PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Arlington Beech (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chiku Maneno (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Beech might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to You Know My Name. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Beech
vs
Maneno

173 cm
25
166 lbs
15 - 3 - 1

178 cm
24
177 lbs
12 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Reaper Combatwear
Héritage!

GREEN!160
Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 15 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Arlington Beech!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chiku Maneno!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Beech throws a leg kick that is checked
and Maneno counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Beech thinking.
Beech ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Maneno moves away.
Maneno doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Maneno keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maneno takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Beech tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Maneno smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Maneno misses with a body shot.
Nice straight punches there by Beech. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Beech.
Maneno takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
A bone on bone clash there as Maneno blocks the leg kick.
Maneno misses with a shot to the body
and Beech counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Maneno misses with a left hand
enabling Beech to counter with a crisp jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Maneno misses with a body shot

and Beech moves into the clinch.
Beech prevents Maneno from breaking the clinch.
Maneno is trying to push Beech away but Beech has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Maneno tries to break the clinch but Beech is controlling the position.
Beech prevents Maneno from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maneno is trying to break free.
Beech lands an uppercut.
Beech keeps control of Maneno as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Beech lands with a short shot to the head.
Beech digs a right hand underneath Maneno's ribcage. Maneno let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A body shot lands from Beech.
Beech lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Maneno has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Beech.
Good body shot from Beech.
Beech throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Beech misses with a punch on the inside.
Beech tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Maneno's elbow.
Maneno tries to break the clinch but Beech is controlling the position.
Maneno wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Beech has him pressed against the cage.
Maneno tries to circle away but Beech has him pinned against the cage.
I was talking to Beech's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Beech working aggressively here.
A shot in the inside from Beech.
Maneno looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maneno's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Beech moves into the clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Maneno manages to break the clinch.
Maneno looks to score with a jab to the body but Beech is just out of range.
Maneno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Beech tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Chiku Maneno seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Beech keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maneno dips to his left and cracks Beech with an uppercut!
Beech throws the kick towards the body but Maneno avoids it.
Maneno lands with an overhand left.
Beech lands a leg kick that knocks Maneno off balance momentarily.
Maneno jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Maneno scores with a shot to the body.
A big right from Beech misses.
Maneno throws a predictable looking body shot

and Beech holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Maneno is trying to force a seperation but Beech has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maneno wants to break the clinch but can't.

Maneno breaks the clinch.
Maneno swings for the body but Beech moves out of range.
Beech avoids the body shot from Maneno.
Maneno throws a hook to the side of Beech's head but Beech sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Beech lands with a cross.
Maneno ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Maneno connects with a body shot that sends Beech's belly button to the back.
Maneno throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maneno avoids the body shot from Beech.
Good leg kick by Beech there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Beech drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Maneno blocks the body kick.
That kick from Beech tenderised Maneno's leg. Maneno is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beech lands with a hook. Maneno tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maneno takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
A telegraphed right hand from Maneno misses the target.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maneno. Beech does a little dance to reset his feet.
Nice defenses there by Beech.
Maneno throws a hook but Beech blocks it.
Maneno misses with a wild body shot.
Beech throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The fighters circling - Beech throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Maneno misses with a jab to the body

and Beech counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Beech.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Maneno.
Maneno is trying to break the clinch but Beech has him pressed against the cage.
Maneno is trying to force a seperation but Beech has the dominant position.

Maneno's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maneno bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Maneno fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Beech manages to avoid it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arlington Beech dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Maneno looks to score with a jab to the body but Beech is just out of range.
Beech walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Maneno misses with a left hand
and Beech counters with a good low kick that Maneno was not able to check.
Maneno swings for the body but Beech moves out of range.

Beech gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Maneno wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Beech goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Beech scores with a nice hook to the head.
Beech softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Maneno escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Maneno is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Beech rather than just go for the knockout.
Maneno scores with a hook to the body. Beech takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice shot by Beech.
Maneno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Maneno gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Beech.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maneno throws a lazy right hand but Beech sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Beech takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beech misses the jab.
Beech throws the left hand but Maneno avoids the punch easily.
Beech fakes the leg kick and cracks Maneno in the body.
Maneno fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Beech manages to avoid it.
A looping hook to the body misses from Maneno. Beech does a little dance to reset his feet.
Beech lands with a hook. Maneno tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Maneno ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Beech moves away.
Beech is looking to counter punch.
Beech takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Beech throws a left and a right that both miss
and Maneno counters with a nice uppercut.
Maneno misses the shot to the body.
Maneno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Beech is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maneno can do to turn this around?
Beech keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Beech connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Maneno's hands.
Maneno throws a jab but it's blocked by Beech.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Beech throws a front kick aimed at Maneno's knee but Maneno avoids it well.
Maneno throws out a counter right but Beech avoids it with no problem.
Beech defending well as Maneno loads up on a big left hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Beech misses with a kick to the body.
Maneno has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Beech.
Beech cracks a nice hook into Maneno's ribs.
Maneno uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Beech.
Maneno throws a sloppy body shot
and Beech makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Beech keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Chiku Maneno seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Maneno looks to land a right hand but Beech moved out of range.
Beech moves out of range of the strikes.
A quick step to the side and Beech tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Beech 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.
Maneno tries to move into range but Beech moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Maneno connects with a right hand. Beech shakes it off.
Maneno lands a right hook to the body.
Beech misses with a looping left.
Maneno throws out a counter right but Beech avoids it with no problem.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maneno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Beech lands a nice hook to Maneno's body. Maneno takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Beech staying out of range there.
Beech uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maneno.
Beech connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Maneno throws an off balance right hand
and Beech counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Beech keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Maneno scores with the left hand. Beech knows he should have avoided that one.
Beech keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Maneno.
Maneno takes a jab right on the kisser.

