PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mitchell Pearsen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benito Vasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pearsen comes to the cage accompanied by "One Eighty By Summer" - Taking Back Sunday. Vasquez has chosen StrangleHold as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Pearsen
vs
Vasquez

170 cm
21
159 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

173 cm
25
155 lbs
10 - 7 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mitchell Pearsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Tokyo, Benito Vasquez!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Yukihiro Shimada and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vasquez throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Pearsen on the side of the head.
Vasquez tries to clinch there but Pearsen circles away.
Vasquez lands an overhand right.
Vasquez fails with a takedown attempt.
Vasquez throws a low kick but Pearsen moves out of range easily.
Pearsen connects with a body shot.
Vasquez throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Pearsen sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Vasquez's jab looks to have found its range, popping Pearsen under the eye.
Vasquez connects with a body shot that sends Pearsen's belly button to the back.
Pearsen takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Pearsen throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Pearsen misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearsen throws a hook to the side of Vasquez's head but Vasquez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mitchell Pearsen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A solid leg kick lands there for Vasquez.
Vasquez connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Pearsen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A shot to the body from Pearsen misses
and Vasquez counters with a three punch combo that has Pearsen backing up. Pearsen nods at Vasquez to acknowledge the strikes.
Pearsen misses with a hook. Vasquez ducked under it nicely.
Vasquez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Pearsen doesn't seem bothered though.
Pearsen throws a body punch but Vasquez moves out of range.
Pearsen lands a head shot.
Pearsen looks to land a right hand but Vasquez moved out of range.

Vasquez clinches.
Vasquez throws an elbow that misses.
Vasquez lands with a light punch inside.

Pearsen breaks the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pearsen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pearsen misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Vasquez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pearsen misses with a wild body shot.
Pearsen on the wrong end of a nice hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pearsen misses the shot to the body.
Vasquez staying out of range there.
Pearsen throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Vasquez sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Vasquez is looking to clinch but Pearsen is avoiding it.

Pearsen has closed the distance and engaged Vasquez in a clinch.
Vasquez tries a knee to the head but Pearsen blocks it.
Vasquez misses with an elbow strike.
Vasquez misses with some punches.
Pearsen blocking some punches.
Vasquez misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen can't break the clinch.
Pearsen misses with a shot to the kidneys.

Pearsen breaks the clinch.
Pearsen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Vasquez works Pearsen's body with a nice hook.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Vasquez is defended easily by Pearsen.
Pearsen misses with a wild combination.
A big right from Vasquez misses.
Pearsen blocks a head kick by Vasquez.
Vasquez darts in trying to clinch
enabling Pearsen to counter with a crisp jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Pearsen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pearsen works Vasquez's body with a nice hook.
Vasquez connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Pearsen momentarily.
Pearsen swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Pearsen clinches up with Vasquez and pushes him back against the cage.
Pearsen avoiding damage as Vasquez throws knees to the body.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vasquez throws an elbow but misses.
Vasquez working aggressively here.
Vasquez has Pearsen pressed against the cage, preventing Pearsen from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Pearsen blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Vasquez working aggressively here.
Vasquez misses with an elbow over the top.
Pearsen is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen is looking to break free of the clinch but Vasquez has double underhooks.
With the fighters up against the cage, Vasquez throws an elbow but misses.

Vasquez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Vasquez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pearsen tries to avoid it but Vasquez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pearsen to the ground. Pearsen escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mitchell Pearsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benito Vasquez.
A shot to the body from Pearsen misses
and Vasquez counters with a low kick, right behind Pearsen 's knee.
Vasquez throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Pearsen's head.
Pearsen takes a swing at Vasquez's ribcage but misses.

Vasquez tries to keep at a distance but Pearsen has taken the fight into the clinch.
Vasquez misses with an elbow strike.
Pearsen misses with a body punch.
Pearsen misses with a punch to the body.
Pearsen goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Vasquez has a couple of punches blocked by Pearsen.

Vasquez breaks the clinch.
Vasquez lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen falls off balance throwing a combination
and Vasquez counters with a nice leg kick.
Vasquez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Pearsen moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pearsen avoiding damage as Vasquez throws knees to the body.
Pearsen lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Pearsen has had enough of the clinch but Vasquez keeps him there for the moment.
Pearsen tries a body shot but Vasquez blocks it.
Pearsen scores with a hook to the body.
Vasquez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Vasquez tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Vasquez misses with a hook to the ribs.
Pearsen tries to break free but Vasquez pushes him back against the cage.
Vasquez working aggressively here.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Vasquez misses with a body punch.
Vasquez lands with a left to the head.
Pearsen managing to block the knees to the body from Vasquez.
Pearsen lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Vasquez misses with a body punch.
Pearsen lands a nice uppercut.
Vasquez misses with the head strike.
Vasquez has a couple of punches blocked by Pearsen.
Pearsen cracks Vasquez with a nice body shot.
Vasquez misses with a punch to the body.
Pearsen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pearsen misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pearsen scores with a hook to the body.
A left hand lands to the body for Pearsen.
Vasquez looks gassed!
Vasquez creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.

Pearsen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pearsen stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pearsen wants it to stay on the feet.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Vasquez keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Vasquez moves away.
Pearsen is looking to wear down Vasquez with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Pearsen works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Vasquez tries to clinch there but Pearsen circles away.
Pearsen dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Pearsen throws a body punch but Vasquez moves out of range.
Pearsen misses with a straight right.
Pearsen punishes Vasquez's body with a nice straight punch.
Vasquez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pearsen fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Vasquez on the side of the head.
Pearsen throws a body punch but Vasquez moves out of range.
Pearsen looks to score with a jab to the body but Vasquez is just out of range.
Pearsen checks a leg kick.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Pearsen misses with a body shot.
Pearsen misses with a wild body shot.
Pearsen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Pearsen ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Vasquez ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Vasquez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Pearsen lands with a nice body punch.
Vasquez throws a head kick but Pearsen moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A telegraphed right hand from Pearsen misses the target.
Pearsen scores with a hook to the body. Vasquez takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Pearsen forces Vasquez back against the cage and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mitchell Pearsen dominated that round.
That's time! Pearsen's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Vasquez gets tackled into the cage by Pearsen. Pearsen maintains the clinch.
Pearsen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pearsen managing to block the knees to the body from Vasquez.
Vasquez goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Pearsen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Pearsen is trying to force a seperation but Vasquez has the dominant position.
Pearsen lands with a right to the head.
Pearsen blocking some punches.
Vasquez throws an elbow but it misses.
Pearsen digs a right hand underneath Vasquez's ribcage. Vasquez let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Vasquez misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Pearsen.
Vasquez throws a punch but it's blocked by Pearsen.
A nice right hand lands inside from Pearsen.
Vasquez misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Vasquez is breathing heavily.
Pearsen working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Vasquez misses with a punch on the inside.
Vasquez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pearsen softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

Vasquez is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pearsen blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Vasquez is still on wobbly legs! Can Pearsen finish him?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pearsen gets through Vasquez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Pearsen makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Pearsen throws a big uppercut that drops Vasquez! More strikes from Pearsen and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Vasquez lies dazed against the cage as Pearsen celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:15 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mitchell Pearsen!