PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Syd Pepper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henrique Willems (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Pepper
vs
Willems

165 cm
19
171 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
20
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Syd Pepper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Henrique Willems!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Willems clinches up against the cage.
Willems is looking to control Pepper's arms but Pepper gets an underhook and turns him. Now Willems has his back to the cage.
Willems scores with a knee to the head.
Willems unloads a knee to the mid-section. Pepper lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Pepper keeps control of Willems as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Willems with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Willems lands a nice knee to the body.
Willems is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Pepper is keeping busy.

Pepper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Pepper feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pepper won't allow Willems to get back to his feet.
Pepper sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Willems wants to get back to his feet but Pepper is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Pepper pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Willems is keeping the position for now.
Pepper sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Pepper won't allow Willems to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pepper drops back looking for a leg! Willems is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Willems manages to kick Pepper off! Pepper jumps back into Willems's guard.
Pepper stops Willems from standing up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Willems fails in his attempt to clinch.
Henrique Willems seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pepper moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Willems moves in looking to clinch but Pepper pushes him off.
Willems doesn't manage to clinch there - Pepper circles away.
Willems fails with the takedown

and Pepper counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Willems's guard now.
Pepper slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Pepper is breathing heavily.
Pepper won't allow Willems to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pepper is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Willems is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Pepper is controlling him.
Pepper controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Willems is looking to stand up but Pepper isn't so interested in that idea.
Pepper tries to free his leg and advance position but Willems is retaining full guard.
Willems is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Willems can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pepper controls the pace.
Pepper seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Willems for as long as he can get away with.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pepper won't allow Willems to sweep him here.
Willems wants to control but Pepper passes easily into half guard.
Pepper prevents Willems from improving his position.
Pepper content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

Willems has one foot on Pepper's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Willems tries to clinch up

so Pepper counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Willems trying to control the position.
Pepper sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Willems is looking to stand up but Pepper isn't so interested in that idea.
Willems looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Syd Pepper dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Pepper moves into the clinch.

Willems breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Willems tries for a takedown but Pepper circles away easily

and Pepper counters with a shoot takedown. Willems fights it but they end up in guard.
Pepper controlling from the top position.
Pepper stops Willems from standing up.
Pepper controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Pepper might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Pepper stands up from Willems's guard - Pepper perhaps looking for a knockout.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Willems tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Pepper counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Pepper.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willems wants to stand but Pepper is controlling the position.
Pepper wants to pass the guard but Willems is keeping the position.
Pepper lands a couple of digs.
Pepper slips nicely into half guard.
Well, if Pepper is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Willems is trying to stand.

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.
Pepper is taking a breather. Willems says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Pepper's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Syd Pepper just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Pepper clinches up against the cage.
Willems scores with a knee to the head.

Pepper manages to break the clinch.

Pepper drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Pepper is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Willems is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Pepper controls the position from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pepper tries to advance to mount but can't.

Pepper decides to stand back up. Pepper steps back and let's Willems get back to his feet.

Pepper clinches up with Willems and pushes him back against the cage.
Pepper wants to stall.
Willems lands a shoulder strike.
Pepper takes a knee right on the jaw!
Pepper blocking some punches.
Willems is working for takedown but Pepper is calmly controlling the position for now.
Pepper is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Willems tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Pepper takes a knee right on the jaw!
Willems fails to pull guard.
Syd Pepper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Henrique Willems.
Willems lands a knee to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Willems.
A knee to the head by Willems.
Willems connects with a knee to the head.
Willems lands a knee to the body.
Willems lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Pepper wants to break free but Willems has control.
Willems throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pepper blocks it with crossed arms.
Pepper swings wildly with an uppercut but Willems uses good head movement to avoid it.

Pepper breaks from the clinch.

Pepper fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Willems, pushing him back against the cage.
Willems looking to throw knees to the head but Pepper is blocking nicely.
A knee to the head by Willems.
Willems stalling in the clinch but Pepper improves position.

Pepper breaks from the clinch.
Willems doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pepper counters with a thumping low kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pepper gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Pepper breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Syd Pepper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Pepper has closed the distance and engaged Willems in a clinch.
Willems using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Pepper has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Pepper could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Pepper drops down looking for an ankle pick but Willems pulls his leg out and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Syd Pepper dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pepper feints and then cracks Willems's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Willems down.

Pepper scores a takedown into full mount!
Willems is trying to stand up.
Pepper sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Willems is working to get back to half guard.
Pepper avoids the attempt from Willems to control.
Willems is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Pepper stands up from mount. Strange move.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Willems tries to clinch

and Pepper counters with a single leg into guard. Willems didn't expect that.

Willems is working an open guard so Pepper takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Willems takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

Willems shoots in and bounces Pepper off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Pepper has a closed guard, preventing Willems from standing up.
Pepper wants to stand up but Willems is controlling him.
Pepper bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Willems's guard.
Willems wants to get back to his feet but Pepper passes into half guard.
Willems is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Willems tries to get to full guard but Pepper has control of the leg.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Willems is trying to stand.
Willems trying to hold on to Pepper's head to control him but Pepper postures up.
Pepper tries to pass to full mount but Willems defends it.
Willems is trying to stand.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Willems tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Pepper counters by clinching up.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Willems looking for a takedown.

Pepper drags the fight down to the ground.
Pepper controlling the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pepper has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Willems avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Willems trying to control the position from guard on top but Pepper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pepper controls Willems momentarily but Willems frees himself.
Pepper keeping moving, preventing Willems from controlling successfully.
Pepper controlling Willems's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pepper lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Willems!

Pepper stands up from mount. Strange move.

Pepper clinches up against the cage.
Pepper misses with a knee strike.

Pepper gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Pepper not doing much here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Willems trying to control but Pepper postures up.
Henrique Willems has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Willems looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Syd Pepper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pepper, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Syd Pepper!