PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Balagot Liu (ranked 272 p4p, 527 weight class) and Pablo Noriega (ranked 37 p4p, 68 weight class). Noriega has chosen MS-13 Mara Salvatrucha as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Liu
vs
Noriega

173 cm
26
146
14 - 3 - 0

181 cm
38
148
23 - 11 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition
SynCity Fightwear

Voodoo Nutrition

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 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Balagot Liu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 11 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pablo Noriega!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Edson Gomes and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liu scores with the left hand. Noriega knows he should have avoided that one.
Liu lands a jab-cross combination.
A head kick misses from Liu.
Noriega follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Liu missing with a left hand there. Noriega was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Liu has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Liu throws a sloppy head kick and Noriega moves out of range easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Noriega! But no joy.
Noriega throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Noriega. Liu shrugs it off though.
Liu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Liu avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Liu cracks Noriega with a right hand to the side of the head.
Noriega misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Liu.
Noriega scoring well with a low kick there.
Noriega takes one to the chin there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Liu misses with an uppercut.
Noriega misses with a body shot.
Noriega avoids a kick to the body.
Liu jabs Noriega right on the nose. Noriega blinks but takes it well.
Liu connects with a jab.
Liu swings for the body but Noriega moves out of range.
Liu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Noriega throws out the jab.
Noriega misses with a few strikes there.
A little feinted left hand from Liu on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Noriega looks for the body kick but Liu saw that one coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice straight punches there by Noriega. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Noriega.
Liu looks to throw the jab but Noriega is out of range.
Noriega throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Liu appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Noriega connects with an inside leg kick.
Noriega misses with a hook.
Noriega misses with a straight left.
Noriega lands a really nice looking cross but Liu seems unphased.
Noriega misses with a wild body shot.
Liu swings for the body but Noriega moves out of range.
Noriega bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Some wild striking there from Liu.
Noriega counters with a body kick.
Liu misses with a hook.
Liu throws a quick inside leg kick.
Liu looks to score with a jab to the body but Noriega is just out of range.
Nice defenses there by Liu.
Liu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Noriega misses with a looping left.
Noriega throws a push kick but Liu slaps the foot to one side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Noriega.
Balagot Liu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Liu checks the leg kick nicely there.
Noriega misses the jab.
Liu checks the leg kick nicely there.
Noriega throws a jab when Liu was well out of range.
Noriega takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Liu moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Nice defenses there by Liu.
Liu misses with a wild body shot.
Liu misses with a straight right.
Noriega misses with a wild combination.
Noriega uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Liu.
Noriega throws a low kick but Liu moves out of range easily.
Noriega scores with a sloppy right hand. Liu should have avoided that one.
Liu with a jab.
Noriega swings for the body but Liu moves out of range.
Liu bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Noriega's head.
Liu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Noriega throws out the jab.
A slow jab from Liu misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noriega misses with a body kick.
Liu looks to land a right hand but Noriega moved out of range.
Noriega is looking to score with low kicks.
A big right from Noriega misses.
Liu lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Liu throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Noriega.
Noriega throws a wild body kick that Liu sees coming a mile off.
Liu slips a jab and a cross from Noriega.
Liu chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Noriega can pounce on him.
Liu slips under a jab from Noriega.
Noriega swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Liu lands with a nice body punch.
A slow jab from Liu misses its intended target.
Liu misses with a looping left.
Liu lands with a shot to the body.
Liu throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Noriega blocks a head kick by Liu.
Noriega misses with a looping right.
Liu throws a body shot but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liu throws a jab but it's blocked by Noriega.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Liu lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Liu bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Noriega keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Liu looks to throw the jab but Noriega is out of range.
Liu shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Noriega throws a hook but Liu blocks it.
Noriega throws the left hand but Liu avoids the punch easily.
Noriega defending well as Liu loads up on a big left hand.
Noriega misses with a straight right.
Noriega tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Liu was well out of range. Poor timing from Noriega.
Noriega looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Noriega throws a solid leg kick but Liu takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Noriega.
Noriega goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Noriega slips under a jab.
Liu connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Liu misses with a hook. Noriega ducked under it nicely.
Noriega throws a wild body kick that Liu sees coming a mile off.
