PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rudolf Meine (ranked 485 p4p, 706 weight class) and Taromaru Momoji (ranked 60 p4p, 80 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Meine
vs
Momoji

163 cm
32
155
23 - 17 - 1

178 cm
31
165
8 - 2 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

NARCOS
Kersikov's Vitamin Clinic (160)

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 23 - 17 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Rudolf Meine!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Taromaru Momoji!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Momoji moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Meine pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Meine lands an overhand right.
Meine misses with a low kick.
Momoji scores with a hook.
Momoji misses the shot to the body.
A big left from Meine misses.
Momoji walks into a jab.
Momoji ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Meine moves away.
Meine swings for the body but Momoji moves out of range.
Meine misses with a wild body shot.
Momoji on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Momoji on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
An inside leg kick from Meine misses.
Momoji takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Meine takes a swing at Momoji's ribcage but misses.
Meine misses with a body kick.
Meine lands with a cross.
Meine scores with a jab to the body.
Meine throws a low kick but Momoji moves out of range easily.

Momoji fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Meine to the ground. Momoji is now in Meine's guard.
Momoji loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Momoji missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Momoji passes Meine's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Momoji wants to control but Meine is keeping him busy.
Meine avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Momoji.
Momoji wants to pass to mount but Meine is defending the position.
Momoji looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Meine with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Meine is trying to maintain the position but Momoji is very close to passing his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Momoji stalling away here and it's allowed Meine to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Momoji has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Momoji tries to free his leg and advance position but Meine is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Momoji wants to control from the top but Meine keeps moving.
Momoji throws a big elbow that misses.
Meine keeping moving, preventing Momoji from controlling successfully.
Momoji looking to pass the guard.
Momoji passes Meine's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Momoji seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Momoji stalling away here and it's allowed Meine to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Momoji wants to control from the top but Meine keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Momoji misses with a wild body shot.
Meine tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Momoji manages to circle out of the way.
Meine drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Meine throws a hook to the side of Momoji's head but Momoji sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Meine shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Momoji keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Momoji just misses with a punch to the body.
Meine is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Momoji.
Meine scoring well with a low kick there.
Nice defenses there by Meine.
Momoji scores with the left hand. Meine knows he should have avoided that one.
A big left from Meine misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meine looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Meine misses with a body shot.
Meine thuds a left hand into Momoji's body.
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!

Momoji looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Momoji is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Meine!
Meine in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Momoji dominating with strikes here.
Poor strikes thrown by Momoji there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Momoji controlling from mount.
Momoji looking to finish Meine with some ground and pound. This is bad for Meine!
Momoji scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Meine?
Meine in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Taromaru Momoji dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Meine throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Momoji sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Momoji has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Meine lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Momoji circles away quickly and effectively.
Momoji throws a right hand that Meine ducks under and follows up with a left that Meine also avoids with ease.
Meine wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Rudolf Meine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Meine throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Momoji on the side of the head.
Momoji fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Meine on the side of the head.
Momoji lands a jab.
Meine lands with an overhand left.
Meine scores with a decent looking hook.
Meine throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Momoji drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Meine defends it well.
Meine uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Momoji.
A looping hook to the body misses from Meine. Momoji does a little dance to reset his feet.
Momoji throws a lazy right hand but Meine sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Momoji throws a hook to the side of Meine's head but Meine sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Meine tries to counter by clinching up but Momoji breaks away and moves out of range.

Momoji is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Meine's half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Momoji is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Momoji is pressing down on Meine's thigh, looking to free his foot. Meine is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Momoji works his foot free and advances to mount.
Meine wants to control but Momoji is having none of it.
Meine sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Meine is not content to let Momoji control the position.
Momoji is stalling here. Meine is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Momoji seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Meine has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Momoji tries to improve position but can't.
Momoji wants to control but Meine postures up.
Momoji is trying to improve his position.
Momoji is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Momoji can't do much from the bottom here.
Momoji manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Meine is trying to control but can't.
Momoji throwing shots but Meine is blocking nicely.
Momoji is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Momoji trying to control the position from guard on top but Meine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Momoji might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Meine haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Meine seems keen to control Momoji's posture.
Momoji wants to pass the guard but Meine is keeping the position.

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.
Meine keeping moving, preventing Momoji from controlling successfully.

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

Meine gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Momoji to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Momoji in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Momoji looking to pass the guard.
Meine might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Momoji is looking to work some ground and pound but Meine has wrist control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Taromaru Momoji showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Nice takedown defense from Meine. No joy for Momoji on that attempt.
Rudolf Meine has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Momoji has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Meine throws out a leg kick but Momoji moves out of range and Meine only half commits.
Rudolf Meine is winning the standup battle so far.
Meine cracks a nice hook into Momoji's ribs.
A big left from Momoji misses.
Momoji shoots in but Meine avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Meine swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Meine scores with a punch to the head.

Momoji closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Momoji lands in his opponent's guard.
Momoji is fighting to break Meine's control of his arms but Meine is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Meine controls Momoji momentarily but Momoji frees himself.
Momoji stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Meine swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Meine is pulling down on Momoji's head. It's preventing any offense from Momoji, at least for the moment.
Momoji wants to pass the guard but Meine is keeping the position.
Momoji forces his way into half guard.
Momoji is just content to waste time from the top position. Meine takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Momoji pushes down on Meine's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Meine is trying to maintain the position but Momoji is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Momoji not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Momoji is just content to waste time from the top position. Meine takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Momoji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Momoji trying to control but Meine is working from the bottom.
Momoji looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Momoji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Momoji slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Momoji with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Momoji throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Meine tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Momoji is in Meine's guard.
Momoji looking to pass the guard.
Momoji wants to control from the top but Meine keeps moving.
Meine is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Momoji trying to control but Meine is working from the bottom.
Momoji pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Meine is keeping the position for now.
Momoji trying to control the position from guard on top but Meine is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.
Meine utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Rudolf Meine is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Meine rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Momoji counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Momoji blocks a leg kick.
Taromaru Momoji is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Momoji fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Taromaru Momoji comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Momoji winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Taromaru Momoji!