PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Benedict Pena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Albert Maridan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Pena
vs
Maridan

217 cm
20
161 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

170 cm
18
154 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Benedict Pena!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Albert Maridan!
The judges for this bout are John Mangel, Winston Howard and Ben Hemmingworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Maridan gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Pena breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Maridan takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pena misses with a wild body shot.
Albert Maridan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maridan missing with a left hand there. Pena was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Maridan moves out of range of the body kick.
Maridan will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Maridan closes the distance and clinches.

Pena pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pena throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pena has Maridan pressed against the cage.
Pena holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Pena breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maridan closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pena scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Pena is pushing Maridan up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Pena lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Pena is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Maridan has Pena pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Maridan pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Pena tumbling to the mat - Maridan dives into Pena's guard.
Pena will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Maridan looks winded!
Pena bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Maridan's guard.

Pena works over Maridan with some ground and pound from guard.

Pena drops back looking for a leg! Maridan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maridan manages to kick Pena off! Pena jumps back into Maridan's guard.
Pena stands up over Maridan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena scoring with punches to the head and body.
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 postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Maridan is trying to control the position but Pena postures up.
Pena connects with a couple of short punches.
Pena scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Pena with a nice head shot there.
Pena cracks Maridan with a solid left hand.
Pena working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

Pena has gone for a leg lock! Maridan slips out almost immediately though and dives into Pena's guard.

Pena is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maridan stops Pena from standing up.
Pena trying to control the position here.
Pena lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Pena with a nice head shot there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pena lands a couple of digs.
We've been informed that Maridan has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pena is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pena stands up over Maridan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Pena drops back looking for a leg! Maridan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maridan manages to kick Pena off! Pena jumps back into Maridan's guard.
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 works over Maridan with some ground and pound from guard.
Pena works over Maridan with some ground and pound from guard.
Maridan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pena keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Maridan's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benedict Pena dominated that 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.

Maridan on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

Pena throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Maridan was covering up waiting for the punch and Pena finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Pena lands a couple of elbows.
Pena is working Maridan over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Pena slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pena working the ground and pound from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maridan is trying to control Pena's posture but Pena avoids it.
Maridan is breathing heavily.

Pena is trying to get an arm triangle but Maridan is defending well.

Pena decides to stand back up. Pena steps back and let's Maridan get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maridan misses with a hook. Pena ducked under it nicely.

Pena shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Pena thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pena makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Pena is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Pena drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Pena jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Pena passes Maridan's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Maridan is looking to control Pena's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maridan avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Ground and pound from Pena.

Pena is working for a kimura but Maridan is defending it quite comfortably.

Pena is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Maridan defends it well.
Pena lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Pena landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pena is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Maridan to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Pena is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Pena drops back looking for a leg! Maridan is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Maridan manages to kick Pena off! Pena jumps back into Maridan's guard.
Pena lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Pena lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Maridan looking for a sweep. Not yet Maridan, not yet.
Maridan not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pena is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maridan can do to turn this around?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pena lands a couple of digs.

Pena is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Pena postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Pena prevents Maridan from getting back to his feet.
Pena is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Maridan tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Pena passes into half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pena lands strikes from half guard.
Pena slips a nice elbow through Maridan's hands, connecting with Maridan's forehead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Benedict Pena 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!

Maridan chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Pena can pounce on him.

Pena decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Pena working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Pena is working for a submission of some sort.

Pena is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Maridan is just riding it out for now. Pena eventually gives up the hold.

Pena is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Maridan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pena lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Pena 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.

Pena wants to work for an arm triangle but Maridan is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Pena working the head and body with strikes.

Pena is trying to work for a kimura but Maridan is defending well.
Maridan is looking for a sweep. Pena is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Pena works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena working the ground and pound effectively.

Pena is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Maridan to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Maridan shrugs it off.
Maridan wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

Pena has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Benedict Pena overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maridan trying to control the hands but Pena won't let him.
Pena connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Maridan to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maridan is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Pena gets his way!

Pena has both hooks in and is working for a choke. Maridan is in real trouble here. Pena gets an arm under the chin and tightens the submission attempt... is this the end? Yes, Maridan is tapping out! Pena wins by rear naked choke!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:32 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Benedict Pena!