PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Haisam Moghadam (ranked 1426 p4p, 2063 weight class) and Koba Takanori (ranked 189 p4p, 272 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Moghadam
vs
Takanori

181 cm
25
180
4 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
174
3 - 2 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Conviction
Fantasy Threads

Conquer
Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Haisam Moghadam!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Koba Takanori!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moghadam lands a head shot.
Takanori uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Moghadam.
Takanori replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Moghadam blocks it well.
Takanori throws a body kick that misses.
Takanori looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Takanori on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Moghadam throws an overhand right that lands on Takanori's shoulder, as Takanori tries to avoid the shot.
Takanori moves out of range of the leg kick from Moghadam.
A cross from Moghadam lands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moghadam avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Moghadam throws a good cross that connects.
Moghadam throws a low kick, looking for Takanori's leg but Takanori calmly moves out of range.
Takanori throws a right hand that misses
and Moghadam counters with a left to the body.
Moghadam looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moghadam throws a right hand that misses
and Takanori counters with a nice body kick.
Takanori takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Moghadam lands a nice hook to Takanori's body. Takanori takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Takanori staying out of range there.
A little jabbing left from Takanori on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Moghadam throws an overhand right that lands on Takanori's shoulder, as Takanori tries to avoid the shot.
Takanori flicks out a counter leg kick but Moghadam steps away.
Moghadam throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
It seemed like Takanori was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Moghadam lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Haisam Moghadam seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Moghadam connects with the punch.
Moghadam throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Moghadam throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moghadam connects with a jab.
Moghadam looks to throw the jab but Takanori is out of range.
Moghadam misses the jab.
Takanori let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Moghadam moves out of range of the leg kick from Takanori.
Moghadam scores with a decent looking hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Moghadam throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Takanori counters with a good, hard body kick but Moghadam shrugs it off.
Moghadam throws out a loose jab but Takanori uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takanori doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Takanori drops his hands momentarily and Moghadam takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Takanori takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Takanori displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Moghadam throws out the jab.
Takanori counters with a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Moghadam. That's going to slow Takanori down.
Moghadam scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Moghadam misses with a straight left.
A nice side step and Takanori releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Takanori on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Moghadam. Moghadam obviously looking to wear him down.
Takanori moves out of range of the strikes.
Takanori uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Moghadam.
Takanori takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Takanori throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Moghadam counters with a left to the body.
Moghadam uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Takanori has time to react.
Takanori takes a swing at Moghadam's ribcage but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moghadam throws out a loose jab but Takanori uses good head movement to avoid it.
Takanori looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Moghadam is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Moghadam punishes Takanori's body with a nice straight punch.
Takanori throws a head kick that misses.
Moghadam throws a jab when Takanori was well out of range.
Takanori walks into a stiff left hand from Moghadam.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Moghadam connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Moghadam misses with a hook.
Takanori on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Moghadam cracks Takanori with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Haisam Moghadam dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Takanori bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Takanori looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Moghadam lands a lovely overhand right.
Moghadam throws a leg kick but Takanori sees it coming and moves out of range.
Takanori appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Moghadam cracks Takanori with a good jab.
Takanori walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Moghadam lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A solid leg kick lands there for Moghadam.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Takanori tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Takanori doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Moghadam misses with a lunging right hand
letting Takanori counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Moghadam lands a nice shot that snaps Takanori's head back.
Moghadam has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Moghadam ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Takanori moves away.
Takanori is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Moghadam with a body shot.
Moghadam looks to throw the jab but Takanori is out of range.
Moghadam uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Takanori.
Moghadam misses with a leg kick.
Takanori counters with a body kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Takanori checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Moghadam dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Moghadam swings and misses with a shot to the body
enabling Takanori to counter with a crisp jab.
Moghadam slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Takanori takes a shot right to the bread basket.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Takanori throws a leg kick that misses.
Moghadam swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
A little jabbing left from Takanori on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Takanori avoids the body shot from Moghadam.
Takanori ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Moghadam connects with the punch.
A cross from Moghadam lands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Moghadam connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Moghadam throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Takanori counters with a three punch combo that has Moghadam backing up. Moghadam nods at Takanori to acknowledge the strikes.
Moghadam lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Moghadam misses with a wild body shot.
Takanori doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moghadam swings away with a body shot that misses
and Takanori counters with a good low kick that Moghadam was not able to check.
Haisam Moghadam is winning the standup battle so far.
Moghadam throws a lazy right hand but Takanori sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A little jabbing left from Takanori on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Moghadam with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Moghadam scores with a nice head shot.
Moghadam connects with an inside leg kick.
Moghadam works the jab nicely.
Moghadam throws a leg kick
and Takanori counters with a stiff right hand.
Takanori's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Takanori jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Moghadam scores with a body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moghadam looks to score with a jab to the body but Takanori is just out of range.
Takanori let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Takanori blocks a jab.
Moghadam misses with a looping left.
Takanori let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Moghadam cracks a nice hook into Takanori's ribs.
Moghadam connects with a looping right hand.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Takanori motions for Moghadam to come forward. Takanori throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Takanori takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A jab lands there for Moghadam.
Moghadam throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Takanori sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A nice side step and Takanori releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Haisam Moghadam dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Takanori uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Moghadam.
Moghadam lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Moghadam throws the left hand but Takanori avoids the punch easily.
Moghadam scoring well with a low kick there.
Moghadam misses with a hook
and Takanori finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Takanori tries to move into range but Moghadam moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Moghadam clobbers Takanori with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moghadam throws a shot to the body.
Nice cross by Moghadam.
Moghadam chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Takanori steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Moghadam.
Takanori counters with a body kick.
Moghadam avoids the body shot from Takanori.
Good exchange - Moghadam coming out on top.
Moghadam ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Takanori moves away.
Moghadam throws a hook to the side of Takanori's head but Takanori sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Takanori only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Takanori defending well as Moghadam loads up on a big left hand.
It seemed like Takanori was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Takanori has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Moghadam misses the jab.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Takanori! But no joy.
Moghadam fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Takanori.
Moghadam misses with an uppercut.
Takanori attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Koba Takanori has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moghadam dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Takanori. That did some damage!
Takanori closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Takanori ducks under a wild hook from Moghadam.
Takanori on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Moghadam misses with a shot to the body
and Takanori counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Moghadam misses with an uppercut.
Moghadam throws a nice outside leg kick.
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!
Moghadam missing with a left hand there. Takanori was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Takanori steps in looking to counter with the mid kick but it doesn't connect.
Moghadam connects with a right hand. Takanori shakes it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moghadam is looking to land body kicks.
Moghadam scores with a nice right hand.
Takanori takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A nice leg kick lands there from Moghadam.
Takanori uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Moghadam.
Takanori follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
Moghadam throws a hook to the side of Takanori's head but Takanori sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
It seemed like Takanori was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Moghadam throws the left hand but Takanori avoids the punch easily.
Takanori replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Moghadam blocks it well.
Takanori steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Moghadam.
Moghadam lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moghadam misses with an uppercut.
Takanori replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Moghadam blocks it well.
Takanori throws a body shot but no joy.
Moghadam looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Takanori ducks under a wild hook from Moghadam.
Moghadam throws a body shot but no joy.
Moghadam throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A little jabbing left from Takanori on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Takanori on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Moghadam lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Moghadam throws a hook to the side of Takanori's head but Takanori sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Takanori listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Haisam Moghadam showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Moghadam 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 Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Haisam Moghadam!
During a confident post fight interview, Haisam Moghadam thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.