PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between PJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael O Leary (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). O Leary is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: B.o.B - I'll Be In The Sky. PJ Penn could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Michael O Leary's chin.

Penn
vs
O Leary

169 cm
24
159 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

172 cm
20
155 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Tri Light Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, PJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael O Leary!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

O Leary feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
O Leary must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
O Leary is fighting to break Penn's control of his arms but Penn is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Penn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Penn pulls O Leary in close to prevent any damage.
Penn manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
O Leary working to try and regain half guard.
O Leary throwing hammer fists to the chest of Penn. What's that going to do exactly?
O Leary is squirming around, avoiding Penn's attempts to control the action.
Penn prevents O Leary from getting the reversal.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn trying to control but he's not successful this time.
O Leary is wriggling around trying to escape.
Penn takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
A nice elbow there by Penn.
O Leary wants to try and get back to his feet.
O Leary is wriggling around trying to escape.
O Leary sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Penn lands with a punch from half guard.
O Leary has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Penn is working away from the top position though.
Penn wants to advance to full mount but O Leary doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

O Leary has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Penn off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
O Leary wants to clinch up but Penn keeps it at a distance.
O Leary just misses with a punch to the body.

Penn shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Penn can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as O Leary is looking to escape.
Penn is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. O Leary can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
O Leary is working to get back to half guard.
Penn looking to control but O Leary is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Leary really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Penn trying to control but O Leary is having none of it.
O Leary is bucking up trying to escape but Penn cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

Penn is working for a guillotine from mount but O Leary frees his head quite easily.
O Leary working to try and regain half guard.
O Leary tries to buck Penn off but he can't manage it.
O Leary tries to reverse the position but Penn maintains control.
Penn landing punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
A nice elbow there by Penn.
O Leary bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Penn seems keen to control O Leary's posture.
O Leary trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.
O Leary wants to stand and escape but instead Penn has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Penn trying to control the position from guard on top but O Leary is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penn is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

PJ Penn dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Penn fakes the leg kick and cracks O Leary in the body.

Penn has O Leary up against the cage in a clinch.
O Leary can't get the takedown.
Penn drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Penn is struggling to control the position.
Penn goes for a takedown in the clinch but O Leary prevents it.
O Leary pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Penn taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Penn works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
O Leary has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Penn is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Leary digs a right hand into Penn's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Penn's gas tank.
Penn fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for PJ Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

O Leary breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
O Leary swings for the body but Penn moves out of range.
Penn fails with an attempt to clinch.

O Leary drives through and clinches with Penn against the cage.
O Leary wants a takedown.
Penn is pressed up against the cage. O Leary has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Penn down to the mat. Penn avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Michael O Leary seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
O Leary is looking to clinch but Penn is avoiding it.
O Leary shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Penn counters with a shoot takedown. O Leary fights it but they end up in guard.

O Leary has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Penn is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for O Leary.
Penn has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
O Leary looking for a sweep but Penn has passed into full mount! Oh no!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Penn with shots to the head and body - O Leary looks very uncomfortable down there.
O Leary is trying desperately to improve position.
Penn lands a nice shot to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
O Leary squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
O Leary tries to reverse the position but Penn maintains control.
A nice elbow there by Penn.
Penn lands with some strikes.
Penn tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Penn lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Leary is squirming around, avoiding Penn's attempts to control the action.
Penn sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
PJ Penn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Penn is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. O Leary can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Penn dominating with strikes here.
O Leary is looking to improve his position but Penn isn't that keen on the idea.
Penn trying to control but O Leary is having none of it.
O Leary is working to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Penn trying to control but O Leary is having none of it.
O Leary tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Penn with good strikes from the mount here!
O Leary is looking to get to half guard.
Penn trying to control but O Leary is having none of it.

Penn looking to secure an arm triangle but O Leary defends it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

PJ Penn dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

O Leary throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Penn.
O Leary avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
O Leary tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Penn makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Penn closes this distance looking for a takedown but O Leary circles away.
Penn fails with the takedown
and O Leary counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
O Leary closes the distance looking to clinch
and Penn counters with a right hand to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
O Leary scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
O Leary tries to close the distance and clinch but Penn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
O Leary closes the distance looking to clinch
and Penn counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
A head kick by O Leary misses

and Penn counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for O Leary!
O Leary tries to hold on but Penn postures up.
Penn can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as O Leary is looking to escape.
O Leary tries to hold on but Penn postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
O Leary sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
O Leary is looking to control Penn's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can O Leary avoid being mounted?
Penn wants to lay and pray for a moment but O Leary keeps working.
O Leary is trying to stand back up but Penn is controlling him
Penn looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks O Leary with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
O Leary tries to get to full guard but Penn has control of the leg.
PJ Penn is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Penn is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
O Leary is trying to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Penn seems content to control.
O Leary is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
O Leary is looking to control Penn's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can O Leary avoid being mounted?
O Leary is trying to stand back up but Penn is controlling him
Penn is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Penn is keen to just control but O Leary is a slippery customer.
O Leary is trying to get back to full guard.
Penn is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for O Leary!
O Leary is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Penn tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
O Leary trying desperately to get to his feet.
Michael O Leary has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Penn controlling his opponent.
O Leary keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Penn controlling his opponent.
Penn tries to control but O Leary wriggling away.
You get the feeling that O Leary really doesn't like being in this position too much.

And that's the end of the fight!
PJ Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Penn, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 30:27

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