PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Leo Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Stacker Pentacost (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonnen comes to the cage accompanied by Scream Aim Fire. Pentacost has chosen Code Blue Coma/ Downset as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sonnen
vs
Pentacost

178 cm
29
261 lbs
11 - 11 - 1

182 cm
26
223 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 11 - 1, fighting out of New York, Leo Sonnen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Stacker Pentacost!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Eddie Farnsworth and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sonnen buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Pentacost takes one to the chin there.
Pentacost misses with an uppercut.
Nice shot by Sonnen.
Sonnen takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Pentacost will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sonnen pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pentacost throws a right and a left that both miss.
It appears Sonnen was looking to counter with a kick there.
Sonnen keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pentacost swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pentacost misses with a looping right.
Pentacost tries a head kick but it misses.
Pentacost swings for the body but Sonnen moves out of range.
Sonnen lands a leg kick that knocks Pentacost off balance momentarily.
Pentacost has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pentacost jabs Sonnen to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Pentacost misses with an uppercut. Sonnen saw that one coming.
Pentacost lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Sonnen. Those never looked like landing.
Pentacost throws out a counter right but Sonnen avoids it with no problem.
Sonnen misses with a straight left.

Sonnen manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Pentacost on his heels. He'll look to pass Pentacost's guard now, I'm sure.
Pentacost has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sonnen postures up.
Sonnen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pentacost works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Sonnen controlling from the top position.
Pentacost looking for a sweep. Not yet Pentacost, not yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Sonnen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Sonnen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sonnen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Pentacost's guard.
Pentacost keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sonnen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sonnen is pressing down on Pentacost's thigh, looking to free his foot. Pentacost is holding on for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Sonnen 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 three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pentacost avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Sonnen.
Sonnen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pentacost's head.
Pentacost keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Sonnen wants to pass the guard but Pentacost is defending well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Sonnen jabs at Pentacost's body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Pentacost. Sonnen does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pentacost slips under a jab.
Nice defenses there by Pentacost.
Pentacost ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pentacost takes a swing at Sonnen's ribcage but misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Sonnen. Pentacost does a little dance to reset his feet.
Pentacost just misses with a punch to the body.
Sonnen dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Pentacost. That did some damage!
Sonnen ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Pentacost moves away.
Pentacost misses with an uppercut. Sonnen saw that one coming.
Pentacost throws an overhand right that lands on Sonnen's shoulder, as Sonnen tries to avoid the shot.
Sonnen attempts a counter takedown but Pentacost avoids it well and moves away.
Pentacost takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Sonnen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pentacost.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Sonnen - that will leave a mark!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pentacost keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Stacker Pentacost is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A slow jab from Pentacost misses its intended target.
Sonnen misses with a body shot.
Sonnen getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Pentacost throws a good cross that connects.
Sonnen throws an overhand right that lands on Pentacost's shoulder, as Pentacost tries to avoid the shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Sonnen dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Sonnen changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pentacost tries to avoid it but Sonnen manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pentacost to the ground. Pentacost escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Pentacost slips under a jab from Sonnen.
A big right from Pentacost misses.
Sonnen appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
A big left from Pentacost misses.
Pentacost misses with a double jab.
Sonnen throws a leg kick but Pentacost moved away.
Sonnen throws a lazy right hand but Pentacost sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Pentacost throws a right hand that Sonnen ducks under and follows up with a left that Sonnen also avoids with ease.
Sonnen throws a poor cross that misses
and Pentacost counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Nice defenses there by Sonnen.
Sonnen appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

Sonnen is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Pentacost's half guard.
Sonnen not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Ground and pound from Sonnen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pentacost is pressing down on Sonnen's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Sonnen throws an elbow that misses. Pentacost uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sonnen's guard. Nice move by Pentacost!

Sonnen is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pentacost must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Sonnen looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Pentacost passes into side control.
Sonnen struggling a bit here.
Sonnen manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Leo Sonnen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Pentacost keeping hold of Sonnen's head, controlling as best he can.
Pentacost blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sonnen.
Sonnen thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Pentacost's head.
Pentacost blocking the ground and pound attempt from Sonnen.
Sonnen seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Pentacost does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Sonnen lands a nice short elbow.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pentacost keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pentacost trying to control here.
Sonnen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sonnen wants to free his trapped foot but Pentacost is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Sonnen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sonnen working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Pentacost's thigh. Pentacost counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Sonnen is looking to pass into half guard but Pentacost pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Pentacost is in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen pulls Pentacost in close to prevent any damage.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sonnen is on top in guard.

Sonnen trying to control but Pentacost is working from the bottom.
Sonnen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sonnen looking to pass the guard.
Pentacost keeping moving, preventing Sonnen from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Sonnen dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Sonnen with a jab.
Pentacost misses with a wild combination.
Pentacost misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Pentacost swings for the body but Sonnen moves out of range.
Sonnen rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Pentacost counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Pentacost throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Nice body punch from Sonnen.
Pentacost misses with a combination

so Sonnen counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sonnen forces his way into half guard.
Sonnen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen thows a huge punch but Pentacost dodges it nicely.
Sonnen wants to take a breather but Pentacost is having none of it.
Sonnen missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Sonnen is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Pentacost sees it coming and defends easily.
Sonnen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Pentacost can do to turn this around?

Sonnen looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Pentacost is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Sonnen scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's two 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.
Pentacost tries to get to full guard but Sonnen has control of the leg.
Pentacost is staying active underneath Sonnen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Sonnen throwing shots but Pentacost is blocking nicely.
Pentacost is looking to improve his position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sonnen in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen throwing shots but Pentacost is blocking nicely.
Sonnen looks to land a strike but Pentacost avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Sonnen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Leo Sonnen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pentacost misses with a kick to the body.
Sonnen misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pentacost ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Sonnen misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pentacost.

Sonnen closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Pentacost avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sonnen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen wants to control but Pentacost is keeping him busy.
Pentacost being controlled for a moment.
Pentacost managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Sonnen.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pentacost is not content to let Sonnen control the position.
Stacker Pentacost has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Leo Sonnen showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sonnen, 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leo Sonnen!
A very excited looking Leo Sonnen made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.