PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Manuel Rios (ranked 1629 p4p, 1979 weight class) and Horghain Yan Spentliche (ranked 221 p4p, 262 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Rios
vs
Yan Spentliche

187 cm
25
185
3 - 3 - 0

185 cm
25
190
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Silverguard Outfitters 🛡
Furnace Performance 🔥

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Manuel Rios!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Horghain Yan Spentliche!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Robert Douchet and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Yan Spentliche throws out a loose jab but Rios uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rios swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
It seemed like Yan Spentliche was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Rios dodges the punch combination from Yan Spentliche.
Yan Spentliche misses with a right hand
and Yan Spentliche takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Rios waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Yan Spentliche.
Rios looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Yan Spentliche fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Rios looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Nice defenses there by Yan Spentliche.
Rios misses with a body shot.
Yan Spentliche throws a hook to the side of Rios's head but Rios sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Rios half committed to a counter leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rios thows a left - swing and a miss!
Yan Spentliche takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Yan Spentliche avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rios 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.
Yan Spentliche moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Yan Spentliche throws a sloppy head kick and Rios moves out of range easily.
Rios is looking to counter punch.
Yan Spentliche cracks a nice hook into Rios's ribs.
Rios throws a nice looking combination but Yan Spentliche bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Rios misses the shot to the body.
Yan Spentliche gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Yan Spentliche forces Rios back against the cage and clinches.
Rios blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Rios pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rios with a nice cross.
Rios shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
A head kick misses from Rios.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Good shot there by Yan Spentliche.
Rios takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Yan Spentliche ducks under a wild hook from Rios.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rios walks into a left hand.
Yan Spentliche throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rios throws a body shot but no joy.
Rios closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Yan Spentliche misses with an attempted mid kick.
Rios appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Rios moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Rios fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Yan Spentliche looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Yan Spentliche showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Rios.
Yan Spentliche connects with a body shot.

Yan Spentliche pushes Rios up against the cage in a clinch.
Yan Spentliche tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yan Spentliche working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Yan Spentliche throws a head punch that misses.
Rios wants to get back to striking at distance but Yan Spentliche won't allow it.
Yan Spentliche is struggling to control the position.
Rios tries to break the clinch but Yan Spentliche is controlling the position.
Yan Spentliche fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
I was talking to Rios's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Yan Spentliche misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rios is trying to break free.
Rios tries to circle away but Yan Spentliche has him pinned against the cage.
Yan Spentliche holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Yan Spentliche tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yan Spentliche misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Yan Spentliche keeps control of Rios as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Yan Spentliche misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yan Spentliche keeps control of Rios as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Yan Spentliche lands a shoulder strike.
Yan Spentliche throws a head punch that misses.

Rios manages to break the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Yan Spentliche. Rios does a little dance to reset his feet.
Rios throws a lazy right hand but Yan Spentliche sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Yan Spentliche throws out a counter right but Rios avoids it with no problem.
Yan Spentliche takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Rios throws a right and a left that Yan Spentliche avoids nicely.
Yan Spentliche missing with a left hand there. Rios was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Yan Spentliche tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rios swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Some wild striking there from Rios.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Horghain Yan Spentliche dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Yan Spentliche slips under a jab.
Nice jab there from Yan Spentliche.

It looks like Manuel Rios has been cut.
Yan Spentliche lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Rios misses with a body punch
and Yan Spentliche counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Yan Spentliche moves into the clinch successfully.
Yan Spentliche lands with a left to the head.
Yan Spentliche has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Still in the clinch, Yan Spentliche scores with a nice short uppercut.
Nice body punch from Yan Spentliche.
Yan Spentliche misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rios wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Yan Spentliche has him pressed against the cage.
Rios wants to get back to striking at distance but Yan Spentliche won't allow it.
Yan Spentliche lands a right hand.

Rios is rocked!
Rios blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Yan Spentliche has a couple of punches blocked by Rios.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Yan Spentliche misses with a punch on the inside.
Rios tries to break free but Yan Spentliche pushes him back against the cage.
Yan Spentliche is pushing Rios up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Yan Spentliche tries to throw a body punch but Rios avoids it by throwing Yan Spentliche back against the cage.
Rios wants to break the clinch but can't.
Rios tries to break the clinch but Yan Spentliche is controlling the position.
Rios is trying to break the clinch but Yan Spentliche is controlling him.
Yan Spentliche has a couple of punches blocked by Rios.
Yan Spentliche tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Yan Spentliche misses with a short punch on the inside.
Yan Spentliche lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Rios breaks from the clinch.
Rios throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A lazy left from Yan Spentliche finds it's target.
Yan Spentliche misses with a hook.
Yan Spentliche takes one on the chin but seems OK.
No joy there for Rios, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Manuel Rios is winning the standup battle so far.
Rios tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Yan Spentliche was well out of range. Poor timing from Rios.
Good standup being displayed there by Yan Spentliche as he connects with a hook.
Oh Rios is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Yan Spentliche thumps Rios with a low kick.
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!
Yan Spentliche finds Rios's off switch, with a big overhand right that connects perfectly to the side of the head! Rios flops back against the cage, eyes gazing into the distance. Yan Spentliche lands an unnecessary shot before the referee has time to step in and end the fight. Brutal stuff but I'm sure Rios will be OK.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:44 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Horghain Yan Spentliche!
A relieved looking Horghain Yan Spentliche thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.