PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marty Laguna (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Romano Schoots (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Romano Schoots told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Laguna
vs
Schoots

175 cm
34
145 lbs
27 - 13 - 0

180 cm
32
155 lbs
24 - 18 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 27 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Marty Laguna!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Romano Schoots!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Kenichi Hosakawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Laguna misses with a looping right.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Laguna.
Schoots throws a jab when Laguna was well out of range.
A telegraphed right hand from Schoots misses the target.
Laguna thuds his right hand into Schoots's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Schoots throws the left hand but Laguna avoids the punch easily.
Schoots tries to clinch there but Laguna circles away.
Laguna avoids a punch combination nicely.
Laguna scores with a jab.
Schoots throws an overhand right that lands on Laguna's shoulder, as Laguna tries to avoid the shot.
No joy there for Laguna, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Schoots throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Schoots buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Laguna dodges the punch combination from Schoots.
Schoots lands with a nice body punch.
Laguna has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - Schoots throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Schoots moves into the clinch.
Schoots misses with a knee to the head.
Schoots misses with a knee to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Schoots.
Laguna is trying to force a seperation but Schoots has the dominant position.
Schoots tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A bit of stalling here from Schoots.
Schoots looking to stall.
A head punch on the inside from Laguna fails to land.
Schoots drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Schoots stalls.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Schoots using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Laguna has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Schoots is looking to control Laguna's arms but Laguna gets an underhook and turns him. Now Schoots has his back to the cage.
Laguna tries to circle away but Schoots has him pinned against the cage.
Laguna manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Laguna is pressed up against the cage. Schoots has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Laguna down to the mat. Laguna avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Schoots is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Laguna.
Schoots is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Laguna.
Schoots misses with the combination.
Schoots lands with an uppercut that bounces Laguna off the cage and back into range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schoots tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Laguna was well out of range. Poor timing from Schoots.
Schoots ducks under a wild hook from Laguna.
Schoots throws out a loose jab but Laguna uses good head movement to avoid it.
Laguna misses with a wild body shot.
Laguna staying out of range there.
Laguna ducks under a wild hook from Schoots.
Schoots throws a poor cross that misses
and Laguna counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Schoots misses with a wild combination.
Schoots scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Laguna ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Schoots moves away.
Schoots shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Laguna defends it nicely.
Marty Laguna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Romano Schoots.
Schoots waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Laguna.
Schoots digs a good hook to Laguna's body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schoots misses with a series of wild punches.
Schoots scores with a jab. Laguna acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Schoots might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Laguna takes one on the button.
Schoots misses the jab.
Laguna on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Schoots changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Laguna tries to avoid it but Schoots manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Laguna to the ground. Laguna escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Laguna with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Schoots to score with a decent uppercut.
Schoots defending well as Laguna loads up on a big left hand.
Schoots throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Schoots throws a leg kick that is checked
and Laguna cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Schoots throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Laguna thuds his right hand into Schoots's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Schoots throws a big shot that misses.
Laguna throws a jab when Schoots was well out of range.
Laguna is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Schoots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Romano Schoots dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A big right from Schoots misses.
Romano Schoots seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Laguna misses with a jab, cross combination.
Laguna ducks under a wild hook from Schoots.
Schoots slips a jab from Laguna.
Laguna throws a series of punches but Schoots avoids them all with ease.
Schoots fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Romano Schoots seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A big left from Laguna misses.
Schoots looks to throw the jab but Laguna is out of range.
Schoots tests Laguna's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Schoots throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Laguna's waist but Laguna gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Schoots off to one side.
Schoots tries to clinch up.
Laguna lands a two punch combo.
Schoots throws a series of punches but Laguna avoids them all with ease.
Laguna just misses with a punch to the body.
Schoots works over Laguna's head and body with a nice combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schoots wants to slow Laguna down by chopping away at his legs.
Good exchange - Schoots coming out on top.
Laguna throws a lazy right hand but Schoots sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Laguna. Schoots does a little dance to reset his feet.
Schoots avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Schoots throws a predictable looking body shot
and Laguna counters with a stiff right hand.
Laguna misses with an uppercut. Schoots saw that one coming.
Laguna takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Schoots tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Laguna was well out of range. Poor timing from Schoots.
Schoots throws a left and a right that both miss
and Laguna counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Schoots throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Schoots looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Laguna avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Schoots avoids the body shot from Laguna.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schoots misses with a lunging right hand
and Laguna counters with a left and a right that stings Schoots.

