PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Hin Areni (ranked 2596 p4p, 279 weight class) and Lorenzo Gilyard (ranked 2926 p4p, 309 weight class). Areni comes to the cage accompanied by Mosaique. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Areni
vs
Gilyard

169 cm
21
147 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

185 cm
21
165 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Hin Areni!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Lorenzo Gilyard!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Ryoma Takatsuka and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gilyard lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Gilyard tries to bum rush Areni with a series of wild strikes but Areni uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gilyard on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Areni misses with an uppercut. Gilyard saw that one coming.
Gilyard avoids the body shot from Areni.
Areni jabs at Gilyard's body.
Areni throws a body punch but Gilyard moves out of range.
Areni avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gilyard misses with a telegraphed body shot
letting Areni counter with a right hand.
Areni throws a body punch but Gilyard moves out of range.
Gilyard lands a really nice looking cross but Areni seems unphased.
Gilyard has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
No joy there for Gilyard, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Gilyard uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Areni.
Gilyard scores with a nice head shot.

It looks like Hin Areni has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilyard lands a two punch combo.

Areni is rocked!
Areni scores with a nice strike.
Gilyard misses with a looping left.
Areni attempts a counter takedown but Gilyard avoids it well and moves away.
Lorenzo Gilyard seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gilyard with a nice cross.
Oh Areni is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Gilyard throws out a loose jab but Areni uses good head movement to avoid it.
Areni seems to have got his legs back now.
Areni throws the left hand but Gilyard avoids the punch easily.
Areni has been working on his balance at Q Club, so perhaps that has help him stuff some of the takedown attempts by Gilyard.
Gilyard fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Areni on the side of the head.

Areni is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Gilyard's half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Gilyard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Areni throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Gilyard actively working from the bottom here.
Areni is trying to control the action in half guard but Gilyard is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Areni lands a nice short elbow.
Areni is trying to control. Gilyard wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Areni not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Areni working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gilyard is refusing to be controlled, as Areni sits in half guard.
Areni lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Areni is looking to take a break and control but Gilyard is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gilyard is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Areni pulls his head out easily.

Gilyard is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Areni pulls his head out easily.
Gilyard is looking to control Areni's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gilyard avoid being mounted?
Areni slips a nice elbow through Gilyard's hands, connecting with Gilyard's forehead.
Areni missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Areni wants to take a breather but Gilyard is having none of it.
Areni throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Gilyard is defending against the submission attempts here by Areni.

Gilyard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gilyard looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Areni is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Gilyard looking for submissions off his back.

Areni is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Gilyard doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Areni.
Areni is figuring out what he wants to do next.
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 Hin Areni will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Hin Areni's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Gilyard gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Areni.
Gilyard rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Areni counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Gilyard misses with a wild body shot.
Gilyard scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Gilyard misses with a hook
and Areni counters with a straight right hand.
Gilyard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Gilyard drops his hands momentarily and Areni takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Gilyard lands a head shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Areni scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Areni keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Gilyard.
Gilyard with a body punch. A glancing blow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Areni fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lorenzo Gilyard is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Areni has Gilyard up against the cage in a clinch.
Areni has a couple of punches blocked by Gilyard.
A right handed body shot lands from Gilyard.
Areni doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gilyard tries to throw a body punch but Areni avoids it by throwing Gilyard back against the cage.
Gilyard is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Gilyard blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Areni throws a head punch that misses.
Still in the clinch, Areni scores with a nice short uppercut.
Areni has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Gilyard after a bit of a struggle.
Gilyard gets through Areni's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Areni fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A nice right hand lands inside from Gilyard.
Areni pushes Gilyard back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Gilyard manages to break the clinch.
Gilyard throws a big shot that misses.
Areni is looking to counter punch.
Gilyard throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilyard throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
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!
Areni showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Gilyard.

Areni bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Gilyard struggling a bit here.
Gilyard is looking to regain half guard here but Areni keeps moving and retains side control.
Areni lands a nice forearm strike.
Areni throwing strikes but Gilyard manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Areni tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gilyard wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areni is working hard here to advance position.
Gilyard tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Areni manages to work his way to half guard, despite Gilyard's best efforts.
Areni is trying to control but can't.

Areni looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Areni is trying to maintain the position but Gilyard is very close to passing his half guard.

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.
Gilyard wants to stand but Areni has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Areni wants to get back to full guard but Gilyard has passed into side control.
Gilyard tries to stand but Areni is controlling his head.
Areni is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lorenzo Gilyard will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Hin Areni's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Gilyard misses with a body shot.
Areni was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Gilyard takes a swing at Areni's ribcage but misses.
Areni throws a jab but it's blocked by Gilyard.
Areni lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Gilyard works over Areni's head and body with a nice combination.
Gilyard connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Gilyard looks to throw the jab but Areni is out of range.
Gilyard misses with a looping left.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gilyard misses with a body punch
and Areni cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gilyard throws a sloppy body shot
and Areni counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Lorenzo Gilyard is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Gilyard throws an overhand right that lands on Areni's shoulder, as Areni tries to avoid the shot.
Gilyard swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilyard misses with a body shot.
As Gilyard tries to get set, Areni tries to push him back and clinch up but Gilyard manages to avoid the attempt.
Gilyard throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Areni stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Gilyard lands a head shot.
Gilyard fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Areni on the side of the head.
Gilyard misses with an uppercut
and Gilyard takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Gilyard lands with a nice body punch.

Areni bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Gilyard tries to improve position but can't.
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!
Gilyard dodges the ground and pound from Areni.
Hin Areni overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Areni wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gilyard keeps working.
Areni working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gilyard tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Areni wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Areni lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Areni misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Gilyard takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Gilyard is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Areni's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Areni wants to control but Gilyard is keeping him busy.
Gilyard controlling the position well.
Areni lands strikes from half guard.
Areni lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Areni lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Areni is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Gilyard trying to control but Areni postures up.

Gilyard looking for submissions off his back.
Areni not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Areni wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gilyard keeps working.
Gilyard is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Areni scores with a couple of nice shots.
Areni thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Gilyard is looking to improve his position.

Gilyard looking for submissions off his back.

Gilyard looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Gilyard on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hin Areni showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Areni 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hin Areni!
Hin Areni bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.