PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Richard Renninger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zoey Malone (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malone is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Boy Named Sue - Johnny Cash. Zoey Malone is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples.

Renninger
vs
Malone

184 cm
25
204 lbs
12 - 6 - 0

189 cm
30
218 lbs
12 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Richard Renninger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zoey Malone!
The judges for this bout are Franklyn Lucas, Joseph Jones and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Renninger pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Malone lands a nice looking body kick.
Renninger lands with a thumping leg kick.
Malone moves out of range as Renninger strikes.
Malone tries to close the distance and clinch but Renninger swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Zoey Malone seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Malone gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

It looks like Zoey Malone has been cut.
Renninger has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Renninger looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Malone misses with an uppercut.
Malone shoots in for a takedown but Renninger shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A swing and a miss from Malone.
Renninger sizes up Malone with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Renninger misses with a wild body shot.

Malone manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Renninger on his heels. He'll look to pass Renninger's guard now, I'm sure.
Malone postures up in Renninger's guard and throws a big left but Renninger blocks it.
Renninger keeping moving, preventing Malone from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone throwing strikes from guard but Renninger blocks nicely.
Renninger has his hands on Malone's head, controlling the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Malone accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Malone preventing the sweep.
Renninger controls Malone momentarily but Malone frees himself.
Malone trying to control but Renninger is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Renninger stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Malone.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Renninger tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Renninger misses with a body shot

and Malone counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Renninger's guard now.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Malone slips nicely into half guard.
Renninger avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Malone.
Renninger is refusing to be controlled, as Malone sits in half guard.

Malone is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Malone is looking for a kimura but Renninger is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Malone to get the leverage.
Renninger avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Malone.

Malone seems to be looking for submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Renninger trying to control here.

Malone seems to be working for a kimura but Renninger defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Renninger works his way to full guard. Good work.
Malone tries to free his leg and advance position but Renninger is retaining full guard.

Malone drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Renninger manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Malone has Renninger in his guard.
Malone told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Renninger won't allow Malone to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Malone is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Renninger is aware though and is defending well.
Renninger stays in close to Malone's body and controls the position.
Renninger works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Renninger sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Malone looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Renninger pushes past his half guard into mount!
Malone is working to get back to half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Renninger content just to control the position here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Renninger get's back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zoey Malone dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zoey Malone's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Renninger throws the kick towards the body but Malone avoids it.
Malone shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Malone on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Renninger bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Renninger throws a head kick but Malone moves out of range.
A slow jab from Malone misses its intended target.
A chopping leg kick lands by Renninger.
Renninger throws out a loose jab but Malone uses good head movement to avoid it.
Malone throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Renninger throws a sloppy head kick and Malone moves out of range easily.
Malone misses with a leg kick

and Renninger holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Renninger blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Malone has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Renninger is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Renninger goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Malone makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Malone working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Renninger misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Malone fails to pull guard.
Richard Renninger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zoey Malone.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone goes for a takedown in the clinch but Renninger prevents it.
Malone taking a breather.
Renninger slows down the pace here.
Renninger tries to land knees in the clinch but Malone avoids the damage to the body.
Renninger looking to throw knees to the head but Malone is blocking nicely.
Renninger unloads a knee to the mid-section. Malone lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Renninger fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Renninger stalls.
A right hand to the body from Renninger.
Malone managing to block the knees to the body from Renninger.
Renninger stops a takedown attempt from Malone.
Malone throws a head punch that misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Renninger.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Renninger taking a breather.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Malone lands a right hand that snaps the head of Renninger backwards.
Malone fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Malone wants the takedown. Renninger is fighting it off but Malone persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Renninger's guard against the cage.
Renninger is trying to control the position but Malone postures up.
Renninger trying to control the position here.
Renninger trying to control the position.
Malone is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Zoey Malone has got the better of the ground game so far.

Richard Renninger has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Renninger misses with an uppercut. Malone saw that one coming.
Malone misses with a body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malone moves out of range as Renninger strikes.
Malone is looking to clinch.

Malone has Renninger up against the cage in a clinch.
Renninger stalling in the clinch but Malone improves position.
Renninger blocks an uppercut.
Renninger tries to work over Malone's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Renninger blocks a body shot from Malone.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Renninger prevents a body shot from Malone.
Malone being controlled against the cage.

Malone has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Renninger uses from the top position.

Malone isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Renninger stacks Malone on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Renninger!
Malone being controlled for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Renninger wants to control but Malone is keeping him busy.
Renninger is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Malone is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Renninger looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
You can see the frustration on Malone's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Richard Renninger will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Zoey Malone's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Malone connects with a leg kick. Renninger looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Renninger lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Renninger takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Renninger scoring well with a low kick there.
A nice inside leg kick there by Malone. That's going to slow Renninger down.
Renninger lands a high kick!
Renninger throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Malone throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Renninger's waist but Renninger gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Malone off to one side.
Renninger lands with a kick to the temple. Malone shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
This has been an exciting period of action!
Malone tries to clinch up but Renninger circles away and keeps his distance.
Renninger chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Malone is looking to slow Renninger down with leg kicks.
Renninger misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Malone.

Malone forces Renninger back against the cage and clinches.
Renninger tries to land a knee to the head but Malone blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malone lands an uppercut.
Malone can't get the takedown.
Malone can't get the takedown.
Richard Renninger has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Zoey Malone.
Renninger tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Renninger.
Renninger throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Malone blocks it with crossed arms.
Malone stalling in the clinch.
Renninger with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Renninger.
Renninger lands a left hand.
The referee is keeping an eye on Malone - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Renninger landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Malone takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Renninger tries to land knees in the clinch but Malone avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Renninger looking to throw knees to the head but Malone is blocking nicely.
Renninger is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Malone is defending well for now.
Malone goes for a takedown attempt but Renninger pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Renninger is looking to slow Malone down with leg kicks.
That kick from Renninger tenderised Malone's leg. Malone is trying to keep his angry face on.
Renninger circles away from the clinch attempt.
A good leg kick by Renninger.
Sloppy strikes from Renninger. Those never looked like landing.
Renninger lands a nice leg kick that just misses Malone's sensitive parts.
Malone tries to clinch but Renninger is having none of it.
Renninger connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Malone's hands.
A slapping leg kick lands for Renninger.

Malone moves into the clinch.
Renninger blocks a body shot from Malone.
Malone is looking to take this one to the mat.
Renninger taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Renninger displaying some good clinch control by pressing Malone up against the cage.
Renninger looking to slow down the pace here.
Renninger blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Malone tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Malone as Renninger tries to tie him up.
A right handed body shot lands from Malone.
Still in the clinch, Malone scores with a nice short uppercut.
Renninger doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Renninger dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Malone avoiding damage as Renninger throws knees to the body.
Renninger tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Malone is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Renninger can't fight it off and eventually Malone manages to take the fight to the floor. Renninger looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Malone throws a big right hand that misses.
Renninger has control of Malone's left arm, preventing Malone from doing any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Malone stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Renninger swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Malone postures up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Malone showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Malone throws a big elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Richard Renninger showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Renninger 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 Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Richard Renninger!
An out of breath Richard Renninger thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
Zoey Malone was interviewed post fight and said 'Damn! That sucked!'.