PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Helio Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Gracie
vs
Penn

175 cm
24
140 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

175 cm
24
136 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Helio Gracie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Chris Downing and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Gracie gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Penn to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Penn drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Gracie manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Penn has Gracie in his guard.

Penn working for submissions but it's allowed Gracie to get to half guard.
Gracie trying to pass the guard but Penn defending well.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

Gracie is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Penn punching from the bottom.

Gracie is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn looking for submissions off his back.

Penn looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Gracie slaps away a takedown attempt from Penn, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Penn tries to score a power double leg takedown but Gracie sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Penn somewhat.
Gracie keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Helio Gracie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.

Penn closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Penn works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie struggling a bit here.
Penn postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Gracie sneaks back into half guard.
Penn winds up and cracks Gracie with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Gracie slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Penn thows a big elbow that misses.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Gracie is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Penn is aware though and is defending well.
Penn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gracie swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Penn lands a couple of digs.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Gracie works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie keeping full guard, as Penn tries to pass.

Penn has gone for a leg lock! Gracie slips out almost immediately though and dives into Penn's guard.
Penn looks gassed!

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie looking to pass the guard.

Penn working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Gracie doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Gracie manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Penn working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gracie trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.

Penn had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Gracie is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Penn Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Gracie's back instead.
Gracie manages to reverse the position and now he's in Penn's guard. Nice work there by Gracie.
Penn trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Penn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Gracie wants to control from the top but Penn keeps moving.

Penn working for a triangle but Gracie defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but BJ Penn will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Penn shoots in but Gracie avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Penn is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Nice takedown defense from Gracie. No joy for Penn on that attempt.
Helio Gracie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gracie with a poor takedown

and Penn counters with a takedown into side control.
Gracie gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Penn throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Penn thows a huge punch but Gracie dodges it nicely.
Gracie regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Penn.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Gracie controls Penn momentarily but Penn frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Penn thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Gracie throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Gracie working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Penn.
Penn advances to half guard.
BJ Penn has got the better of the ground game so far.

Penn is working for a kimura but Gracie is defending it quite comfortably.
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Penn.

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Penn pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Penn seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Penn seems to be working for a kimura but Gracie defends the submission attempt.
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Penn.
Gracie is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Gracie regains full guard. Nicely done.
Penn won't allow Gracie to sweep him here.

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

Penn scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Gracie blocking the ground and pound attempt from Penn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Penn is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gracie is looking to control Penn's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gracie avoid being mounted?

Gracie is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Penn pulls his head out easily.
Penn working over Gracie with some ground and pound. Gracie looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Penn moves nicely into side control.

Penn is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Gracie is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Penn wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Gracie, who protects the arm well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Sloppy strikes there by Penn.
Gracie sneaks back into half guard.
Penn landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gracie is in trouble now - Penn has advanced to mount!
Penn unloading with bombs!
Penn looking to finish Gracie with some ground and pound. This is bad for Gracie!
Penn putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Gracie is looking to improve his position but Penn isn't that keen on the idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Penn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Penn shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Penn showed some decent athleticism there.

Gracie looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Penn scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Penn drops an elbow to the side of Gracie's head.
Penn is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Gracie keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Penn looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Gracie with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Gracie is defending against the submission attempts here by Penn.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Penn is pressing down on Gracie's thigh, looking to free his foot. Gracie is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Gracie avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Penn.

Penn is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Penn with a poor takedown

and Gracie counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Gracie trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gracie stays in close to Penn's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Penn is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Penn is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Gracie defends well.

Penn is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Penn trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Gracie is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Penn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Gracie gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Gracie avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie pushing down on Penn's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Penn missing with punches from the bottom.

Penn looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Gracie moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Penn.
Penn is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Penn throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Penn is looking to regain half guard here but Gracie keeps moving and retains side control.
Penn misses with an elbow from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Gracie fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Penn avoids it really well and circles away.
Penn shoots and misses

and Gracie decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Penn's guard.
Penn is striking but Gracie is not phased and passes to half guard.

Gracie is working for a kimura but Penn is defending it quite comfortably.
Penn tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Helio Gracie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Helio Gracie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Penn 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... BJ Penn!