PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Pance Pondang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Massem (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.

Pondang
vs
Massem

170 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Pance Pondang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Massem!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pondang punishes Massem's body with a nice straight punch.

Massem has closed the distance and engaged Pondang in a clinch.
Massem lands a nice elbow from the clinch.

It looks like Pance Pondang has been cut.

Massem breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Massem tries to close the distance and clinch but Pondang swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Massem is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Pondang pushes Massem up against the cage in a clinch.
Massem lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Massem gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Massem stalling the fight.
Pondang trying to stall but Massem improves his position.
Pondang takes an elbow to the forehead.

Pance Pondang's cut is getting worse.
Massem with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
Massem fails to pull guard.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Massem.

Massem breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pondang leaves Massem with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pondang misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A nice leg kick lands there from Massem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice takedown defense from Pondang. No joy for Massem on that attempt.
Pance Pondang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Massem.
Massem misses the shot to the body.

Pondang gets the takedown into side control.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Pondang throws a strike aimed at the side of Massem's head but Massem avoids it well.
Pondang controls the position.
Pondang has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Massem!
Massem looks gassed!
Massem is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Pondang lands a heavy elbow.
Pondang scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Massem?
BOOM! Pondang connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pondang landing strikes, looking to finish!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pondang unloading with bombs!
Pondang looking to finish Massem with some ground and pound. This is bad for Massem!
Pondang lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Massem hang on?
Pondang working the ground and pound effectively.
Pondang with shots to the head and body - Massem looks very uncomfortable down there.
Massem is in a horrible position here. Pondang smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Massem is desperately trying to improve his position but Pondang has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pondang pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Pondang landing strikes, looking to finish!
Pondang controlling the pace for now.
BOOM! Pondang connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Pondang scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Massem?
A nice elbow there by Pondang.
Pondang landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pondang sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pondang looking to control but Massem is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Pondang lands a big shot there that rocks Massem but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pondang tries to control but Massem wriggling away.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pondang prevents Massem from getting the reversal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pance Pondang dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pance Pondang's cut.
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.

Pondang gets a clinch.
Pondang wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Massem is trying to stall.
Massem keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Pondang's efforts to push away.
Massem stalling against the cage.
Pondang is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Pondang's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Pondang looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Massem pulls Pondang into guard.
Pondang lands a couple of digs.
Massem keeping moving, preventing Pondang from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pondang wants to stand but Massem has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Massem being controlled here, momentarily.
Pondang wants to control from the top but Massem keeps moving.
Pondang has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Pondang throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Massem works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Massem can do anything to dispel that myth.
Pondang stops Massem from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Pance Pondang.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pondang is defended easily by Massem.

Massem closes the distance and clinches.
Pondang has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Massem effectively controlling the action here.
Massem receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Massem drops down looking for an ankle pick but Pondang pulls his leg out and moves away.
Massem tries to clinch there but Pondang circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pondang.
Massem stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Massem wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pance Pondang. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Pondang has Massem up against the cage in a clinch.
Pondang struggles to land a body shot inside as Massem controls his hands.
Pondang doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Pondang is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Massem gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pondang is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Massem gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Massem tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Massem lands an elbow inside.
Massem misses with a hook from the clinch.
Massem taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Massem lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Pondang takes an elbow to the temple.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pondang is trying to break the clinch but Massem is controlling him.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Massem.
Massem utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Massem pulls guard successfully.
Pondang wants to pass the guard but Massem is keeping the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pondang trying to control but Massem is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Pondang is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pance Pondang will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Pance Pondang's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Massem fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Pondang.
Massem fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nice takedown defense from Pondang. No joy for Massem on that attempt.

Massem clinches.
Pondang tries to circle away but Massem has him pinned against the cage.
Massem tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pondang smiles and moves away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Massem.
Massem tries to close the distance and clinch but Pondang swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Massem has a takedown stuffed.
Pance Pondang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Massem.
Pondang closes the distance and clinches up with Massem, looking for a takedown. Pondang pushes Massem against the cage but Massem circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Pondang shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Massem sprawls well. Massem wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Pondang gets slowly back to his feet.
Pance Pondang is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Massem tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pondang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pondang shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Massem moves into the clinch.
Massem looking for a takedown.
Pondang tries to pull guard but Massem holds him up against the cage and eventually Pondang drops back down to his feet.
Pondang prevents a takedown attempt there.
Pondang tries to circle away but Massem has him pinned against the cage.
Massem creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Pondang's defenses.
Massem fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pondang fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Massem lands an elbow that stopped Pondang in his tracks for a moment.

Massem jumps guard and drags Pondang to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pondang sitting in guard here, content to control.

Pance Pondang has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Pondang misses with a two punch combination.

Massem closes the distance and clinches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Massem lands a damaging elbow.
Mark Massem seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pondang throws a punch but it's blocked by Massem.
Massem working aggressively here.
Pondang struggles to land a body shot inside as Massem controls his hands.
Pondang stalls.
Massem misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pondang takes an elbow to the forehead.
Massem on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Massem manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Massem can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pondang controls the pace.
Massem looking for a sweep. Not yet Massem, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pondang stands up from Massem's guard - Pondang perhaps looking for a knockout.
Pondang with a nice cross.
Pondang misses with a series of wild punches.
Pance Pondang seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Pondang darts in and clinches Massem up against the cage.
Massem throws a punch but it's blocked by Pondang.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Massem tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pondang tries to pull guard but Massem holds him up against the cage and eventually Pondang drops back down to his feet.
Massem lands an elbow inside that Pondang shrugs off.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mark Massem.
I think Pondang 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pance Pondang!