PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Moreira (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niklas Fleischer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodrigo Moreira has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Moreira
vs
Fleischer

210 cm
19
260 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

195 cm
20
235 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rodrigo Moreira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Niklas Fleischer!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Frank Dennis and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Moreira looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fleischer is fending him off so far but Moreira persists. Nope, Fleischer circles away and we're back to standing.
Fleischer misses with a few strikes there.
Fleischer misses with a two punch combination.
Fleischer jabs at Moreira's body.
Moreira slips a jab and a cross from Fleischer.
Fleischer misses with a double jab.
Fleischer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Fleischer stuffs the takedown.
Fleischer throws a right and a left that Moreira avoids nicely.
Fleischer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good standup being displayed there by Fleischer as he connects with a hook.
Fleischer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Moreira fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Moreira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fleischer tries a head kick but it misses.
Moreira shoots in looking for a takedown. Fleischer tries to sprawl out of it but Moreira keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Fleischer manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Moreira takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Moreira will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fleischer throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Moreira has a takedown stuffed.
Niklas Fleischer is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Fleischer misses with a wild combination.
A punch combination from Fleischer misses.
Fleischer keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No joy there for Fleischer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fleischer throws a right and a left that both miss.
A punch combination from Fleischer misses.
Fleischer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fleischer pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Moreira shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Fleischer as he jumps to the side.
Fleischer throws a nice looking combination but Moreira bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Horrible takedown by Moreira or perhaps it was just good defense by Fleischer which made him look bad.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
No luck for Moreira with that takedown attempt.
Moreira tries for a takedown but Fleischer sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fleischer pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Fleischer throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

It looks like Rodrigo Moreira has been cut.
Fleischer scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Fleischer throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niklas Fleischer dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Rodrigo Moreira's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Fleischer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fleischer pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Fleischer with a hook.
Fleischer finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Fleischer as Moreira shoots in.
Moreira shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fleischer but Fleischer pushes him off and we're back to square one.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Moreira. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Moreira blocks a head kick by Fleischer.
Fleischer misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fleischer throws a chopping leg kick but Moreira manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Fleischer misses with a few strikes there.
Niklas Fleischer seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fleischer misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Rodrigo Moreira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Moreira takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Moreira avoids a kick to the body.
Moreira shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fleischer as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Moreira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fleischer will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fleischer looks to land a combination but Moreira avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreira avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice straight punches there by Fleischer. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Fleischer.
Nice cross by Fleischer.
Fleischer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Moreira shoots in looking for a takedown. Fleischer tries to sprawl out of it but Moreira keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Fleischer manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Nice takedown defense from Fleischer. No joy for Moreira on that attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moreira fails to land the takedown.
Fleischer throws a body punch but Moreira moves out of range.
Fleischer tries to bum rush Moreira with a series of wild strikes but Moreira uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Fleischer paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Fleischer throws a series of punches but Moreira moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Moreira shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Fleischer but Fleischer pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Fleischer moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Moreira shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fleischer scores with a one two! Moreira had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Moreira avoids a punch combination nicely.
Moreira is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Fleischer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niklas Fleischer showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rodrigo Moreira's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Moreira has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
The crowd cheers as Fleischer lands an impressive looking overhand right. Moreira doesn't seem phased though.
Moreira avoids the head kick by Fleischer.
Fleischer is looking to land body kicks.
Fleischer fails to land with a series of punches.
Fleischer misses with a few strikes there.
Moreira fails with the takedown.
No joy there for Fleischer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fleischer throws a nice looking combination but Moreira bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fleischer throws a combination. Moreira tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Fleischer pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Fleischer throws a one two combo.
Fleischer wants to land a leg kick but Moreira is out of range.
No joy there for Fleischer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Moreira doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Moreira avoids the head kick by Fleischer.
Fleischer's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Fleischer duly obliges.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
No joy there for Fleischer, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Moreira dodges the punch combination from Fleischer.
Fleischer throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fleischer throws a series of punches but Moreira avoids them all with ease.
Fleischer does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Moreira with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Fleischer to score with a decent uppercut.
Moreira closes the distance and clinches up with Fleischer, looking for a takedown. Moreira pushes Fleischer against the cage but Fleischer circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fleischer throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Fleischer connects with a single shot there.
Fleischer has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Moreira dodges the punch combination from Fleischer.
Moreira showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Fleischer.
Fleischer works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Moreira fails with the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Moreira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fleischer looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Rodrigo Moreira has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Moreira fails to land the takedown.
Fleischer throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Moreira.
Niklas Fleischer is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Niklas Fleischer seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nice cross by Fleischer.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niklas Fleischer comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Fleischer has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 25:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 24:30
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 24:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niklas Fleischer!