PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pikku Hiawatha (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and AJ Pencil (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Hiawatha might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to The Gael. Both fighters will be looking to make this an exciting fight for the fans, I'm sure!

Hiawatha
vs
Pencil

185 cm
22
200 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

175 cm
25
197 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Pikku Hiawatha!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, AJ Pencil!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Paul Aken and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed right hand from Pencil misses the target.
Hiawatha throws a head kick that misses.
Pencil's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Pencil duly obliges.

It looks like Pikku Hiawatha has been cut.
Pencil shoots for a double leg takedown but Hiawatha sprawls well. He's pushed Pencil's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Hiawatha throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.

Pencil rushes Hiawatha and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Pencil is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Hiawatha can't fight it off and eventually Pencil manages to take the fight to the floor. Hiawatha looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hiawatha controls Pencil momentarily but Pencil frees himself.
Pencil won't allow Hiawatha to sweep him here.
Pencil passes Hiawatha's right leg, so he's now in half guard.

Hiawatha is defending against the submission attempts here by Pencil.

Pencil is working for a kimura but Hiawatha is defending it quite comfortably.
Pencil passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Hiawatha!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hiawatha is looking to get to half guard.

Pencil jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Hiawatha manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Hiawatha keeping his opponent close.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pencil wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hiawatha, who protects the arm well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hiawatha manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

Pencil is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Hiawatha trying to hold on to Pencil's head to control him but Pencil postures up.
Hiawatha wants to improve his position but Pencil is controlling well.
Hiawatha gets back to full guard.
Pencil tries to free his leg and advance position but Hiawatha is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pencil got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hiawatha has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pencil has managed to get both his arms back between Hiawatha's legs - danger averted.
Pencil tries to free his leg and advance position but Hiawatha is retaining full guard.
Pencil wants to control from the top but Hiawatha keeps moving.

Hiawatha has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pencil can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Hiawatha not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hiawatha looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pencil is one step ahead there.
Hiawatha keeping moving, preventing Pencil from controlling successfully.
Pencil stopping the sweep attempt from Hiawatha.

That's four 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.

Pencil thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hiawatha lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pencil!

Hiawatha wants to finish this one by submission but Pencil is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Hiawatha.
Hiawatha throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Pencil because Hiawatha loaded up on that one.
Pencil is trying desperately to improve position.
Pencil wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Hiawatha.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

AJ Pencil dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pikku Hiawatha's cut.
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.

Pencil is looking to clinch.
Pencil fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hiawatha throws a sloppy head kick and Pencil moves out of range easily.
Hiawatha scores with a hook to the body. Pencil takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Pencil tries to clinch but Hiawatha moves out of range.
Pencil leaves Hiawatha with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Pencil.
Pencil misses with a series of wild punches.
Hiawatha misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pencil tries to clinch but Hiawatha is having none of it.

Hiawatha shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Pencil manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hiawatha wants to control from the top but Pencil keeps moving.
Hiawatha won't allow Pencil to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pencil looking to control.
Hiawatha working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hiawatha wants to control from the top but Pencil keeps moving.

Hiawatha avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Pencil has his foot on Hiawatha's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hiawatha works his way back into a safe position though.
Pencil is breathing heavily.

Pencil has an active guard here but Hiawatha has managed to pass into half guard.
Hiawatha wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pencil keeps working.

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.

Pencil is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hiawatha pulls his head out easily.
Hiawatha wants to control but Pencil is keeping him busy.
Hiawatha stalling away here and it's allowed Pencil to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Pencil looking for a guillotine here but Hiawatha defends easily.
Hiawatha wants to control from the top but Pencil keeps moving.
Hiawatha works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hiawatha is pressing down on Pencil's thigh, looking to free his foot. Pencil is holding on for now.
Hiawatha trying to control the action but Pencil is working from the bottom.
Pencil moves into full guard.

Pencil working for a triangle but Hiawatha defends it easily.
Pencil trying to keep a closed guard but Hiawatha is proving a slippery customer.
Hiawatha postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hiawatha stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pencil swivels though and keeps the full 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.

Pencil looking for subs off his back but Hiawatha has passed one foot through into half guard.
Hiawatha works his way into side control.

Hiawatha thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hiawatha fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pencil tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hiawatha remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pikku Hiawatha dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Pikku Hiawatha's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hiawatha misses the shot to the body.
Some wild striking there from Pencil.
Hiawatha is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Pencil throws a right hand that Hiawatha ducks under and follows up with a left that Hiawatha also avoids with ease.
Hiawatha tries for a takedown but Pencil circles away easily

and Pencil counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hiawatha won't be happy with that.
You can see the frustration on Hiawatha's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Pencil is trying to get an arm triangle but Hiawatha is defending well.
Hiawatha gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Hiawatha won't allow Pencil to pass to mount.
Pencil takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pencil is working for a submission of some sort.
Hiawatha is pressing down on Pencil's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

Hiawatha escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pencil gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hiawatha managing to control the position.

Hiawatha working for a triangle but Pencil defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hiawatha keeping full guard, as Pencil tries to pass.
Pencil trying to control but Hiawatha is working from the bottom.

Hiawatha looking for a guillotine here but Pencil defends easily.

Pencil drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hiawatha dives on top into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pencil looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hiawatha seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Pencil is trying to keep Hiawatha in close.
Hiawatha slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Hiawatha is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pencil is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Pencil gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hiawatha working over Pencil with some ground and pound. Pencil looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hiawatha tries to pass the half guard into mount. Pencil knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Pencil actively working from the bottom here.
Pencil is trying to maintain the position but Hiawatha is very close to passing his half guard.
Pencil manages to get to full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pencil is on top in guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to AJ Pencil.
I think Pencil 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 Wagner Zegers scores the fight as a draw!
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight for AJ Pencil!
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight as a draw!

The fight ends as a draw!