PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pepito Manaloto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Darth Penguin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pepito Manaloto has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Manaloto
vs
Penguin

190 cm
19
205 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

192 cm
20
205 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Good gas tank

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pepito Manaloto!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Darth Penguin!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yukihiro Shimada and Hirohito Nitta.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penguin tries to close the distance and clinch but Manaloto swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Manaloto tries to land knees in the clinch but Penguin avoids the damage to the body.
Penguin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Penguin tries to pull guard but Manaloto holds him up against the cage and eventually Penguin drops back down to his feet.

Penguin has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Manaloto uses from the top position.
Manaloto trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Manaloto accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Penguin controlling the position.
Manaloto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Penguin looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Manaloto throws and elbow that misses. Penguin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Manaloto's guard. Nice move by Penguin!
Penguin tries to free his leg and advance position but Manaloto is retaining full guard.
Penguin trying to control the position from guard on top but Manaloto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Manaloto knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Penguin on the ground.
Penguin passes Manaloto's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penguin is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Penguin is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Penguin has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two 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.

Penguin working for a guillotine from mount but Manaloto is in no mood to give up.
Penguin throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Penguin throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

Penguin is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Manaloto to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Manaloto shrugs it off.

Penguin working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penguin controlling the position easily from mount.
Manaloto wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

Penguin goes for an armbar but Manaloto turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Manaloto.
Penguin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Manaloto's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penguin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Manaloto swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Penguin sitting in guard here, content to control.
Penguin trying to control but Manaloto is working from the bottom.
Penguin's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penguin looking to sit in guard and control but Manaloto gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Darth Penguin dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Penguin takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Manaloto closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Manaloto is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Manaloto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Penguin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Manaloto tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Penguin fails to pull guard.
Manaloto landing knees to the head.
Penguin looking for a takedown.
Penguin takes a knee to the side of the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Manaloto.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A knee to the head by Manaloto.
Penguin takes a knee to the side of the body.
Penguin is breathing heavily.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Manaloto as Penguin tries to tie him up.
Penguin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Manaloto is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Penguin is defending well for now.
Manaloto tries a knee to the head but Penguin blocks it.
Manaloto misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Penguin.
Manaloto missing with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manaloto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Penguin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Manaloto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Penguin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Manaloto tries to land a knee to the head but Penguin blocks with his arms.
Penguin fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pepito Manaloto has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Darth Penguin.
Penguin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Manaloto just stands there and leans against the cage.
Manaloto misses with a knee strike.
Penguin avoiding damage.
Penguin can't get the takedown.
Penguin tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Manaloto smiles and moves away.
Pepito Manaloto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Manaloto keeps the fight on the outside.

Manaloto clinches.
Penguin can't get the takedown.
Penguin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Manaloto trying to land knees to the body.
Penguin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Manaloto unloads a knee to the mid-section. Penguin lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manaloto throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Penguin blocks it with crossed arms.
Manaloto is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Penguin is defending well for now.
Penguin managing to block the knees to the body from Manaloto.

Penguin pulls guard.
Penguin controlling the position.
Let's hope that Penguin has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Penguin is on top in guard.
Penguin is looking to work some ground and pound but Manaloto has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penguin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Manaloto wants to stand but Penguin is controlling the position.
Penguin wants to pass the guard but Manaloto is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penguin throwing strikes but missing.
Penguin forces his way into half guard.
Penguin with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Manaloto is not content to let Penguin control the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Penguin thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Penguin is taking a breather. Manaloto says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Penguin is looking for submissions but instead, Manaloto has regained full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pepito Manaloto dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Manaloto misses with a low kick.

Penguin gets tackled into the cage by Manaloto. Manaloto maintains the clinch.
Manaloto keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Penguin's efforts to push away.
Manaloto using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Penguin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Manaloto throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Penguin blocks it with crossed arms.

Penguin pulls Manaloto into guard.
Manaloto throws a strike but Penguin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Penguin trying to control but Manaloto is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penguin slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penguin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Penguin stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Manaloto swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Penguin content to stall in guard here.
Penguin missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Penguin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Manaloto is keeping the position for now.

That's two 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.
Penguin trying to control but Manaloto is working from the bottom.

Darth Penguin has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Manaloto is looking to slow Penguin down with leg kicks.
Manaloto tries to clinch but Penguin moves away

so Penguin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Manaloto keeping moving, preventing Penguin from controlling successfully.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Penguin tries to free his leg and advance position but Manaloto is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penguin trying to control the position from guard on top but Manaloto is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penguin wants to pass the guard but Manaloto is keeping the position.
Penguin working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

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.
Penguin stays in close to Manaloto's body and controls the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Penguin drops back, looking for a kneebar! Manaloto looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Manaloto looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Manaloto!
You can see the frustration on Penguin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Penguin regains half guard.
Penguin works his way to full guard. Good work.
Manaloto has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Manaloto throwing strikes from guard but Penguin blocks nicely.
Manaloto throwing strikes from guard but Penguin blocks nicely.
Penguin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Darth Penguin comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Penguin 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 28:29
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Darth Penguin!