PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bj Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Head (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Anthony Head has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Penn
vs
Head

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

188 cm
23
205 lbs
4 - 19 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Bj Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 19 - 0, fighting out of London, Anthony Head!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Chris Edwards and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Penn.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Penn shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bj Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penn shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Head pinned against the cage. Head gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Head scores with a one two! Penn had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Penn throws a sloppy head kick and Head moves out of range easily.

Head gets a clinch.

Head pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Penn shoots in but Head avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Penn shoots in and drives through. Head sprawls well.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Penn will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Head stuffs the takedown.

Head closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Head manages to break the clinch.

Head has managed to clinch.
Head lands a left hand that snaps the head of Penn backwards.

Head breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Head has taken the fight to the clinch.

Penn is fighting off a takedown attempt but Head is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Penn to the mat. Penn regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

Head gets to his feet - Penn follows without any prompting.
Head goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Head has closed the distance and engaged Penn in a clinch.

Head pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Penn shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Head as he jumps to the side.
Head connects with a solid leg kick.
Bj Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Head takes the fight into the clinch.

Head pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Penn shoots in but no luck this time.

Head closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Head breaks from the clinch.
Head throws a right and a left that Penn avoids nicely.
Penn shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Head but Head pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Penn closes the distance and clinches up with Head, looking for a takedown. Penn pushes Head against the cage but Head circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Penn tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Penn shoots for a takedown but Head saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Head breaks the clinch.
Penn has a takedown stuffed.
Head throws a series of punches but Penn moves out of range.
A chopping leg kick lands by Head.
Penn has a takedown stuffed.
No luck for Penn with that takedown attempt.
Penn shoots in for a double leg but Head sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Head stuffs the takedown attempt from Penn. Penn gets slowly back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Head pushes Penn up against the cage in a clinch.
Head digs a right hand into Penn's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Penn's gas tank.
Head wants to get back to striking at distance but Penn won't allow it.
Penn stalling in the clinch.
Penn blocks an uppercut.
Penn is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Head breaks from the clinch.
Penn misses with a head kick.
Nice sprawl there from Head as Penn shoots in.

Head gets a clinch.

Head works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Penn is controlling Head's posture.
Penn looking for a sweep. Not yet Penn, not yet.
Head sitting in guard here, content to control.
Head must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Penn trying to keep a closed guard but Head is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn is really struggling to control Head but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Head preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Penn shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Head as he jumps to the side.
Head lands a nice shot that snaps Penn's head back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Head drives through with a takedown into guard.
Head wants to get up but he can't break Penn's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Penn trying to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Penn misses with a takedown attempt

and Head moves into the clinch.

Head breaks the clinch.
Head fails with an attempt to clinch.
Penn with a lazy takedown attempt

and Head counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Penn's guard now.
Penn tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Penn looking to control.
Penn looking for a sweep. Not yet Penn, not yet.
Head is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Head trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Penn gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Head counters with a series of strikes. Penn will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bj Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Head uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Nice sprawl there from Head as Penn shoots in.

Head bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Penn manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Head wants to get back to his feet.
Head is not content to let Penn control the position.
Penn works his way into full mount!
Penn sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Head swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Head is working to get back to half guard.
Penn looking to control and managing it successfully.
Head is looking to get to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn looking to control but Head is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Head is trying to escape the mount.
Penn content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn looking to control but Head is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Bj Penn just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt

and Head counters by moving into the clinch.
Head tries for a takedown but Penn manages to get underhooks.
Head lands a left hand.
Penn drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Penn is trying to drag Head to the mat but Head just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Penn drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Head with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

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.
Penn is trying to drag Head to the mat but Head just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Penn. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Penn drops down looking for an ankle pick but Head pulls his leg out and moves away.

Head rushes Penn and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Head pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt
and Head counters with a nice uppercut.
Penn shoots in but Head avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Penn shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Head decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Penn's guard.
Head with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Head trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Head wants to stand but Penn is controlling his posture from full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Head showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Penn with a lazy takedown attempt

and Head counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Head.
Penn has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Head is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Head lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Head's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Penn has his takedown stuffed

and Head counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bj Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Head slowing the pace effectively.
Penn goes for a takedown attempt but Head pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Head gets the takedown into side control.

Head wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Penn, who protects the arm well.
Penn gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Anthony Head has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Penn wants to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Head seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Penn does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Penn works his way to full guard. Good work.
Penn seems keen to control Head's posture.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Head from controlling successfully.
Penn not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Penn tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Penn is working hard here to advance position.
Head trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penn seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Head working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Penn shoots and misses

and Head counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Head.
Bj Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Penn is on top in guard.
Penn sitting in guard here, content to control.
Head keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.

Head manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Head looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Penn misses with a head kick.
Head keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Penn doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Head counters by clinching up.
Penn goes for a takedown attempt but Head pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Penn gets the takedown into side control.
Penn wants to control but Head is keeping him busy.
Penn controls the position.
Head wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Head is looking for a sweep.
Penn is looking to take a break and control but Head is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Head is pushing Penn's head away, looking to escape. Penn manages to hold on to the position though.
Penn controls the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Penn gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Head counters with a nice leg kick.

Head gets the takedown into side control.
Penn is trying to control Head's posture but Head avoids it.
Head trying to control the action but Penn is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn is looking to regain half guard here but Head keeps moving and retains side control.
Anthony Head is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Head takes a little break here. Penn wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Head comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Head has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 26:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 26:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anthony Head!