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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Tom Araya (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nelson Liriano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Araya might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Angel of Death. Tom Araya has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.
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| 184 cm
21
155 lbs
8 - 2 - 0 |
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167 cm
25
158 lbs
8 - 5 - 0 |
BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong |
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BJJ Blue Belt
Good low kicks
Powerful |
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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
8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Tom Araya!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nelson Liriano!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Araya blocks a low kick nicely.
Araya throws a body punch but Liriano moves out of range.
Araya loads up on a big right hand but Liriano slips the punch.
Liriano misses the jab.
Liriano misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Araya.
Liriano moves out of range as Araya strikes.
The fighters circling - Liriano throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Liriano misses with a straight right.
Araya keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Liriano.
Liriano will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Liriano tries to move into range but Araya moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Araya connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Liriano momentarily.
Liriano connects with a crisp jab.
A shot to the body from Liriano misses
and Araya counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Araya fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Liriano on the side of the head.
Araya tries to move into range but Liriano moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Araya is rocked!
Araya is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Araya tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Liriano paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Oh Araya is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Liriano lands a jab to Araya's midsection.
Araya seems to have got his legs back now.
Liriano jabbing away but nothing is landing.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Liriano moves forwards but Araya connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Liriano takes a swing at Araya's ribcage but misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Araya.
Araya ducks under a wild hook from Liriano.
Liriano takes one to the chin there.
Araya lands a head kick. Liriano smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Liriano throws the left hand but Araya avoids the punch easily.
Araya with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Liriano throws a hook but Araya blocks it.
Araya tries to close the distance and clinch up but Liriano swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A big right from Araya misses.
Araya throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Liriano misses the target.
Liriano is looking to land body kicks.
Araya scores with a nice right hand.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liriano moves in looking to clinch but Araya pushes him off.
Liriano stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Liriano wants it to stay on the feet.
Liriano misses with a wild body shot.
Liriano looks to land a right hand but Araya moved out of range.
Liriano has Araya up against the cage in a clinch.
Liriano scores with a hook to the body.
A hook to the body from Liriano.
Araya has hold of one of Liriano's legs. Liriano is fighting the takedown attempt but Araya gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Araya throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Liriano works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Liriano has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Araya accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liriano is pulling down on Araya's head. It's preventing any offense from Araya, at least for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Araya tries to free his leg and advance position but Liriano is retaining full guard.
Araya throws a big right hand that misses.
Araya will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Araya looking to pass the guard.
Araya 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.
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.
Araya is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Liriano looking to control.
Araya in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Araya thows a big elbow that misses.
Araya really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Liriano keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Araya lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Araya connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Araya misses with a body shot.
Liriano lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Araya tries to bum rush Liriano with a series of wild strikes but Liriano uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Araya lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Nelson Liriano dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!
Liriano takes a swing at Araya's ribcage but misses.
Araya missing with a left hand there. Liriano was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Liriano is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Araya moves out of range as Liriano throws a body kick.
Liriano misses with a body kick.
Araya lands an overhand right.
Araya takes a swing at Liriano's ribcage but misses.
Araya is trying hard to land a takedown here. Liriano sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Araya slips a straight right by Liriano.
Liriano throws a head kick that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Araya throws a body punch but Liriano moves out of range.
Tom Araya is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Araya lands a right hook to the body.
Liriano throws a quick inside leg kick.
Araya shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Liriano sprawls well. Liriano wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Araya gets slowly back to his feet.
Liriano lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Liriano rushes Araya and presses him up against the cage.
Araya lands an elbow that stopped Liriano in his tracks for a moment.
Liriano's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Liriano misses with an uppercut.
Araya lands a two punch combo.
Araya scores with a decent looking hook.
Liriano looks to score with a jab to the body but Araya is just out of range.
Liriano throws a big shot that misses.
Araya is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Liriano's half guard.
Araya prevents Liriano from improving his position.
Araya thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Araya seems to be looking for submissions.
Liriano is positioning himself well to prevent Araya advancing to mount.
Araya throws a strike but Liriano avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Araya lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Araya forces his way into half guard.
Araya is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Liriano reverses the position - he's now on top in Araya's guard.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araya looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Liriano stopping the sweep attempt from Araya.
Araya had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Liriano defends it easily.
Liriano controlling from the top position.
That's four 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.
Araya looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Liriano passes into half guard.
Araya wants to get back to full guard.
Araya makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Araya.
Liriano must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Liriano got a little sloppy there for a moment and Araya has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Liriano has managed to get both his arms back between Araya's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Nelson Liriano will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!
Liriano misses with a hook. Araya ducked under it nicely.
Araya keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Araya misses with the combination.
Liriano throws the left hand but Araya avoids the punch easily.
Araya closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Liriano wants to improve his position but Araya is controlling well.
Araya tries to stand and escape but Liriano actually recovers to full guard.
Araya content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Araya pushes down on Liriano's leg and manages to get into half guard.
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.
Liriano moves into full guard.
Araya loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Araya trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Araya is looking to work some ground and pound but Liriano has wrist control.
Liriano pulls Araya in close to his closed guard and prevents Araya from doing any damage or advancing position.
Araya trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Liriano avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Araya is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Liriano is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Liriano has escaped and now he's on top!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Araya isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Liriano stacks Araya on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Liriano!
Tom Araya has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Araya is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Liriano's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Araya is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Liriano trying to control the pace.
Araya is trying to get back to full guard.
Nelson Liriano is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Araya is working hard here to advance position.
Araya manages to get to full guard.
Liriano's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Araya working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Liriano doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Liriano manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Araya looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Liriano puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Tom Araya.
I think Liriano 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 29:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28
The fight is ruled a draw!
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
42% |
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