PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Vern Vurris (ranked 2100 p4p, 2082 weight class) and Luis Naranja (ranked 116 p4p, 113 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Vurris
vs
Naranja

201 cm
33
270
25 - 14 - 1

203 cm
25
278
8 - 7 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 25 - 14 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Vern Vurris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Luis Naranja!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Phil Schofield and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vurris moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Naranja misses with a combination
and Vurris counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Naranja fails to land the takedown.
Vurris tried to counter with a leg kick but Naranja avoided it.
Naranja sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

Naranja bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Vurris dodges the ground and pound from Naranja.
Vurris tries to buck Naranja off but Naranja is having none of it.
Naranja tries to score with some ground and pound. Vurris controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Naranja working the ground and pound but Vurris is defending the strikes.
Vurris wants to control but Naranja postures up.
Vurris is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Vurris is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Vurris definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naranja is thwarting Vurris's attempts to control the position.
Vurris blocking the ground and pound attempt from Naranja.
Vurris tries to get to full guard but Naranja has control of the leg.
Naranja not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Naranja not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Vurris regains full guard. Nicely done.
Naranja postures up.
Vurris 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.
Naranja connects with a couple of short punches.
Naranja scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Vurris looking for a sweep. Not yet Vurris, not yet.
Naranja with a flurry of punches that miss.
Vurris working a defensive guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vurris lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Naranja trying to strike off his back.
Vurris tries to free his leg and advance position but Naranja is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Naranja throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Naranja tries to strike from the bottom.
Vurris is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Naranja throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Naranja throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Naranja throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Vurris stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Naranja swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Naranja looking for a sweep. Not yet Naranja, not yet.
Vurris trying to control but Naranja is working from the bottom.
Naranja trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Naranja trying to strike off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naranja trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Naranja doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Naranja looks for a takedown but Vurris sprawls well.
Naranja fails with the takedown.
Vern Vurris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luis Naranja.

Vurris gets a clinch.
Naranja lands on the inside with an uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Naranja.
Naranja scores with a nice hook to the head.
Naranja tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Vurris blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naranja swings wildly with an uppercut but Vurris uses good head movement to avoid it.
Naranja working aggressively here.
Naranja misses with a hook from the clinch.
Naranja tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Naranja throws a head punch that misses.
Vurris blocks an uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Vurris.
Vurris tries to stall but Naranja uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Naranja has a couple of punches blocked by Vurris.
Vurris blocking some punches.
Vurris blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Naranja working aggressively here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Vurris.
Naranja blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Luis Naranja dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Naranja stuffs the takedown attempt from Vurris. Vurris gets slowly back to his feet.
Naranja is looking for the big counter here.
Vurris keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Naranja staying out of range there.

Vurris shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Vurris was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Naranja felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Naranja tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Vurris presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Vurris wants to control the pace but Naranja is squirming around nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Naranja flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Naranja is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Vurris blocks Naranja's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naranja flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Naranja is wriggling around trying to escape.
Vurris lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Naranja can't escape the position.
Vern Vurris overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Vurris is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Naranja is surviving well by controlling Vurris's body position as best he can.
Vurris is landing with some decent strikes but Naranja is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Naranja keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Vurris landing shots from mount.
Naranja can't escape the position.
Naranja is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Naranja is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Vurris landing strikes, looking to finish!
Vurris breaks from Naranja's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Vurris trying to control but Naranja is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vurris is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Naranja can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Vurris postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Naranja looks a forlorn figure.
Naranja is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Vurris can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Naranja is looking to escape.
Naranja has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Naranja is bucking up trying to escape but Vurris cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Vurris can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Naranja is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vurris scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Vurris tries to control but Naranja wriggling away.
Naranja taking shots to the head.
Vurris trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Vurris with shots to the head and body - Naranja looks very uncomfortable down there.
Naranja sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Vurris scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Naranja regains full guard. Nicely done.
Vurris trying to control but Naranja is working from the bottom.
Vurris postures up in Naranja's guard and throws a big left but Naranja blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Naranja throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Vurris passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Naranja flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Naranja is trying to get back to full guard.
Naranja tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Naranja strikes from the bottom but Vurris passes into mount!
Vurris trying to control but Naranja is having none of it.
Vurris is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Naranja can do to turn this around?
Vurris blocks Naranja's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.
Naranja tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Naranja swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Vern Vurris dominated that second round.
That's time! Vurris's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Naranja shoots in for a takedown but Vurris shows good takedown defense.
Naranja tries for a takedown but Vurris circles away easily
and Naranja takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Vurris swings for the body but Naranja moves out of range.
Vurris tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Naranja was well out of range. Poor timing from Vurris.
Naranja is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Naranja darts in trying to clinch
and Naranja takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vurris swings for the body but Naranja moves out of range.
Naranja gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Vurris counters with a straight right hand.
Vern Vurris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luis Naranja.
Naranja is trying hard to land a takedown here. Vurris sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vurris connects with a body shot.
Naranja tries a head kick but it misses.
Naranja tries to clinch but Vurris moves out of range.
Vurris works Naranja's body with a nice hook.
Vurris fails with a takedown attempt.
The fighters circle momentarily. Vurris darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Luis Naranja is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Naranja tries to close the distance and clinch up but Vurris swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Naranja clinches up against the cage.
Naranja misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naranja fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Naranja has a couple of punches blocked by Vurris.
Naranja misses with a short punch on the inside.
Vurris looking for a takedown.
Vurris blocks an uppercut.
Naranja lands with a short shot to the head.
Vurris is looking to break free of the clinch but Naranja has double underhooks.
Naranja has a couple of punches blocked by Vurris.
Naranja lands a hook that snaps the head of Vurris backwards.
Naranja throws a head punch that misses.
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!
Naranja lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Naranja blocking some punches.
Vurris looking to throw knees to the head but Naranja is blocking nicely.

Vurris breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vurris is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Naranja.

Naranja darts in and clinches Vurris up against the cage.
Naranja working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Naranja misses with a short punch on the inside.
Naranja throws a head punch that misses.
Naranja misses with a hook from the clinch.
Naranja gets underhooks to prevent Vurris's takedown attempt.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Naranja.
Vurris drops down looking for an ankle pick but Naranja pulls his leg out and moves away.
Naranja tries to close the distance and clinch but Vurris swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A swing and a miss from Vurris.
Vurris throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Naranja sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Naranja moves into range and clinches up with Vurris.
Luis Naranja seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vurris blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Naranja misses with the head strike.
Naranja misses with the head strike.
Naranja swings wildly with an uppercut but Vurris uses good head movement to avoid it.
Naranja scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Naranja fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Naranja misses with a hook from the clinch.
Naranja has a couple of punches blocked by Vurris.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Naranja.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Naranja gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Vurris.
Naranja swings wildly with an uppercut but Vurris uses good head movement to avoid it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luis Naranja comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Naranja 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luis Naranja!
A relieved looking Luis Naranja thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.