PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Iker Casillas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Fennessy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fennessy has chosen Drowning Pool - Bodies as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Casillas
vs
Fennessy

188 cm
23
205 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

184 cm
19
205 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Iker Casillas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chris Fennessy!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Edson Gomes and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Casillas shoots in for a double leg but Fennessy sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Fennessy misses with a double jab.
Casillas tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Fennessy swivels and escapes.
Casillas shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Iker Casillas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Casillas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Fennessy pinned against the cage. Fennessy gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Fennessy moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

It looks like Iker Casillas has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Fennessy gets caught flat footed, as Casillas shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Fennessy has his feet on Casillas's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Casillas shoots in and drives through. Fennessy sprawls well.

Fennessy shoots in and bounces Casillas off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Fennessy would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fennessy working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Fennessy gets to his feet - Casillas follows without any prompting.
Fennessy fails with an attempt to clinch.
Casillas fails with the takedown

and Fennessy counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fennessy wants to stand up but Casillas is controlling the position.
Fennessy is thwarting Casillas's attempts to control the position.
Fennessy wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Casillas uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

Casillas had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Fennessy is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Casillas Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Fennessy's back instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fennessy showing good submission defense here.
Casillas is breathing heavily.

Casillas working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Fennessy is trying to get back to his feet but Casillas has full control of the position and if anything, Fennessy has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Fennessy tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Casillas is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Fennessy knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Fennessy for a finish.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Casillas is hanging on to Fennessy's back as he tries to escape.
Fennessy trying to get back to his feet but Casillas is in full control for now.

Casillas has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Fennessy tries to escape but Casillas has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy turns into Casillas and is now in his guard.

Casillas has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Fennessy can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Casillas looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Fennessy working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Fennessy tries to stand but Casillas is controlling from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fennessy throwing strikes but missing.
Casillas tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Fennessy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Iker Casillas's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Casillas moves out of range of the leg kick from Fennessy.
Fennessy tries to clinch but Casillas moves out of range.
Fennessy will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Casillas shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Fennessy is looking for a sweep. Casillas is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Fennessy wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fennessy is looking to improve his position.

Casillas is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Fennessy is just riding it out for now. Casillas eventually gives up the hold.

Fennessy pushes Casillas off and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fennessy looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Fennessy tries to clinch but Casillas is having none of it.
Chris Fennessy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fennessy tries to clinch but Casillas is having none of it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Casillas.

Casillas looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Fennessy is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Casillas's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Fennessy is trying to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy is looking to control Casillas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fennessy avoid being mounted?
Fennessy wants to get back to full guard.
Casillas wants to pass the guard but Fennessy is defending well.
Fennessy is trying to stand back up but Casillas is controlling him

Casillas is looking for a kimura but Fennessy is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Casillas to get the leverage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fennessy is trying to escape back to his feet but Casillas uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Fennessy is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Casillas's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Casillas is keen to just control but Fennessy is a slippery customer.
Fennessy is trying to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy has a hand on Casillas's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Casillas takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Fennessy sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Casillas is working for a submission of some sort.
Fennessy looks like he's trying to stand up.

Fennessy manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Casillas shoots and misses
and Fennessy cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Casillas fails with the takedown

and Fennessy moves into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy tries for a takedown but Casillas manages to get underhooks.

Fennessy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Casillas misses with a takedown attempt

and Fennessy counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Casillas's guard now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Iker Casillas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Fennessy wants to stand but Casillas has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Fennessy stands up and waves to Casillas to follow him.
Casillas shoots and misses
and Fennessy makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Fennessy wants to slow Casillas down by chopping away at his legs.
Fennessy is looking to clinch.
Fennessy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Fennessy tries to clinch but Casillas is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Fennessy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Iker Casillas's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Fennessy tries to clinch but Casillas moves out of range.
Fennessy throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Casillas.

Fennessy closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Casillas sneaks back into half guard.

Fennessy escapes and gets back to his feet.

Casillas closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

Casillas tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Chris Fennessy has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fennessy is looking for a sweep.

Casillas tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fennessy is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Fennessy prevents Casillas from moving into mount.
Fennessy is trying to get back to his feet.
Casillas wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fennessy keeps working.
Fennessy sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Casillas stops Fennessy from getting back to his feet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Casillas closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Fennessy is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fennessy has one foot on Casillas's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Casillas slips a jab and a cross from Fennessy.

Casillas looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Fennessy is defending against the submission attempts here by Casillas.
Fennessy is trying to stand back up but Casillas is controlling him

Casillas is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Ground and pound from Casillas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fennessy manages to get to full guard.
Fennessy is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Casillas is controlling him.
Fennessy looking to control.

Fennessy pushes Casillas off and gets back to his feet.
Fennessy throws a right hand that Casillas ducks under and follows up with a left that Casillas also avoids with ease.
Fennessy misses the jab.
Chris Fennessy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Fennessy is looking to clinch.
Casillas tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Fennessy counters with a takedown into side control.

Fennessy stands up and beckons Casillas to his feet.
Fennessy throws a nice looking combination but Casillas bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fennessy misses with a low kick as Casillas jumps back.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fennessy throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Casillas sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Fennessy shoots and misses

so Casillas counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Iker Casillas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Casillas thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

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 Iker Casillas.
Well Fennessy has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Fennessy!