PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Pereira (ranked 4061 p4p, 4441 weight class) and Byron Pena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pereira
vs
Pena

195 cm
23
205
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
16
214
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Pereira!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Byron Pena!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Luis Engracia and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pereira tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pena paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pena tries to counter by closing the distance.
Pereira fails to land the takedown.
And Pena tries to counter it with a takedown but Pereira pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Pereira fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pena avoids it really well and circles away.
Alex Pereira seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pereira tries to close the distance and clinch but Pena swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pereira wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena takes a kick to the side of the head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pena tries to circle away but Pereira has him pinned against the cage.
Pena is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Pereira to keep the fight standing.

Pena jumps guard.

Pena is looking for a triangle but Pereira pushes his legs off easily.
Pereira's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pena looking for subs off his back but Pereira has passed one foot through into half guard.
Pena is trying to maintain the position but Pereira is very close to passing his half guard.

Pereira seems to be working for a kimura but Pena defends the submission attempt.
Pereira is trying to control the action in half guard but Pena is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pena actively working from the bottom here.
Pereira is trying to control the action in half guard but Pena is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Pereira missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pena wants to control but Pereira is keeping busy and won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Pereira is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pereira dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Pereira fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pena wants to counter the offense by Pereira and move into the clinch position.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pereira.
Nice takedown defense from Pena. No joy for Pereira on that attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Pereira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Pereira.
Pereira throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Pena.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pereira fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pena avoids it really well and circles away.
Pereira moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromPena.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Pereira dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Pereira shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pena as he avoids it easily.
Pereira scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Pereira tries to score a power double leg takedown but Pena sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Pereira somewhat.
Pereira moves in looking to clinch but Pena pushes him off.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pereira tries for a takedown but Pena sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Pereira. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pereira fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pena feints the counter takedown.
Pereira is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pena can do to turn this around?
Pereira tries to clinch up.
Pena throws a big counter head kick but Pereira avoids it with no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pereira doesn't manage to clinch there - Pena circles away.
Pena throws a fast counter high kick but Pereira manages to duck under it in time.
Pereira wants to clinch.
Pereira moves in looking to clinch but Pena pushes him off.
Pena throws a big counter head kick but Pereira avoids it with no problem.
Pereira misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pereira shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pereira shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pena raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pereira fails with the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena keeps the fight on the outside.
Pereira fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pena blocks a head kick by Pereira.
Pena feints the counter takedown.
Pereira tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pena paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pena stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pena wants it to stay on the feet.
Pena drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Pereira defends it well.
Horrible takedown attempt by Pereira or perhaps it was just good defense by Pena, which made it look bad.
Pena is clearly looking to counter with head kicks.
Pereira fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena swats away the attempt to clinch by Pereira.
Pena throws a fast counter high kick but Pereira manages to duck under it in time.
Pereira changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pena tries to avoid it but Pereira manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pena to the ground. Pena escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pena throws a fast counter high kick but Pereira manages to duck under it in time.
Alex Pereira is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pereira throws a right hand that Pena ducks under and follows up with a left that Pena also avoids with ease.
Pena is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Pereira closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pena circles away.
Pena with the counter takedown but Pereira avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pereira.
Pena avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pena raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pereira tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pena swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pena wants to counter with a clinch but Pereira pushes him away.
Pena keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
No luck for Pereira with that takedown attempt.
Pereira fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pena avoids it really well and circles away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pereira swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
And Pena tries to counter it with a takedown but Pereira pushes his down on his head and steps out.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Byron Pena showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Pereira fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pena avoids it really well and circles away.
Sloppy strikes from Pereira. Those never looked like landing.
Pereira tries to clinch but Pena is having none of it.
Pena changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Pereira plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pereira tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pereira tries to clinch but Pena is having none of it.
Pena raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Pereira dives in for a single leg takedown but Pena sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pereira tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Pena just stands there and leans against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alex Pereira. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pereira avoids it.

Pena jumps guard.
Pena is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Pereira dives into side control.
Pena is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Pereira is controlling him well.
Pena is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Pereira's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Pereira wants to pass the guard but Pena is defending well.
Pereira is thwarting Pena's attempts to control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pena can do anything to dispel that myth.

Pena actively working from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena is looking to control Pereira's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pena avoid being mounted?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pereira prevents Pena from improving his position.
Pereira trying to control from half guard but Pena is working away.
Pereira passes into side control, despite Pena's attempt to control the position.
Pena is trying to control Pereira's posture but Pereira avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena is looking to regain half guard here but Pereira keeps moving and retains side control.
Pena is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Pena is trying to control Pereira's posture but Pereira avoids it.
Pena might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Pereira haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Pena is trying to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pena stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pena wants it to stay on the feet.
Pereira fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pena throws a fast counter high kick but Pereira manages to duck under it in time.
Byron Pena is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pereira tries to clinch there but Pena circles away.
Pena stuffs the takedown.
Byron Pena seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pereira looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pena is fending him off so far but Pereira persists. Nope, Pena circles away and we're back to standing.
A punch combination from Pereira misses.
Pereira fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pena throws a fast counter high kick but Pereira manages to duck under it in time.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pereira with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pena counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pena.

Pena gets control of Pereira's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pena will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Byron Pena comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pena has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Byron Pena!