PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Miguel Lopez (ranked 23692 p4p, 3093 weight class) and Montesh Dominguez (ranked 668 p4p, 356 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lopez
vs
Dominguez

172 cm
22
155
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
21
158
2 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Miguel Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Montesh Dominguez!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Steve Erwin and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopez is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Dominguez punishes Lopez's body with a nice straight punch.

Lopez fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Dominguez sprawls well initially but Lopez persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Lopez tries to pass to full mount but Dominguez defends it.
Dominguez trying to control here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Dominguez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dominguez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lopez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dominguez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lopez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dominguez keeping full guard, as Lopez tries to pass.
Dominguez controls Lopez momentarily but Lopez frees himself.
Dominguez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lopez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Lopez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Dominguez has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Dominguez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Lopez wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Lopez throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Dominguez's waist but Dominguez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lopez off to one side.
It seemed like Dominguez was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Dominguez.
Dominguez misses with a double jab

and Lopez counters with a single leg into guard. Dominguez didn't expect that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dominguez looking for a guillotine here but Lopez defends easily.
Dominguez looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Lopez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dominguez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dominguez working a defensive guard here.
Lopez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez prevents Dominguez from getting back to his feet.
Dominguez is pulling down on Lopez's head. It's preventing any offense from Lopez, at least for the moment.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Dominguez wants to stand but Lopez is controlling the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Dominguez just misses with a punch to the body.
Lopez wants to clinch up but Dominguez keeps it at a distance.
Dominguez throws a shot to the body.
Dominguez misses with a left hand

so Lopez counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Lopez trying to control but Dominguez is working from the bottom.
Lopez is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Dominguez is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez content to stall in guard here.
Lopez wants to stand but Dominguez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dominguez trying to control the position.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Dominguez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lopez wants to pass the guard but Dominguez is keeping the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Miguel Lopez will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

A left lands for Dominguez.
Dominguez fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Lopez looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Dominguez tries to bum rush Lopez with a series of wild strikes but Lopez uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Dominguez goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Montesh Dominguez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lopez has managed to clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Lopez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Dominguez walks away with a smile on his face. Lopez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Lopez tries to close the distance and clinch but Dominguez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Dominguez punishes Lopez's body with a nice straight punch.
Lopez walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Dominguez just misses with a punch to the body.
Dominguez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lopez moves away.
Dominguez throws a shot from downtown. Lopez moves away and avoids it.
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!
Lopez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Dominguez as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dominguez throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Lopez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Dominguez sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Miguel Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Dominguez lands with a good body shot.

Lopez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Dominguez makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Dominguez throws a body punch but Lopez moves out of range.
Dominguez digs a good body shot into Lopez's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lopez checks the leg kick.
Lopez is looking to counter the offense by Dominguez and move into the clinch.
Dominguez tries a head kick but it misses.
Lopez is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Dominguez.
Dominguez tries a head kick but it misses.
Lopez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dominguez defends well and Lopez ends up having to push Dominguez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lopez trying to land knees to the body.
A right hand to the body from Dominguez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dominguez's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Dominguez stalling.
Dominguez lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Dominguez leaning his opponent against the cage.
Lopez fails to pull guard.
Dominguez lands a nice uppercut.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd are getting on Dominguez's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Montesh Dominguez.
Lopez doesn't manage to clinch there - Dominguez circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez's corner calls for a 1-2. Lopez obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Dominguez throws a sloppy head kick and Lopez moves out of range easily.
Dominguez throws a head kick that Lopez semi-blocks.
Lopez tries to clinch up.

Lopez gets the takedown into side control.
Lopez scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Dominguez to see if he's OK.
Dominguez is looking to reverse the position.

Lopez decides to stand back up.
Miguel Lopez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lopez takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lopez takes one to the side of the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dominguez swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Lopez appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Dominguez is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Lopez rather than just go for the knockout.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lopez.
Nice sprawl there from Dominguez as Lopez shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Lopez blocks the leg kick.
Lopez throws a big counter combination but Dominguez scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Nice sprawl there from Dominguez as Lopez shoots in.
A shot to the liver by Dominguez. Beautiful body shot.
Dominguez fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Dominguez scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Dominguez throws a front kick that sends Lopez stumbling back into the cage.
Dominguez throws a shot to the body.
Dominguez tries to score with a low kick but Lopez moves his leg out of the way.
A nice leg kick from Dominguez, right into the meat of the thigh.
Lopez fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dominguez slaps away a takedown attempt from Lopez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Dominguez digs a good hook to Lopez's body.
Lopez uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Dominguez.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dominguez walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Lopez checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Lopez appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Montesh Dominguez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Lopez closes the distance and clinches up with Dominguez, looking for a takedown. Lopez pushes Dominguez against the cage but Dominguez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Dominguez misses the shot to the body.
Dominguez connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Dominguez lands with a nice combination. Lopez backs away looking to recover.

Lopez is rocked!
Dominguez throws a monster overhand right that drops Lopez! Dominguez follows up with more strikes from mount and the fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Montesh Dominguez!
During a confident post fight interview, Montesh Dominguez thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.