PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Boyd Pena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Duke Hightower (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Boyd Pena has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Pena
vs
Hightower

201 cm
24
193 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
18
182 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Determined

The Adrenaline Matrix

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Boyd Pena!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Duke Hightower!
The judges for this bout are Steve Montenegro, Anthony Taglia and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pena forces Hightower back against the cage and clinches.
Hightower misses with a hook from the clinch.
Pena really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pena misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hightower misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hightower takes a shot to the head.
Pena lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Pena fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Hightower blocks the elbow strike.
Hightower misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hightower tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hightower tries a knee to the head but Pena blocks it.
Hightower misses with a punch on the inside.
Pena tries to work over Hightower's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Pena using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hightower throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hightower looks winded!
Hightower using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pena has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pena misses with a punch to the body.
Hightower looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Pena lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Pena lands a hook to the side of the head.
Hightower throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pena blocks it with crossed arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice left hand lands by Pena.
Hightower tries a body shot but Pena blocks it.
Pena makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hightower using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pena has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
A right handed body shot lands from Pena.
Hightower swings wildly with an uppercut but Pena uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hightower tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Pena fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pena creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hightower's defenses.
Hightower with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pena lands a hook that snaps the head of Hightower backwards.
Pena blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A shot in the inside from Pena.
Pena drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hightower pulls his leg out and moves away.

Pena clinches up with Hightower and pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena scores with a shot to the side of Hightower's head.
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!
Pena trying to stall but Hightower improves his position.
Hightower lands a good knee to the midsection. Pena won't want to take too many of those.
Pena throws a head punch that misses.
Hightower tries to land a knee to the head but Pena blocks with his arms.
Pena scores with a shot to the side of Hightower's head.
Hightower throws a knee to the head but misses.
Pena is trying to stall.
Hightower lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Pena backwards.
Pena looking to slow down the pace here.
Hightower misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hightower swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hightower throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pena blocks it with crossed arms.
Pena is trying to maintain a safe position but Hightower gets an underhook and turns Pena into the cage.
Pena lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Pena drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hightower gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hightower looking to throw knees to the head but Pena is blocking nicely.
Hightower scores with a shoulder strike.
Hightower looking to throw knees to the head but Pena is blocking nicely.
Hightower tries to work over Pena's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Pena can't find room to land a body shot as Hightower controls the action.
Pena has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hightower is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Boyd Pena. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pena lands a damaging elbow.
Hightower blocks an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pena lands a shoulder strike.
Hightower trying to land knees to the body.
A short left from Pena.
Hightower blocks an uppercut.
Hightower's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Hightower throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hightower prevents the takedown attempt.
Pena lands an elbow inside that Hightower shrugs off.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pena gets through Hightower's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hightower looking to throw knees to the head but Pena is blocking nicely.
Pena misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hightower tries to land a knee to the head but Pena blocks with his arms.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pena.
Pena landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Hightower misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hightower gets underhooks to prevent Pena's takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Boyd Pena dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pena dives in for a single leg takedown but Hightower sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Pena tries to clinch up.
Hightower fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Pena checks it well.
A good leg kick by Pena.
Pena fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pena tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hightower swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hightower misses with a low kick.
Pena tries to clinch up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pena stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A head kick misses from Hightower.
Pena connects with a leg kick. Hightower looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Hightower is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hightower manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Pena tries to clinch but Hightower is having none of it.

Pena tries to keep at a distance but Hightower has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pena taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Hightower takes an elbow to the forehead.
Hightower throws a head punch that misses.
Hightower misses with the head strike.
Hightower throws a knee to the head but misses.
Pena is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Hightower using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pena has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Boyd Pena has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Pena is trying to stall.
Hightower misses with a knee to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hightower in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Pena creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hightower's defenses.
Nice elbow from Pena.
Pena drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Pena scores a nice knee to the body.
Hightower working aggressively here.
Pena blocks an uppercut.
Hightower tries to land a knee to the head but Pena blocks with his arms.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pena.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pena crunches a lovely knee into Hightower's ribcage.
Hightower tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pena tries to pull guard but Hightower forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Boyd Pena. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pena lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hightower backwards.
Pena is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Hightower gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Pena.
Hightower misses with a hook to the ribs.
Pena throws an elbow but it misses.
Hightower misses with some punches.
Pena lands with a light punch inside.
A head punch on the inside from Pena fails to land.
Hightower blocking some punches.
Pena trying to control the position but instead, Hightower has worked for underhooks and has pushed Pena into the cage.
Pena pushes Hightower back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pena takes a knee to the side of the body.
Pena is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hightower can do to turn this around?
Hightower has a couple of punches blocked by Pena.
Hightower throws a punch but it's blocked by Pena.
Pena softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hightower landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hightower obliges.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hightower scores with a knee to the head.
Hightower utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Hightower misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hightower using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pena has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pena tries to stall but Hightower uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Pena swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pena is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
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 Boyd Pena will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Pena shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hightower but Hightower pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pena fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pena feints and then cracks Hightower's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hightower down.
A left lands for Pena.
Hightower on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Pena is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hightower is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Hightower takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hightower misses with an attempted mid kick.
Pena doesn't manage to clinch there - Hightower circles away.
Hightower tries to counter by closing the distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hightower swats away the attempt to clinch by Pena.
Pena tries to clinch up but Hightower circles away and keeps his distance.
Hightower wants to counter with a clinch but Pena pushes him away.
Pena connects with a high kick.

Pena moves into the clinch.
Pena is trying to maintain a safe position but Hightower gets an underhook and turns Pena into the cage.
Hightower misses with the head strike.
Hightower looking to throw knees to the head but Pena is blocking nicely.
Pena lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hightower backwards.
Hightower with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hightower throws a knee to the head but misses.
Pena lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena scores with a shot to the side of Hightower's head.
Pena swings wildly with an uppercut but Hightower uses good head movement to avoid it.
Pena crunches a lovely knee into Hightower's ribcage.
Pena lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Hightower misses with a knee to the head.
A left hand lands to the body for Pena.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pena changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hightower fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Pena drives through with a takedown into Hightower's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Hightower utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pena postures up in Hightower's guard and throws a big left but Hightower blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena won't allow Hightower to sweep him here.
Pena trying to control the position from guard on top but Hightower is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pena wants to stand but Hightower has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Pena wants to control from the top but Hightower keeps moving.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
Pena tries to clinch up but Hightower circles away and keeps his distance.
Hightower is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Pena fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pena fails with an attempt to clinch.
A slow jab from Hightower misses its intended target.
Hightower misses with a kick to the body
letting Pena counter with a right hand.
Hightower misses with a head kick.
Duke Hightower has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Duke Hightower seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hightower throws a leg kick that is checked
and Pena cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pena tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Boyd Pena is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pena tries to clinch but Hightower is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Boyd Pena showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pena 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 Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28

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