PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Steve Vega (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pithe Canthropus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Canthropus has chosen Pizzaman - Trippin' On Sunshine as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Vega
vs
Canthropus

178 cm
33
169 lbs
11 - 12 - 1

175 cm
44
165 lbs
36 - 30 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Steve Vega!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 36 - 30 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Pithe Canthropus!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Winston Howard and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A cross from Vega lands.
Pithe Canthropus seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Canthropus goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Good shot there by Canthropus.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Vega.
Vega is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Canthropus throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Canthropus shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Canthropus wants to pass the guard but Vega is defending well.
Vega is looking for a sweep. Canthropus is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Canthropus trying to mount his opponent but Vega defends it.
Vega tries to roll over but Canthropus keeps him under control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vega wants to get back to full guard but Canthropus has passed into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vega is trying to get back to half guard.
A lull in the action here as Canthropus stalls from top position.
Canthropus is looking to take a break and control but Vega is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vega is looking to regain half guard here but Canthropus keeps moving and retains side control.
Vega stuck in half guard on the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Vega tries to bench press Canthropus off him but Canthropus keeps the position.
Vega can't do much from the bottom here.
Canthropus wants to control but Vega is keeping him busy.
Canthropus in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Vega is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canthropus working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Vega is not content to let Canthropus control the position.
Canthropus controlling the position from side mount.
Vega wants to control but Canthropus postures up.
Canthropus scores with punches from side control.
Vega regains half guard.

Canthropus is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Vega defends it well.
Vega gets full guard.
Canthropus wants to pass the guard but Vega is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vega is trying to control the position but Canthropus postures up.
Vega controlling the position.

Vega has his foot on Canthropus's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Canthropus works his way back into a safe position though.
Canthropus trying to control but Vega is working from the bottom.
Canthropus must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Canthropus pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Vega is keeping the position for now.
Canthropus is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vega working a defensive guard here.
Vega manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Canthropus manages to get himself to full guard.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vega passes into half guard.
Vega works his foot free and advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pithe Canthropus dominated that 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.

Canthropus has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Vega finds it's way round the side to connect with Canthropus's head.

Canthropus decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Vega is trying to control but can't.

Vega actively working from the bottom here.
Canthropus wants to take a breather but Vega is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vega works his way to full guard. Good work.
Vega wants to sweep but no luck.
Vega bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Canthropus's guard.

Canthropus is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Pithe Canthropus has got the better of the ground game so far.
Vega wants to pass the guard but Canthropus is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vega pushing down on Canthropus's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Vega trying to control from half guard but Canthropus is working away.
Canthropus moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Vega wants to pass the guard but Canthropus is keeping the position.
Vega is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Canthropus is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Canthropus looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Vega puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Canthropus won't allow Vega to pass to mount.
Vega is stalling here. Canthropus is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Vega seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Canthropus has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Canthropus works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Canthropus fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Vega is not content to let Canthropus control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vega sneaks back into half guard.
Vega is in trouble now - Canthropus has advanced to mount!
Vega keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Vega gets back to half guard.
Canthropus trying to control the action but Vega is working from the bottom.
Vega slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Vega tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Canthropus trying to control the position from guard on top but Vega is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Vega keeping full guard, as Canthropus tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vega looking to hit a scissor sweep but Canthropus is one step ahead there.
Canthropus passes into half guard.
Vega tries to roll over but Canthropus keeps him under control.
Canthropus is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Vega gets back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Vega bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Canthropus's guard.

Canthropus is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
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 Steve Vega will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Vega connects with a jab.
Vega throws a jab when Canthropus was well out of range.
Vega checks a leg kick nicely.
Vega thinks about countering with a body kick.
Vega wants to clinch.

Canthropus gets a takedown into half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vega wants to control but Canthropus is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Vega holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vega is staying active underneath Canthropus, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Vega is looking to improve his position.
Vega is pressing down on Canthropus's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Vega tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Vega pulls Canthropus in close to his closed guard and prevents Canthropus from doing any damage or advancing position.
Vega looking for a sweep. Not yet Vega, not yet.
Canthropus engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Canthropus postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Canthropus preventing the sweep.
Vega controls Canthropus momentarily but Canthropus frees himself.
Vega looking for a sweep. Not yet Vega, not yet.
Canthropus tries to free his leg and advance position but Vega is retaining full guard.
Canthropus trying to control the position from guard on top but Vega is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Canthropus takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Canthropus defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Vega.
Vega takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Canthropus throws a looping overhand right but Vega ducks down to avoid it.
Canthropus throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Vega changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Vega checks a low kick from Canthropus.
Canthropus throws a leg kick but Vega moved away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Canthropus pivots, looking for a leg kick but Vega is out of range and Canthropus settles back down.
Vega avoids the body shot from Canthropus.
Vega misses with a looping left.
Vega misses with a leg kick
and Canthropus counters with a three punch combo that has Vega backing up. Vega nods at Canthropus to acknowledge the strikes.
Canthropus scores with a nice right hand.
Canthropus has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A left lands for Canthropus.
Canthropus cracks the inside of Vega's front leg.
Canthropus tries to land a front kick but Vega steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Canthropus scores with a punch to the head.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Canthropus - that will leave a mark!
Canthropus throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vega finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Canthropus throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vega connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Vega.
Canthropus swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Vega counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vega moves out of range of the strikes.
Vega throws a good cross that connects.
Canthropus is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Canthropus throws a right and a left that both miss.
Vega scores with a three punch combo!
Vega takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Canthropus jabbing away but nothing is landing.
And Vega counters with a quick kick to the body but Canthropus blocks it.
Canthropus lands a head kick. Vega smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Vega will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pithe Canthropus comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Canthropus has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pithe Canthropus!
An out of breath and clearly excited Pithe Canthropus thanked VIRAL COMBAT for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).