PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Diego Hageman (ranked 1558 p4p, 188 weight class) and Manny Puno (ranked 2156 p4p, 252 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Hageman
vs
Puno

172 cm
29
164 lbs
16 - 9 - 0

180 cm
32
158 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Sin City Allstars

Groove Gear
Sin City Allstars

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 16 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Diego Hageman!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Manny Puno!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Puno feints a jab promting Hageman to slip. Puno then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Hageman slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like Diego Hageman has been cut.
Hageman swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
enabling Puno to counter with a crisp jab.
Puno slips a straight right by Hageman.
Puno looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Hageman takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Sloppy strikes from Puno. Those never looked like landing.
Hageman misses with a low kick as Puno jumps back.
Puno listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hageman. Puno does a little dance to reset his feet.
Puno looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Hageman cracks the inside of Puno's front leg.
Hageman throws an off balance right hand
and Hageman takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hageman swings widly with a right hand
and Puno counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hageman throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hageman gets off balance looking for a body kick

and Puno counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Puno postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Puno sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hageman keeping moving, preventing Puno from controlling successfully.
Hageman keeping full guard, as Puno tries to pass.
Hageman can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Puno controls the pace.
Puno stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hageman swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hageman trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Puno postures up in Hageman's guard and throws a big left but Hageman blocks it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

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.
Hageman keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hageman. Puno does a little dance to reset his feet.
A countering left hand to the body from Puno misses.
Hageman uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Puno.
Hageman swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Hageman getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Hageman throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
letting Puno counter with a right hand.
Puno on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hageman. Hageman obviously looking to wear him down.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Puno crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Hageman - the referee stops the clock and Puno gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Hageman. Puno manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A nice inside leg kick there by Hageman. That's going to slow Puno down.
Hageman connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hageman fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Puno misses with a hook.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Puno with a hook.
Hageman lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Puno darts in and clinches Hageman up against the cage.
Puno tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Puno jumps into guard, dragging Hageman to the mat.
Puno is adopting a defensive guard.
Hageman seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Puno looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hageman is one step ahead there.
Puno is pulling down on Hageman's head. It's preventing any offense from Hageman, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Puno's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Hageman is stalling in the full guard.
Puno is pulling down on Hageman's head. It's preventing any offense from Hageman, at least for the moment.
Puno is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Manny Puno dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Diego Hageman's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hageman cracks Puno with a right hand to the side of the head.
Puno on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hageman throws a leg kick
and Puno counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Manny Puno seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A combination from Hageman does no damage.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Hageman misses with a straight right.
Puno staying out of range there.
Puno moves out of range as Hageman strikes.
Puno tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hageman swats him away and circles back towards the center.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puno walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Hageman fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Puno on the side of the head.
Puno throws a jab when Hageman was well out of range.
Hageman misses the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hageman moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hageman lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Hageman misses with an uppercut. Puno saw that one coming.
Puno changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Hageman looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Puno jabs Hageman right on the nose. Hageman blinks but takes it well.
Hageman throws a big shot that misses.
Hageman throws a right hand that misses
and Puno cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hageman misses with a low kick.
And Puno tries to counter it with a takedown but Hageman pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Puno clinches with his opponent.
Puno lands with a right to the head.
Puno tries to score a body lock takedown but Hageman shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Puno keeps control of Hageman as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hageman misses with the head strike.
Puno has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Hageman swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Puno misses with a body punch.
Puno misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hageman's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hageman connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hageman buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Puno dodges the punch combination from Hageman.
Puno looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Hageman looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Puno feints the counter takedown.
Diego Hageman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hageman throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Puno is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
That kick from Hageman tenderised Puno's leg. Puno is trying to keep his angry face on.
Hageman lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hageman fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Puno manages to avoid it.
Puno on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Puno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hageman misses with a looping left.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hageman misses with an uppercut. Puno saw that one coming.
Hageman blocks a jab.
Puno keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hageman has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Hageman there as he acknowledges the shot.
Hageman misses with a body shot.
Puno staying out of range there.
Diego Hageman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Hageman gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Puno to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Hageman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Puno gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Puno pushes down on Hageman's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hageman is controlling Puno's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Puno is trying to control. Hageman wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Puno controlling the action here.
Hageman is trying to get back to full guard.
Puno trying to control the action but Hageman is working from the bottom.
Hageman gets back to full guard.
Hageman not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Diego Hageman dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Diego Hageman's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Hageman throws out a loose jab but Puno uses good head movement to avoid it.
Puno swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hageman dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Puno. That did some damage!

Puno looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Puno must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Puno with a nice head shot there.
Hageman wants to sweep here but Puno controlling him for the moment.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Puno accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Puno passes Hageman's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Puno trying to control from half guard but Hageman is working away.
Hageman is looking to control Puno's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hageman avoid being mounted?
Manny Puno has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Puno is trying to control the action in half guard but Hageman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hageman tries to get to full guard but Puno has control of the leg.
Puno is trying to control the action in half guard but Hageman is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Puno throwing shots but Hageman is blocking nicely.
Puno wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hageman keeps working.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Puno working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.

Hageman actively working from the bottom here.
Hageman taking some punishment here, with Puno in his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

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.
Puno looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Puno is nestled in close to Hageman, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Hageman looking for submissions off his back.
Hageman won't allow Puno to pass to mount.
Puno is just content to waste time from the top position. Hageman takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Hageman has momentary wrist control but Puno slips an elbow through the middle.
Puno trying to control but Hageman is working from the bottom.
Hageman wants to sweep but no luck.
Hageman is trying to keep Puno in close.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hageman buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hageman scores with a head kick. Puno tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Hageman just misses with a punch to the body.
Hageman throws a leg kick that is checked

and Puno counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hageman tries to get to full guard but Puno has control of the leg.
Hageman moves into full guard.

Hageman throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hageman avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hageman is trying to control the position but Puno postures up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hageman is on top in guard.

Puno keeping moving, preventing Hageman from controlling successfully.
Puno bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hageman's guard.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Puno working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hageman's head.
Hageman controlling Puno's posture.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hageman has his foot on Puno's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Puno works his way back into a safe position though.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Manny Puno.
I think Puno 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Manny Puno!