PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Murtaz Vatsadze (ranked 364 p4p, 1532 weight class) and Biscuit Oliva (ranked 58 p4p, 228 weight class). Vatsadze's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Guerilla Radio/ R.A.M.. Oliva has chosen Vo Williams - Primal (ft. Vyceroy) as his entrance music. Biscuit Oliva acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Vatsadze
vs
Oliva

186 cm
27
205
9 - 3 - 0

187 cm
27
215
6 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Solid Muay Thai
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Murtaz Vatsadze!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Biscuit Oliva!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, David Hoff and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vatsadze takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Oliva misses with a body shot
and Vatsadze counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Vatsadze lands with an overhand left.
Oliva is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vatsadze slips under a jab from Oliva.
Oliva steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vatsadze.
Vatsadze lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Oliva doesn't manage to clinch there - Vatsadze circles away.
A looping hook to the body misses from Oliva. Vatsadze does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vatsadze misses with a looping left.

Vatsadze looking to score a takedown here. Oliva is defending well but Vatsadze drives through and ends up in Oliva's guard.
Oliva seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Vatsadze throwing strikes but missing.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Oliva is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliva is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Oliva stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Vatsadze swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Oliva's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Oliva being controlled here momentarily.
Vatsadze looking for a sweep. Not yet Vatsadze, not yet.
Oliva controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Oliva trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
My spies in Island project inform me that Oliva has been getting involved in the gym's BJJ sparring sessions. Let's see whether that pays dividends!
Oliva is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oliva keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Oliva steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Vatsadze.
Vatsadze staying out of range there.
Vatsadze steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Oliva.
Oliva wants to clinch up but Vatsadze keeps it at a distance.
Vatsadze looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A big right from Oliva misses.
Vatsadze pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Vatsadze throws a series of punches but Oliva avoids them all with ease.
Vatsadze looks to land a left hand but Oliva moved out of range nicely.
Biscuit Oliva is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Oliva misses the jab.
Vatsadze throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Vatsadze lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Oliva at a distance.
Vatsadze throws the left hand but Oliva avoids the punch easily.
Oliva looks to throw the jab but Vatsadze is out of range.
Vatsadze just misses with a punch to the body.
Vatsadze loads up on a big right hand but Oliva slips the punch.
Oliva scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Vatsadze pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Oliva back to the cage. Vatsadze follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Decent striking displayed by Oliva there.
Oliva scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Oliva tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Vatsadze was well out of range. Poor timing from Oliva.
Oliva is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Vatsadze.
Vatsadze looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oliva throws a body shot but no joy.
Vatsadze swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Vatsadze lands a nice shot that snaps Oliva's head back.
Vatsadze throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Vatsadze smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Oliva thows a left - swing and a miss!
Oliva wants to clinch.
Vatsadze misses with the combination.
Vatsadze lands with a hook. Oliva tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Oliva lands with a hook. Vatsadze tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Oliva works Vatsadze's body with a nice hook.
Oliva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Oliva misses with a straight right.
Oliva is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Vatsadze.
Oliva ducks under a wild hook from Vatsadze.
Vatsadze is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Oliva.
Vatsadze getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Murtaz Vatsadze 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.

Vatsadze moves out of range of the strikes.
A little feinted left hand from Vatsadze on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Oliva gets a clinch.
Vatsadze has Oliva pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Oliva manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Vatsadze throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Olivas head.
A short uppercut from Oliva.
Vatsadze is trying to break the clinch but Oliva is controlling him.
Oliva blocks a body shot from Vatsadze.
Oliva lands a hook that snaps the head of Vatsadze backwards.
Vatsadze fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Oliva scores with a shot to the side of Vatsadze's head.
Oliva misses with a hook from the clinch.
Vatsadze lands with a left to the head.
Oliva prevents a body shot from Vatsadze.
Oliva misses with a short punch on the inside.
Oliva lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Vatsadze scores with a nice hook to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vatsadze blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Oliva drags the fight down to the ground.
Oliva looking for a sweep. Not yet Oliva, not yet.
Oliva seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliva lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Oliva pushes down on Vatsadze's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Oliva controlling the action here.
Oliva throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Vatsadze tries to get to full guard but Oliva has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliva not doing much here.
Vatsadze tries to roll over but Oliva keeps him under control.
Oliva seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vatsadze tries to roll over but Oliva keeps him under control.
Oliva not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Oliva not doing much here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Oliva tests Vatsadze's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Vatsadze swings for the body but Oliva moves out of range.
Oliva bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Vatsadze's head backwards.
Vatsadze moves out of range as Oliva strikes.
Vatsadze lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vatsadze throws a lazy right hand but Oliva sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Oliva throws a shot from downtown. Vatsadze moves away and avoids it.
Vatsadze throws a jab when Oliva was well out of range.
Vatsadze works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Oliva moves out of range of the strikes.
Vatsadze fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Oliva moves into the clinch successfully.

Oliva jumps guard and drags Vatsadze to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Oliva wants to sweep here but Vatsadze controlling him for the moment.
Oliva looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Oliva's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Oliva is on top in guard.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Biscuit Oliva showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Vatsadze throws a big shot that misses.
Vatsadze keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Biscuit Oliva seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Vatsadze breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Oliva throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Oliva throws a jab but it's blocked by Vatsadze.
Vatsadze misses the shot to the body.
Vatsadze takes a swing at Oliva's ribcage but misses.
Oliva bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.

Vatsadze tries to keep at a distance but Oliva has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vatsadze blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A short body shot lands from Oliva as the two fighters clinch.

Oliva gets control of Vatsadze's arms and successfully pulls guard. Oliva will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Oliva looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Vatsadze is fighting to break Oliva's control of his arms but Oliva is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oliva wants to sweep but no luck.
Oliva keeping full guard, as Vatsadze tries to pass.
Vatsadze has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Oliva is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Vatsadze preventing the sweep.
Oliva manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Vatsadze manages to get himself to full guard.

Oliva sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Vatsadze's guard.
Oliva controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oliva throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Oliva controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Oliva connects with a nice short shot to Vatsadze's temple.
Oliva controlling the pace.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Oliva prevents Vatsadze from improving his position.
Oliva takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Oliva throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Oliva throws a body shot but no joy.
Vatsadze shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Oliva eats them both and turns towards Vatsadze to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Oliva tests Vatsadze's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Vatsadze slips under a jab from Oliva.
Oliva rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Vatsadze counters with a nice uppercut.
A swing and a miss from Oliva.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Vatsadze.
Oliva lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Oliva makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Oliva fails to land.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Oliva.
A nice left hand lands by Oliva.
Oliva lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Vatsadze backwards.
Oliva blocking some punches.
Oliva has a couple of punches blocked by Vatsadze.
Vatsadze has a couple of punches blocked by Oliva.
Vatsadze misses with a hook from the clinch.
Oliva blocks an uppercut.
Vatsadze lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Oliva lands a hook that snaps the head of Vatsadze backwards.
Vatsadze working aggressively here.

Oliva drags the fight down to the ground.
Biscuit Oliva has got the better of the ground game so far.
Oliva is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Let's hope that Oliva has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Biscuit Oliva comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Oliva has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 28:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Biscuit Oliva!
Biscuit Oliva decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.
The defeated Murtaz Vatsadze had this to say: '"How good is Torhte Finlayson? He's better than Murtaz Vatsadze that's how good he is." '.