PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Ventura (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vaimaa Fatu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fatu has chosen So Close Now as his entrance music. Anthony Ventura has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Ventura
vs
Fatu

204 cm
29
265 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

193 cm
32
239 lbs
19 - 17 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Anthony Ventura!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 17 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vaimaa Fatu!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Robert Twigg and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fatu checks a low kick from Ventura.
Fatu slips under a jab.
Anthony Ventura seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ventura moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ventura misses with a head kick.
Fatu lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

It looks like Anthony Ventura has been cut.
Ventura throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Despite the aggression on Fatu's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Fatu moves out of range as Ventura strikes.
Fatu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ventura takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Fatu lands with an overhand left.
Ventura uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Fatu.
Fatu moves out of range of the strikes.
Fatu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ventura.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A punch combination from Ventura misses.
Fatu throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Ventura stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A big left from Ventura misses.
A nice inside leg kick there by Fatu. That's going to slow Ventura down.
Ventura misses with a low kick.
Ventura lands a slapping body shot.
Fatu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ventura misses with a jab to the body

and Fatu moves into the clinch.

Fatu breaks the clinch.
Ventura misses with a body shot.
Ventura swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Ventura throws the left hand but Fatu avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ventura swings for the body but Fatu moves out of range.
Fatu lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Ventura lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

It looks like Vaimaa Fatu has been cut.
Ventura uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Fatu.
Ventura throws a big shot that misses.
Fatu throws a quick inside leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A swing and a miss from Ventura.
Fatu doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Ventura swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A looping hook to the body misses from Fatu. Ventura does a little dance to reset his feet.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Ventura.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Fatu! But no joy.
Ventura misses with a straight left.
Ventura misses with a few strikes there.
Fatu is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Ventura rather than just go for the knockout.
Fatu misses with a series of wild punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ventura swings for the body but Fatu moves out of range.
Fatu just misses with a punch to the body.
A little feinted left hand from Ventura on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ventura scores with a sloppy right hand. Fatu should have avoided that one.
Fatu defending well as Ventura loads up on a big left hand.
Ventura darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
A swing and a miss from Ventura.
Ventura looks to land a combination but Fatu avoids it well.
Fatu lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
A big right from Ventura misses.
Fatu lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Ventura scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Fatu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Ventura throws out the jab.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Fatu!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ventura connects with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ventura misses the shot to the body.
As Ventura backs off Fatu throws a huge counter combo but Ventura manages to avoid it all.
Fatu swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ventura.
Ventura throws a right and a left that Fatu avoids nicely.
Fatu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ventura thows a left - swing and a miss!
Fatu feints the counter takedown.
Ventura swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Fatu counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Ventura connects with a single shot there.
Ventura throws a looping overhand right but Fatu ducks down to avoid it.
Ventura lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Fatu avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Anthony Ventura will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Ventura ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Ventura rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fatu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Ventura ducks under a wild hook from Fatu.
Fatu dodges the punch combination from Ventura.
Fatu looks to land a combination but Ventura avoids it well.
Ventura misses with a straight left.
Fatu shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Ventura eats them both and turns towards Fatu to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ventura misses with an uppercut.
Fatu tries to move into range but Ventura moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Fatu ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Fatu doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Ventura throws a right hand that misses
and Fatu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Ventura, right into the meat.
Ventura feints and then cracks Fatu's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Fatu down.
Ventura throws a series of punches but Fatu moves out of range.
Ventura looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Anthony Ventura is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ventura throws a jab but it's blocked by Fatu.
Fatu connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Fatu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Fatu moves out of range as Ventura throws a body kick.
Ventura throws a leg kick but Fatu moved away.
Ventura takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Ventura misses with a jab, cross combination.
A low kick from Ventura misses
and Fatu counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fatu avoids the body shot from Ventura.
Ventura takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ventura takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fatu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ventura was well out of range. Poor timing from Fatu.
Ventura appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Fatu steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Ventura.
Fatu throws a series of punches but Ventura moves out of range.
A little feinted left hand from Ventura on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Ventura swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
As Ventura backs off Fatu throws a huge counter combo but Ventura manages to avoid it all.
Fatu checks a low kick from Ventura.
Ventura scores with a three punch combo!
Ventura misses with a hook. Fatu ducked under it nicely.
Ventura swinging wildly here.
Fatu unleashes a big counter combination but Ventura bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Ventura.
Ventura looks to land a right hand but Fatu moved out of range.
Ventura throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Fatu lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Fatu defending well as Ventura loads up on a big left hand.
No joy there for Fatu, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Ventura is looking for a counter combo.
Ventura misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ventura throws a predictable looking body shot
letting Fatu counter with a right hand.
Fatu lands a jab to the nose.

Anthony Ventura's cut is getting worse.
Ventura blocks the body kick.
Ventura appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Ventura lands with a cross.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fatu keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Nice uppercut there from Ventura.
Fatu fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ventura.
Anthony Ventura is winning the standup battle so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ventura throws a hook to the side of Fatu's head but Fatu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ventura on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Ventura throws a hook to the side of Fatu's head but Fatu sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Ventura scores with a sloppy right hand. Fatu should have avoided that one.
Ventura misses with a hook
and Fatu cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Ventura misses with a combination

so Fatu counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Ventura is rocked!

Fatu stands up from Ventura's guard - Fatu perhaps looking for a knockout.
Fatu drops Ventura with a huge uppercut! Ventura drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Fatu is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vaimaa Fatu!
After winning the bout, Vaimaa Fatu thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.