PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sal Manella (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cassius Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manella kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Egg. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Manella
vs
Penn

173 cm
28
167 lbs
18 - 3 - 0

181 cm
31
168 lbs
22 - 15 - 0

Decent wrestler
Dangerous knees
KO power

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 18 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sal Manella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 22 - 15 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Cassius Penn!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, William Peck and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn throws a hook but Manella blocks it.
Penn takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Manella ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Penn takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Manella throws a head kick that misses.
Manella uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Penn has time to react.
Penn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Penn takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Manella throws a head kick that misses.
Penn takes one to the side of the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Manella slips a jab and a cross from Penn.
Manella throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Penn connects with a solid leg kick.
Penn scores with a slapping inside leg kick.

Manella lands a big head kick that sends Penn tumbling to the mat! Manella takes a step backwards and waves Penn back to his feet - he wants the finish!

Penn is rocked!
Manella throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Penn counters with a good, hard body kick but Manella shrugs it off.
Penn is still on wobbly legs! Can Manella finish him?

A momentary lapse in concentration from Manella enables Penn to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Manella manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Manella looking to hit a scissor sweep but Penn is one step ahead there.
Penn seems to have recovered his senses.
Manella is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Manella on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Manella tries to get out of the position.
Penn throws a big elbow that misses.
Penn with a nice head shot there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Manella looking to hit a scissor sweep but Penn is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Manella swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manella keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
Penn throwing strikes from guard but Manella blocks nicely.
Manella avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Penn trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Penn throwing strikes from guard but Manella blocks nicely.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Manella works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn postures up in Manella's guard and throws a big left but Manella blocks it.
Penn keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Manella's head.
Penn trying to control but Manella is working from the bottom.
Penn trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Manella keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
Penn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Manella swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Penn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Manella utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn with a flurry of punches that miss.
Manella utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Penn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Manella works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Penn missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Penn won't allow Manella to sweep him here.
Penn throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Manella controls Penn momentarily but Penn frees himself.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Penn postures up in Manella's guard and throws a big left but Manella blocks it.
Manella has momentary wrist control but Penn slips an elbow through the middle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Sal Manella will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Penn pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Penn fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Manella to the ground. Penn is now in Manella's guard.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Manella works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Penn has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Penn trying to control the position from guard on top but Manella is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cassius Penn has got the better of the ground game so far.
Manella avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Penn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Penn throwing strikes from guard but Manella blocks nicely.
Penn trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Penn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manella looking for a sweep. Not yet Manella, not yet.
Penn is working Manella over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Penn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Manella swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Manella looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Penn puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Penn throwing shots but Manella is blocking nicely.

Penn is looking for a kimura here.
Penn throwing shots but Manella is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn trying to control the action but Manella is working from the bottom.
Manella is looking to improve his position.

Penn is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Manella is looking to improve his position.
Penn keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Manella is not content to let Penn control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manella slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Manella utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Penn with a flurry of punches that miss.
Penn stops Manella from standing up.
Penn throws a big right hand that misses.
Penn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Penn postures up in Manella's guard and throws a big left but Manella blocks it.
Penn stands up over Manella, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Manella knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Penn on the ground.
Penn trying to control but Manella is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn pushes down on Manella's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Manella regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Penn.
Penn throws a big right hand that misses.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Manella works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn preventing the sweep.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cassius Penn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Manella throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Penn stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A jab from Penn finds it's way through Manella's defenses.
Sal Manella is winning the standup battle so far.
Manella goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Penn blocks a jab.
Penn works Manella's body with a nice hook.
Manella does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Manella delivers a nice body kick.
Penn ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Manella moves away.
Penn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Manella circles away.

Penn drives through with a takedown into Manella's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Penn postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Manella wants to stand but Penn is controlling the position.
Penn makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Penn sitting in guard here, content to control.
Manella looking to control.
Penn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Penn wants to control from the top but Manella keeps moving.
Penn throws a big right hand that misses.
Penn throws a big elbow that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manella utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Penn throwing strikes but missing.

Penn thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Manella working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Penn.
Penn pushes down on Manella's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Penn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Manella keeps working.
Penn performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

Penn is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Manella still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Manella has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!
Penn is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Manella's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
It looks like Manella is going to stand back up.
Penn moves into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Manella wants to get up but he can't break Penn's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Manella is fighting to break Penn's control of his arms but Penn is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Manella wants to stand but Penn is controlling his posture from full guard.
Penn looking for a sweep. Not yet Penn, not yet.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Penn pulls Manella in close to his closed guard and prevents Manella from doing any damage or advancing position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Penn throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Manella counters with a good low kick that Penn was not able to check.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cassius Penn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Penn 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cassius Penn!