punch combination from Hovi.
Caine throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hovi lands a nice shot that snaps Caine's head back.

The cut above Caiaphas Caine's eye is starting to cause him problems now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hovi delivers a nice body kick.
Hovi throws a body punch but Caine moves out of range.
Caine avoids a punch combination nicely.
Caine tries a head kick but it misses.
Caine is looking to score with low kicks.
Caine is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hovi rather than just go for the knockout.
A jab from Caine misses.
Caine doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Hovi on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Hovi connects with a looping right hand.
Hovi moves out of range of the body kick from Caine.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hovi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Hovi takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hovi misses the shot to the body.
Caine missing with a left hand there. Hovi was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hovi throws a head kick that misses.
Hovi will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hovi attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Hovi takes a kick to the side of the head.
Hovi misses with a left hand

and Caine decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hovi's guard.
Hovi working a defensive guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Caine postures up in Hovi's guard and throws a big left but Hovi blocks it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Caine throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Caine working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Hovi working a defensive guard here.
Caine looking to pass the guard.
Hovi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Caine postures up.
Hovi is controlling Caine's posture.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Tarmo Hovi.
Caine fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Caine misses with a looping right.
An inside leg kick lands from Hovi.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tarmo Hovi dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Caiaphas Caine'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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hovi looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hovi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Caine moves away from the strike by Hovi.

Caine pushes Hovi up against the cage in a clinch.
Hovi scores with a hook to the body.
Hovi goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hovi tries to work over Caine's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Hovi escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hovi throws a sloppy head kick and Caine moves out of range easily.
Hovi avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Caine tries to close the distance and clinch but Hovi swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Caine shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hovi as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hovi tries to clinch up

and Caine counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Caine thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hovi's head.
Hovi avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Caine.
Hovi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Caine is working away from the top position though.
Caine has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Caine missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hovi keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Caine is looking to take a break and control but Hovi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Caine is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Caine takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hovi manages to get to full guard.
Hovi is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Caine wants to pass the guard but Hovi is keeping the position.
Caiaphas Caine has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hovi wants to get back to his feet but Caine is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hovi is trying to control the position but Caine postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Caine drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Caine jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hovi trying to keep a closed guard but Caine is proving a slippery customer.
Hovi pulls Caine in close to prevent any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Tarmo Hovi.
Caine looks for the body kick but Hovi saw that one coming.
Hovi throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Caine throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A slapping body kick lands there for Caine.
A shot to the liver by Hovi. Beautiful body shot.
Caine tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hovi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Caine.
Hovi lands a head shot.
A head kick misses from Caine.
Hovi throws a head kick but Caine moves out of range.
Caine misses the shot to the body.
Hovi throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hovi moves out of range of the strikes.
Caine throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Caine moves in looking to clinch but Hovi pushes him off.
Caine throws a sloppy head kick and Hovi moves out of range easily.
Caine looks for the body kick but Hovi saw that one coming.
Hovi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Caine.
Hovi looks to land a body kick but Caine moved away.
Caine on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hovi bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Hovi is looking to score with low kicks.
Caine will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tarmo Hovi showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hovi 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tarmo Hovi!
A very excited looking Tarmo Hovi made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.