PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cruz Dominiguez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ma Moru (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class).

Dominiguez
vs
Moru

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of , fighting out of , Cruz Dominiguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of , fighting out of , Ma Moru!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moru lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Dominiguez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Moru to counter with a crisp jab.
A solid leg kick lands there for Dominiguez.
Moru keeps the fight on the outside.
Dominiguez moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Dominiguez takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Cruz Dominiguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Dominiguez drives through and clinches with Moru against the cage.
Dominiguez is looking to break free of the clinch but Moru has double underhooks.
Moru misses with the head strike.
Moru slowing the pace effectively.
Moru has Dominiguez pressed against the cage, preventing Dominiguez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Dominiguez working hard to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from Moru.
Moru misses with a punch to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Dominiguez is trying to force a seperation but Moru has the dominant position.
Dominiguez can't break the clinch.
Moru tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
I was talking to Dominiguez's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Moru creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Moru has a couple of punches blocked by Dominiguez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dominiguez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Moru leaning his opponent against the cage.
Dominiguez tries to circle away but Moru has him pinned against the cage.
Dominiguez wants to break free but Moru has control.
Moru trying to land knees to the body.

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

Dominiguez has taken the fight to the clinch.
The referee calls for Moru to work.
Moru stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moru tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Moru keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Dominiguez's efforts to push away.

Moru breaks the clinch.
Moru connects with a crisp jab.
A good leg kick by Moru.
Moru connects with a body shot that sends Dominiguez's belly button to the back.
Dominiguez throws a right and a left that Moru avoids nicely.
Moru connects with a leg kick. Dominiguez looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Moru swats away the attempt to clinch by Dominiguez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moru keeps the fight on the outside.
Moru lands a nice leg kick that just misses Dominiguez's sensitive parts.
Dominiguez fails to land with a series of punches.
Dominiguez tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Moru counter with a right hand.
Moru loads up on a big right hand but Dominiguez slips the punch.
Moru throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dominiguez lands a jab to the nose.
Moru takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Dominiguez throws a sloppy head kick and Moru moves out of range easily.
Moru misses with a hook. Dominiguez ducked under it nicely.
Moru connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Dominiguez tries to close the distance and clinch but Moru swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dominiguez misses with the combination.
Moru misses with a straight left.
A good leg kick by Moru.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ma Moru dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Moru slaps away a takedown attempt from Dominiguez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ma Moru seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Moru lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Dominiguez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Moru paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Moru is looking to slow Dominiguez down with leg kicks.
Dominiguez tries to clinch but Moru moves away
and Moru counters with a good low kick that Dominiguez was not able to check.
Dominiguez connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Moru momentarily.
Moru lands a leg kick that knocks Dominiguez off balance momentarily.
Dominiguez fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dominiguez avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
As Moru backs away, Dominiguez returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dominiguez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Moru.
Dominiguez will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Nice defenses there by Moru.
Dominiguez shoots in but Moru avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Moru flicks out a counter leg kick but Dominiguez steps away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dominiguez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Moru tries to counter with a clinch but Dominiguez shakes him off and moves away.
Moru dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Dominiguez. That did some damage!
Moru wants to clinch up but Dominiguez keeps it at a distance.
Dominiguez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Moru paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Dominiguez tries to score with a low kick but Moru moves his leg out of the way.
Ma Moru is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Dominiguez swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Dominiguez tries to clinch up
and Moru counters with a right hand to the body.
Dominiguez tries to clinch
and Dominiguez takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice body kick from Moru.
Cruz Dominiguez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dominiguez closes the distance but Moru moves to the side
and Moru counters with a nice leg kick.
Dominiguez throws a right hand that Moru ducks under and follows up with a left that Moru also avoids with ease.
Moru loads up on a big right hand but Dominiguez slips the punch.
Dominiguez has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Moru.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moru connects with an inside leg kick.
Dominiguez tries to clinch but Moru moves out of range.
Moru circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dominiguez tries to clinch up but Moru circles away and keeps his distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dominiguez looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dominiguez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Moru counters with a thumping low kick.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Moru.
Moru fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Dominiguez looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Moru throws a nice outside leg kick.
Moru blocks a head kick by Dominiguez.
Moru avoids a punch combination nicely.
Moru thumps Dominiguez with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moru lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Dominiguez tries to clinch but Moru moves out of range.
Dominiguez throws a head kick that misses
and Moru counters with a nice uppercut.
Dominiguez falls off balance throwing a combination
and Moru counters with a left to the body.
Moru's corner calls for a 1-2. Moru obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Moru rushes Dominiguez and presses him up against the cage.
Dominiguez has had enough of the clinch but Moru keeps him there for the moment.
Moru is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Dominiguez is defending well for now.
Moru holding his opponent close, against the cage.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dominiguez is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Dominiguez tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Moru manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Moru throws a hook but Dominiguez avoids it easily.
Dominiguez tries to close the distance and clinch but Moru swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dominiguez takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Dominiguez moves to clinch but Moru breaks away
and Moru counters with a slapping leg kick.

Moru takes the fight into the clinch.
Moru is stalling here.
Stalling in the clinch from Moru.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ma Moru showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! 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.

Dominiguez ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Dominiguez misses with a two punch combination.
Moru throws a shot from downtown. Dominiguez moves away and avoids it.
A head kick by Dominiguez misses
and Moru connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Dominiguez misses with the combination.
Nice uppercut there from Moru.
Dominiguez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dominiguez is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Moru.
Moru fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Moru blocks a head kick by Dominiguez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dominiguez uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Moru.
Dominiguez attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
That kick from Moru tenderised Dominiguez's leg. Dominiguez is trying to keep his angry face on.
Dominiguez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Moru swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Dominiguez tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dominiguez tries to clinch up.
Moru lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Moru scores with a leg kick.
Dominiguez tries to clinch but Moru is having none of it.
It seemed like Moru was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Moru scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Moru lands with a thumping leg kick.
Dominiguez takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Moru enables Dominiguez to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Moru manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Moru escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Dominiguez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Dominiguez preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moru wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Moru has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Moru looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Moru working for submissions but it's allowed Dominiguez to get to half guard.
Cruz Dominiguez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Moru is concentrating on defense, preventing Dominiguez from advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moru wants to get back to full guard.
Moru moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Moru pulls Dominiguez in close to prevent any damage.
Moru is trying to keep Dominiguez in close.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ma Moru is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
A jab lands there for Dominiguez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Moru stuffs the takedown.
Dominiguez tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Moru counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Dominiguez is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Moru turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Dominiguez takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Moru bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Moru tries a head kick but it misses.
Moru tries a head kick but it misses.
Dominiguez tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Moru counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Dominiguez throws a head kick that misses.
Dominiguez tries to clinch but Moru is having none of it.
Dominiguez misses with a double jab
and Moru counters with a straight right hand.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ma Moru comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Moru winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ma Moru!
Ma Moru decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.