PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Hone Huia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafael Vieira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Huia's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Poi E - Patea Maori Club. Vieira has chosen T.I. - Go get it as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Huia
vs
Vieira

190 cm
35
202 lbs
16 - 12 - 0

185 cm
28
186 lbs
10 - 5 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
Dangerous knees
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Hone Huia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rafael Vieira!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Russell Pearce and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vieira throws a head kick but Huia moves out of range.
Vieira avoids a punch combination nicely.
Vieira avoids a punch combination nicely.
Vieira swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Huia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Huia throws a right and a left that both miss.
Vieira tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Vieira throws a head kick that misses.
Vieira scores with a hook to the body. Huia takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Left hook, right uppercut from Vieira.
Huia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vieira moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Huia misses with a body shot.
Vieira tries to clinch but Huia is having none of it.
Vieira connects with a right hand. Huia shakes it off.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Huia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vieira moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Vieira tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Huia appears to be looking for a big counter.
Vieira throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Huia takes a kick to the side of the head.
Vieira throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Huia scores with a nice head shot.
Huia waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Vieira.

Vieira gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Huia on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Vieira avoiding damage.
Vieira throws a knee to the head but misses.
Huia tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Huia blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vieira with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Huia gets through Vieira's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Vieira trying to stall but Huia improves his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Huia decides to pull guard.
Huia keeping moving, preventing Vieira from controlling successfully.
Huia being controlled here, momentarily.
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!
Vieira passes Huia's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Huia looking for submissions off his back.
Vieira trying to control from half guard but Huia is working away.

Huia is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Vieira pulls his head out easily.
Vieira slows the pace down in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Vieira's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Huia keeps the fight on the outside.
Vieira throws a left and a right that both miss
and Huia counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Vieira is looking to clinch.
Vieira fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vieira throws a looping overhand right but Huia ducks down to avoid it.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Vieira. Huia shrugs it off though.
Vieira tries a head kick but it misses.
Huia misses with a jab, cross combination.
Vieira is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Vieira slips under a jab.
Vieira dodges the punch combination from Huia.
Vieira throws a head kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rafael Vieira will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Huia throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Vieira's waist but Vieira gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Huia off to one side.
Hone Huia is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vieira misses with an uppercut. Huia saw that one coming.
Huia throws a big counter combination but Vieira scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Huia tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Vieira was well out of range. Poor timing from Huia.
Vieira avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Huia connects with the punch.
Vieira comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Vieira swings widly with a right hand
and Huia counters with a series of strikes. Vieira will be more careful next time no doubt.
Nice shot by Huia.
Nice uppercut lands for Vieira. That snapped Huia's head back.
Huia throws a right and a left that Vieira avoids nicely.
Vieira throws a head kick that misses.
Vieira misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Huia rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Vieira moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Vieira throws a counter combo.
Vieira swinging wildly here.
As Vieira looks to move away, Huia throws a big counter combo but Vieira just gets out of the way.
Rafael Vieira seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Huia throws a big shot that misses.
Vieira throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Huia sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rafael Vieira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Huia avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Huia misses with the combination.
Vieira throws out a counter right but Huia avoids it with no problem.
Vieira doesn't manage to clinch there - Huia circles away.
Huia gets cracked there but stands up to it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Vieira. Huia does a little dance to reset his feet.
Vieira looks to land a left hand but Huia moved out of range nicely.
A head kick by Vieira misses
and Huia cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Huia misses with an uppercut. Vieira saw that one coming.

Huia shoots in and gets a takedown into Vieira's guard.
Huia trying to control the position from guard on top but Vieira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Huia wants to pass the guard but Vieira is keeping the position.
Vieira seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vieira throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Vieira looking for a sweep. Not yet Vieira, not yet.
Vieira pulls Huia in to control the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Huia's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Vieira is trying to hold Huia in close to prevent damage but Huia has managed to pass into half guard.
Huia controlling the action here.
Vieira wants to improve his position but Huia is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vieira looking for submissions off his back.
Huia wants to free his trapped foot but Vieira is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Vieira is holding on to half guard well.
Vieira manages to get to full guard.
Huia trying to control the position from guard on top but Vieira is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Vieira tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Huia wants to control from the top but Vieira keeps moving.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Vieira misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Vieira looks to land a combination but Huia avoids it well.
Vieira throws a hook but Huia blocks it.
No joy there for Vieira, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Huia throws a right and a left that both miss.
Vieira wants to clinch but Huia slips to the side
and Huia counters with a nice uppercut.
Huia swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Vieira throws a big shot that misses.
Huia appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Huia looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hone Huia dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Vieira slips a jab and a cross from Huia.
Huia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Huia misses with a jab, cross combination.
A slapping body kick lands there for Vieira.
Huia takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Vieira tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Huia manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Vieira gets a clinch.
Vieira misses with a knee to the head.
Vieira tries a knee to the head but Huia blocks it.
Huia scores with a nice hook to the head.
Vieira misses with a knee strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Vieira misses with a knee strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Vieira blocks an uppercut.
Huia has Vieira pushed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vieira with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Vieira using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Huia has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Huia lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Huia misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Vieira with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Vieira missing with knees to the body.
Vieira looking to throw knees to the head but Huia is blocking nicely.
Vieira lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Vieira looking to slow down the pace here.
Huia blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Vieira looking to throw knees to the head but Huia is blocking nicely.
Huia managing to block the knees to the body from Vieira.
Rafael Vieira seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vieira lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
A knee to the head by Vieira.

It looks like Hone Huia has been cut.
Huia stalling in the clinch.
Vieira tries a knee to the head but Huia blocks it.
Huia managing to block the knees to the body from Vieira.
Huia drops down looking for an ankle pick but Vieira pulls his leg out and moves away.
Huia takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Vieira throws a head kick that misses.
Huia throws a right and a left that Vieira avoids nicely.
Vieira falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Huia counter with a right hand.
Huia swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Huia throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Vieira closes the distance and pushes Huia back into the cage.
Vieira throws a knee to the head but misses.
Vieira tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Vieira scores with a knee to the head.

Huia breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vieira tries to close the distance and clinch but Huia swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Vieira misses with a two punch combination.
Vieira is looking to clinch but Huia is avoiding it.
Huia misses with a wild combination.
Vieira throws a body shot but no joy.
Huia swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Vieira scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Vieira tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Huia fails with a takedown attempt.
Huia throws a right hand that Vieira ducks under and follows up with a left that Vieira also avoids with ease.
A swing and a miss from Vieira.
Vieira throws a body shot but no joy.
No joy there for Huia, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Vieira throws a big counter head kick but Huia avoids it with no problem.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Vieira tries to clinch but Huia moves out of range.
Vieira throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A little feinted left hand from Huia on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Vieira wants to clinch.
Vieira tries to clinch there but Huia circles away.
Huia shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vieira sprawls well. Vieira wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Huia gets slowly back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael Vieira comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Vieira 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafael Vieira!
A relieved looking Rafael Vieira thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Hone Huia spoke after the fight, saying 'I'm not making excuses or anything, but the weight loss pills I'm on, they're definitely giving me colitis, and maybe some internal bleeding. Stay away from drugs, kids.'.