PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between David Luiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fyodor Pending (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Luiz
vs
Pending

170 cm
43
143 lbs
31 - 28 - 1

150 cm
46
130 lbs
54 - 77 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Good chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
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 31 - 28 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, David Luiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 54 - 77 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Fyodor Pending!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Cecil Peabody and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pending drops his hands momentarily and Luiz takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Luiz scores with a nice head shot.
Luiz lands a jab to Pending's midsection.
A jab lands there for Luiz.
Luiz catches Pending with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Luiz lands with a shot to the body.
Donk. Luiz catches Pending right on the button with a cross.

Luiz closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Pending did well to prevent Luiz getting side control.
Luiz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Luiz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Pending tries to get to full guard but Luiz has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Luiz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Pending tries to get to full guard but Luiz has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
It looks like Luiz is going to stand back up.

Pending looking for submissions off his back.
Pending is trying to control but can't.
Pending tries to get to full guard but Luiz has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Luiz takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Luiz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Pending has hold of Luiz's hands but Luiz slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Luiz landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Luiz seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Luiz working the head and body with strikes.
Luiz prevents Pending from improving his position.

Pending looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Pending wants to improve his position but Luiz is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pending keeps trying to improve his position.
Luiz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Luiz is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Luiz takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Pending looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Pending looking for a kimura from the bottom but Luiz passes into side control!
Pending wants to control but Luiz postures up.
Luiz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pending is trying to improve his position.
Check out the look on Luiz's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Pending is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Luiz off and has taken his back!
Pending should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Pending's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Luiz showing good submission defense here.

Luiz is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Pending off. It looks like it's working - Pending slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Luiz displaying calm under pressure there.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Luiz looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Luiz dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Luiz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
We've been told by Luiz's head coaches at Roosters Coop that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Pending has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Luiz clinches with his opponent.

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

Luiz clinches.

Luiz breaks the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pending's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Luiz connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Pending scrambles back to his feet.
Luiz misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Pending is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Luiz gets in close and instigates a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Luiz lands a takedown into guard.

Pending working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Luiz doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Luiz manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Pending is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Pending keeping full guard, as Luiz tries to pass.

Pending looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Luiz passes into half guard.
Luiz drops an elbow to the side of Pending's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Luiz is controlling the pace.
Pending is looking to get back to full guard here but Luiz has managed to pass to side control instead.
You can see the frustration on Pending's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pending is trying to work for a sweep but Luiz has mounted him!
Luiz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pending is looking to escape.
David Luiz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pending is desperately trying to improve his position but Luiz has a good base and remains in mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luiz lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Pending slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Luiz performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Luiz connects with a nice short shot to Pending's temple.
Pending wants to control but Luiz is keeping busy.

Pending looking for a kimura from the bottom but Luiz passes into side control!
Luiz cracks Pending with a big elbow.
Luiz scoring with punches from side control.
Luiz lands a few punches from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pending is looking for a sweep.
Luiz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Luiz in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Pending is trying to control Luiz's posture but Luiz avoids it.
Luiz slows the pace down.
Luiz working the head with strikes.
Pending manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Pending is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Luiz jumps into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Pending is trying to get back to half guard.
Luiz cracks Pending with an elbow. That is naaassty.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

David Luiz dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Luiz instigates a clinch.

Luiz breaks from the clinch.
Luiz lands a jab.

Luiz drops Pending with a nice combination! Luiz dives into Pending's guard, looking to finish!

Pending is rocked!

Pending has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Luiz 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 Pending.
Pending is still in real trouble! Can Luiz finish him?
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Luiz is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Pending's shoulder. That is not cool.
Pending is trying to improve his position.
Pending seems to have recovered his senses.
Luiz trying to control the position but Pending is working away.
Luiz working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pending is trying to get back to half guard.
Luiz working the ground and pound.
Pending on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Pending wants to control but Luiz postures up.
Luiz is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Pending will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Pending looks to move to half guard but instead Luiz has passed into mount! Damn!
Pending is wriggling around trying to escape.
Luiz lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pending working to try and regain half guard.
Luiz landing punches.
Luiz avoids the attempt from Pending to control.
Luiz lands a big elbow.
Luiz trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Pending is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Luiz lands a nice shot to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pending regains half guard.
Luiz is keen to just control but Pending is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Luiz lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Pending looking for submissions off his back.
Pending takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Luiz working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Pending looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Luiz controlling the action here.

Luiz stands up out of the half guard.
David Luiz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Luiz manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Pending on his heels. He'll look to pass Pending's guard now, I'm sure.
Luiz passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Luiz working away.
Pending is letting Luiz control him for a moment.

Luiz decides to stand back up. Luiz steps back and let's Pending get back to his feet.
Luiz stuns Pending with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Luiz throws out a powerful jab.
Fyodor Pending has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pending closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

And that's the end of the fight!
David Luiz showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Luiz 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 30:26
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:26
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... David Luiz!