Beech closes the distance and clinches.
Maneno wants to break the clinch but can't.
Maneno wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Maneno breaks from the clinch.
Good leg kick by Beech there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maneno 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.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Maneno misses with a looping right.
Beech tries to counter by clinching up but Maneno breaks away and moves out of range.
Beech lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Beech scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Maneno misses with a hook
and Beech counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Beech throws a leg kick which misses Maneno's front leg but catches the back leg as Maneno tries to avoid it.
Jab, jab by Maneno - just one landing.
Beech moves out of range as Maneno strikes.
Beech ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Beech explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Maneno crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Beech - the referee stops the clock and Maneno gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Beech. Maneno manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Maneno's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Maneno is breathing heavily.
Maneno misses with a body shot
letting Beech counter with a right hand.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Beech takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arlington Beech dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Beech throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Maneno throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Beech fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maneno.
Beech looks to land a right hand but Maneno moved out of range.
A big right from Beech misses.
Maneno appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Beech throws an off balance right hand
and Beech takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
A thudding body kick lands there by Beech!
Beech stuns Maneno with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Beech scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Maneno defending well as Beech loads up on a big left hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Beech scores with a jab.
Beech throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Maneno slips a jab from Beech.
Maneno throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Beech to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Beech lands a front kick.
Maneno takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Maneno misses the jab.
A jab from Maneno misses.
Maneno blocks a jab.
Beech keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Beech half committed to a counter leg kick.
Maneno has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Beech.
Maneno takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Maneno takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Maneno ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
A shot to the body from Maneno misses
and Beech counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Beech bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Maneno's head.
Beech bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Maneno's head.

Maneno is rocked!
Maneno bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Maneno now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Maneno is still on wobbly legs! Can Beech finish him?

Beech has closed the distance and engaged Maneno in a clinch.
Maneno seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
A nice left hand lands by Beech.
Maneno is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Beech struggles to land a body shot inside as Maneno controls his hands.
A short uppercut from Beech.
Beech digs a right hand underneath Maneno's ribcage. Maneno let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Maneno wants to break free but Beech has control.
Beech tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Maneno tries to circle away but Beech has him pinned against the cage.
Beech lands a body shot in the clinch.
Beech tries a body shot but Maneno blocks it.
Beech lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Maneno is trying to break the clinch but Beech has him pressed against the cage.
Beech tries to work over Maneno's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A frustrated look appears on Maneno's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Beech pushes Maneno back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Beech lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maneno backwards.
Maneno has had enough of the clinch but Beech keeps him there for the moment.
Maneno is trying to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Beech has Maneno pressed against the cage, preventing Maneno from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Maneno working hard to break the clinch.
Maneno looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Maneno is looking to break free of the clinch but Beech has double underhooks.
Beech pushes Maneno back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Beech prevents Maneno from breaking the clinch.
Beech softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Beech lands with a short shot to the head.
Maneno has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Maneno is trying to break the clinch but Beech is controlling him.
Maneno tries to break the clinch but Beech is controlling the position.
Beech keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Maneno's efforts to push away.
Arlington Beech has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Maneno tries to circle away but Beech has him pinned against the cage.
Maneno is trying to break the clinch but Beech has him pressed against the cage.
Beech softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Beech.
Maneno has had enough of the clinch but Beech keeps him there for the moment.
Maneno can't break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Beech digs a right hand into Maneno's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Maneno's gas tank.
Maneno wants to break free but Beech has control.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Beech.
Beech working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Beech lands a body shot in the clinch.
Beech pushes Maneno back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Beech.
Beech lands a body shot.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A right handed body shot lands from Beech.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Beech creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Beech lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Maneno wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Beech lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

Beech drops Maneno onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! Maneno is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
Beech lands a big right hand that drops Maneno! The killer instinct kicks in and Beech finishes his opponent with a series of strikes from mount. A dominating finish by Beech!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Arlington Beech!
Arlington Beech retains his welterweight title!
After winning the bout, Arlington Beech thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.