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#3 Raquel Pennington vs. Marion Reneau (Women's Bantamweight)
The women took center stage next at UFC on ESPN, and both fighters were coming off loses and needed wins to steady the ship.
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The first round was relatively close as both changed kicks early on before engaging in some dirty boxing and close-range striking in the clinch. Reneau took control of the clinch against the cage, and while she couldn't get her opponent down, she did enough to win the round.
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Reneau picked up from the first round and forced the clinch against the cage. A misplaced knee to the groin strike from Reneau momentarily stopped the fight. Pennington took her time, and the fight resumed. The break seemed to have helped Raquel as she came out all guns blazing with a flurry of strikes.
Reneau closed the distance and locked in the clinch. Pennington was dangerous in the Thai clinch with the knees. Those knees were brutal! Reneau used the incoming knees to score a takedown. Pennington got back up and flipped the position to land blows from the top. Reneau threatened with the arm triangle from the back Raquel got her arm out and both were back on their feet. Pennington had doubled up on the number of strikes over her opponent as the round came to a close. Raquel pulled the fight in her favour.
Pennington's hands were explosive and crisp in the final round. Raquel engaged in the Thai clinch after cracking Reneau with an elbow to the forehead, and the signature knees were on display yet again. Another clinch, and it was the same story as the knees from Pennington kept coming in. "Rocky'' had the strength advantage and she used it exceptionally well all throughout the round. Pennington was all over Reneau with the strikes that came in from all angles. She was ferocious as she stuffed a takedown attempt and just looked to see out the final thirty seconds.
Result: Raquel Pennington def. Marion Reneau via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
The superior Thai clinch work and the nasty knees from Raquel were the deciding factors in the fight as she scored a UD victory.
