PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Murtaz Vatsadze (ranked 233 p4p, 95 weight class) and Torhte Finlayson (ranked 41 p4p, 20 weight class). Vatsadze kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Guerilla Radio/ R.A.M.. Finlayson has chosen Scotland the Brave, Black Bear as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Vatsadze
vs
Finlayson

186 cm
26
205
9 - 2 - 0

190 cm
26
210
12 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Beachside Supplements

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Murtaz Vatsadze!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Torhte Finlayson!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, David Hoff and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vatsadze misses with a few strikes there.
Vatsadze throws the left hand but Finlayson avoids the punch easily.
The fighters circling - Finlayson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Finlayson gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Vatsadze.
Vatsadze throws a series of punches but Finlayson moves out of range.
Finlayson throws a right hand that misses
and Vatsadze counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Finlayson throws the left hand but Vatsadze avoids the punch easily.
Vatsadze connects with the punch.
Finlayson has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Finlayson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Finlayson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Vatsadze misses with a telegraphed body shot
enabling Finlayson to counter with a crisp jab.
Finlayson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Vatsadze was well out of range. Poor timing from Finlayson.
Vatsadze throws a series of punches but Finlayson avoids them all with ease.
Vatsadze tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Finlayson was well out of range. Poor timing from Vatsadze.
Finlayson throws out a loose jab but Vatsadze uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vatsadze misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vatsadze staying out of range there.
Finlayson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vatsadze swings for the body but Finlayson moves out of range.
Vatsadze tries to close the distance and clinch up but Finlayson swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Murtaz Vatsadze seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Vatsadze thuds a left hand into Finlayson's body.
Vatsadze fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Finlayson manages to avoid it.
Vatsadze is looking to clinch.
Vatsadze is looking to wear down Finlayson with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Finlayson, as that shot connected.

