PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between George Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Zhang Zhu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Penn
vs
Zhu

189 cm
25
174 lbs
3 - 5 - 1

178 cm
24
180 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 1, fighting out of New York, George Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Zhang Zhu!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Jonathan Paton and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zhu tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Penn counters with a stiff right hand.

It looks like Zhang Zhu has been cut.
Penn leaves Zhu with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Zhu wants to clinch up but Penn keeps it at a distance.
Penn has his takedown stuffed

and Zhu counters by clinching up.
Penn avoids a wild elbow strike from Zhu.
Penn wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Penn is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Penn has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Zhu is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for George Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Zhu breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Penn with a lazy takedown attempt

and Zhu holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Penn is looking to break free of the clinch but Zhu has double underhooks.
Zhu misses with an elbow over the top.
Zhu with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Zhu throws a knee to the head but misses.
Zhu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Zhu.
Zhu pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Zhu throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Zhu tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Zhu throws a knee to the head but misses.
Penn tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Zhu just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn is trying to break the clinch but Zhu has him pressed against the cage.
Zhu lands a nice elbow.
Zhu looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Penn is trying to break free.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Zhu throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Penn blocks it with crossed arms.
Zhu gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Penn.

Zhu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Penn throws a right and a left that Zhu avoids nicely.
Zhu tries to clinch up

and Penn counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Penn.
Zhu looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Penn wants to control from the top but Zhu keeps moving.
Penn prevents Zhu from getting back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhu is trying to control the position but Penn postures up.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zhu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Penn throws a big right hand that misses.
Zhu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Penn.
Zhu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Penn.

Penn thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Zhu is on top in guard.
Zhu trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Penn utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Zhu would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Zhu must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Penn uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Penn throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Penn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Zhu moves to clinch but Penn breaks away

and Penn counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zhu on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Penn throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Penn not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Penn missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Penn throwing shots but Zhu is blocking nicely.
Penn throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Penn missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Penn dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Zhang Zhu's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Penn misses with a takedown attempt - Zhu sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Penn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Zhu throws a nice head kick!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Penn crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Zhu - the referee stops the clock and Penn gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Zhu. Penn manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Penn.

Zhu clinches.
Zhu with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Penn is looking to break free of the clinch but Zhu has double underhooks.
Zhu pushes off an throws an elbow but Penn leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Zhu with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Penn is trying to break the clinch but Zhu is controlling him.
Zhu looking to throw knees to the head but Penn is blocking nicely.
Penn takes a knee right on the jaw!
Penn takes an elbow to the temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Zhu using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Penn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Zhu 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.

Zhu is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Penn can't fight it off and eventually Zhu manages to take the fight to the floor. Penn looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Zhu throws a strike but Penn rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Penn throws and elbow that misses. Zhu uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Penn's guard. Nice move by Zhu!
Penn will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Penn is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Zhu distracts Penn with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Zhu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zhu postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Penn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zhu prevents Penn from getting back to his feet.

Zhu drops back looking for a leg! Penn is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Penn manages to kick Zhu off! Zhu jumps back into Penn's guard.
Penn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Penn is looking for a triangle but Zhu pushes his legs off easily.
Zhu thows a big elbow that misses.
Zhu lands a couple of decent looking shots.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Zhu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Zhu lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Zhu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Zhu is looking to work some ground and pound but Penn has wrist control.
Zhu throws a strike but Penn rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Penn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Zhu works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Penn postures up in Zhu's guard and throws a big left but Zhu blocks it.
Penn thows a big elbow that misses.
Zhu preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Zhu has a closed guard, preventing Penn from standing up.
Penn missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Zhang Zhu showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Zhang Zhu's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Penn misses with a few strikes there.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Zhu.
George Penn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Zhu is looking to clinch but Penn is avoiding it.
A solid leg kick lands there for Penn.
Zhu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Zhu drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Zhu is trying to ground and pound but Penn uses the momentary lack of control by Zhu to regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Zhu misses with a head shot. Penn uses the momentum to regain guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Zhu gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Zhu thows a big elbow that misses.
Zhu throwing strikes but missing.
Zhu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two 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.
Zhu throwing strikes from guard but Penn blocks nicely.
Zhu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Zhu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Zhu prevents Penn from getting back to his feet.
Zhu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Zhu tries to free his leg and advance position but Penn is retaining full guard.
Zhu throwing strikes but missing.
Zhu postures up in Penn's guard and throws a big left but Penn blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zhu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Zhu looking to sit in guard and control but Penn gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Zhu avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Penn thows a big elbow that misses.
Zhu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Penn is one step ahead there.
Penn missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

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 missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Penn working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Penn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Penn gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Zhu looks to clinch

and Penn counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Zhu is working an open guard so Penn takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Zhu shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Zhu missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Penn has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 29:28

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