PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Todd Gunther (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lady Penitent (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gunther's entrance music is Common - Make My Day. A fine choice. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Gunther
vs
Penitent

179 cm
19
162 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

170 cm
22
155 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Todd Gunther!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Lady Penitent!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
No joy there for Gunther, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Gunther throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A head kick misses from Gunther.
A head kick misses from Gunther.
Gunther throws a right and a left that Penitent avoids nicely.

Gunther moves into the clinch.
Gunther looking to throw knees to the head but Penitent is blocking nicely.
Gunther landing knees to the head.
Gunther landing knees to the body.
Penitent goes for a takedown attempt but Gunther pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Penitent avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Gunther misses with a body shot.
Gunther fails in his attempt to clinch.
Gunther moves in looking to clinch but Penitent pushes him off.
Gunther throws a nice outside leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunther pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gunther wants to clinch up but Penitent keeps it at a distance.
Penitent avoids a kick to the body.
Gunther throws a head kick but Penitent moves out of range.
Gunther is looking to clinch.

Gunther darts in and clinches Penitent up against the cage.
Penitent tries for a takedown. No joy.
Gunther blocks a body shot from Penitent.
Penitent is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Gunther gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Todd Gunther has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lady Penitent.
A knee to the head by Gunther.
Penitent tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Gunther's elbow.
Gunther prevents a takedown attempt there.
Gunther tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Penitent tries to pull guard but Gunther won't allow it.
Gunther working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gunther avoiding damage.
Penitent tries to pull guard but Gunther holds him up against the cage and eventually Penitent drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penitent misses with a punch to the body.
Gunther using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Gunther stalling in the clinch but Penitent improves position.
Penitent changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Gunther fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Penitent looks gassed!
Gunther tries to bum rush Penitent with a series of wild strikes but Penitent uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Todd Gunther seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Penitent avoids the body shot from Gunther.
Gunther misses with a wild body shot.
Gunther throws a head kick that misses.
Gunther throws and low kick but Penitent moves out of range easily.
Gunther misses with a body kick.
Gunther throws a big shot that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Gunther looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Penitent closes the distance and clinches.
Gunther misses with a knee strike.
Penitent tries to pull guard but Gunther holds him up against the cage and eventually Penitent drops back down to his feet.
Penitent misses with a hook to the ribs.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gunther just misses with a elbow thrown towards Penitent's brow.
Penitent managing to block the knees to the body from Gunther.

Penitent has Gunther pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Penitent pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Gunther tumbling to the mat - Penitent dives into Gunther's guard.
Gunther seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penitent tries to free his leg and advance position but Gunther is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunther with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Penitent can't handle though.
Gunther keeping moving, preventing Penitent from controlling successfully.
Penitent postures up.
Gunther looking to hit a scissor sweep but Penitent is one step ahead there.
Gunther pulls Penitent in to control the position.
Gunther looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Penitent shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Penitent was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Gunther is working to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Gunther wants to clinch

and Penitent counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gunther wants to get back to his feet but Penitent is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Gunther escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Penitent gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Penitent pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gunther is keeping the position for now.
Gunther looking to control.
Gunther wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Penitent is now in half guard.
Gunther makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Gunther.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penitent pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gunther is keeping the position for now.
Penitent seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Gunther is on top in guard.

Penitent looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Gunther has picked Penitent up and slammed him! Penitent can't keep hold of the triangle and Gunther manages to pass to side control!
Gunther working away.
Penitent taking a bit of punishment here - Gunther scoring with strikes.
Penitent tries to bench press Gunther off him but Gunther keeps the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penitent stops Gunther from passing to mount.
Gunther wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penitent keeps working.
Penitent taking a bit of punishment here - Gunther scoring with strikes.
Gunther misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
A lull in the action here as Gunther stalls from top position.
Gunther trying to control the action but Penitent is working from the bottom.
Gunther is really struggling to control Penitent but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Gunther loads up on a big right hand but Penitent slips the punch.
Penitent is looking to clinch but Gunther is avoiding it.
Gunther misses with a straight right.
Gunther scores with a nice strike.
Penitent doesn't manage to clinch there - Gunther circles away.
Gunther punishes Penitent's body with a nice straight punch.
Gunther plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
No luck for Penitent with that takedown attempt.
Gunther tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunther clinches but Penitent breaks the clinch
and Penitent counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Gunther tries to land a front kick but Penitent steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Gunther tries to clinch but Penitent moves away

and Penitent counters by moving into the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Gunther.
Gunther tries to land a knee to the head but Penitent blocks with his arms.
Gunther with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Penitent tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Penitent jumps guard but Gunther stands there with Penitent around his waist. Penitent gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Todd Gunther has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Lady Penitent.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Gunther just misses with a elbow thrown towards Penitent's brow.
Gunther misses with a knee strike.
Gunther misses with an elbow over the top.

Penitent is trying to trip Gunther. He has hold of a leg but Gunther is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Penitent persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Gunther looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Penitent puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Lady Penitent will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Penitent shoots in but no luck this time.
Gunther wants to clinch

and Penitent counters by moving into the clinch.
Gunther landing knees to the head.
Penitent tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Gunther smiles and moves away.
Penitent sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Penitent circles away from the clinch attempt

and Penitent counters with a nice double leg into side control. Gunther won't be happy with that.
Gunther gets back to half guard.
Gunther trying to control from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penitent is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Gunther manages to get to full guard.
Gunther thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Penitent accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Penitent content to stall in guard here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Gunther manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Penitent manages to get himself to full guard.
Penitent being controlled here, momentarily.
Lady Penitent has got the better of the ground game so far.
Gunther being controlled here momentarily.
Penitent trying to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gunther stays in close to Penitent's body and controls the position.
Gunther postures up.
Gunther looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Penitent is trying to keep Gunther in close.

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.
Gunther trying to control the position from guard on top but Penitent is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penitent preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Penitent working for a triangle but Gunther defends it easily.
Penitent being controlled here, momentarily.
Gunther wants to control from the top but Penitent keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Lady Penitent.
I think Penitent 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 Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 28:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Lady Penitent!