PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Vrajesh Ponnaganti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miguel Chavez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ponnaganti
vs
Chavez

171 cm
24
156 lbs
10 - 3 - 0

179 cm
26
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Very strong

BJJ Blue Belt
Dangerous knees
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 10 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vrajesh Ponnaganti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Miguel Chavez!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Jonathan Paton and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Chavez clinches with his opponent.
Ponnaganti comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Chavez tries a knee to the head but Ponnaganti blocks it.
Chavez takes an elbow to the temple.

Ponnaganti decides to pull guard.
Ponnaganti is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Chavez moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Ponnaganti stays in close to Chavez's body and controls the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Chavez can do anything to dispel that myth.
Ponnaganti looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chavez is looking to stand up but Ponnaganti isn't so interested in that idea.
Chavez keeping moving, preventing Ponnaganti from controlling successfully.
Chavez is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Ponnaganti thows a big elbow that misses.
Ponnaganti working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ponnaganti stopping the sweep attempt from Chavez.

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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Ponnaganti tries to clinch but Chavez is having none of it.
Ponnaganti tries to clinch but Chavez moves out of range.
Chavez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ponnaganti closes the distance but Chavez moves to the side
enabling Chavez to counter with a crisp jab.
Chavez throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Ponnaganti closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Chavez to the mat! Chavez manages to get full guard.
Chavez trying to control the position.
Ponnaganti controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Ponnaganti prevents Chavez from getting back to his feet.

Ponnaganti thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chavez is controlling Ponnaganti's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Ponnaganti pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Chavez is keeping the position for now.
Chavez being controlled here, momentarily.
Chavez keeping full guard, as Ponnaganti tries to pass.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ponnaganti sitting in guard here, content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Chavez looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Chavez controls Ponnaganti momentarily but Ponnaganti frees himself.
Chavez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Miguel Chavez will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Chavez darts in trying to clinch

and Ponnaganti counters with a shoot takedown. Chavez fights it but they end up in guard.
Ponnaganti trying to control but Chavez is working from the bottom.
Ponnaganti content to stall in guard here.
Chavez controls Ponnaganti momentarily but Ponnaganti frees himself.
Ponnaganti wants to control from the top but Chavez keeps moving.
Chavez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponnaganti pushing down on Chavez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Ponnaganti stalling away here and it's allowed Chavez to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.
Ponnaganti wants to pass the guard but Chavez is keeping the position.
Chavez trying to control the position.
Chavez wants to stand but Ponnaganti is controlling the position.
Ponnaganti is looking to advance position but Chavez has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

That's two 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.
Ponnaganti is looking to improve his position but Chavez isn't that keen on the idea.
Chavez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Ponnaganti slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Ponnaganti is controlling Chavez's trapped leg to prevent Chavez from advancing to side control.
Chavez wants to stand up but Ponnaganti has a hold of him and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chavez controlling the pace.
Ponnaganti is positioning himself well to prevent Chavez advancing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Ponnaganti trying to control but Chavez postures up.
Chavez is pressing down on Ponnaganti's thigh, looking to free his foot. Ponnaganti is holding on for now.
Ponnaganti wants to control but Chavez is keeping busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Vrajesh Ponnaganti dominated that second round.
That's time! Ponnaganti's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Chavez scores with a leg kick.
Chavez scores with a body shot.

Chavez moves into the clinch successfully.
Chavez tries a knee to the head but Ponnaganti blocks it.
A frustrated look appears on Chavez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Ponnaganti utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Ponnaganti misses with a knee strike.
Ponnaganti changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Chavez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
A head kick from Chavez lands but Ponnaganti takes it in his stride.
A low kick from Chavez is predictable there

and Ponnaganti counters with a shoot takedown. Chavez fights it but they end up in guard.
Chavez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ponnaganti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chavez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ponnaganti preventing the sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Chavez managing to control the position.
Chavez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ponnaganti stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Chavez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Vrajesh Ponnaganti overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ponnaganti being controlled here momentarily.
Chavez is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Chavez missing with a left hand there. Ponnaganti was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Ponnaganti shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Chavez as he jumps to the side.
A solid leg kick lands there for Chavez.
Chavez lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Ponnaganti throws a sloppy head kick and Chavez moves out of range easily.
Ponnaganti misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Vrajesh Ponnaganti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good shot there by Chavez.
Ponnaganti takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Chavez throws a head kick but Ponnaganti moves out of range.
Chavez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Chavez delivers a nice body kick.
Ponnaganti blocks a head kick by Chavez.
Chavez ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ponnaganti blocks a head kick by Chavez.
Ponnaganti avoids a punch combination nicely.
Ponnaganti looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Ponnaganti fails with a takedown attempt.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Chavez tries a head kick but it misses.
Chavez lands with a kick to the temple. Ponnaganti shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Vrajesh Ponnaganti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Chavez cracks a nice hook into Ponnaganti's ribs.
Chavez lands with a kick to the temple. Ponnaganti shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Chavez throws a head kick that misses.
Chavez connects with a jab.
Ponnaganti has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Chavez finds it's way round the side to connect with Ponnaganti's head.
Chavez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Chavez has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Chavez jabs Ponnaganti right on the nose. Ponnaganti blinks but takes it well.
Chavez throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Ponnaganti.
Ponnaganti has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Ponnaganti there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chavez closes the distance but Ponnaganti moves to the side

and Ponnaganti counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Chavez!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Chavez wants to get back to his feet.
Chavez tries to hold on but Ponnaganti postures up.
Ponnaganti throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Ponnaganti trying to control but he's not successful this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Poor strikes thrown by Ponnaganti there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

And that's the end of the fight!
Miguel Chavez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Chavez 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight for Miguel Chavez!
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight for Miguel Chavez!
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight for Miguel Chavez!

Miguel Chavez wins by unanimous decision!