Noriega misses with a right hand
and Liu counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Balagot Liu will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Liu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Noriega was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Liu misses with a hook.
Liu looks to score with a jab to the body but Noriega is just out of range.
Noriega is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Liu.
Noriega misses with a leg kick.
Noriega slips a straight right by Liu.
Liu throws a hook to the side of Noriega's head but Noriega sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Noriega throws a body shot but no joy.
Liu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Noriega.
Liu connects with a nice looking jab.
Liu throws a big shot that misses.
Noriega will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Liu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Noriega.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Liu just misses with a punch to the body.
Noriega moves away from the strike by Liu.
A looping hook to the body misses from Liu. Noriega does a little dance to reset his feet.
Noriega connects with an inside leg kick.
Liu closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Noriega misses with an uppercut. Liu saw that one coming.
Liu looks to land a body kick but Noriega moved away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liu lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Noriega backs up against the cage.
Liu loads up on a big right hand but Noriega slips the punch.
Liu checks a leg kick.
Jab from Noriega.
Liu misses with a hook.
A jab lands there for Liu.
Noriega ducks under a wild hook from Liu.
Noriega swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Liu connects with a jab.
Noriega lands a jab to the nose.
Noriega on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Liu throws a front kick aimed at Noriega's knee but Noriega avoids it well.
Liu throws a big shot that misses.
Liu misses with a straight right.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Noriega scores with a nice head shot.
Liu lands a nice shot to the body.
Liu throws a leg kick but Noriega sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Liu throws a hook but Noriega avoids it easily.
Noriega flicks out a counter leg kick but Liu steps away.
Liu fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Noriega manages to avoid it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noriega tries to work over Liu's front leg with a kick but Liu checks it.
Liu appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
A jab from Noriega misses.
Noriega is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Liu lands a two punch combo.
Liu throws out a loose jab but Noriega uses good head movement to avoid it.
Liu misses with the combination.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Noriega! But no joy.
Noriega lands a leg kick that knocks Liu off balance momentarily.
Noriega is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Liu.
Balagot Liu is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Liu misses with a few strikes there.
Liu loads up on a big right hand but Noriega slips the punch.
Noriega uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Liu.
Liu throws a lazy right hand but Noriega sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Noriega might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Liu has got the better of the exchanges.
Liu checks a leg kick nicely.
Liu throws a right hand that misses
and Noriega counters with a lovely shot to the body.
A telegraphed right hand from Liu misses the target.
Liu throws out a powerful jab.
Liu connects with a nice looking jab.
A decent looking cross lands there for Liu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noriega throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Liu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Noriega.
Liu lands a nice leg kick that just misses Noriega's sensitive parts.
Noriega throws a lazy right hand but Liu sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Liu throwing a counter right hand but Noriega manages to avoid it.
Liu scores with a shot to the body.
Liu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Liu misses with a straight right.
Liu connects with a good right hand that stumbles Noriega. Noriega circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Noriega displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Liu throws out the jab.
Liu slips under a jab from Noriega.
Noriega misses with a low kick.
Liu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Liu connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Liu takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Liu tried to score with a low kick but Noriega checks it.
Noriega keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Noriega takes a swing at Liu's ribcage but misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Liu misses the target.
A swing and a miss from Noriega.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Noriega.
Liu scores with a three punch combo!
Noriega has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Liu misses the jab.
Noriega throws a leg kick which misses Liu's front leg but catches the back leg as Liu tries to avoid it.
Liu throws a big shot that misses.
Liu avoids the body shot from Noriega.
Liu swings widly with a right hand
and Noriega makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Liu swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Noriega.
As Noriega looks to move away, Liu throws a big counter combo but Noriega just gets out of the way.
A slow jab from Noriega misses its intended target.
Noriega on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Liu. Liu obviously looking to wear him down.
Liu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Liu closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Liu looks to throw the jab but Noriega is out of range.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Noriega looks for the body kick but Liu saw that one coming.
Noriega throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Liu on the side of the head.
Noriega throws a nice inside leg kick.
Liu misses with a looping right.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Balagot Liu dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

