PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Montesh Dominguez (ranked 1157 p4p, 1230 weight class) and Akaro Horiguchi (ranked 153 p4p, 161 weight class). Horiguchi is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Japanese Imperial Army Death March. Montesh Dominguez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dominguez
vs
Horiguchi

179 cm
31
158
18 - 20 - 0

176 cm
39
159
24 - 13 - 1

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Fantasy Threads

The Pharmacy Phuket

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Montesh Dominguez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Akaro Horiguchi!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Dillan Fox and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horiguchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horiguchi feints the counter takedown.
Dominguez just misses with a punch to the body.
Horiguchi feints the counter takedown.
We've been informed that Horiguchi has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Dominguez looks to score with a jab to the body but Horiguchi is just out of range.
Dominguez wants to clinch up but Horiguchi keeps it at a distance.
Horiguchi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Dominguez throws a shot to the body.
A jab from Dominguez misses.
Dominguez throws a jab but it's blocked by Horiguchi.
Horiguchi with the counter takedown but Dominguez avoids it easily.
Horiguchi moves out of range of the strikes.
And Horiguchi tries to counter it with a takedown but Dominguez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Dominguez feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Horiguchis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Horiguchi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dominguez.
And Horiguchi tries to counter it with a takedown but Dominguez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Dominguez scores with a shot to the body.

Dominguez gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Horiguchi managing to block the knees to the body from Dominguez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dominguez tries to land a knee to the head but Horiguchi blocks with his arms.
Dominguez misses with a body punch.
Dominguez lands with a right to the head.
Dominguez tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Horiguchi's elbow.
Dominguez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Dominguez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Dominguez swings wildly with an uppercut but Horiguchi uses good head movement to avoid it.
I was talking to Dominguez's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Horiguchi looking for a takedown.
Dominguez scores with a knee to the head.

It looks like Akaro Horiguchi has been cut.
A head punch on the inside from Dominguez fails to land.
Dominguez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Horiguchi tries for a takedown but Dominguez manages to get underhooks.
Dominguez lands a knee to the body.
Horiguchi blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dominguez tries to land knees in the clinch but Horiguchi avoids the damage to the body.
Dominguez misses with a knee strike.
Dominguez looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Dominguez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Horiguchi avoids it.
Dominguez trying to land knees to the body.
Horiguchi blocks an uppercut.
Horiguchi wants a takedown but no success here.
Montesh Dominguez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Akaro Horiguchi.
Dominguez tries to land a knee to the head but 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!
Dominguez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dominguez missing with knees to the body.
Horiguchi is trying to drag Dominguez to the mat but Dominguez just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Dominguez misses with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Dominguez.
Horiguchi blocks the elbow strike.
Horiguchi goes for a takedown in the clinch but Dominguez prevents it.
Dominguez struggles to land a body shot inside as Horiguchi controls his hands.
Dominguez working aggressively here.
Horiguchi tries for a takedown. No joy.
Dominguez throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Dominguez throws a head punch that misses.
Horiguchi tries for a takedown but Dominguez manages to get underhooks.
Dominguez can't find room to land a body shot as Horiguchi controls the action.
Horiguchi managing to block the knees to the body from Dominguez.
Horiguchi has Dominguez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Dominguez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dominguez lands with a short shot to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Dominguez.
Dominguez tries to land a knee to the head but Horiguchi blocks with his arms.
Dominguez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Horiguchi backwards.
Horiguchi blocks the elbow strike.
Dominguez prevents the takedown attempt.
Dominguez trying to land knees to the body.
Horiguchi managing to block the knees to the body from Dominguez.
A shot in the inside from Dominguez.
Dominguez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dominguez throws an elbow that misses.
Dominguez lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dominguez scores with a knee to the head.
Dominguez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Horiguchi is defending well for now.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Montesh Dominguez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Akaro Horiguchi's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Horiguchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dominguez throws a body punch but Horiguchi moves out of range.
And Horiguchi tries to counter it with a takedown but Dominguez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Dominguez throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Horiguchi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Dominguez smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Dominguez tries to clinch there but Horiguchi circles away.
Horiguchi blocks a jab.
Dominguez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Horiguchi drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Dominguez defends it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dominguez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Horiguchi manages to avoid it.
Dominguez throws a hook but Horiguchi avoids it easily.
Horiguchi tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Dominguez lands a slapping body shot.
A jab from Dominguez does it's job there.
Montesh Dominguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dominguez wants to land a leg kick but Horiguchi is out of range.
Horiguchi feints the counter takedown.
Dominguez swings widly with a right hand

