PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jamie Pennington (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takashi Matsui (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.

Pennington
vs
Matsui

175 cm
25
135 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
23
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jamie Pennington!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Takashi Matsui!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matsui doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pennington counters with a left to the body.
Matsui swats away the attempt to clinch by Pennington.
Matsui shoots and misses

and Pennington counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Pennington won't allow Matsui to sweep him here.
Pennington has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Pennington trying to control but Matsui is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pennington throwing strikes from guard but Matsui blocks nicely.
Matsui keeping moving, preventing Pennington from controlling successfully.
Pennington postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Matsui has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Pennington 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 Matsui.

Pennington stands up and beckons Matsui to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matsui misses with a takedown

and Pennington counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Jamie Pennington has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Takashi Matsui.
Pennington content to stall in guard here.
Matsui looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pennington is one step ahead there.
Pennington showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Matsui escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pennington gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pennington missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Pennington trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Matsui trying to keep a closed guard but Pennington is proving a slippery customer.
Pennington wants to stand but Matsui has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Matsui keeping moving, preventing Pennington from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pennington won't allow Matsui to sweep him here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Matsui is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Matsui had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pennington defends it easily.
Pennington trying to control but Matsui is working from the bottom.

Pennington avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matsui is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pennington is aware though and is defending well.
Pennington trying to control but Matsui is working from the bottom.
Matsui is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Matsui is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Matsui is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Pennington trying to control but Matsui is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jamie Pennington dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Matsui misses with a takedown attempt

and Pennington counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Pennington stalling away here and it's allowed Matsui to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

Matsui working for a triangle but Pennington defends it easily.

Pennington got a little sloppy there for a moment and Matsui has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pennington has managed to get both his arms back between Matsui's legs - danger averted.
Pennington wanted to stand there but Matsui had control of the position.

Matsui is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pennington really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pennington stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matsui swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Matsui looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Matsui looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pennington is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Matsui bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pennington's guard.
Matsui passes Pennington's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Pennington trying to control but Matsui postures up.
Matsui is pressing down on Pennington's thigh, looking to free his foot. Pennington is holding on for now.
Pennington slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Jamie Pennington overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pennington trying to keep a closed guard but Matsui is proving a slippery customer.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pennington looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Matsui thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Pennington working a defensive guard here.
Pennington is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Matsui is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Matsui passes into half guard.

That's four 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.

Matsui is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Matsui is looking for a kimura here.

Matsui is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Pennington sees it coming and defends easily.

Matsui is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Takashi Matsui showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Pennington throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Pennington shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Pennington was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Matsui is looking to improve his position but Pennington isn't that keen on the idea.
Pennington tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Pennington avoids the attempt from Matsui to control.
Pennington tries to control but Matsui wriggling away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pennington unloads with some shots from mount but Matsui bucks and avoids them well.
Pennington can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Matsui is looking to escape.

Pennington goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Matsui is on top in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Matsui drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Matsui jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Matsui trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.

Matsui drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Matsui jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Matsui thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Matsui looking to pass the guard.
Matsui preventing the sweep.
Matsui passes Pennington's left leg - he's now in half guard.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsui is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Pennington reverses the position - he's now on top in Matsui's guard.
Matsui lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pennington!
Pennington wants to control but Matsui is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Matsui tries to take Pennington's back but instead Pennington uses the opportunity to regain half guard.

Matsui 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.
Matsui trying to advance position but Pennington counters by regaining guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jamie Pennington.
Well Pennington has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 29:28
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jamie Pennington!