Raquel Pennington clearly got the better of Marion Reneau tonight at UFC On ESPN 11 on her way to a unanimous decision victory.
Round One:
Reneau pumping out the jab to start. Pennington with a left hand that gets through. Reneau still feeling out with the jab.
Right hand for Pennington. Leg kick for Reneau. Now a nice straight from Reneau. Leg kick for Pennington. Left hook for her and then another left.
Jab to the body for Pennington. One-two for Reneau and then a counter from Pennington. Leg kick for Reneau. left hook lands for Pennington. She lands an elbow in the clinch and then pushes her opponent to the cage.
Knee to the body for Pennington in close. She lands another, but Reneau is circling out from the cage. Pennington with another knee and then they separate.
Right hand lands for Reneau, but then Pennington is back into the clinch against the age. Knee to the body for her. another lands as Reneau tries to break free.
Reneau reversing the cage clinch position now. Pennington still lands a knee to the body as Reneau responds with one of her own. Now Pennington reversing again, but then Reneau shunts around to partially get her back. Pennington trying to move away from that, but Reneau is able to secure the position better.
Reneau trying to get a takedown in the final 20 seconds, but then lands some short right hands to the head instead and then stays strong in the clinch to end the round.
Round Two:
Leg kick for Reneau and then a punch thrown too. Pennington with a superman punch. Reneau fires back. Pennington unleashes too as both women look to pick up the pace here.
Reneau clinches against the cage. Pennington still manages to land a good knee to the body. Reneau tries to land one of her own, but it lands to the groin and Pennington yelps in pain and that forces a stoppage. Pennington taking her time to recover, but is ok to continue.
Leg kick for Pennington on the restart. Both ladies trade punches. straight punches land for Pennington. Frantic clinch exchange and then settles as Reneau walks her opponent to the cage while working knees.
Nice knee to the body for Pennington. Muay thai clinch for her as she lands another knee to the body. Now Pennington reversing the clinch and it’s Reneau’s turn to land a knee. Reneau reverses the position, but Pennington rips a few more hard knees to the body while utilizing the muay thai clinch.
However, now Reneau is able to land a takedown, but Pennington gets out from that and then manages to move on top.
Reneau now trying for a triangle choke, but Pennington gets her head out of danger. Reneau makes her way back to her feet, but Pennington stays clinching her up against the cage. Knee to the body for Reneau.
Elbow strike from Pennington and then short punches from Reneau. Pennington reverses the clinch and trying for a takedown that’s not going to pay off, while Reneau lands short elbows to the head.
Round Three:
Reneau throwing hard to start, but its Pennington who lands a couple of straight punches. Pennington landing again. Reneau working for a takedown and Pennington goes down to her knees close to the cage. Pennington able to stand, but Reneau remains clinched up.
Back to that knee strike to the body from Pennington and Reneau opts to back away – perhaps those knee strikes are really starting to take a toll now.
Pennington pressuring forward and she lands an elbow as Reneau backs away and looks a bit tired. Pennington gets the thai clinch and blasts another hard knee strike to the body. And again.
Reneau gets away for now. Pennington with a punch and then back into the clinch. Knees to the thigh now from Pennington. Reneau tries to reverse, but Pennington muscles her back to the cage again.
They go to striking range. Pennington comes forward and lands some nice clean punches down the pipe, but then moves into the clinch again.
Not much happening from that and they go back to striking range. Pennington hitting Reneau with more hard straight punches. Reneau trying to fire back. Now she goes for a takedown, but Pennington defends it and ends up dragging Reneau down to one knee against the cage.
Reneau stands bak up with Pennington clinching up. Pennington blasts her with an elbow and Reneau seemed hurt from that. Reneau clinches up, but Pennington working that muay thai clinch again with knees and then reverses the clinch to end the round.
Decision:
Good performance from Pennington here then, with her work from the thai clinch being particularly strong en-route to a unanimous decision victory (30-27, 29-28 x2).
