PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cass Pennant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Scott Sawyers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pennant
vs
Sawyers

190 cm
20
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

176 cm
22
170 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Cass Pennant!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Scott Sawyers!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Paul Tew and Sam Margolis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pennant fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sawyers, as that shot connected.
Pennant throws a sloppy head kick and Sawyers moves out of range easily.
No luck for Sawyers with that takedown attempt.
Pennant looks to land a combination but Sawyers avoids it well.

Pennant looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pennant wants to get up but he can't break Sawyers's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Sawyers is trying to keep Pennant in close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pennant tries to stand but Sawyers is controlling from the bottom.
Pennant has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pennant won't allow Sawyers to sweep him here.
Pennant is fighting to break Sawyers's control of his arms but Sawyers is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Sawyers keeping full guard, as Pennant tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sawyers looking for a guillotine here but Pennant defends easily.
Sawyers wants to stand up but Pennant is controlling him.
Pennant trying to control the position from guard on top but Sawyers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sawyers tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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.
Pennant trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Pennant trying to control the position from guard on top but Sawyers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pennant working some strikes from top position.
Sawyers controls Pennant momentarily but Pennant frees himself.
Pennant has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Sawyers is proving hard to escape from.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Pennant fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Sawyers, pushing him back against the cage.
Pennant looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Sawyers jumps into guard, dragging Pennant to the mat.
Pennant wants to pass the guard but Sawyers is keeping the position.
Pennant wants to get up but he can't break Sawyers's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sawyers looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Sawyers looking for a sweep. Not yet Sawyers, not yet.
Sawyers keeping moving, preventing Pennant from controlling successfully.
Sawyers is pulling down on Pennant's head. It's preventing any offense from Pennant, at least for the moment.
Pennant wanted to stand there but Sawyers had control of the position.

Pennant decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Sawyers, up you get!
Scott Sawyers seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

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.
Pennant throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Sawyers.
Sawyers slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Pennant sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Pennant is breathing heavily.
Sawyers looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Sawyers.
Sawyers fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pennant cracks Sawyers with a right hand to the side of the head.
Pennant throws a sloppy head kick and Sawyers moves out of range easily.
Pennant shoots in but Sawyers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pennant avoids a kick to the body.
Pennant will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pennant moves out of range of the body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Sawyers dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pennant fails with an attempt to clinch.
Sawyers misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Cass Pennant is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Pennant shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Pennant knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Sawyers on the ground.

Sawyers is looking for a triangle but Pennant pushes his legs off easily.
Pennant loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Sawyers bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pennant's guard.
Pennant looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pennant is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Sawyers is controlling him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Sawyers thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sawyers decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Pennant, up you get!
Pennant lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

Sawyers drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pennant looking for a sweep. Not yet Pennant, not yet.
Pennant not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sawyers passes Pennant's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Sawyers wants to control but Pennant is keeping him busy.
Pennant is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Pennant wants to get back to his feet.
Pennant missing with punches from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Sawyers decides to return to a standing position.

Pennant shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Pennant avoids the attempt from Sawyers to control.
Sawyers is squirming around, avoiding Pennant's attempts to control the action.
Sawyers is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Pennant sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Pennant landing punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sawyers tries to hold on but Pennant pushes him away.
Sawyers in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

Pennant is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Sawyers has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Sawyers!
Sawyers with a nice head shot there.
Pennant wants to hit a switch here but Sawyers passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Pennant there!

Sawyers get's back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sawyers throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Pennant throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Sawyers's waist but Sawyers gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Pennant off to one side.
Sawyers fails to land with a series of punches.
Pennant slips a jab from Sawyers.
Sawyers throws a push kick but Pennant slaps the foot to one side.
Sawyers misses with an uppercut.

Pennant gets a clinch.
Pennant prevents the takedown attempt.
Pennant taking a breather.
Pennant tries to pull guard but Sawyers won't allow it.

Pennant's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sawyers closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pennant circles away.
Pennant tries to clinch but Sawyers moves out of range.
Sawyers looks for the body kick but Pennant saw that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Scott Sawyers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pennant shoots in looking for a takedown. Sawyers tries to sprawl out of it but Pennant keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Sawyers manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Sawyers throws a combination that misses

and Pennant counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Sawyers!
Pennant wants to control the pace but Sawyers is squirming around nicely.
Pennant controlling his opponent.
Sawyers tries to lock up and control but Pennant gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sawyers is looking to improve his position but Pennant isn't that keen on the idea.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Sawyers tries to lock up and control but Pennant gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pennant is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Sawyers can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sawyers is squirming around, avoiding Pennant's attempts to control the action.
Sawyers is desperately trying to improve his position but Pennant has a good base and remains in mount.
Pennant trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Sawyers working to try and regain half guard.
Pennant landing strikes, looking to finish!
Sawyers tries to hold on but Pennant postures up.
Pennant blocks Sawyers's feeble attempts to strike from the bottom.

That's two 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.
Pennant can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sawyers is looking to escape.

Pennant moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Sawyers has worked his arm free - good work by Sawyers!

Pennant stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Sawyers throws a half hearted mid kick.
Sawyers throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sawyers shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pennant as he jumps to the side.
Pennant throws a head kick that Sawyers semi-blocks.
Pennant is looking to clinch but Sawyers is avoiding it.

Sawyers gets caught flat footed, as Pennant shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Sawyers working a defensive guard here.
Pennant in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cass Pennant overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pennant missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pennant wants to stand but Sawyers is controlling his posture from full guard.
Sawyers keeping moving, preventing Pennant from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sawyers wants to sweep but no luck.
Sawyers has a closed guard, preventing Pennant from standing up.
Pennant wants to stand and escape but instead Sawyers has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Sawyers controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pennant will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pennant fails with the takedown
and Sawyers counters with a two punch combo.
Cass Pennant has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Scott Sawyers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Sawyers misses with a kick to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cass Pennant showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Sawyers 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scott Sawyers!