It looks like Murtaz Vatsadze has been cut.
Vatsadze takes one to the chin there.
Vatsadze throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Vatsadze throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
A jab from Vatsadze misses.
Vatsadze seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Finlayson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Vatsadze scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Finlayson scores with a hook to the body. Vatsadze takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Finlayson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Vatsadze lands the left hand.
Finlayson just misses with a punch to the body.
A swing and a miss from Finlayson.
Vatsadze swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A jab from Finlayson does it's job there.
Vatsadze takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Vatsadze throws a lazy right hand but Finlayson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Vatsadze uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Finlayson.
Vatsadze rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Finlayson counters with a nice uppercut.
Vatsadze misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Finlayson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Vatsadze closes the distance looking to clinch
and Finlayson connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finlayson circles away from the clinch attempt.
Torhte Finlayson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Vatsadze lands a nice shot that snaps Finlayson's head back.
Vatsadze fails with the takedown
and Finlayson counters with a nice body shot.
Finlayson looks to throw the jab but Vatsadze is out of range.
Vatsadze lands a jab to Finlayson's midsection.
Finlayson scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Finlayson throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Vatsadze fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Finlayson manages to avoid it.
Vatsadze throws a shot to the body.
Finlayson throws a jab but it's blocked by Vatsadze.
Vatsadze is looking to counter punch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatsadze is looking to clinch but Finlayson is avoiding it.
Finlayson throws the left hand but Vatsadze avoids the punch easily.
Vatsadze misses with a double jab
and Finlayson counters with a stiff right hand.
Vatsadze throws a lazy right hand but Finlayson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Finlayson lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Finlayson moves out of range of the strikes.
Finlayson lands a nice hook to Vatsadze's body. Vatsadze takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
A combination from Vatsadze does no damage.
Vatsadze listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Vatsadze throws a lazy right hand but Finlayson sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A little jabbing left from Finlayson on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Finlayson works Vatsadze's body with a nice hook.
Vatsadze defending well as Finlayson loads up on a big left hand.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Torhte Finlayson will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Murtaz Vatsadze's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Finlayson scores with a jab to the head.
Finlayson swings for the body but Vatsadze moves out of range.
Vatsadze missing with a left hand there. Finlayson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Finlayson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Finlayson takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Finlayson avoids the body shot from Vatsadze.
Finlayson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Vatsadze ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Finlayson smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Vatsadze closes the distance and clinches up with Finlayson, looking for a takedown. Vatsadze pushes Finlayson against the cage but Finlayson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Vatsadze has Finlayson up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Finlayson working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Finlayson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Vatsadze blocking some punches.
Vatsadze tries to throw a body punch but Finlayson avoids it by throwing Vatsadze back against the cage.
A nice right hand lands inside from Vatsadze.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vatsadze blocks an uppercut.
Finlayson lands a hook that snaps the head of Vatsadze backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Vatsadze's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vatsadze connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Finlayson's hands.
Finlayson defending well as Vatsadze loads up on a big left hand.
Finlayson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Vatsadze.
Finlayson swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Finlayson keeps the fight on the outside.
Torhte Finlayson seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vatsadze takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Vatsadze tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Finlayson counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Finlayson takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
A jab from Vatsadze does it's job there.
The fighters circling - Finlayson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Vatsadze misses with a body shot.
Nice jab there from Vatsadze.
Finlayson missing with a left hand there. Vatsadze was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Finlayson jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Finlayson. Vatsadze does a little dance to reset his feet.
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!
Vatsadze swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Finlayson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Finlayson throws a jab but it's blocked by Vatsadze.
Finlayson misses with a looping left.
Vatsadze throws a big shot that misses.
Vatsadze slips under a jab.
Vatsadze misses the shot to the body.
The fighters circling - Vatsadze throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Vatsadze tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Finlayson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vatsadze swings widly with a right hand
and Finlayson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Vatsadze keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Finlayson throws a shot from downtown. Vatsadze moves away and avoids it.
Vatsadze wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatsadze looks to score with a jab to the body but Finlayson is just out of range.
Vatsadze looks to clinch
and Finlayson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Vatsadze thinking.
Finlayson lands with a right hand.
Good standup being displayed there by Finlayson as he connects with a hook.
Vatsadze scores with a jab. Finlayson acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Vatsadze swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Finlayson let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Vatsadze connects with a right hand. Finlayson shakes it off.
Vatsadze misses with an uppercut.
Finlayson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Vatsadze.
Finlayson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Vatsadze moves out of range of the strikes.
Vatsadze keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Finlayson misses with a looping right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finlayson throws a looping overhand right but Vatsadze ducks down to avoid it.
Finlayson slips under a jab from Vatsadze.
Finlayson looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Finlayson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vatsadze went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
No joy there for Vatsadze, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Vatsadze avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Finlayson moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Vatsadze keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vatsadze throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Vatsadze takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vatsadze lands an overhand right.
Finlayson moves into range and connects with a jab.
A slow jab from Vatsadze misses its intended target.
Vatsadze looks to land a combination but Finlayson avoids it well.
Finlayson bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Torhte Finlayson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Murtaz Vatsadze's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Vatsadze lands a nice hook to Finlayson's body. Finlayson takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Vatsadze scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Finlayson doesn't seem bothered though.
A looping hook to the body misses from Vatsadze. Finlayson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vatsadze fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Finlayson looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Vatsadze misses with the combination.
Finlayson tries to move into range but Vatsadze moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Vatsadze throws a body punch but Finlayson moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vatsadze looks to score with a jab to the body but Finlayson is just out of range.
Finlayson is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Vatsadze.
A telegraphed right hand from Vatsadze misses the target.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Finlayson! But no joy.
Vatsadze shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Finlayson counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Finlayson throws a hook but Vatsadze avoids it easily.
Vatsadze ducks under a wild hook from Finlayson.
Finlayson swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Vatsadze lands a head shot.
Vatsadze just misses with a punch to the body.
The crowd cheers as Vatsadze lands an impressive looking overhand right. Finlayson doesn't seem phased though.
Vatsadze lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Finlayson at a distance.
Finlayson staying out of range there.
Finlayson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Vatsadze slips under a jab from Finlayson.
It looked like Vatsadze wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Finlayson throws a lazy right hand but Vatsadze sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Vatsadze tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A countering left hand to the body from Finlayson misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Finlayson wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Vatsadze avoids the body shot from Finlayson.
Vatsadze is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vatsadze on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Vatsadze misses with an uppercut. Finlayson saw that one coming.
Vatsadze throws out a loose jab but Finlayson uses good head movement to avoid it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Vatsadze takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Vatsadze takes one to the side of the head.
Finlayson lands a jab to the head.

Vatsadze is rocked!
Vatsadze throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Finlayson counters with a crisp right that sends Vatsadze to the canvas! Finlayson follows up with punches from the mount and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Torhte Finlayson! Torhte Finlayson retains his light heavyweight title!
During a confident post fight interview, Torhte Finlayson thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Murtaz Vatsadze was interviewed post fight and said '"How good is Torhte Finlayson? He's better than Murtaz Vatsadze that's how good he is." '.