PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hin Areni (ranked 2812 p4p, 2559 weight class) and Rikiya Goromaru (ranked 273 p4p, 253 weight class). Areni comes to the cage accompanied by Mosaique. This should be fireworks!

Areni
vs
Goromaru

169 cm
31
147
12 - 7 - 0

170 cm
27
145
7 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

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 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Hin Areni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Rikiya Goromaru!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Areni fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Goromaru has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Goromaru tries to clinch but Areni is having none of it.
Goromaru throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Areni is looking to counter punch.
Goromaru swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Rikiya Goromaru seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Goromaru shoots in looking for a takedown but Areni manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Goromaru's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Goromaru scores with a shot to the body.
Areni slips under a jab from Goromaru.
Areni throws a right hand that misses
and Goromaru counters with a straight right hand.
Goromaru throws a poor cross that misses
and Areni counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Goromaru scores with a jab to the body.
Goromaru keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Areni has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Mentor Gym in the buildup to the fight.
Goromaru connects with a jab.
Goromaru with a nice cross.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Areni throws a body shot but no joy.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Goromaru prevents a body shot from Areni.
Areni lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Areni blocks a body shot from Goromaru.
Areni's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Goromaru misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Goromaru tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Goromaru tries to stall but Areni uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Areni scores with a shoulder strike.

Areni's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Goromaru has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Areni keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
A jab lands there for Goromaru.
A big left from Goromaru misses.
Goromaru looks to land a left hand but Areni moved out of range nicely.
Areni misses with a body shot.
Areni misses the shot to the body.
Areni throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Goromaru moves out of range as Areni throws a body kick.
Goromaru checks the leg kick.
Areni scoring well with a low kick there.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Goromaru, as that shot connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Goromaru throws a shot from downtown. Areni moves away and avoids it.
Areni appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Areni needs to keep his hands up - Goromaru had a free shot at his head there.
Goromaru connects with the punch.
Areni takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Goromaru is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Areni had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Areni lands a nice shot to the body.
Areni jabs at Goromaru's body.

Goromaru closes the distance and clinches.
Areni takes a shot to the head.
Goromaru misses with a punch on the inside.
Areni lands a nice shot to the body.
Goromaru swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Areni is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Areni breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Goromaru fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Areni manages to avoid it.
Some bone on bone action there as Goromaru checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Goromaru throws a body punch but Areni moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goromaru dives in for a single leg takedown but Areni sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Goromaru throws a leg kick that misses.
Areni takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Goromaru throws a shot from downtown. Areni moves away and avoids it.
Areni throws a quick inside leg kick.
Areni throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Areni throws a leg kick but Goromaru moved away.
Areni shoots in for a double leg but Goromaru sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Areni lands with a thumping leg kick.
The fighters circling - Goromaru throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Areni throws a wild body kick that Goromaru sees coming a mile off.
Nice sprawl there from Areni as Goromaru shoots in.
Hin Areni has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rikiya Goromaru.
Goromaru throws a series of punches but Areni avoids them all with ease.

Goromaru clinches up with Areni and pushes him back against the cage.
Goromaru prevents a body shot from Areni.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Goromaru softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Areni creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Goromaru fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Areni.
Areni tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Goromaru's elbow.

Goromaru breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Areni slips a jab from Goromaru.
Goromaru slips a straight right by Areni.
Areni dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Goromaru. That did some damage!
The fighters circling - Areni throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Goromaru.
Areni is trying to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Goromaru trying to control the action but Areni is working from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Rikiya Goromaru will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Goromaru uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Areni.
Areni scores with a sloppy right hand. Goromaru should have avoided that one.
Areni throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Goromaru throws a body punch but Areni moves out of range.
Goromaru misses with a series of wild punches.
Goromaru misses with a straight left.
Goromaru throws a body punch but Areni moves out of range.
Areni stuffs the takedown.
Goromaru tests Areni's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Areni gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Goromaru to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Areni is trying to control the position but Goromaru postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Areni keeping moving, preventing Goromaru from controlling successfully.
Areni looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Areni is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Areni keeping full guard, as Goromaru tries to pass.
Goromaru postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Areni working a defensive guard here.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Areni holds on and takes a little breather.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Goromaru throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Areni works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Goromaru throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Areni works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Goromaru throws a big elbow that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Areni not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Areni swings for the body but Goromaru moves out of range.
Areni walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Goromaru connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Goromaru tests Areni's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Areni bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Areni is looking to wear down Goromaru with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Goromaru checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Areni throws a quick inside leg kick.
Areni swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Areni scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Areni throws a hook but Goromaru blocks it.
Goromaru swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Areni drops his hands momentarily and Goromaru takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goromaru digs a good hook to Areni's body.
Goromaru lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Goromaru connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Areni momentarily.
Goromaru digs a good body shot into Areni's ribs.
Areni throws a leg kick but Goromaru checks it.
Areni digs a good hook to Goromaru's body.

Goromaru takes the fight into the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Areni.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Goromaru swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Goromaru misses with a hook to the ribs.
Areni scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Areni tries to throw a body punch but Goromaru avoids it by throwing Areni back against the cage.
Areni can't break the clinch.
Areni struggles to land a body shot inside as Goromaru controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Areni misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Goromaru misses with a short punch on the inside.
Areni tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Areni scores with a hook to the body.
Goromaru struggles to land a body shot inside as Areni controls his hands.
A nice right hand lands inside from Areni.
Goromaru prevents a body shot from Areni.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Areni.

Areni breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rikiya Goromaru seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Goromaru scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Areni ducks right into an uppercut from Goromaru.
Goromaru tries to clinch but Areni moves out of range.
Goromaru fails in his attempt to clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Areni. Goromaru does a little dance to reset his feet.
Goromaru connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A chopping leg kick lands by Areni.
Goromaru scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Rikiya Goromaru showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Areni keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Areni turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Areni throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice cross by Areni.
Areni ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Goromaru moves away.
Goromaru's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Areni swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Goromaru.
Nice shot lands for Goromaru.
A shot to the body from Areni misses
and Goromaru counters with a nice uppercut.
Areni scores with a jab to the head.
Areni lands with a hook. Goromaru tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.

Goromaru is rocked!
Areni looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Goromaru is still on wobbly legs! Can Areni finish him?
Goromaru walks straight into a right hand from Areni - that's dropped him! Areni jumps into mount and starts pounding away - can he finish?! More strikes go undefended and the referee has to dive in to save Goromaru from any more punishment! Goromaru complains about the stoppage but falls over as he tries to stand back up, so it was clearly a good stoppage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:49 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Hin Areni!
Hin Areni spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.