PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Steven Perkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeffrey Molina (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Perkins
vs
Molina

193 cm
25
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Steven Perkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jeffrey Molina!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Cesar, Matheus Silva and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Molina fails to land with a series of punches.
Perkins scores with a three punch combo!
Perkins throws a nice looking combination but Molina bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Perkins tries to sprawl but Molina drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Molina not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Molina wants to free his trapped foot but Perkins is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Perkins has one foot on Molina's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Perkins stuffs the takedown.

Molina gets a double leg takedown into Perkins's guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Molina stops Perkins from standing up.
Perkins is striking off his back. Molina thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Perkins wants to get back to his feet.
Molina working over Perkins with some ground and pound. Perkins looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Molina looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Molina in particular looking to stall.
Perkins is trying to stand up here but Molina is controlling him well.
Molina is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Perkins kicks Molina off and gets back to his feet.
Molina shoots in and drives through. Perkins sprawls well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molina darts in looking for a takedown but Perkins gets double underhooks and turns Molina into the cage.
Steven Perkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffrey Molina.
Molina looks winded!

Molina pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Molina is defended easily by Perkins.
Molina fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Perkins scores with a one two! Molina had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Molina tries to land a front kick but Perkins steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Jeffrey Molina seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Perkins scores with a jab to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Perkins shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Perkins showed some decent athleticism there.
Molina won't allow Perkins to pass to mount.
Molina pushes Perkins off but Perkins dives into side control.
Perkins moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Molina is trying to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Molina struggling a bit here.
Molina is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Perkins is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jeffrey Molina will probably get the nod.
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.

Molina looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Perkins is working an open guard so Molina takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Perkins misses with a jab, cross combination.
The fight stays on the outside here - Molina looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Molina with a lazy takedown attempt
and Perkins makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Molina wants to clinch.
Molina tries to clinch but Perkins moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Molina.
Perkins tries to bum rush Molina with a series of wild strikes but Molina uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Perkins shoots for a double leg takedown but Molina sprawls well. He's pushed Perkins's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Molina closes the distance and clinches up with Perkins, looking for a takedown. Molina pushes Perkins against the cage but Perkins circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Steven Perkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffrey Molina.
Molina is breathing heavily.

Perkins darts in and clinches Molina up against the cage.

Perkins manages to break the clinch.

Perkins manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Molina on his heels. He'll look to pass Molina's guard now, I'm sure.
Perkins throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molina managing to control the position.

Molina looking for a guillotine here but Perkins defends easily.
Perkins really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Molina is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molina is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Perkins is controlling him.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Molina has his foot on Perkins's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Perkins works his way back into a safe position though.
Molina looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Molina looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Perkins has picked Molina up and slammed him! Molina can't keep hold of the triangle and Perkins manages to pass to side control!
Perkins controlling from side mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Molina tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Perkins wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Perkins controls the position.
Perkins has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Molina is looking for a sweep.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Perkins 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.

Steven Perkins has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Molina tries to clinch there but Perkins circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Jeffrey Molina will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Perkins bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Molina is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Perkins asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Molina is being controlled here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Perkins trying to control the position but Molina is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Perkins taking a breather here.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Molina sneaks back into half guard.
Molina wants to get back to full guard.
Perkins will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Steven Perkins.
Molina looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Perkins is fending him off so far but Molina persists. Nope, Perkins circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molina dives in for a single leg takedown but Perkins sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Molina takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Molina pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Molina tries to clinch there but Perkins circles away.
Molina misses with a takedown attempt
and Perkins counters with a thumping low kick.
Steven Perkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeffrey Molina.

Perkins changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Molina looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Perkins content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molina wants to control but Perkins postures up.
Perkins wants to control but Molina is keeping him busy.
Perkins is really struggling to control Molina but he's trying to hold on to the position.

Steven Perkins has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Perkins manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Molina on his heels. He'll look to pass Molina's guard now, I'm sure.
Molina not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Perkins trying to control but Molina is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Molina is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Perkins defends well.

Molina has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Perkins is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Molina.
Steven Perkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steven Perkins showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Molina 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 Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jeffrey Molina!
Steven Perkins was interviewed post fight and said 'I'll beat you next time'.