PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marco Noriega (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Peltier (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Noriega
vs
Peltier

176 cm
23
168 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

179 cm
24
167 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marco Noriega!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jimmy Peltier!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Peltier swinging wildly here.
Noriega misses with an uppercut
letting Peltier counter with a right hand.
Marco Noriega seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Noriega throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Peltier tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Noriega was well out of range. Poor timing from Peltier.
Noriega avoids the body shot from Peltier.
Noriega swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Noriega throws an ugly left hook that misses
letting Peltier counter with a right hand.
Noriega misses with a hook
and Peltier counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Noriega tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Noriega fails with the takedown

and Peltier counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Peltier with the ground and pound but Noriega uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Peltier won't allow Noriega to sweep him here.
Peltier pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Noriega is keeping the position for now.
Peltier trying to control the position from guard on top but Noriega is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peltier pushing down on Noriega's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Peltier wants to free his trapped foot but Noriega is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Noriega tries to get to full guard but Peltier has control of the leg.
Peltier trying to control the action but Noriega is working from the bottom.
Noriega keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Peltier is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Noriega tries to roll over but Peltier keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Peltier landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Noriega won't allow Peltier to pass to mount.
Noriega is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Noriega is refusing to be controlled, as Peltier sits in half guard.
Noriega keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Peltier lands with a punch from half guard.
Peltier looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Peltier seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peltier trying to control the action but Noriega is working from the bottom.

Peltier is working for a submission of some sort.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Peltier in particular looking to stall.
Noriega trying to control here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Peltier is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Noriega defends it well.
Noriega regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Peltier.
Peltier tries to free his leg and advance position but Noriega is retaining full guard.
Peltier trying to control the position from guard on top but Noriega is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Peltier trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Noriega looking to control.
Peltier has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Peltier throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Noriega works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Noriega keeping moving, preventing Peltier from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Peltier dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Peltier throws an overhand right that lands on Noriega's shoulder, as Noriega tries to avoid the shot.
Peltier misses with a left hand
enabling Noriega to counter with a crisp jab.
Noriega throws a leg kick but Peltier checks it.
A telegraphed right hand from Peltier misses the target.
Noriega connects with a looping right hand.
Noriega connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Peltier's hands.

Peltier scores with a takedown into Noriega's guard.

Noriega is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Peltier defends well.
Peltier scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peltier pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Noriega is keeping the position for now.
Noriega is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Peltier thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Peltier pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Noriega is keeping the position for now.
Peltier throws a strike but Noriega rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Peltier looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Noriega is working Peltier over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's two 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.

Noriega thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Peltier is trying to control the position but Noriega postures up.
Noriega works over Peltier with some ground and pound from guard.
Noriega throws a big right hand that misses.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Peltier is on top in guard.

Peltier drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Noriega dives on top into guard.
Noriega working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Peltier keeping moving, preventing Noriega from controlling successfully.
Peltier trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Peltier looking to hit a scissor sweep but Noriega is one step ahead there.
Noriega stands up over Peltier, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peltier keeping moving, preventing Noriega from controlling successfully.
Noriega lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Peltier keeping moving, preventing Noriega from controlling successfully.
Peltier bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Noriega's guard.
Peltier controls from within his opponent's guard.
Peltier trying to control but Noriega is working from the bottom.
Noriega wants to sweep here but Peltier controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Peltier wants to control from the top but Noriega keeps moving.
Noriega is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Peltier trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Noriega throws an off balance right hand
and Noriega takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Noriega will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A big right from Noriega misses.
Peltier fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Noriega cracks a nice hook into Peltier's ribs.
Peltier throws a jab but it's blocked by Noriega.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Marco Noriega will probably get the nod.
That's time! Noriega's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Peltier throws a series of punches but Noriega moves out of range.
Noriega misses with a left hand
and Peltier counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Noriega looks to land a body kick but Peltier moved away.
Peltier getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Peltier misses the jab.
Noriega tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Peltier shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Peltier is trying to control. Noriega wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Peltier slips a nice elbow through Noriega's hands, connecting with Noriega's forehead.
Peltier is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Peltier is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Noriega is just riding it out for now. Peltier eventually gives up the hold.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Peltier missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Jimmy Peltier has got the better of the ground game so far.
Peltier thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Noriega to regain full guard.
Peltier is pushing down on Noriega's leg trying to pass to half guard. Noriega is fighting to maintain full guard but Peltier has managed to sneak the leg through.
Peltier wants to lay and pray for a moment but Noriega keeps working.

Peltier is working for a kimura but Noriega is defending it quite comfortably.
Peltier lands strikes from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Peltier not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Noriega wants to get back to full guard.
Noriega is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Peltier's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Peltier's back!
Peltier trying to get back to his feet but Noriega is in full control for now.
Peltier trying to control the hands but Noriega won't let him.
Noriega misses with a punch to the head.
Noriega scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Peltier tries to roll but Noriega sticks to his back.
Peltier rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Noriega thows a huge punch but Peltier dodges it nicely.
Noriega missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Peltier moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Peltier is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Noriega is trying to maintain the position but Peltier is very close to passing his half guard.
Peltier seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Peltier not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Peltier moves nicely into side control.
Noriega is being controlled here.

Peltier tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Peltier has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Peltier is looking to take a break and control but Noriega is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Noriega tries to buck Peltier off but Peltier is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmy Peltier comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Peltier 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Peltier!