PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Kenard (ranked 25138 p4p, 4477 weight class) and Vitoco Manners (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vitoco Manners has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Kenard
vs
Manners

180 cm
24
149
1 - 3 - 0

169 cm
25
150
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ Brown Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Johnny Kenard!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Vitoco Manners!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Kenard misses.
Kenard walks into a left hand.

Kenard gets a double leg takedown into Manners's guard.
Kenard looking to pass the guard.
Kenard has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kenard passes Manners's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Kenard working over Manners with some ground and pound. Manners looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kenard is pressing down on Manners's thigh, looking to free his foot. Manners is holding on for now.

Manners has one foot on Kenard's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Manners digs a good body shot into Kenard's ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manners throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Kenard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Kenard manages to break the clinch.
Manners throws out a loose jab but Kenard uses good head movement to avoid it.

Kenard scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kenard definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Kenard controlling the action here.

Kenard is trying to work for a kimura but Manners is defending well.
Manners is trying to escape back to his feet but Kenard uses the scramble to pass into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kenard lands a nice forearm strike.
Manners can't do much from the bottom here.

Kenard working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Manners wants to control but Kenard postures up.

Kenard looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Manners is letting Kenard control him for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manners is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Kenard asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Kenard cracks Manners with a big right hand but Manners just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Manners tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Kenard tries for a kimura but Manners is defending well.
Manners sneaks back into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Kenard thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Manners's head.
Manners tries to kick Kenard off but Kenard keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Kenard performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Manners is trying to stand up here but Kenard is controlling him well.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Kenard throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Manners wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Manners misses with an uppercut.
Manners tests Kenard's chin there with a solid looking shot.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Kenard dominated that round.
That's time! Kenard's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Kenard moves into the clinch.

Kenard breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kenard ducks under a wild hook from Manners.
Manners looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Kenard pushes Manners up against the cage in a clinch.
Manners fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Manners struggles to land a body shot inside as Kenard controls his hands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

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

Kenard moves into the clinch.

Kenard is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Manners can't fight it off and eventually Kenard manages to take the fight to the floor. Manners looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Kenard will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kenard 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kenard trying to control the position from guard on top but Manners is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kenard won't allow Manners to sweep him here.
Kenard throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Kenard preventing the sweep.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Manners keeping full guard, as Kenard tries to pass.
Kenard postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Kenard showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Kenard in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Kenard sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manners throws an overhand right that drops Kenard like a sack of potatoes! Manners dives in to finish the fight with more strikes and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:08 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Vitoco Manners!
Vitoco Manners bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.
The defeated Johnny Kenard had this to say: 'Bow in grace'.