PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Anderson Nogueira (ranked 2581 p4p, 2880 weight class) and Vaai Finau (ranked 332 p4p, 377 weight class). Anderson Nogueira has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Nogueira
vs
Finau

175 cm
29
209
4 - 5 - 0

196 cm
31
220
9 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
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 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Anderson Nogueira !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Vaai Finau!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Percy O'Donnell and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Nogueira closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Finau dodges an elbow strike from Nogueira .
Nogueira with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Finau blocks an elbow strike.
Nogueira throws a punch but it's blocked by Finau.

Finau breaks from the clinch.
Finau throws a nice outside leg kick.
Nogueira looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Finau throws a hook but Nogueira avoids it easily.
Nogueira swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Anderson Nogueira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Nogueira moves into the clinch.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Finau.
Stalling in the clinch from Finau.
Nogueira takes a shot to the head.
Finau tries a body shot but Nogueira blocks it.
Finau blocks an elbow strike from Nogueira .
Finau taking a breather.

Finau breaks the clinch.

Nogueira has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Finau breaks from the clinch.
Finau on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

It looks like Vaai Finau has been cut.

Nogueira rushes Finau and presses him up against the cage.
Finau softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Finau takes a knee to the side of the body.
Come on Finau - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Finau taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Nogueira can't find room to land a body shot as Finau controls the action.
Finau blocks an uppercut.
Nogueira misses with some punches.
Finau lands a left hand.
Finau misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Finau blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Nogueira lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Nogueira misses with a punch to the body.
Nogueira looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Finau throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Finau pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Finau has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

Nogueira moves into range and clinches up with Finau.
Finau is stalling here.
Nogueira lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Finau lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Nogueira backwards.
Finau misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Finau lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Finau will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Nogueira up against the cage.

Finau pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Nogueira closes the distance and clinches.
Finau is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Nogueira lands with a short shot to the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Finau.

Finau pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Nogueira forces Finau back against the cage and clinches.
Finau misses with some punches.
With the fighters up against the cage, Nogueira throws an elbow but misses.
A shot in the inside from Finau.
Nogueira tries to land a knee to the head but Finau blocks with his arms.
Nogueira with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nogueira struggles to land a body shot inside as Finau controls his hands.
Nogueira 's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Nogueira throws a punch but it's blocked by Finau.
Nogueira takes a shot to the head.
Finau is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Finau blocks the elbow strike.
Nogueira landing knees to the body.
Finau is trying to maintain a safe position but Nogueira gets an underhook and turns Finau into the cage.

Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nogueira blocks a jab.
Nogueira is looking to counter with head kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Finau connects with a single shot there.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Finau misses with a few strikes there.
Finau looks to score with a jab to the body but Nogueira is just out of range.

Nogueira closes the distance and pushes Finau back into the cage.

Finau breaks from the clinch.
The fighters circle momentarily. Finau darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.

Finau tries to keep at a distance but Nogueira has taken the fight into the clinch.
Nogueira tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nogueira pushes off an throws an elbow but Finau leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Finau avoiding damage as Nogueira throws knees to the body.
Nogueira trying to land knees to the body.
Finau lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Nogueira lands a hook that snaps the head of Finau backwards.

Finau breaks from the clinch.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Anderson Nogueira will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Vaai Finau's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nogueira bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Finau throws the left hand but Nogueira avoids the punch easily.
Finau slips under a jab.
A little jabbing left from Finau on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Finau scores with a punch to the head.
Finau takes a swing at Nogueira 's ribcage but misses.
Nogueira swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Vaai Finau seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Finau misses with a looping right.
Nogueira is looking to counter punch.

Nogueira moves into the clinch successfully.
Nogueira misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Finau escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Nogueira clinches with his opponent.
Finau has a couple of punches blocked by Nogueira .
Nogueira lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Nogueira with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Nogueira tries to land a knee to the head but Finau blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Finau pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Finau takes a jab right on the kisser.

Nogueira gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Nogueira swings wildly with an uppercut but Finau uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nogueira is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Finau is defending well for now.
Nogueira scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Nogueira throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Finau blocks it with crossed arms.
Finau misses with a hook from the clinch.
Knees to the body from Nogueira .
Finau is breathing heavily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Nogueira with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Nogueira throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Finau blocks it with crossed arms.
Nogueira blocks an uppercut.
Nogueira lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Finau managing to block the knees to the body from Nogueira .

Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Nogueira waves his right hand out in front of him, looking to distract Finau. Oh, he's unloaded a beast of a left hand - it worked! He's dropped Finau to the canvas! Can he finish him!?

Finau is rocked!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Finau wants to sweep but no luck.
Finau is still in real trouble! Can Nogueira finish him?
Finau is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Nogueira is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Nogueira trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nogueira preventing the sweep.
Nogueira 's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Finau is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Finau wants to sweep but no luck.
Finau seems to have recovered his senses.
Nogueira wants to control from the top but Finau keeps moving.
Finau can't keep his opponent in guard - Nogueira advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Nogueira performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Finau tries to roll over but Nogueira keeps him under control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Nogueira missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Nogueira slows the pace down in half guard.
Finau keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Nogueira is looking to take a break and control but Finau is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

That's four 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.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Finau takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Finau tries to keep at a distance but Nogueira has taken the fight into the clinch.
Finau is looking to control Nogueira 's arms but Nogueira gets an underhook and turns him. Now Finau has his back to the cage.
Finau lands a left hand that snaps the head of Nogueira backwards.

Finau manages to break the clinch.
Finau looks to land a left hand but Nogueira moved out of range nicely.
Finau lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Finau moves out of range of the strikes.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Anderson Nogueira dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Vaai Finau's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Nogueira moves into the clinch successfully.
Nogueira working aggressively here.
Nogueira creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Finau lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Nogueira tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Finau breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nogueira misses with a hook. Finau ducked under it nicely.

Nogueira has managed to clinch.
A short uppercut from Nogueira .
Nogueira scores a nice knee to the body.
Nogueira tries a knee to the head but Finau blocks it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nogueira lands a right hand.
Nogueira lands an uppercut.
Nogueira pushes Finau against the cage. Nogueira is working some dirty boxing. Nogueira pushes off with a quick right hook! Finau goes down! Finau tries to stand but stumbles back to his kness! Nogueira moves in to finish and the ref steps in to prevent any more damage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Anderson Nogueira !