PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nomi Mae (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emanoel Moreno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mae
vs
Moreno

178 cm
20
167 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

185 cm
24
170 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
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 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nomi Mae!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Emanoel Moreno!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Mae does no damage.

Moreno decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mae is trying to stand back up but Moreno is controlling him
Moreno wants to control but Mae is keeping him busy.
Moreno prevents Mae from standing back up.

Mae pushes Moreno off and gets back to his feet.
Mae throws a series of punches but Moreno moves out of range.
Moreno closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mae circles away.
Mae tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Moreno was well out of range. Poor timing from Mae.
Mae misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mae misses with a series of wild punches.
Mae tries to land a front kick but Moreno steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Mae dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Moreno takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Moreno fails to land the takedown.

Moreno shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Moreno was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mae is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moreno looking to control but Mae is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Moreno thowing shots but they're missing.

Moreno looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.

Moreno has hold of Mae's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Mae manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Mae is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Mae is breathing heavily.

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.

Moreno jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Mae manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Moreno working the ground and pound but Mae is defending the strikes.
Moreno is looking to take a break and control but Mae is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mae is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Moreno has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Moreno wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mae keeps working.

Moreno looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Moreno wants to control but Mae is keeping him busy.

Mae bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mae looks to land a combination but Moreno avoids it well.
Moreno will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Nomi Mae has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Emanoel Moreno.
Mae is looking to land body kicks.
Moreno has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Mae.
Mae misses with a two punch combination.
Mae misses with a kick to the body.
Nomi Mae seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mae bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Moreno's head.
Moreno avoids a punch combination nicely.
Moreno shoots in looking for a takedown but Mae manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Moreno's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Moreno shoots in for a takedown but Mae shows good takedown defense.
Mae jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Mae misses with a body kick.
Nice uppercut there from Mae.

Mae shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mae trying to control but Moreno is working from the bottom.
Moreno keeping full guard, as Mae tries to pass.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mae is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Mae tries to free his leg and advance position but Moreno is retaining full guard.
Moreno manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mae really wants to buck Moreno off and get back to his feet.
Moreno controlling the position easily from mount.

Moreno looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Moreno shoots in and gets a takedown into Mae's guard.

Moreno has gone for a leg lock! Mae slips out almost immediately though and dives into Moreno's guard.
Moreno manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Mae manages to get himself to full guard.
Mae keeping moving, preventing Moreno from controlling successfully.

Mae has his feet on Moreno's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Moreno misses with a takedown attempt
and Mae counters with a nice body kick.
Moreno fails with the takedown
and Mae counters with a three punch combo that has Moreno backing up. Moreno nods at Mae to acknowledge the strikes.
Mae tries a head kick but it misses.

Mae shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Moreno is not content to let Mae control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mae moves nicely into side control.
Moreno is trying to control Mae's posture but Mae avoids it.
Emanoel Moreno has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mae tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Moreno prevents Mae from moving into mount.
You can see the frustration on Moreno's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Mae trying to control the position but Moreno is working away.
Mae landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Moreno struggling a bit here.
Mae tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Mae working away.
Moreno is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Mae's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Moreno is staying active underneath Mae, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Moreno is in trouble now - Mae has advanced to mount!
Moreno tries to lock up and control but Mae gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Mae has control of Moreno's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Moreno regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Mae looking to control but Moreno is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mae goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Moreno turns into him and now he's in Mae's guard.
Moreno wants to control from the top but Mae keeps moving.
Moreno stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mae swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Moreno throwing strikes from guard but Mae blocks nicely.
Moreno stops Mae from standing up.

Moreno thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mae keeping moving, preventing Moreno from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Moreno wants to pass the guard but Mae is keeping the position.
Moreno stops Mae from standing up.
Moreno trying to control but Mae is working from the bottom.
Moreno prevents Mae from getting back to his feet.
Mae keeping moving, preventing Moreno from controlling successfully.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

Emanoel Moreno has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Mae throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Moreno avoids a punch combination nicely.

Moreno shoots in and gets a takedown into Mae's guard.
Moreno passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Moreno thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nomi Mae will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Moreno gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Mae counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Mae cracks Moreno with a good jab.
Nomi Mae is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Moreno fails with the takedown
and Mae counters with a nice body shot.
Mae is looking to land body kicks.

Moreno changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mae looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Mae is trying to buck Moreno off.
Moreno works to advance to full mount. Mae defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.

Moreno goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Mae turns into him and now he's in Moreno's guard.

Moreno throws his legs up looking for a submission but Mae uses it to pass to side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mae tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Moreno is looking for a sweep.
Mae sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Moreno is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Mae throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Mae thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Mae working away.
Mae tries to advance to mount but Moreno denies him.
Moreno is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Mae off and has taken his back!
Emanoel Moreno has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Moreno keeps control of the position easily here as Mae tries to buck him off.
Mae is trapped and Moreno is scoring with shots to the head and body.

Moreno looking for the choke but no joy.
Moreno slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.

Mae preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Moreno.
Mae is trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Mae wants to get back to his feet.
Moreno scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
Mae wants to get back to his feet.

Moreno is persistently looking for the submission but Mae is defending it well.

Moreno looking for the choke but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mae is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.

Moreno has got his arm under Mae's chin working for the choke… has he got it? It looks pretty tight! Oh! Mae has spun round into Moreno's guard beautifully! Well done that man!
Mae trying to control the position from guard on top but Moreno is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mae trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Emanoel Moreno comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Mae has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 29:28
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Nomi Mae!