PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between First Second (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Esau Pepson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Esau Pepson is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Second
vs
Pepson

150 cm
23
155 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

165 cm
23
152 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, First Second!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Esau Pepson!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Robert Twigg and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pepson pushes Second up against the cage in a clinch.

Second gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Pepson regains guard.
Pepson bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Second's guard.

Pepson sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Second's guard.
Pepson trying to control from half guard but Second is working away.
Second is trying to stand up here but Pepson is controlling him well.
Pepson is keen to just control but Second is a slippery customer.
Second pushes Pepson off looking to stand but Pepson dives back in and keeps control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pepson throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Second is looking to escape.

Pepson seems to be working for a kimura but Second defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pepson tries to pass the half guard into mount. Second knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Pepson seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Second does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pepson might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Second haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Pepson missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Second might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

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.
Pepson stops Second from getting back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Second closes the distance and clinches.

Second is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Pepson can't fight it off and eventually Second manages to take the fight to the floor. Pepson looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Second throws a big elbow that misses.
Second has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Second throws an elbow that misses. Pepson uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Second's guard. Nice move by Pepson!

Pepson pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Second is keeping the position for now.
Pepson trying to control the position from guard on top but Second is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pepson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pepson tries to free his leg and advance position but Second is retaining full guard.
Second on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Second tries to get out of the position.
Pepson stands and throws Second's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Second is pushing Pepson's head away, looking to escape. Pepson manages to hold on to the position though.
Pepson trying to control the action but Second is working from the bottom.
Second prevents Pepson from moving into mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Pepson trying to control the action but Second is working from the bottom.
Second prevents Pepson from improving position.
Pepson wants to control but Second is keeping him busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Esau Pepson dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pepson drives through with a takedown into guard.
Second is looking to stand back up but Pepson counters by passing into half guard. Oops... bit sloppy there by Second.

Pepson tries to pass to full mount but Second defends it.
Pepson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pepson throwing shots but Second is blocking nicely.
Pepson prevents Second from standing back up.
Pepson is pressing down on Second's thigh, looking to free his foot. Second is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pepson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Second keeps working.
Esau Pepson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Pepson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Pepson looks to land a strike but Second avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Second wants to stand up but Pepson is controlling him.
Second keeping moving, preventing Pepson from controlling successfully.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Pepson misses the jab.
As Pepson tries to get set, Second tries to push him back and clinch up but Pepson manages to avoid the attempt.
Second tries to clinch there but Pepson circles away.
Second fails to land with a series of punches.
First Second is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A big left from Pepson misses.
Second tries to clinch up but Pepson circles away and keeps his distance.
Pepson throws a right and a left that both miss.
Pepson pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Pepson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Second is trying to defend but Pepson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Pepson is trying to control the action in half guard but Second is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Second is looking to escape.
Pepson working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Second's thigh. Second counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Pepson trying to control but Second is working from the bottom.

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.
Pepson tries to free his leg and advance position but Second is retaining full guard.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Second clinches up against the cage.

Second has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Pepson regains guard immediately.
Pepson throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Second cracks Pepson with a solid left hand.
Second throws a big elbow that misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Pepson has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Second can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Second stopping the sweep attempt from Pepson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Esau Pepson will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Pepson shoots in and drives through. Second sprawls well.

Pepson gets tackled into the cage by Second. Second maintains the clinch.
Pepson displaying some good clinch control by pressing Second up against the cage.

Second has picked Pepson up - he's going for a ride! Second dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Second seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Second thows a huge punch but Pepson dodges it nicely.
Second is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Pepson desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Second lands strikes from half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ground and pound from Second.
Second winds up and cracks Pepson with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Second landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pepson has hold of Second's hands but Second slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Pepson is rocked!
Second thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Pepson is still in real trouble! Can Second finish him?
Second 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.
Pepson wants to control but Second is keeping busy.
Second is stalling here. Pepson is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Second seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Pepson has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Pepson seems to have recovered his senses.
Pepson tries to advance to mount but Second denies him.
Second parries the strikes from Pepson easily there. Pepson is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Second to escape.
Second tries to escape but Pepson is in control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Second stops Pepson from passing to mount.
Pepson trying to control the action but Second is working from the bottom.
Pepson throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Second is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Pepson asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Pepson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Second is avoiding damage well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Second wants to get back to his feet but Pepson drags him back down.
Pepson tries to move to full mount but Second actually manages to regain half guard.
Second is looking to get back to is feet but Pepson passes into side control.
Pepson lands a decent elbow from side control.
Pepson has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Second!
Second manages to regain half guard whilst avoiding the strikes.
Pepson is trying to control the action in half guard but Second is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pepson not doing much here.
Pepson looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Second rushes Pepson and presses him up against the cage.
Pepson goes for a takedown in the clinch but Second prevents it.

Second is trying to trip Pepson. He has hold of a leg but Pepson is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Second persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
First Second showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Pepson 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 Gwen Towbar scores the fight for First Second!
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight for First Second!
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight for First Second!

First Second wins by unanimous decision!