PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Cyrus Plague (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Naruepol Fairtex (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Plague comes to the cage accompanied by Calibrate the Virus by Winter Solstice. Naruepol Fairtex will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Plague
vs
Fairtex

173 cm
21
154 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

170 cm
22
145 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Hell's Balls Fightwear

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cyrus Plague!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Naruepol Fairtex!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Columbo Gatti and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Plague thuds his right hand into Fairtex's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Plague throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Fairtex.
Plague throws a right and a left that both miss.
Plague rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Fairtex moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Fairtex tries to clinch there but Plague circles away.
Fairtex tries to clinch up but Plague circles away and keeps his distance.
Nice defenses there by Fairtex.
Cyrus Plague seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fairtex fails with an attempt to clinch.
Plague fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Fairtex tries to clinch but Plague moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex tries to clinch up but Plague circles away and keeps his distance.
A punch combination from Plague misses.
Plague swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Plague looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Plague shoots in but no luck this time.
Fairtex wants to clinch up but Plague keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Plague has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cyrus Plague. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Plague fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Plague instigates a clinch.
Fairtex takes a knee right on the jaw!
Fairtex tries to land a knee to the head but Plague blocks with his arms.
Fairtex throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Plague blocks it with crossed arms.
Fairtex misses with a knee strike.
Plague is looking to control Fairtex's arms but Fairtex gets an underhook and turns him. Now Plague has his back to the cage.
Fairtex avoiding damage as Plague throws knees to the body.
Plague tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Fairtex looking to throw knees to the head but Plague is blocking nicely.
Fairtex using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Plague has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Fairtex throws a knee to the head but misses.
Fairtex throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Plague blocks it with crossed arms.
Fairtex tries a knee to the head but Plague blocks it.
Fairtex tries a knee to the head but Plague blocks it.
Fairtex throws a knee to the head but misses.
Fairtex using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Plague has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Fairtex looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fairtex looking to throw knees to the head but Plague is blocking nicely.
Fairtex tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Plague pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Plague manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The referee warns Fairtex that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Plague throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Plague raining down shots from the mount!

Plague looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Fairtex really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Plague. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Fairtex is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plague lands a heavy elbow.
Plague throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Fairtex because Plague loaded up on that one.
Plague misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Fairtex taking shots to the head.
Plague unloading with bombs!
Plague looking to ground and pound but Fairtex is blocking nicely.
Plague throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrus Plague dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Plague wants to land a leg kick but Fairtex is out of range.

Plague pushes Fairtex up against the cage in a clinch.
Fairtex throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Plague blocks it with crossed arms.
Fairtex tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Fairtex takes a shot to the head.
Fairtex using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Plague has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Fairtex tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Fairtex throws a knee to the head but misses.
Fairtex misses with a knee to the head.
Fairtex misses with a knee strike.
Fairtex with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Fairtex looking to throw knees to the head but Plague is blocking nicely.

Plague turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Plague manages to end up in side control.
Plague in side control, throwing shots but Fairtex defends.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Plague taking a breather here.
Plague works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Fairtex is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plague creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

Plague tries for a kimura but Fairtex is defending well.
Fairtex prevents Plague from improving position.
Plague misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fairtex can do anything to dispel that myth.

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.
Plague throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Plague is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Fairtex is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The ground and pound from Plague seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Plague lands an elbow.
Plague trying to control the action but Fairtex is working from the bottom.
Plague in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plague creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Fairtex sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Plague throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Plague advances to full mount.
Fairtex wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Plague.
Plague thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Plague throws some wild stikes that Fairtex manages to avoid easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Plague sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Plague wants to control the pace but Fairtex is squirming around nicely.
Plague is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Plague 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.
Poor strikes thrown by Plague there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Fairtex holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Plague tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Plague throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Fairtex avoids a series of strikes thrown by Plague.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cyrus Plague dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Fairtex tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Fairtex takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Plague tries to bum rush Fairtex with a series of wild strikes but Fairtex uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Plague looks to score with a jab to the body but Fairtex is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Plague throws a lazy right hand but Fairtex sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Plague circles away from the clinch attempt

and Plague counters with a nice double leg into side control. Fairtex won't be happy with that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fairtex parries the strikes from Plague easily there. Plague is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Fairtex to escape.
Fairtex dodges the ground and pound from Plague.
Fairtex is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Cyrus Plague overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Plague working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Fairtex is not content to let Plague control the position.

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.
Fairtex tries to escape but Plague is in control.

Plague working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Fairtex avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Plague.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plague throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Plague looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Fairtex is avoiding damage well.
Plague throws a strike aimed at the side of Fairtex's head but Fairtex avoids it well.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Fairtex tries to clinch
and Plague counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Fairtex thinking.
Fairtex tries to clinch up

and Plague counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Cyrus Plague is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plague stops Fairtex from getting back to his feet.
Plague trying to mount his opponent but Fairtex defends it.
Plague trying to control from half guard but Fairtex is working away.
Fairtex keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Plague sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fairtex defending well though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cyrus Plague showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Plague has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 30:27
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cyrus Plague!