PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cesar Areza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurt manningham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying manningham's choice of entrance music: Red Rider - Lunatic Fringe . 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.

Areza
vs
manningham

190 cm
23
210 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

188 cm
20
215 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight 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, Cesar Areza!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kurt manningham!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Steve Montenegro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
manningham loads up on a big right hand but Areza slips the punch.
Areza shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. manningham defends it nicely.
Areza shoots in looking for a takedown. manningham tries to sprawl out of it but Areza keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. manningham manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
manningham avoids the head kick by Areza.
manningham throws a head kick but Areza moves out of range.
Areza loads up on a big right hand but manningham slips the punch.
Areza shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts manningham as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cesar Areza. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
manningham scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Areza doesn't seem bothered though.
manningham lands a head shot.
Areza connects with a looping right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.

manningham fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Areza, pushing him back against the cage.

manningham tightens his grip and picks Areza up, before dumping him to the ground. Areza manages to land in guard.
Areza working a defensive guard but manningham passes into half guard.
manningham lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Areza wants to get back to full guard.
manningham wants to lay and pray for a moment but Areza keeps working.
manningham throwing shots but Areza is blocking nicely.
manningham stalling.
Areza gets full guard.
manningham is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
manningham trying to control the position from guard on top but Areza is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Areza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but manningham can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
manningham with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Areza isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. manningham stacks Areza on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by manningham!
Areza is breathing heavily.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Areza wants to get back to his feet but manningham drags him back down.
Areza tries to buck manningham off but manningham is having none of it.
manningham is chipping away with strikes.
Areza takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

manningham is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Areza knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
manningham looks up at the clock and then as Areza takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, manningham smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

manningham tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no manningham has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Areza seems a little lost for a moment, as manningham dominates the positioning.
manningham prevents Areza from escaping the position.
Areza is working to avoid the ground and pound but manningham connects with a decent elbow.
manningham lands an elbow.
Areza is looking to reverse the position.
manningham trying to control the position but Areza is working away.
manningham lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

manningham is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Areza is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Areza wants to control but manningham postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
manningham landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
manningham wants to control but Areza is keeping him busy.

manningham is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Areza is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Areza wants to control but manningham postures up.
Areza is not content to let manningham control the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Areza is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on manningham's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt manningham dominated that round.
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.

Areza wants to clinch

and manningham decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Areza's guard.
Kurt manningham has got the better of the ground game so far.
manningham makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
manningham trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
manningham trying to control but Areza is working from the bottom.
manningham is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Areza is looking for a triangle but manningham pushes his legs off easily.
Areza is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
manningham pushes down on Areza's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Areza is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but manningham pulls his head out easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

manningham is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Areza looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. manningham lands a nice short elbow.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. manningham connects with a nice short shot to Areza's temple.
Areza tries to get to full guard but manningham has control of the leg.
manningham controlling the action here.
manningham tries to pass the half guard into mount. Areza knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
manningham trying to control the action but Areza is working from the bottom.
manningham keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
manningham lands strikes from half guard.
Nice strikes from manningham there.
Areza wants to get back to full guard.

Areza with the active half guard here but manningham passes nicely into side control.
manningham is chipping away with strikes.
Areza is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked manningham off and has taken his back!
Areza not allowing manningham to control his hands.

manningham defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Areza's arms.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
manningham looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
manningham turns into Areza and is now in his guard.

manningham drops back looking for a leg! Areza is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Areza manages to kick manningham off! manningham jumps back into Areza's guard.
manningham trying to control the position from guard on top but Areza 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.

manningham drops back looking for a leg! Areza is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Areza manages to kick manningham off! manningham jumps back into Areza's guard.

Areza looking for a guillotine here but manningham defends easily.

Areza escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. manningham gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
manningham lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
manningham throwing strikes from guard but Areza blocks nicely.
manningham with a flurry of punches that miss.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurt manningham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

manningham blocks a jab.
A head kick misses from manningham.
A big left from Areza misses.

manningham drives through and clinches with Areza against the cage.
manningham connects with a nasty looking knee right to Areza's face.

It looks like Cesar Areza has been cut.
Areza takes an elbow to the temple.

manningham has picked Areza up - he's going for a ride! manningham dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
manningham lands with a punch from half guard.
Areza has hold of manningham's hands but manningham slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Areza slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
manningham is in close to Areza's body, working some short punches and elbows.
manningham throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Areza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
manningham with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Areza not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
manningham tries to free his leg and advance position but Areza is retaining full guard.
manningham advances position into side control!
Areza tries to bench press manningham off him but manningham keeps the position.
Areza wants to control but manningham postures up.
manningham trying to control the position but Areza is working away.
Areza gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

Areza looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

manningham gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Areza misses with a takedown attempt
and manningham counters with a nice uppercut.
Areza takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
manningham works the jab nicely.
A combination from manningham does no damage.
manningham stalks Areza and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Areza's face. Areza staggers backwards, shaken.
manningham throws a right hand that Areza ducks under and follows up with a left that Areza also avoids with ease.

manningham changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Areza looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Areza is looking to reverse the position.
Areza is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
manningham lands an elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areza manages to work his way to half guard, despite manningham's best efforts.
manningham works his way into full mount!
manningham connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Areza slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Areza wants to get back to his feet.
Areza trying to control from the bottom.
manningham performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from manningham there.
manningham drops an elbow to the side of Areza's head.
Areza is trying to control but can't.

manningham is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
manningham seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Areza does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
manningham not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
manningham trying to control from Areza's half guard. Areza has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Areza is trying to control the position but manningham postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
manningham lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
manningham misses with a hook.
Cesar Areza has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Kurt manningham is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
A swing and a miss from Areza.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurt manningham comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well manningham has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurt manningham!