PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Koko Pinea (ranked 2030 p4p, 207 weight class) and Benjamin Siegel (ranked 2896 p4p, 267 weight class). Siegel has chosen Coolio ft. L.V - Gangsta's Paradise as his entrance music. Benjamin Siegel will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Pinea
vs
Siegel

159 cm
39
134 lbs
19 - 10 - 1

178 cm
35
156 lbs
13 - 9 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 19 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Koko Pinea!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Benjamin Siegel!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Saam Ante and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Siegel stuffs the takedown attempt from Pinea. Pinea gets slowly back to his feet.
Pinea tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Siegel manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Siegel lets loose with a powerful body kick. Pinea will feel that in the morning.
Pinea is looking to slow Siegel down with leg kicks.
Pinea keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Pinea looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Siegel!
Siegel is looking to get back to his feet here but Pinea is keeping cool and he's managed to take Siegel's back.
Siegel is in a world of trouble here. He's outmatched on the ground here and he'd better get Pinea off his back sharpish unless he wants to be submitted.
Pinea not allowing Siegel to control his hands.
Siegel wants to escape the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pinea is looking for a rear naked choke here but Siegel reverses the position brilliantly into Pinea's guard!

Pinea is looking for a triangle but Siegel pushes his legs off easily.
Pinea looking for a sweep. Not yet Pinea, not yet.
Siegel looking to sit in guard and control but Pinea gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Pinea distracts Siegel with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Pinea tries to free his leg and advance position but Siegel is retaining full guard.
Pinea working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pinea controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pinea might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Siegel is looking to stand up but Pinea isn't so interested in that idea.
Pinea throws a big right hand that misses.
Pinea trying to control but Siegel is working from the bottom.
Pinea with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Siegel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pinea is one step ahead there.
Pinea working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinea won't allow Siegel to sweep him here.
Pinea working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Pinea trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Siegel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pinea is stalling in the full guard.
Siegel keeping full guard, as Pinea tries to pass.
Pinea prevents Siegel from getting back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Pinea avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Pinea moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Pinea scores with a nice strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinea takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Pinea tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Siegel connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Pinea gets a double leg takedown into Siegel's guard.
Siegel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pinea is one step ahead there.
Pinea trying to control but Siegel is working from the bottom.
Pinea postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pinea accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Pinea is working Siegel over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Siegel looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pinea 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koko Pinea dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A punch lands to the side of Siegel 's head but he takes it in his stride.

Pinea shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Pinea trying to control the pace.
Pinea prevents Siegel from standing back up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pinea is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Pinea tries to control but Siegel wriggling away.
Siegel tries to hold on but Pinea postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinea throwing strikes here but Siegel is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Siegel really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Siegel tries to hold on but Pinea postures up.
Pinea lands with some strikes.
Siegel is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Pinea raining down hammerfists from mount.
Pinea working the ground and pound effectively.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Siegel really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Siegel's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Pinea lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Siegel hang on?
Pinea can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Siegel is looking to escape.
Siegel keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pinea controlling from the full mount.
Siegel is trying to escape the mount.
Pinea lands a couple of good shots and Siegel has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Pinea lands strikes to the head.
Oooh a big shot gets through from Pinea. Many more shots like that and the referee will have to think about stepping in!
Siegel trying to control but not successfully.
Pinea trying to control momentarily.
Pinea is looking to finish with some ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinea connects with a big shot to the side of Siegel's head.
Pinea 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.
Pinea wants to control but Siegel is keeping busy.
Pinea punches the canvas rather than the man.
Siegel breaks Pinea's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pinea is adopting a defensive guard.
Siegel trying to control but Pinea is working from the bottom.
Pinea is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Siegel can do to turn this around?
Siegel looking to sit in guard and control but Pinea gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koko Pinea dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Pinea swings widly with a right hand
and Siegel connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Pinea clinches up against the cage.
Pinea misses with a punch on the inside.
Siegel swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Siegel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Siegel throws a head punch that misses.
Siegel goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Pinea lands an uppercut.
Siegel blocks a body shot from Pinea.
Siegel has a couple of punches blocked by Pinea.
Siegel misses with an elbow strike.
Pinea scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Pinea lands with a light punch inside.
Siegel tries to land knees in the clinch but Pinea avoids the damage to the body.
Siegel misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pinea lands a nice uppercut.
Siegel misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Siegel looking to throw knees to the head but Pinea is blocking nicely.
Pinea has a couple of punches blocked by Siegel.
Pinea blocking some punches.
Siegel misses with a body punch.
Pinea is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Siegel is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pinea is looking for a takedown.
Pinea lands a right hand that snaps the head of Siegel backwards.
Pinea prevents a body shot from Siegel.
Pinea throws a punch but it's blocked by Siegel.
Siegel struggles to land a body shot inside as Pinea controls his hands.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Pinea.
Pinea lands with a short shot to the head.
Siegel lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Pinea backwards.
Siegel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Siegel swings wildly with an uppercut but Pinea uses good head movement to avoid it.
Siegel tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Pinea makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Pinea lands with a short shot to the head.
Pinea misses with some punches.
A right handed body shot lands from Pinea.

Pinea has Siegel pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Pinea pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Siegel tumbling to the mat - Pinea dives into Siegel's guard.

Siegel has his feet on Pinea's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A slow jab from Pinea misses its intended target.
Koko Pinea seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pinea shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Siegel as he jumps to the side.
Siegel doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Koko Pinea. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Siegel moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Pinea paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Siegel defending well as Pinea loads up on a big left hand.
Pinea slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Pinea pushes Siegel up against the cage in a clinch.
Siegel fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Knees in the clinch landing for Pinea.
Pinea wants a takedown but no success here.
Siegel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Pinea is trying to drag Siegel to the mat but Siegel just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Pinea blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Siegel wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Pinea lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pinea is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Siegel gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Siegel scores with a shot to the side of Pinea's head.
Pinea can't get the takedown.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Pinea here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.

Siegel breaks the clinch.
Pinea tries for a takedown but Siegel circles away easily
and Siegel cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

It looks like Koko Pinea has been cut.
A jab from Siegel misses.
Koko Pinea is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pinea bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Siegel wants to land a leg kick but Pinea is out of range.
Pinea shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Siegel but Siegel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pinea swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Pinea scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Pinea moves into range and clinches up with Siegel.
Siegel has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pinea scores with a nice hook to the head.
Pinea landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Siegel has a couple of punches blocked by Pinea.
Siegel throws a head punch that misses.

Pinea wants the takedown. Siegel is fighting it off but Pinea persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Siegel's guard against the cage.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Siegel manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Benjamin Siegel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Siegel managing to block the knees to the body from Pinea.
Siegel throws a head punch that misses.
Siegel tries to throw a body punch but Pinea avoids it by throwing Siegel back against the cage.
Pinea blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pinea keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Siegel's efforts to push away.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Siegel can't find room to land a body shot as Pinea controls the action.
Pinea lands with a short punch from the clinch.

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 Koko Pinea.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pinea, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Koko Pinea!
A victorious Koko Pinea thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.