PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jake Askren (ranked 1689 p4p, 3186 weight class) and Pablo Noriega (ranked 125 p4p, 255 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Noriega's choice of entrance music: MS-13 Mara Salvatrucha. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Askren
vs
Noriega

170 cm
29
132
15 - 17 - 1

181 cm
48
148
39 - 30 - 2

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Fantasy Threads
Shadow Realm Apparel

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 15 - 17 - 1, fighting out of London, Jake Askren!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 39 - 30 - 2, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pablo Noriega!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Hugh Johnson and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Askren closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Askren tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
An elbow from Askren crashes against the mat.
Askren working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Sloppy strikes there by Askren.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The ground and pound from Askren seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Askren lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Noriega down.
Noriega wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ground and pound from Askren seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Askren lands a nice forearm strike.
Askren tries to advance to mount but Noriega denies him.
Askren working the head with strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Askren tries to move to mount but Noriega blocks the move with his legs.
Noriega really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Askren. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Askren working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Noriega is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Noriega prevents Askren from moving into mount.
Askren in side control, throwing shots but Noriega defends.
Askren has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Askren fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Noriega tries to bench press Askren off him but Askren keeps the position.
Askren throwing strikes but Noriega manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Askren tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Noriega wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Noriega is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Noriega wants to lay and pray for a moment but Askren keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Askren is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Askren is working hard here to advance position.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Noriega happy to just control the position for now.
Noriega is looking to take a break and control but Askren is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Askren tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Noriega wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Askren is trying to escape the position but Noriega is controlling the position.
Askren might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Askren is trying to get back to half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Noriega wants to lay and pray for a moment but Askren keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Askren moves out of range of the body kick.

Askren closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Askren shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Askren showed some decent athleticism there.
Nice strikes from Askren there.
Askren looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Askren working Noriega over with strikes.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Askren here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Noriega won't allow Askren to pass to mount.
Noriega is looking to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Askren thows a huge punch but Noriega dodges it nicely.
Askren wants to pass the guard but Noriega is defending well.
Askren is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Noriega can do to turn this around?
Askren missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Askren is pressing down on Noriega's thigh, looking to free his foot. Noriega is holding on for now.
Noriega trying to control but Askren postures up.
Askren passes the guard and advances to mount!
Askren pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Askren looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Noriega keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Askren is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Askren unloading with bombs!
Askren connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Askren breaks from Noriega's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Askren has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Noriega's face.
Askren with good strikes from the mount here!

Noriega is rocked!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Askren lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Noriega is still in real trouble! Can Askren finish him?
Oooooh, big shot lands for Askren! Noriega is hurt baaadly! Askren is firing away with more strikes - Noriega is covering up... the ref is warning him to do something. He's just covering up though still and the ref has to step in to end the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:36 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jake Askren!
Jake Askren seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
Pablo Noriega was interviewed post fight and said 'It time put down the gloves , it over. I don’t have the fire to fight anymore, time to spend with wife & kids. Only reason is escape crime & make money for family, without MMA ill be in prison'.