It looks like Romano Schoots has been cut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Schoots fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Laguna manages to avoid it.
Laguna swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Schoots misses with a shot to the body
and Laguna counters with a nice uppercut.
Schoots swings widly with a right hand
and Laguna counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Laguna misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Laguna misses with a hook. Schoots ducked under it nicely.
Laguna walks into a left hand.
Marty Laguna is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice defenses there by Laguna.
Schoots showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Laguna.
Schoots slips a jab and a cross from Laguna.
Schoots connects with a body shot.
Schoots misses with a hook.
Schoots jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Marty Laguna is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Laguna. No joy for Schoots on that attempt.
Marty Laguna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Romano Schoots.
A big right from Schoots misses.
Schoots waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Laguna.
Schoots throws out a leg kick but Laguna moves out of range and Schoots only half commits.
Schoots misses with the combination.
Schoots misses with a hook. Laguna ducked under it nicely.
A combination from Schoots does no damage.
Schoots takes one on the button.
Schoots keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Schoots looks to land a right hand but Laguna moved out of range.
Schoots throws a body punch but Laguna moves out of range.

Schoots fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Laguna to the ground. Schoots is now in Laguna's guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Laguna tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Schoots stays in close to Laguna's body and controls the position.
Laguna looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This has been an exciting period of action!

The ref stands the fighters back up. Marty Laguna wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Schoots slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Schoots tries to bum rush Laguna with a series of wild strikes but Laguna uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Schoots bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Schoots misses with a low kick.
Laguna takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Schoots misses with an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Romano Schoots will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Romano Schoots'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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Schoots misses with a combination
and Laguna counters with a left to the body.
Laguna stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Laguna wants it to stay on the feet.
Laguna swats away the attempt to clinch by Schoots.
Laguna looks to throw the jab but Schoots is out of range.
Schoots throws a good cross that connects.
Schoots swings away with a body shot that misses
and Laguna counters with a left and a right that stings Schoots.
Schoots is looking to clinch.
Laguna cracks Schoots with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Schoots with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Schoots misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Laguna.
Schoots swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Schoots lunges at Laguna with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Laguna's hand.
Schoots scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A swing and a miss from Schoots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Laguna works Schoots's body with a nice hook.
Laguna scores with a nice right hand.
Laguna throws out a loose jab but Schoots uses good head movement to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Laguna.
Laguna lands a jab to the head.
Schoots throws a jab when Laguna was well out of range.
Schoots misses with an uppercut. Laguna saw that one coming.
Schoots misses with an uppercut
letting Laguna counter with a right hand.
Schoots throws a big shot that misses.
Schoots missing with a left hand there. Laguna was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
The fighters circling - Schoots throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Laguna goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Schoots is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Schoots throws a right and a left that Laguna avoids nicely.
Schoots is still on wobbly legs! Can Laguna finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Schoots works Laguna's body with a nice hook.
Schoots scores with a nice strike.
Schoots seems to have recovered his senses.
Laguna moves away from the strike by Schoots.

Schoots closes the distance and pushes Laguna back into the cage.
Schoots controlling the action here for a moment.
Schoots gets through Laguna's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Schoots is looking to take this one to the mat.
Laguna tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Laguna slows down the pace here.
Laguna blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Laguna gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Schoots.
Marty Laguna has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Romano Schoots.
Laguna lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Schoots throws a punch but it's blocked by Laguna.

Laguna breaks the clinch.
Schoots misses with a two punch combination.
Marty Laguna has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Laguna moves away from the strike by Schoots.
Schoots misses the shot to the body.
Laguna fails to land with a series of punches.
Schoots jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A low kick from Schoots misses
and Laguna counters with a stiff right hand.
Schoots misses with an uppercut.
Schoots throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Laguna missing with a left hand there. Schoots was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Laguna takes one to the side of the head.
Laguna takes one on the button.
Schoots looks to score with a jab to the body but Laguna is just out of range.
Schoots throws a shot from downtown. Laguna moves away and avoids it.
Schoots has a takedown stuffed.
Schoots takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Schoots scores with a jab. Laguna acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Laguna slips under a jab from Schoots.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Schoots, right into the meat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Laguna lands with a nice body punch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Nice shot by Laguna.
Schoots tries to clinch but Laguna is having none of it.
Laguna takes one to the chin there.
Schoots shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Laguna as he jumps to the side.

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 Marty Laguna.
Well Schoots 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Romano Schoots!
After winning the bout, Romano Schoots thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.