A solid leg kick lands there for Liu.
Liu moves out of range of the body kick.
Liu is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Noriega can do to turn this around?
Noriega finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Noriega misses the shot to the body.
Liu swinging wildly here.
Noriega misses with a looping left.
An inside leg kick lands from Liu.
Balagot Liu is winning the standup battle so far.
Noriega ducks right into an uppercut from Liu.
Liu with a jab.
Liu throws a low kick but Noriega moves out of range easily.
Noriega slips a straight right by Liu.
Liu misses with a leg kick
and Noriega counters with a low kick, right behind Liu 's knee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Noriega pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Liu is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Noriega lands a high kick!
Liu misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Noriega.
Liu lands with a nice body punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Liu connects with a right hand. Noriega shakes it off.
Liu attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noriega lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
A low kick lands for Liu.
Liu tries to bum rush Noriega with a series of wild strikes but Noriega uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
A nice inside leg kick there by Liu. That's going to slow Noriega down.
Liu loads up on a big right hand but Noriega slips the punch.
As Liu backs off Noriega throws a huge counter combo but Liu manages to avoid it all.
Liu jabs Noriega to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Liu throws a body shot but no joy.
Liu tries a low kick but Noriega avoids it.
Noriega lands with a kick to the ribs.
Liu misses with a series of wild punches.
Noriega slips under a jab from Liu.
Liu throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Noriega! But no joy.
Noriega uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Liu.
Liu keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
The fighters circling - Noriega throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Noriega misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Liu.
Liu checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Pablo Noriega has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Liu moves out of range as Noriega throws a body kick.
Noriega walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Liu checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Liu tried to score with a low kick but Noriega checks it.
Liu closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
A nice leg kick from Liu, right into the meat of the thigh.
Noriega on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Noriega avoids the head kick by Liu.
Liu keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
It looked like Liu was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Noriega.
Liu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Noriega counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Donk. Liu catches Noriega right on the button with a cross.
Noriega misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Liu.
A slow jab from Liu misses its intended target.
Noriega misses with a body kick.
The fighters circle momentarily. Liu darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Noriega moves out of range of the strikes.
Noriega works the jab nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noriega throws the left hand but Liu avoids the punch easily.
Liu bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Liu blocks a low kick nicely.
Liu is looking to counter punch.
Noriega loads up on a big right hand but Liu slips the punch.
Liu lands a jab.
Liu scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Liu thumps Noriega with a low kick.
Liu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Noriega.
A punch lands to the side of Noriega 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Liu throws a hook but Noriega blocks it.
Noriega looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Nice defenses there by Noriega.
Noriega swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Liu scores with a nice head shot.
A bone on bone clash there as Noriega blocks the leg kick.
Liu jabs at Noriega's body.
Liu lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Noriega throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Liu scores with a kick to the midsection.
Liu slips under a jab from Noriega.
An attempted straight right counter from Liu misses the target.
Liu staying out of range there.
Liu loads up on a big right hand but Noriega slips the punch.
Noriega is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Noriega keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Noriega throws a body shot but no joy.
Liu ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Noriega throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Noriega takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Liu scores with a jab. Noriega acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Some wild striking there from Noriega.
Liu bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Noriega's head backwards.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Liu slips under a jab.
Liu thuds his right hand into Noriega's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Liu buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Balagot Liu showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Liu has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Balagot Liu!
A victorious Balagot Liu thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.
Pablo Noriega spoke after the fight, saying 'Don’t Worry Im Gonna Put A Hit On Him Ese'.