PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Luigi Pennington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Gambo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). George Gambo will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Pennington
vs
Gambo

157 cm
24
151 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Luigi Pennington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, George Gambo!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, James Atkins and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gambo darts in and clinches Pennington up against the cage.
Pennington is trying to break the clinch but Gambo is controlling him.
Gambo looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Gambo ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Gambo no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Pennington could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Gambo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pennington's guard.

Gambo 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.

Pennington looking for a guillotine here but Gambo defends easily.
Gambo won't allow Pennington to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pennington can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Gambo controls the pace.
Pennington might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Gambo gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Pennington checks a low kick from Gambo.
Gambo tries to clinch up.
Gambo fails to land with a series of punches.
Pennington attempts a counter takedown but Gambo avoids it well and moves away.
Gambo with a lazy takedown attempt
and Pennington counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gambo scores with a decent looking hook.
Pennington circles away from the clinch attempt

and Pennington counters with a shoot takedown. Gambo fights it but they end up in guard.

Gambo uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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!
Gambo lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Pennington moves out of range as Gambo throws a body kick.
Pennington tries to counter with a takedown but Gambo is quick to defend against it.
Pennington stuffs the takedown.
Gambo misses with a double jab

and Pennington counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pennington wants to get back to striking at distance but Gambo won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gambo is trying to break the clinch but Pennington has him pressed against the cage.
Gambo drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Luigi Pennington has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Gambo.

Pennington breaks from the clinch.
Gambo closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Gambo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Pennington's waist but Pennington gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gambo off to one side.
Gambo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pennington as he avoids it easily.
Pennington drops down looking for a counter takedown but Gambo sprawls and moves away.
Gambo looks winded!
Gambo shoots in looking for a takedown but Pennington manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Gambo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Pennington looks for a takedown but Gambo sprawls well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pennington swats away the attempt to clinch by Gambo.
Pennington on the wrong end of a nice hook.
George Gambo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gambo has his takedown stuffed

and Pennington holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Pennington gets underhooks to prevent Gambo's takedown attempt.

Pennington escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Gambo dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Gambo shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pennington as he jumps to the side.
Pennington shoots in looking for a takedown. Gambo tries to sprawl out of it but Pennington keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Gambo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
A nice side step and Gambo releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Gambo goes for a double leg but Pennington avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pennington continues to drive forward.
Pennington attempts a counter takedown but Gambo avoids it well and moves away.
Pennington circles away from the clinch attempt.
Gambo has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pennington shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Gambo's guard.

Gambo is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Pennington presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Gambo is looking for a takedown.
Luigi Pennington has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Gambo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambo misses with some punches.
Gambo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pennington displaying some good clinch control by pressing Gambo up against the cage.

Pennington breaks the clinch.
Gambo fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Pennington appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Gambo tries to land a body kick

and Pennington counters with a takedown into side control.
Gambo is breathing heavily.
Gambo sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gambo wants to get back to full guard but Pennington has mounted him!
Pennington trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gambo is trying desperately to improve position.
Pennington trying to control but Gambo is having none of it.
George Gambo has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pennington with good strikes from the mount here!
Pennington looking to control and managing it successfully.
Pennington looking to control but Gambo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gambo working to try and regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Gambo throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Gambo regains half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gambo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gambo trying to control here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Gambo looks like he's trying to stand up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luigi Pennington dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gambo shoots and misses

and Pennington counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Pennington.
Gambo has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pennington is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Gambo is trying to break free.
Gambo is trying to force a seperation but Pennington has the dominant position.
Pennington lands an elbow that stopped Gambo in his tracks for a moment.
Pennington has Gambo pressed against the cage, preventing Gambo from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gambo can't get the takedown.
Luigi Pennington has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Gambo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gambo is trying to pull guard but Pennington has him pressed against the cage.
Gambo changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pennington fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Gambo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Pennington clinches up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gambo drops down looking for an ankle pick but Pennington pulls his leg out and moves away.
Good work by Pennington as he checks the leg kick.
Pennington tries to counter with a takedown but Gambo is quick to defend against it.
Gambo tries to clinch up.
Gambo shoots in looking for a takedown. Pennington tries to sprawl out of it but Gambo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pennington manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pennington is looking for a counter combo.
Pennington misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Gambo darts in trying to clinch
and Pennington counters with a left and a right that stings Gambo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gambo tries for a takedown but Pennington sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Pennington appears to be looking for a big counter.
Gambo misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pennington avoids the head kick by Gambo.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pennington is defended easily by Gambo.

Pennington feints and as Gambo raises his hands in defense, Pennington changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Gambo is looking to stand back up but Pennington counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Gambo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gambo tries to kick Pennington off in order to stand up. Pennington Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Pennington cracks Gambo with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Gambo trying his best to control but Pennington has mounted him.
Pennington controlling his opponent.
Pennington scoring with strikes but Gambo is staying in there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pennington with good strikes from the mount here!
Pennington can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gambo is looking to escape.
Gambo in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Pennington lands a nice shot to the head.
Pennington can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Gambo is looking to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pennington misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

And that's the end of the fight!
Luigi Pennington showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pennington 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 James Ackerman scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Luigi Pennington!