PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sarel Labuschagne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rich Pena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Pena's choice of entrance music: RAWR. Rich Pena has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Sarel Labuschagne's chin.

Labuschagne
vs
Pena

185 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

189 cm
25
187 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Sarel Labuschagne!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Rich Pena!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Steven Brown and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Labuschagne misses with a takedown

and Pena decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Labuschagne's guard.
Pena is in close to Labuschagne's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Pena throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pena trying to control but Labuschagne is working from the bottom.

Labuschagne looking for a guillotine here but Pena defends easily.
Pena tries to free his leg and advance position but Labuschagne is retaining full guard.
Labuschagne tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena throws a strike but Labuschagne rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Labuschagne trying to stand up but can't free himself from Pena's guard.
Pena looking for a sweep. Not yet Pena, not yet.
Pena controlling the position.

Labuschagne avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Pena is pulling down on Labuschagne's head to control his posture.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Pena wants to sweep but no luck.
Pena pulls Labuschagne in close to prevent any damage.
Pena working a defensive guard here.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pena can do anything to dispel that myth.
Labuschagne trying to control the position from guard on top but Pena is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Labuschagne misses with a takedown attempt

and Pena counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Labuschagne!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena lands a nice shot to the head.
Pena raining down hammerfists from mount.
Pena throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Labuschagne blocking the ground and pound.
Pena putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Pena lands a heavy elbow.
Labuschagne tries to hold on but Pena pushes him away.
Pena lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Pena punishing his opponent with strikes.
The referee warns Labuschagne that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Pena is landing with some decent strikes but Labuschagne is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pena working the ground and pound effectively.
Pena lands a big elbow.
Pena putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Pena with a couple of short strikes.
Labuschagne is bucking up trying to escape but Pena cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Labuschagne is rocked!
Pena breaks from Labuschagne's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Oh Labuschagne is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Pena unloading with bombs!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Labuschagne can't escape the position.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Pena cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Labuschagne seems to have got his legs back now.
Pena pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rich Pena dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Pena checks a leg kick.
Labuschagne stuffs the takedown.

Pena closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Pena lands in his opponent's guard.
Pena tries to free his leg and advance position but Labuschagne is retaining full guard.
Pena stops Labuschagne from standing up.
Pena is looking to work some ground and pound but Labuschagne has wrist control.
Pena in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pena postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Labuschagne is keeping the position for now.
Pena wants to control from the top but Labuschagne keeps moving.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Pena throws a strike but Labuschagne rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Pena looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Labuschagne puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Labuschagne is looking to take a break and control but Pena is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pena keeping control of the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Labuschagne wants to pass to mount but Pena is defending the position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Labuschagne passes into side control, despite Pena's attempt to control the position.
Pena struggling a bit here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena is looking for a sweep.
Rich Pena has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pena struggling a bit here.

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.
Pena prevents Labuschagne from moving into mount.
Pena looking for a sweep but Labuschagne has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Pena is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Pena is looking to improve his position but Labuschagne isn't that keen on the idea.
Pena is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Rich Pena will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Danga de danga de dang - Labuschagne scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like Rich Pena has been cut.
Pena misses with a takedown attempt - Labuschagne sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A punch combination from Labuschagne misses.

Pena closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Labuschagne quickly recovers to half guard.
Labuschagne keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pena working over Labuschagne with some ground and pound. Labuschagne looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Labuschagne trying to control but Pena postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Labuschagne trying to control here.
Pena is trying to control. Labuschagne wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Pena thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Pena throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Labuschagne is looking for a sweep. Pena is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pena drops an elbow to the side of Labuschagne's head.
Pena thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pena seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Labuschagne does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pena thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pena landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Pena is looking to take a break and control but Labuschagne is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Labuschagne trying to hold on to Pena's head to control him but Pena postures up.
Pena working the head and body with strikes.
Pena thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Labuschagne's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Labuschagne is trying to maintain the position but Pena is very close to passing his half guard.
Pena lands with a punch from half guard.
Pena looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Pena missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Labuschagne on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Pena has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Labuschagne in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Pena cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Labuschagne tries to hold on but Pena postures up.
Labuschagne bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Pena has control of Labuschagne's left arm, preventing Labuschagne from doing any damage.
Labuschagne wants to stand but Pena has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rich Pena comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Pena winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 26:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rich Pena!