PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mitch Reneau (ranked 3776 p4p, 0 weight class) and Emory Knuckles (ranked 8862 p4p, 0 weight class). Emory Knuckles has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Mitch Reneau's chin.

Reneau
vs
Knuckles

173 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mitch Reneau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Emory Knuckles!
The judges for this bout are Sandra Marshall, Michael Johnstone and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reneau shoots in but Knuckles avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Knuckles throws a series of punches but Reneau moves out of range.
Knuckles takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.

Knuckles moves into the clinch.
A left hand lands to the body for Knuckles.
Reneau prevents a takedown attempt there.

Knuckles has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Reneau uses from the top position.

Knuckles kicks Reneau off and gets to his feet.
Knuckles shoots in and drives through. Reneau sprawls well.
Reneau looks for a takedown but Knuckles sprawls well.
Knuckles throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Reneau's waist but Reneau gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Knuckles off to one side.
Mitch Reneau has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Emory Knuckles.
Knuckles swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Reneau throws a quick counter kick to the body but Knuckles avoids it.
Knuckles shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Reneau as he jumps to the side.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reneau fails with the takedown

and Knuckles counters by clinching up.
Knuckles is looking to take this one to the mat.
Knuckles drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Reneau gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Reneau takes a shot to the head.
Knuckles has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Reneau avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Reneau looking to slow down the pace here.
Reneau is pressed up against the cage. Knuckles has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Reneau down to the mat. Reneau avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Knuckles looks winded!

Reneau closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Knuckles did well to prevent Reneau getting side control.

Knuckles looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Reneau tries to stand and escape but Knuckles is controlling the position.
Reneau knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Knuckles on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reneau thows a huge punch but Knuckles dodges it nicely.
Reneau seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Reneau is working for a submission of some sort.
Knuckles is trying to maintain the position but Reneau is very close to passing his half guard.

Reneau is looking for a kimura here.
Reneau throwing shots but Knuckles is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reneau tries to stand and escape but Knuckles actually recovers to full guard.
Reneau won't allow Knuckles to get back to his feet.

Knuckles is looking for a triangle here but Reneau uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Knuckles is trying to get back to his feet.
Knuckles is looking to reverse the position.

Reneau stands up.

That's four 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.
Reneau dodges the punch combination from Knuckles.
It looked like Reneau was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Knuckles.
Reneau paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Knuckles is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Knuckles displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Reneau.
Knuckles throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Reneau tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Knuckles defends well and Reneau ends up having to push Knuckles into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Despite the aggression on Knuckles's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Reneau shoots in for a takedown but Knuckles shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
No luck for Reneau with that takedown attempt.
Reneau takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Reneau will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emory Knuckles dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Reneau slaps away a takedown attempt from Knuckles, before circling back to the center of the mat.
No joy there for Knuckles, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Reneau throws a right hand that Knuckles ducks under and follows up with a left that Knuckles also avoids with ease.
Reneau fails with an attempt to clinch.
Knuckles throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Mitch Reneau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Reneau dodges the punch combination from Knuckles.
Knuckles throws a series of punches but Reneau avoids them all with ease.
Emory Knuckles seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
No luck for Knuckles with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knuckles keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Nice takedown defense from Knuckles. No joy for Reneau on that attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reneau moves in looking to clinch but Knuckles pushes him off.
Reneau is trying hard to land a takedown here. Knuckles sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Reneau. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice uppercut lands for Knuckles. That snapped Reneau's head back.
Reneau tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Knuckles manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Knuckles tries for a takedown but Reneau sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Knuckles is breathing heavily.
Knuckles takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Reneau fails to land the takedown.
Reneau has a takedown stuffed.
Knuckles throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Reneau's waist but Reneau gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Knuckles off to one side.
No luck for Reneau with that takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reneau tries to clinch up.
Knuckles lands with a nice combination. Reneau backs away looking to recover.
Knuckles shoots in but Reneau avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Knuckles misses with a few strikes there.
Reneau shoots for a double leg takedown but Knuckles sprawls well. He's pushed Reneau's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A head kick from Reneau lands but Knuckles takes it in his stride.
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!
Knuckles looks to land a combination but Reneau avoids it well.
Knuckles throws a body kick that misses.
Reneau misses with a wild combination.
Reneau tries to close the distance and clinch up but Knuckles swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Knuckles is trying hard to land a takedown here. Reneau sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reneau's corner calls for a 1-2. Reneau obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Reneau shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Knuckles defends it nicely.
Knuckles pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reneau shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Knuckles rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Reneau moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Knuckles fails with a takedown attempt.
Reneau has a takedown stuffed.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Knuckles has closed the distance and engaged Reneau in a clinch.
Knuckles is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Reneau is defending well.
Reneau tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Knuckles just stands there and leans against the cage.
Reneau goes for a takedown in the clinch but Knuckles prevents it.
A short left from Knuckles.
Reneau tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
A frustrated look appears on Knuckles's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Knuckles tries to break the clinch but Reneau is controlling the position.
Knuckles tries for a takedown. No joy.
Knuckles pushes off an throws an elbow but Reneau leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Reneau wants to take the fight to the mat but Knuckles manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Emory Knuckles showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Reneau shoots for a takedown but Knuckles saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Knuckles misses with a takedown attempt - Reneau sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Knuckles throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Reneau's waist but Reneau gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Knuckles off to one side.
Knuckles has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
A punch combination from Knuckles misses.
Reneau shoots for a takedown but Knuckles saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Knuckles steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Reneau.
Reneau misses with a head kick.
Reneau tries to clinch but Knuckles moves out of range.
Knuckles is looking to land body kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Knuckles walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Reneau checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Reneau changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Knuckles tries to avoid it but Reneau manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Knuckles to the ground. Knuckles escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mitch Reneau. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knuckles dives in for a single leg takedown but Reneau sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Knuckles shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Reneau pinned against the cage. Reneau gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Reneau seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reneau fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Knuckles avoids it really well and circles away.
No joy there for Reneau, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Knuckles has closed the distance and engaged Reneau in a clinch.
Knuckles is trying to push Reneau away but Reneau has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Reneau wants to stall.
Reneau tries to pull guard but Knuckles forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Knuckles tries to break free but Reneau pushes him back against the cage.
Knuckles tries for a takedown but Reneau manages to get underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reneau looking to slow down the pace here.
Reneau looking to stall.
Reneau gets underhooks to prevent Knuckles's takedown attempt.

Knuckles jumps guard and drags Reneau to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Knuckles escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Reneau gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Reneau is pushing down on Knuckles's leg trying to pass to half guard. Knuckles is fighting to maintain full guard but Reneau has managed to sneak the leg through.
Reneau wants to pass to mount but Knuckles is defending the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Knuckles looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reneau thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Knuckles trying to control from the bottom.
Reneau thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Knuckles tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Knuckles wants to get back to his feet.
Reneau throwing shots but Knuckles is blocking nicely.
Reneau wants to control but Knuckles is keeping him busy.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Reneau takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Knuckles shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Reneau as he jumps to the side.
Knuckles misses with a takedown
and Reneau cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Emory Knuckles seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Reneau fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Knuckles sprawls well initially but Reneau persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Reneau not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Reneau is keen to just control but Knuckles is a slippery customer.

Knuckles is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Reneau pulls his head out easily.
Reneau wants to pass the guard but Knuckles is defending well.
Mitch Reneau has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Emory Knuckles is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Knuckles is trying to control but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mitch Reneau showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Knuckles has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Sandra Marshall scores the fight 28:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Emory Knuckles!