PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Domo Arigatou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jorge Vera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Domo Arigatou had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Arigatou
vs
Vera

184 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

189 cm
18
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Dangerous knees
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Domo Arigatou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jorge Vera!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Frank Antenori and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Arigatou fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Vera, pushing him back against the cage.
Vera tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Arigatou smiles and moves away.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Vera.
Vera shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Domo Arigatou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jorge Vera.
Arigatou keeps the fight on the outside.
Arigatou pivots, looking for a leg kick but Vera is out of range and Arigatou settles back down.
Arigatou looks to land a combination but Vera avoids it well.
Vera shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Arigatou throws a nice looking combination but Vera bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Arigatou bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here as Arigatou stalls from top position.
Arigatou in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Arigatou wants to lay and pray for a moment but Vera keeps working.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera is looking to reverse the position.
Arigatou throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Vera is trying to control Arigatou's posture but Arigatou avoids it.
The ground and pound from Arigatou seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Vera takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Arigatou prevents Vera from escaping the position.
You can see the frustration on Vera's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Arigatou remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Vera can do anything to dispel that myth.
Arigatou in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Arigatou controlling the position from side mount.
Vera is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Arigatou fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Vera taking punishment in the form of punches.
Vera is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Arigatou has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Vera is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arigatou scoring with punches from side control.
Vera tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Arigatou wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Arigatou is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Vera will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arigatou is looking to take a break and control but Vera is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Vera takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Vera struggling a bit here.
Vera tries to bench press Arigatou off him but Arigatou keeps the position.
Vera looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Arigatou scores with punches from side control.
Vera is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Arigatou lands a few punches from side control.
Vera really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Arigatou. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Arigatou lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Vera down.
Arigatou is putting a hurting on Vera here, landing some big shots from side control.
Arigatou landing strikes.
Arigatou landing strikes.
Vera can't do much from the bottom here.
Arigatou landing strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Domo Arigatou dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Vera looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Vera gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Arigatou tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Arigatou tries to stall but Vera uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Arigatou ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Arigatou no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Vera looking to sit in guard and control but Arigatou gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arigatou is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Vera throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Vera bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Arigatou's guard.
Arigatou is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Arigatou avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Vera wants to control from the top but Arigatou keeps moving.
Vera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.
Vera wants to control from the top but Arigatou keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Domo Arigatou just wasn't active enough.
Arigatou shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Vera as he avoids it easily.

Vera closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Arigatou to the mat! Arigatou manages to get full guard.
Vera trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vera wants to stand but Arigatou has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Arigatou keeping moving, preventing Vera from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Arigatou working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Vera.
Vera looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Jorge Vera has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Vera moves into the clinch successfully.

Vera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Domo Arigatou is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Arigatou gets tackled into the cage by Vera. Vera maintains the clinch.
Vera looking for a takedown.

Vera breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arigatou is trying hard to land a takedown here. Vera sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Domo Arigatou. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vera shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Arigatou pinned against the cage. Arigatou gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Arigatou stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Arigatou wants it to stay on the feet.
Arigatou shoots in and drives through. Vera sprawls well.

Vera shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Vera showed some decent athleticism there.
Vera controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jorge Vera showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Arigatou looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Arigatou throws a left and a right that both miss
and Vera counters with a nice body kick.
Vera looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Arigatou is fending him off so far but Vera persists. Nope, Arigatou circles away and we're back to standing.
Vera will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Vera has a takedown stuffed.
Vera tries a head kick but it misses.
Arigatou swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Vera counters with a takedown into side control.
Arigatou pushes Vera away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Vera gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Vera looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vera wants to control but Arigatou is keeping him busy.
Arigatou is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Arigatou is not content to let Vera control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Vera is stalling here. Arigatou is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Vera seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Arigatou has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Vera is looking for a sweep.
Vera is trying to control Arigatou's posture but Arigatou avoids it.
Arigatou lands some shots froms side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vera is looking for a sweep.
Vera is being controlled here.
You can see the frustration on Vera's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Check out the look on Arigatou's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Domo Arigatou overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Arigatou is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Vera's shoulder. That is not cool.
Vera struggling a bit here.
Arigatou lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Vera struggling a bit 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.
Arigatou works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Vera is looking to regain half guard here but Arigatou keeps moving and retains side control.
Vera wants to get back to his feet but Arigatou is dominant here and he's now got Vera's back!
Arigatou is hanging on to Vera's back as he tries to escape.
Good control from Arigatou.
Arigatou seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Vera for as long as he can get away with.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Jorge Vera.
I think Vera has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 28:28
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a draw!