and Horiguchi decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dominguez's guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Horiguchi accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Horiguchi throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dominguez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Horiguchi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dominguez trying to keep a closed guard but Horiguchi is proving a slippery customer.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Horiguchi is looking to work some ground and pound but Dominguez has wrist control.
Dominguez wants to stand up but Horiguchi is controlling him.
Horiguchi is looking to work some ground and pound but Dominguez has wrist control.
Dominguez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dominguez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Horiguchi has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Dominguez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Horiguchi postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Horiguchi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Dominguez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Dominguez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Horiguchi throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Horiguchi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Horiguchi loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Horiguchi throws a big elbow that misses.
Horiguchi throwing strikes but missing.
Dominguez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Horiguchi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Horiguchi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Horiguchi throwing strikes but missing.
Dominguez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Horiguchi's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dominguez tries to free his leg and advance position but Horiguchi is retaining full guard.
Horiguchi tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Dominguez gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Dominguez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Horiguchi sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Horiguchi with the counter takedown but Dominguez avoids it easily.
Horiguchi avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Horiguchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horiguchi feints the counter takedown.
Horiguchi slips under a jab.
Dominguez is looking to wear down Horiguchi with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
A jab from Dominguez misses.
Dominguez throws a sloppy head kick and Horiguchi moves out of range easily.
Horiguchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Dominguez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Horiguchi drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Dominguez defends it well.
Montesh Dominguez is winning the standup battle so far.
Horiguchi keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Horiguchi is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dominguez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Akaro Horiguchi is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Dominguez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Horiguchi moves out of range of the strikes.
Dominguez misses with a straight right.
Dominguez swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Dominguez looks to score with a jab to the body but Horiguchi is just out of range.
Horiguchi with the counter takedown but Dominguez avoids it easily.
Dominguez goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A telegraphed right hand from Dominguez misses the target.
Horiguchi tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Dominguez feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Horiguchis jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dominguez scores with a kick to the body.
Dominguez will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Montesh Dominguez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Akaro Horiguchi's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Dominguez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Horiguchi moves away.
Horiguchi tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Horiguchi slips under a jab from Dominguez.
Dominguez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dominguez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Horiguchi.
Dominguez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Horiguchi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Dominguez swings away with a body shot that misses

and Horiguchi counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dominguez won't be happy with that.
Horiguchi looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Dominguez is avoiding damage well.
Horiguchi tries to score with some ground and pound. Dominguez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Horiguchi throws an elbow but Dominguez slips to the side and avoids it well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dominguez dodges the ground and pound from Horiguchi.
Dominguez sneaks back into half guard.
Akaro Horiguchi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Horiguchi throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Horiguchi thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Dominguez's head.
Horiguchi not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dominguez trying to control but Horiguchi postures up.
Dominguez is trying to get back to full guard.
Horiguchi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Horiguchi thows a huge punch but Dominguez dodges it nicely.
Horiguchi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Dominguez trying to control but Horiguchi postures up.
Horiguchi missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Horiguchi throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Horiguchi not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Horiguchi missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Horiguchi throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Dominguez to regain full guard.
Dominguez trying to control the position here.
Dominguez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Horiguchi can do to turn this around?
Horiguchi postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi postures up in Dominguez's guard and throws a big left but Dominguez blocks it.
Horiguchi postures up in Dominguez's guard and throws a big left but Dominguez blocks it.
Dominguez wants to sweep here but Horiguchi controlling him for the moment.
Dominguez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Horiguchi.
Horiguchi with a flurry of punches that miss.
Horiguchi in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Horiguchi trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Horiguchi being controlled here momentarily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dominguez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Horiguchi working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Horiguchi missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Horiguchi throws a big right hand that misses.
Dominguez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Horiguchi throwing strikes from guard but Dominguez blocks nicely.
Dominguez wants to stand and escape but Horiguchi is having none of it.
Dominguez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Horiguchi.
Dominguez trying to control the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Horiguchi uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dominguez.
Horiguchi changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Dominguez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Horiguchi moves away.
Dominguez keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Dominguez misses with a looping left.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dominguez throws a front kick that sends Horiguchi stumbling back into the cage.
Dominguez just misses with a punch to the body.
Dominguez throws an overhand right that lands on Horiguchi's shoulder, as Horiguchi tries to avoid the shot.
Horiguchi blocks a jab.
Dominguez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dominguez looks to land a left hand but Horiguchi moved out of range nicely.
Horiguchi with the counter takedown but Dominguez avoids it easily.
Montesh Dominguez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Dominguez takes a swing at Horiguchi's ribcage but misses.
And Horiguchi tries to counter it with a takedown but Dominguez pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Horiguchi moves out of range of the body kick.
Horiguchi drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Dominguez defends it well.
Dominguez connects with a good right hand that stumbles Horiguchi. Horiguchi circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dominguez throws a sloppy head kick and Horiguchi moves out of range easily.
Akaro Horiguchi has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dominguez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Montesh Dominguez.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Dominguez, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:26
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Montesh Dominguez!
During a confident post fight interview, Montesh Dominguez thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.