PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Arturo Ellacuria (ranked 1635 p4p, 1388 weight class) and Reni Manfield (ranked 146 p4p, 129 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ellacuria
vs
Manfield

183 cm
29
149
14 - 9 - 1

163 cm
26
153
17 - 8 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

Bondi MMA 🏝️

Brooklyn Threads
Bondi MMA 🏝️

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 14 - 9 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, Arturo Ellacuria!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 8 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Reni Manfield!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Phil Schofield and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Ellacuria. Manfield does a little dance to reset his feet.
Ellacuria scores with a jab to the head.
Ellacuria cracks Manfield with an open hand slap.
Ellacuria swings widly with a right hand
and Manfield counters with a nice body shot.
Manfield ducks under a wild hook from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria has been working on his boxing with his coaches at MMA Training and Sparring Buddies in the buildup to the fight.

Manfield is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Ellacuria's half guard.
Ellacuria is looking to improve his position.
Ellacuria blocking the ground and pound attempt from Manfield.
Manfield is just content to waste time from the top position. Ellacuria takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Ellacuria looking to hit a scissor sweep but Manfield is one step ahead there.
Manfield sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Ellacuria's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellacuria is trying to stand back up but Manfield is controlling him
Manfield looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ellacuria trying to hold on to Manfield's head to control him but Manfield postures up.
Ellacuria wants to get back to his feet.
Ellacuria tries to get to full guard but Manfield has control of the leg.
Ellacuria is trying to stand up here but Manfield is controlling him well.
Ellacuria is looking to improve his position.
Manfield is looking to take a break and control but Ellacuria is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Manfield scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Manfield not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Manfield prevents Ellacuria from improving his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Manfield wants to control but Ellacuria is keeping him busy.
Ellacuria won't allow Manfield to pass to mount.
Manfield works his way into side control.
Ellacuria tries to improve position but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manfield is trying to ground and pound but Ellacuria uses the momentary lack of control by Manfield to regain half guard.
Manfield looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Ellacuria desperately trying to maintain half guard.

Manfield is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Ellacuria defends it well.
Manfield thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Ellacuria's head.
Ellacuria avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Manfield.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Manfield sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Ellacuria defending well though.
Ellacuria is trying to get back to full guard.
Manfield has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ellacuria manages to get to full guard.
Ellacuria has Manfield pulled in close to control his posture.
Ellacuria's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Manfield looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Ellacuria!
Manfield trying to control the position but Ellacuria is working away.
Ellacuria is looking to reverse the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
An elbow from Manfield crashes against the mat.
An elbow from Manfield crashes against the mat.
Ellacuria struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manfield slows the pace down.
Ellacuria manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manfield is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Ellacuria keeping full guard, as Manfield tries to pass.
Manfield throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ellacuria works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Manfield content to stall in guard here.
Manfield wants to control from the top but Ellacuria keeps moving.
Ellacuria trying to control the position.
Manfield trying to control the position from guard on top but Ellacuria is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Manfield has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

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.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Manfield's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Manfield tries to free his leg and advance position but Ellacuria is retaining full guard.
Manfield is looking to pass into half guard but Ellacuria pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Ellacuria is in guard.

Ellacuria looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Manfield wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellacuria controls from within his opponent's guard.
Ellacuria pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Manfield is keeping the position for now.
Manfield is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Ellacuria wants to get up but he can't break Manfield's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Ellacuria throws a lazy right hand but Manfield sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Manfield changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
A lazy left from Ellacuria finds it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ellacuria lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Ellacuria lands with a thumping leg kick.
Ellacuria throws a body shot but no joy.
Ellacuria looks to throw the jab but Manfield is out of range.
Manfield blocks a jab.
Manfield blocks a jab.
Left hook, right uppercut from Ellacuria.
Manfield ducks under a wild hook from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Manfield connects with a leg kick.
Ellacuria connects with a looping right hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Manfield shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Ellacuria is trying to defend but Manfield finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Manfield is trying to control the action in half guard but Ellacuria is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Arturo Ellacuria dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Ellacuria misses with a looping right.
Manfield keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria misses with a straight left.
A nice side step and Manfield releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Manfield throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Crunch! Ellacuria slams his shin into Manfield's torso.
Manfield avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Arturo Ellacuria seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Manfield looking to score a takedown here. Ellacuria is defending well but Manfield drives through and ends up in Ellacuria's guard.
Manfield stopping the sweep attempt from Ellacuria.
Ellacuria is trying to keep Manfield in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manfield tries to free his leg and advance position but Ellacuria is retaining full guard.
Manfield working some strikes from top position.
Manfield 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellacuria is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Manfield has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ellacuria is working away from the top position though.
Ellacuria controlling the pace.
Manfield gets back to full guard.
Manfield controls Ellacuria momentarily but Ellacuria frees himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manfield wants to control the position but Ellacuria says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Ellacuria trying to pass the guard but Manfield defending well.
Manfield is looking for a sweep. Ellacuria is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Manfield has a hand on Ellacuria's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Ellacuria takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Manfield is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Reni Manfield has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manfield is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Ellacuria controlling the position easily from mount.
Manfield keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Ellacuria content just to control the position here.
Manfield regains half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Manfield trying to hold on to Ellacuria's head to control him but Ellacuria postures up.
Ellacuria controlling the pace.

And that's the end of the fight!
Arturo Ellacuria showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ellacuria has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 William Gold scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arturo Ellacuria!