PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Aiden Preston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Manny Pacqiaou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Preston comes to the cage accompanied by A Star. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Preston
vs
Pacqiaou

160 cm
18
130 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

168 cm
25
134 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Aiden Preston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Manny Pacqiaou!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Donatello Bradman and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pacqiaou throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Preston's waist but Preston gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pacqiaou off to one side.
A low kick from Pacqiaou misses
and Preston counters with a nice low kick that buckles Pacqiaou's knee momentarily.
Preston wants to slow Pacqiaou down by chopping away at his legs.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pacqiaou is defended easily by Preston.
Pacqiaou tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Pacqiaou moves into the clinch.
Preston using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Preston trying to control the position but instead, Pacqiaou has worked for underhooks and has pushed Preston into the cage.
Preston is trying to force a seperation but Pacqiaou has the dominant position.
Preston is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacqiaou is trying to push Preston away but Preston has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Preston breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Preston clinches.

Pacqiaou drags the fight down to the ground.

Preston stands up from Pacqiaou's guard - Preston perhaps looking for a knockout.
Preston gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Pacqiaou.
Pacqiaou shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Preston defends it nicely.
Aiden Preston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Pacqiaou.
Preston wants to clinch up but Pacqiaou keeps it at a distance.
Manny Pacqiaou seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Preston tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Pacqiaou counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Pacqiaou shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pacqiaou tries to clinch there but Preston circles away.

Pacqiaou clinches up against the cage.
Preston tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pacqiaou avoids it.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Pacqiaou is looking to take this one to the mat.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pacqiaou is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Preston pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Preston stalling the fight.

Preston breaks from the clinch.
Pacqiaou circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pacqiaou changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Preston tries to avoid it but Pacqiaou manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Preston to the ground. Preston escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Pacqiaou drives through and clinches with Preston against the cage.
Preston tries to circle away but Pacqiaou has him pinned against the cage.
Preston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pacqiaou is defending well for now.
Preston tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Preston creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Pacqiaou's defenses.

Preston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Preston tries to clinch but Pacqiaou moves out of range.
Pacqiaou fails with a takedown attempt.
Preston tries to close the distance and clinch but Pacqiaou swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pacqiaou circles away from the clinch attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Preston looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Nice sprawl there from Preston as Pacqiaou shoots in.

Pacqiaou closes the distance and clinches.
Pacqiaou wants a takedown but no success here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
With the fighters up against the cage, Preston throws an elbow but misses.
Pacqiaou drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Preston gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Pacqiaou looks gassed!
Pacqiaou jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Preston walks away with a smile on his face. Pacqiaou gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

No luck for Pacqiaou with that takedown attempt.
Preston fails in his attempt to clinch.
Aiden Preston is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Preston defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Pacqiaou.
Pacqiaou keeps the fight on the outside.
Preston wants to clinch but Pacqiaou slips to the side
and Pacqiaou counters with a left to the body.

Preston gets tackled into the cage by Pacqiaou. Pacqiaou maintains the clinch.
Preston comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

It looks like Manny Pacqiaou has been cut.
Preston gets underhooks to prevent Pacqiaou's takedown attempt.
Aiden Preston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Pacqiaou.

Pacqiaou jumps into guard, dragging Preston to the mat.
Preston wants to stand but Pacqiaou is controlling his posture from full guard.

Preston gets to his feet - Pacqiaou follows without any prompting.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pacqiaou gets tackled into the cage by Preston. Preston maintains the clinch.
Pacqiaou tries to pull guard but Preston won't allow it.
Preston pushes off an throws an elbow but Pacqiaou leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Pacqiaou tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Preston avoids it.
Preston working hard to break the clinch.
Pacqiaou tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pacqiaou is breathing heavily.
Pacqiaou takes an elbow to the temple.

Pacqiaou successfully pulls guard.
Preston tries to stand but Pacqiaou is controlling from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pacqiaou is working an open guard so Preston takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Preston blocks a head kick by Pacqiaou.
Pacqiaou dives in and grabs Preston's left leg, looking for a takedown. Preston pushes down on Pacqiaou's head and hops out.
The fight stays on the outside here - Preston looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pacqiaou keeps the fight on the outside.
Preston fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pacqiaou throws a series of strikes that have Preston backpedaling.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Preston is looking to clinch but Pacqiaou is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pacqiaou tries to keep at a distance but Preston has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pacqiaou dodges an elbow strike from Preston.
Preston lands an elbow that stopped Pacqiaou in his tracks for a moment.
Preston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Pacqiaou is defending well for now.

Preston pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pacqiaou pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Preston tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Pacqiaou counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pacqiaou will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Preston stuffs the takedown.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Preston tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pacqiaou swats him away and circles back towards the center.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pacqiaou looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Preston tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Pacqiaou counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pacqiaou managing to block the knees to the body from Preston.
Pacqiaou tries to stall but Preston uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Pacqiaou misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Preston.
Pacqiaou tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Preston smiles and moves away.

Preston darts in and clinches Pacqiaou up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Aiden Preston dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Manny Pacqiaou's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Preston moves to clinch but Pacqiaou breaks away
and Pacqiaou counters with a three punch combo that has Preston backing up. Preston nods at Pacqiaou to acknowledge the strikes.
Pacqiaou is looking to clinch.
Preston moves in looking to clinch but Pacqiaou pushes him off.
Preston doesn't manage to clinch there - Pacqiaou circles away.
Preston tries to clinch up

and Pacqiaou counters by clinching up.
Preston working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Pacqiaou's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Preston manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pacqiaou throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Pacqiaou has a takedown stuffed.
Pacqiaou shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Aiden Preston is winning the standup battle so far.

Preston moves into the clinch.
Preston missing with knees to the body.
Come on Pacqiaou - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Pacqiaou wants to get back to striking at distance but Preston won't allow it.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Pacqiaou as Preston tries to tie him up.
Preston tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Pacqiaou avoids it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Preston lands an elbow inside that Pacqiaou shrugs off.
Pacqiaou avoiding damage as Preston throws knees to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Pacqiaou as Preston tries to tie him up.
Pacqiaou has had enough of the clinch but Preston keeps him there for the moment.
Pacqiaou has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Preston avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Aiden Preston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Manny Pacqiaou.
Pacqiaou jumps guard but Preston turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Pacqiaou takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Preston throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Pacqiaou wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Preston has him pressed against the cage.
Preston wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pacqiaou wants to break the clinch but can't.
Preston lands an elbow inside that Pacqiaou shrugs off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Preston prevents a takedown attempt there.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Preston throws an elbow but it misses.
Nice elbow from Preston.
Pacqiaou is trying to break the clinch but Preston is controlling him.
Preston tries to land knees in the clinch but Pacqiaou avoids the damage to the body.
Pacqiaou wants to get back to striking at distance but Preston won't allow it.
Preston tries to stall but Pacqiaou uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Preston breaks the clinch.

Pacqiaou moves into the clinch.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Preston obliges.

Preston breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Preston fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pacqiaou closes the distance and clinches up with Preston, looking for a takedown. Pacqiaou pushes Preston against the cage but Preston circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Horrible takedown by Pacqiaou or perhaps it was just good defense by Preston which made him look bad.
Preston tries to clinch but Pacqiaou moves out of range.
Preston tries to clinch but Pacqiaou is having none of it.
Preston avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Horrible takedown by Pacqiaou or perhaps it was just good defense by Preston which made him look bad.
Manny Pacqiaou has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Aiden Preston is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pacqiaou swats away the attempt to clinch by Preston.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aiden Preston showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Preston has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Aiden Preston!
In his post fight interview, Aiden Preston started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.