PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Khon Saroth (ranked 24902 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonardo Moraes (ranked 3868 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Saroth
vs
Moraes

172 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

175 cm
25
157 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Solid 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 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Khon Saroth!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leonardo Moraes!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Jonathan Paton and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Moraes shoots in and bounces Saroth off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Moraes 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.
Saroth avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Moraes throwing strikes from guard but Saroth blocks nicely.
Moraes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Saroth controls Moraes momentarily but Moraes frees himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saroth can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Moraes controls the pace.
Moraes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Saroth is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Saroth throws a sloppy head kick

and Moraes counters with a shoot takedown. Saroth fights it but they end up in guard.
Saroth tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Saroth is breathing heavily.
Saroth bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Moraes's guard.

Saroth trying to control the position from guard on top but Moraes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Moraes is looking to stand up but Saroth isn't so interested in that idea.
Moraes seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Saroth wants to stand but Moraes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Saroth throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Moraes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Moraes is adopting a defensive guard.
Saroth looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saroth has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Moraes is proving hard to escape from.

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

Saroth tries to sprawl but Moraes drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Moraes is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Saroth doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Moraes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moraes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moraes working over Saroth with some ground and pound. Saroth looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Moraes not doing much here.
Moraes is nestled in close to Saroth, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Moraes is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Saroth is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Moraes pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Moraes dominated that round.
That's time! Saroth's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Saroth tries to clinch up.
Saroth misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Moraes swats away the attempt to clinch by Saroth.
Nice sprawl there from Moraes as Saroth shoots in.
Khon Saroth is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Moraes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Moraes lands in his opponent's guard.
Moraes advances position into side control!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Moraes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Saroth has escaped the position, nice work there.
Moraes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Saroth. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Moraes stands up.
Saroth shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Moraes sprawls well. Moraes wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Saroth gets slowly back to his feet.
Moraes drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Saroth defends it well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Khon Saroth. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Saroth is looking to clinch.
Moraes steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Saroth.
Saroth shoots and misses

and Moraes moves into the clinch.

Moraes decides to pull guard.
Moraes seems keen to control Saroth's posture.
Moraes manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Saroth manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moraes wants to stand but Saroth has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Moraes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Let's hope that Moraes has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Moraes drops back looking for a leg! Saroth is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saroth manages to kick Moraes off! Moraes jumps back into Saroth's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moraes looking to pass the guard.
Moraes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Moraes tries to stand but Saroth is controlling from the bottom.
Moraes controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Moraes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saroth is keeping the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Moraes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Moraes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Saroth.
Saroth dives in and grabs Moraes's left leg, looking for a takedown. Moraes pushes down on Saroth's head and hops out.
Moraes throws out a counter right but Saroth avoids it with no problem.
Saroth checks a leg kick nicely.
The crowd cheers as Moraes lands an impressive looking overhand right. Saroth doesn't seem phased though.

Moraes clinches with his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Moraes lands a takedown into guard.
Moraes slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Moraes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonardo Moraes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Moraes gets the takedown into side control.

Saroth throws Moraes to one side and escapes!

Moraes drives through with a takedown into Saroth's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.

Saroth pushes Moraes off and scrambles back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Saroth tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Moraes paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Moraes throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Saroth was covering up waiting for the punch and Moraes finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Moraes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Saroth keeping full guard, as Moraes tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Moraes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Moraes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Moraes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Saroth, up you get!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Moraes drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Saroth can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Moraes controls the pace.
Moraes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Saroth is keeping the position for now.
Leonardo Moraes has got the better of the ground game so far.

Moraes gets to his feet - Saroth follows without any prompting.
Moraes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Moraes shoots in and gets a takedown into Saroth's guard.
Moraes is standing up over Saroth. Saroth looks to escape but Moraes dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Moraes decides to stand up, so the ref orders Saroth to his feet.

Moraes fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Saroth to the ground. Moraes is now in Saroth's guard.
Moraes is in close to Saroth's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Moraes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We're seeing a lot of stalling here from Moraes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Moraes drops back looking for a leg! Saroth is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Saroth manages to kick Moraes off! Moraes jumps back into Saroth's guard.
Moraes controlling from the top position.

Moraes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Moraes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Leonardo Moraes.
Well Moraes 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonardo Moraes!