The second of two strawweight fights at UFC Vegas 99 saw Elise Reed take on former women’s 115lb title challenger Jessica Penne.
The pair clinched up inside of the opening minute, but broke shortly after, only for Jessica Penne to pursue another takedown attempt. Falling short on that, she would do a better job closing the distance moments later, but Reed showed impressive balance and peppered Penne with right hands for her troubles. Penne refused to let go of a body lock and tried to land a trip, but Reed fought her off. A determined Penne re-engaged moments later, dragging Elise Reed down at long last — only for her to bounce right back up moments later.
Penne again trapped her opponent against the cage, firing knees, while Reed answered with short punches and even an elbow to the thigh. The opening round showed a lot of determination from Penna, and solid defense from Reed.
Round two opened with an exchange of kicks, and this time around, Penne took a different approach. She opted to work her boxing, adding in leg kicks, and soon it paid off, with Reed forced to retreat. Reed’s jab was crisp however, and Penne did opt to clinch up again shortly after, just missing a trip. A Reed punch then sent Penne stumbling back, but she appeared to signal a trip rather than any actual damage. Still, if Penne was going to play the stand-up game, she was going to have to be wary of Reed’s power. Penne was showing some redness around the face; Reed broke out a spinning back kick and appeared to have found her flow. That led Penne to another clinch attempt, which didn’t last.
After threatening to catch a kick, Penne entered the final minute of round two clinching up yet again, only for Reed to reverse then free herself. Penne’s decision to engage in boxing rather than repeat the ultimately successful approach she’s taken in round one appeared to have backfired; she finished the frame under fire, and with a bloody nose.
Penne and Reed entered round three more than likely tied, with the fight looking like it would come down to who was able to implement their game plan in the final frame. Penne pulled up on an early takedown as Reed slipped out of range; that would happen again just over a minute in. And when Penne missed on those takedowns, Reed made her pay, jab snapping her opponent’s head back, leg kicks landing with a thud. Penne was beat red and at risk of being beat in the fight; when she was finally able to clinch up, outside of a few weak knees, she had nothing to give Reed, who quickly extracted herself from the hold. Reed looked fresher, faster, and feistier. Her right hand was there to answer the next couple of Penne takedown attempts.
The pair ended the round brawling, which got the limited crowd at the Apex into the fight- and it also sealed the decision for Elise Reed. Who, as it turned out, had gotten married just a week earlier.
Official Result: Elise Reed def. Jessica Penne by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
