PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Gaucho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gaucho's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Accardipane vs. Ballon-Go West. BJ Penn is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Gaucho
vs
Penn

175 cm
21
181 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
27
170 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Knockout power

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rafael Gaucho!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gaucho tries to clinch there but Penn circles away.
Penn shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Gaucho tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Penn moves away from the strike by Gaucho.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Gaucho.
Penn defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Gaucho.

Gaucho moves into range and clinches up with Penn.
Gaucho drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Gaucho has clasped his hands together around Penn's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.

Gaucho thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Penn is looking for a sweep.
Penn looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Penn managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Gaucho.

Gaucho is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Penn knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Gaucho moves into full mount!
Gaucho lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.

Gaucho is working for a guillotine from mount but Penn frees his head quite easily.
Gaucho fails to advance to Penn's back.
Gaucho content just to control the position here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaucho trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Gaucho wants to take his opponent's back but Penn doesn't allow it.
Gaucho can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Penn is looking to escape.
Penn is trying desperately to improve position.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gaucho lands a heavy elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Penn really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Gaucho looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
The referee warns Penn that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

Gaucho goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Penn is on top in guard.
Gaucho controls Penn momentarily but Penn frees himself.
Penn takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Penn passes easily into side control. Nice work.
A bit of a lull in the action here.

Penn is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Gaucho has escaped the position, nice work there.
Gaucho can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Gaucho works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gaucho is looking to control Penn's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Gaucho avoid being mounted?
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Penn is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gaucho defends it well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gaucho trying to control but Penn postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Gaucho dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Gaucho throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Penn fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Penn throws a leg kick but Gaucho checks it.
Gaucho throws a combination that misses

and Penn counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Penn sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gaucho defending well though.
Gaucho trying to hold on to Penn's head to control him but Penn postures up.
Rafael Gaucho overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Gaucho keeping control of the position.

Gaucho actively working from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gaucho trying to control but Penn postures up.
Penn is breathing heavily.

Penn is looking for a kimura. It's pretty deep but Gaucho still has the half guard so he's probably OK. Oh, Gaucho has exploded into a beautiful escape there and after a quick scramble, he's ended up in side control on top! Nice work!

Gaucho is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Penn has escaped the position, nice work there.
Penn is working to avoid the ground and pound but Gaucho connects with a decent elbow.
Gaucho scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Penn to see if he's OK.
Penn is looking for a sweep.
Gaucho is looking to take a break and control but Penn is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gaucho cracks Penn with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Gaucho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penn keeps working.

Gaucho looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Gaucho working the head and body with strikes.
Penn is trying to get back to half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Gaucho has an Americana. Penn didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Gaucho is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Gaucho hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). Rafael Gaucho!
Rafael Gaucho thanked the fans post fight for their support.