PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Arod Doyea (ranked 682 p4p, 76 weight class) and Francesco Skrarez (ranked 1590 p4p, 160 weight class). Doyea comes to the cage accompanied by Doc Holiday - Volbeat. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Doyea
vs
Skrarez

166 cm
25
155 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

165 cm
32
158 lbs
10 - 13 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Granite chin

Conviction

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 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Arod Doyea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Francesco Skrarez!
The judges for this bout are Anni Minnemäki, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Skrarez rushes Doyea and presses him up against the cage.
Skrarez scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Skrarez misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Doyea.
Doyea on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Skrarez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A right hand to the body from Skrarez.
Doyea misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Doyea softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Doyea can't find room to land a body shot as Skrarez controls the action.
Doyea misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Doyea misses with a body punch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Doyea avoiding damage as Skrarez throws knees to the body.
Skrarez misses with an elbow strike.
Doyea misses with some punches.
Doyea prevents a body shot from Skrarez.

Doyea breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Doyea pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Skrarez back to the cage. Doyea follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Skrarez tries to clinch there but Doyea circles away.
Skrarez tries to clinch up but Doyea circles away and keeps his distance.
Skrarez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Doyea defends well and Skrarez ends up having to push Doyea into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A quick step to the side and Doyea tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Skrarez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Doyea defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Skrarez is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Doyea's half guard.
Doyea trying to control here.

Doyea looking for submissions off his back.

Doyea looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
We've been hearing good reports from Doyea's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Skrarez is just content to waste time from the top position. Doyea takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Skrarez is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Doyea working for a triangle but Skrarez defends it easily.

Doyea throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Doyea looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Doyea is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Skrarez defends well.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Skrarez is looking to work some ground and pound but Doyea has wrist control.
Skrarez wants to control from the top but Doyea keeps moving.
Skrarez preventing the sweep.
Skrarez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Doyea is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Skrarez defends well.

Doyea throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Skrarez postures up in Doyea's guard and throws a big left but Doyea blocks it.

Doyea is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Skrarez is aware though and is defending well.

Doyea is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Doyea has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Skrarez is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Doyea.
Skrarez tries to advance to mount but Doyea denies him.
Doyea is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skrarez tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Skrarez lands an elbow.
Skrarez works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Skrarez working the ground and pound.
Doyea takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

It looks like Arod Doyea has been cut.
Doyea being controlled for a moment.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Doyea struggling a bit here.
Skrarez working the strikes but Doyea uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Skrarez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Doyea's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Francesco Skrarez will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Arod Doyea's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Doyea connects with a solid leg kick.
Doyea throws out a powerful jab.
Doyea avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Skrarez gets the takedown into side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Francesco Skrarez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Doyea regains half guard, as Skrarez was trying to land strikes.
Skrarez throwing shots but Doyea is blocking nicely.
Doyea is looking to escape.
Skrarez is trying to control the action in half guard but Doyea is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Skrarez winds up and cracks Doyea with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Doyea manages to get to full guard.
Skrarez throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doyea working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Skrarez.
Skrarez works over Doyea with some ground and pound from guard.

Doyea working for a triangle but Skrarez defends it easily.
Skrarez works over Doyea with some ground and pound from guard.
Skrarez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Skrarez trying to control but Doyea is working from the bottom.
Skrarez advances to half guard.

Skrarez looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Skrarez lands with a punch from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Skrarez in particular looking to stall.

Doyea looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Doyea manages to get to full guard.
Skrarez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Doyea. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Doyea working a defensive guard here.

Doyea is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Skrarez defends well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skrarez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Skrarez scoring with some ground and pound.

Doyea escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Skrarez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Doyea trying to keep a closed guard but Skrarez is proving a slippery customer.
Doyea controlling Skrarez's posture.

Doyea has his foot on Skrarez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Skrarez works his way back into a safe position though.
Skrarez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Doyea's head.

Doyea is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skrarez looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Doyea working for a triangle but Skrarez defends it easily.
Skrarez scoring with punches to the head and body.

Doyea working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Skrarez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Skrarez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Skrarez trying to control the position from guard on top but Doyea is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Skrarez might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Doyea haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Francesco Skrarez will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Arod Doyea's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Doyea swings for the body but Skrarez moves out of range.
Doyea avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Doyea throws a quick counter kick to the body but Skrarez avoids it.
Skrarez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Doyea lands a leg kick that knocks Skrarez off balance momentarily.
Skrarez tries for a takedown but Doyea circles away easily
and Doyea counters with a straight right hand.
Doyea slaps away a takedown attempt from Skrarez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Doyea connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Doyea misses with a looping left.
Skrarez let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Doyea swats away the attempt to clinch by Skrarez.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Skrarez tries to clinch but Doyea is having none of it.

Doyea tries to sprawl but Skrarez drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Skrarez scoring with strikes to the body and head.

Doyea looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Doyea blocking the ground and pound attempt from Skrarez.

Doyea looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Doyea looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Skrarez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Skrarez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Doyea looking for submissions off his back.

Doyea looking for submissions off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Skrarez lands a nice short elbow.
Arod Doyea has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Doyea is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Skrarez pulls his head out easily.
Skrarez is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

Skrarez seems to be working for a kimura but Doyea defends the submission attempt.
Skrarez lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
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. Skrarez connects with a nice short shot to Doyea's temple.
Skrarez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Doyea is rocked!
Skrarez lands strikes from half guard.
Oh Doyea is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Skrarez scores with a big shot! Doyea's head bounced off the canvas with a huge thud! More strikes land and the referee has jumped in to save Doyea! He was hurt real bad - good stoppage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Francesco Skrarez!
Francesco Skrarez seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.