PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Reni Manfield (ranked 1865 p4p, 2168 weight class) and Zigor Azarola (ranked 160 p4p, 264 weight class). Azarola has chosen Million Shattered Swords by Witchrot as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Zigor Azarola enters the cage!

Manfield
vs
Azarola

163 cm
26
153
17 - 9 - 2

160 cm
23
144
7 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction
Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 17 - 9 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reni Manfield!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Zigor Azarola!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Arvi Lind and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Azarola throws a predictable looking body shot

and Manfield counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Azarola is refusing to be controlled, as Manfield sits in half guard.
Manfield looks to land a strike but Azarola avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Manfield 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.
Azarola keeping full guard, as Manfield tries to pass.
Manfield postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Manfield 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Azarola is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Manfield trying to control the position from guard on top but Azarola is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Manfield tries to free his leg and advance position but Azarola is retaining full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manfield wants to control from the top but Azarola keeps moving.
Azarola wants to get back to his feet but Manfield passes into half guard.
Azarola is trying to maintain the position but Manfield is very close to passing his half guard.
Manfield thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Azarola's head.
Manfield looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Azarola with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Manfield prevents Azarola from improving his position.
Manfield throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Manfield looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

Manfield is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Azarola trying to control but Manfield postures up.

Manfield is trying to work for a kimura but Azarola is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Azarola wants to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
A head punch on the inside from Azarola fails to land.
Manfield tries to pull guard but Azarola holds him up against the cage and eventually Manfield drops back down to his feet.
Azarola tries to work over Manfield's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Azarola misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Manfield tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Azarola just stands there and leans against the cage.
Manfield jumps guard but Azarola turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Reni Manfield. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Azarola lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A short uppercut from Azarola.
Manfield looking for a takedown.
Manfield tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Azarola works on Manfield's body with a couple of short punches.
Manfield tries for a takedown but Azarola manages to get underhooks.
Manfield is trying to pull guard but Azarola turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Azarola struggles to land a body shot inside as Manfield controls his hands.
Manfield tries to pull guard but Azarola forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Zigor Azarola will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Good leg kick by Azarola.
Manfield throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Azarola on the side of the head.
Manfield shoots in but no luck this time.
Azarola steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Azarola cracks Manfield with a right hand to the side of the head.
Azarola wants to clinch up but Manfield keeps it at a distance.
Manfield throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Azarola is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Azarola stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Manfield.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manfield misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Azarola to counter with a crisp jab.
Manfield swats away the attempt to clinch by Azarola.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Azarola fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Manfield has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Azarola scores with a nice right hand.

Azarola closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Azarola lands a nice shot to the body.
Manfield changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Azarola fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Reni Manfield. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Azarola throws a head kick that misses.
A low kick lands for Azarola.
Azarola throws a body shot but no joy.
Manfield punishes Azarola's body with a nice straight punch.
Azarola lands with an overhand left.
Zigor Azarola is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Azarola throws a leg kick but Manfield sees it coming and moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Azarola wants to clinch but Manfield slips to the side

and Manfield counters with a shoot takedown. Azarola fights it but they end up in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Manfield in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Manfield with a flurry of punches that miss.
Manfield is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Azarola working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Manfield.
Manfield preventing the sweep.
Manfield trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Manfield tries to free his leg and advance position but Azarola is retaining full guard.
Manfield wants to control from the top but Azarola keeps moving.
Reni Manfield overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Manfield with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manfield postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Manfield throws a big right hand that misses.
Manfield throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Azarola works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Azarola wants to stand but Manfield is controlling the position.
Manfield trying to control but Azarola is working from the bottom.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Azarola looking to hit a scissor sweep but Manfield is one step ahead there.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Manfield cracks Azarola with a good jab.

That's four 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.

Azarola takes the fight into the clinch.
Manfield blocks an uppercut.
Azarola pushes Manfield back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Manfield drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Azarola gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Azarola can't find room to land a body shot as Manfield controls the action.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Azarola throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Manfields head.
Azarola misses with a short punch on the inside.
Azarola misses with the head strike.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Zigor Azarola showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A looping hook to the body misses from Azarola. Manfield does a little dance to reset his feet.
Azarola scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Nice body kick from Azarola.
Azarola throws a solid leg kick but Manfield takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Azarola.
Manfield was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Manfield throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Azarola's waist but Azarola gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Manfield off to one side.
Azarola looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.

Manfield looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Azarola!
Azarola is trying to improve his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manfield lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Manfield tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Azarola struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manfield trying to control the position but Azarola is working away.
Azarola is trying to control Manfield's posture but Manfield avoids it.
Manfield trying to control the position but Azarola is working away.
Azarola wants to control but Manfield postures up.
Manfield is putting a hurting on Azarola here, landing some big shots from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Manfield wants to lay and pray for a moment but Azarola keeps working.
Azarola struggling a bit here.
Azarola is looking to reverse the position.
Manfield in side control, throwing shots but Azarola defends.
Manfield working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Azarola is looking to reverse the position.
Manfield misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Azarola is not content to let Manfield control the position.
Manfield sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Azarola is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manfield working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Manfield lands a nice forearm strike.

Manfield is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Azarola knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Manfield wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Azarola, who protects the arm well.
Azarola regains half guard, as Manfield was trying to land strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Manfield works his way into side control.
Azarola keeps Manfield under control for a moment.
Azarola tries to buck Manfield off but Manfield is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Manfield lands a nice forearm strike.
Azarola is not content to let Manfield control the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reni Manfield showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Azarola 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 28:29
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Zigor Azarola!
During a confident post fight interview, Zigor Azarola thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.