PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Arvo Penaali (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Martin Philippe Njewel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Penaali comes to the cage accompanied by Immortal Technique - Obnoxius. Arvo Penaali is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Penaali
vs
Philippe Njewel

180 cm
40
147 lbs
29 - 15 - 1

170 cm
36
145 lbs
27 - 15 - 3

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 29 - 15 - 1, fighting out of New York, Arvo Penaali!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 27 - 15 - 3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Martin Philippe Njewel!
The judges for this bout are Ren Mimura, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Njewel clinches up with Penaali and pushes him back against the cage.
Penaali is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Njewel pulls him back up using the underhooks.
A shot in the inside from Njewel.

Njewel breaks from the clinch.

Njewel closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Penaali.
Penaali fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Penaali is working for takedown but Njewel is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arvo Penaali. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penaali tries for a takedown. No joy.
Penaali is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Penaali ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Penaali no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Njewel's corner is telling him to maintain position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Njewel has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Penaali is proving hard to escape from.

Penaali is looking for a triangle but Njewel pushes his legs off easily.
Njewel not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Njewel wants to pass the guard but Penaali is keeping the position.

Penaali escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Njewel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Njewel would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Njewel's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Njewel lands a couple of elbows.

Penaali looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Njewel controlling from the top position.

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.
Penaali pulls Njewel in close to prevent any damage.
Penaali doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Njewel postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Njewel keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Penaali's head.
Njewel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Penaali swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Njewel preventing the sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Njewel throws a big elbow that misses.
Njewel stands up over Penaali, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Njewel seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Njewel wants to stand but Penaali is controlling his posture from full guard.
Penaali keeping moving, preventing Njewel from controlling successfully.
Njewel wants to get up but he can't break Penaali's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
No joy there for Njewel, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Njewel throws a body punch but Penaali moves out of range.
Penaali looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Nice body punch from Penaali.
Penaali avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Njewel misses with a two punch combination.
Njewel with a poor takedown
and Penaali counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Njewel tries to clinch up
and Penaali counters with a nice uppercut.

Njewel rushes Penaali and presses him up against the cage.

Njewel breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Njewel fails in his attempt to clinch.
Njewel tries for a takedown but Penaali sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Njewel rushes Penaali and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Penaali has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Njewel uses from the top position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Njewel with a nice head shot there.
Penaali keeping full guard, as Njewel tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martin Philippe Njewel dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Njewel gets caught napping as Penaali dives in and scores a takedown. Njewel manages to retain guard.
Njewel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Njewel keeping moving, preventing Penaali from controlling successfully.
Njewel wants to get back to his feet but Penaali passes into half guard.
Njewel has hold of Penaali's hands but Penaali slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penaali throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Njewel on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Njewel is trying to maintain the position but Penaali is very close to passing his half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penaali throwing shots but Njewel is blocking nicely.
Njewel has his hands clasped together around Penaali's back. He's all about the action.

Penaali is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Njewel is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Njewel is staying active underneath Penaali, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Arvo Penaali overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Njewel tries to get to full guard but Penaali has control of the leg.
Njewel throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Njewel is looking for a sweep. Penaali is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Njewel controlling the position well.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Njewel tries to clinch but Penaali moves out of range.
Njewel tries to clinch but Penaali moves out of range.
Penaali tries to counter with a takedown but Njewel is quick to defend against it.
Njewel swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Njewel tries to clinch but Penaali is having none of it.
Penaali changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Njewel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Penaali paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Penaali walks into a stiff left hand from Njewel.
Penaali uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Njewel.
Penaali swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Njewel clinches up against the cage.

Njewel breaks from the clinch.
Njewel goes for a double leg but Penaali avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Penaali continues to drive forward.
Penaali uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Njewel has time to react.
Njewel gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Penaali cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Martin Philippe Njewel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Njewel takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Penaali avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Penaali appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Njewel looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Penaali!
Njewel trying to control the action but Penaali is working from the bottom.
Penaali takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Njewel postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Penaali gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Penaali manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Penaali escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Njewel gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Njewel slips nicely into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Njewel moves nicely into side control.
Penaali is trying to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arvo Penaali dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Penaali gets tackled into the cage by Njewel. Njewel maintains the clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Njewel prevents the takedown attempt.

Njewel manages to break the clinch.
Penaali sizes up Njewel with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Njewel moves to clinch but Penaali breaks away

and Penaali counters with a single leg into guard. Njewel didn't expect that.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penaali being controlled here momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Njewel wants to sweep but no luck.
Njewel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Penaali scoring with some ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Penaali's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Penaali is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Njewel trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Njewel utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Njewel is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Penaali lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Penaali accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Njewel is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Njewel seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Njewel will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Penaali tries to counter with a takedown but Njewel is quick to defend against it.
Njewel shoots in for a takedown but Penaali shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Njewel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Njewel wants to control but Penaali is keeping him busy.
Njewel tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Penaali can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Njewel tries to stand but Penaali is controlling his head.
Penaali is trying to improve his position.
Penaali manages to get back to half guard.
Still in half guard, Njewel seems content to control.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Njewel lands a nice short elbow.

Penaali looking for submissions off his back.
Penaali tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Njewel has advanced to mount. Uh oh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Njewel looking to control but Penaali is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Njewel lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Penaali hang on?
Njewel controlling from the full mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Njewel wants to control the pace but Penaali is squirming around nicely.
Penaali is desperately trying to improve his position but Njewel has a good base and remains in mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Arvo Penaali.
I think Penaali 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 Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arvo Penaali!