PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lauren Bray (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). BJ Penn has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Bray
vs
Penn

151 cm
24
194 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

185 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Lauren Bray!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Shirou Masuda, Yuuki Gou and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Bray pushes Penn up against the cage in a clinch.
Penn wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bray is pressed up against the cage. Penn has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Bray down to the mat. Bray avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Penn.
Penn closes the distance and clinches up with Bray, looking for a takedown. Penn pushes Bray against the cage but Bray circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Penn keeps the fight on the outside.
Bray tries for a takedown but Penn sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Bray forces Penn back against the cage and clinches.
Penn has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Bray after a bit of a struggle.
Lauren Bray has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Penn is trying to pull guard but Bray turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Bray really is a fat lump.
Penn wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Penn taking a breather.

Bray escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
No luck for Penn with that takedown attempt.
Bray wants to clinch up but Penn keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bray swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bray stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Bray wants it to stay on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Penn is defended easily by Bray.
Bray is trying hard to land a takedown here. Penn sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Bray tries to score a power double leg takedown but Penn sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Bray somewhat.
Bray throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Penn's waist but Penn gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Bray off to one side.
Penn fails with an attempt to clinch.
Penn tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Bray manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws a sloppy head kick and Bray moves out of range easily.
Penn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bray circles away quickly and effectively.
Penn misses with a jab, cross combination.
Bray goes for a double leg but Penn avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Penn continues to drive forward.
Bray wants a takedown but no success here.
Penn jumps guard but Bray turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Penn tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Bray smiles and moves away.
Penn looks winded!
Penn changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bray tries to avoid it but Penn manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bray to the ground. Bray escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Bray is looking to clinch but Penn is avoiding it.
Bray shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Penn pinned against the cage. Penn gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Bray tries to bum rush Penn with a series of wild strikes but Penn uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Bray tries to avoid it but Penn manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Bray to the ground. Bray escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Penn blocks a head kick by Bray.
A head kick misses from Bray.
Penn moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Penn misses with a low kick.
Penn misses with a takedown

and Bray moves into the clinch.

Bray gets control of Penn's arms and successfully pulls guard. Bray will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Bray might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Bray is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bray swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Bray not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Penn trying to control the position from guard on top but Bray is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Bray is trying to control the position but Penn postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Lauren Bray wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Bray.
Penn tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Bray defends well and Penn ends up having to push Bray into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Lauren Bray will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Bray is looking to clinch but Penn is avoiding it.
Bray circles away from the clinch attempt
and Bray counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Bray moves into range and clinches up with Penn.
Bray changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Penn fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Penn throws a nice looking combination but Bray bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bray throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bray shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Penn as he avoids it easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bray is defended easily by Penn.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lauren Bray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penn is trying hard to land a takedown here. Bray sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bray shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Penn but Penn pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Penn fails with an attempt to clinch.
Penn shoots in for a takedown but Bray shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Penn pushes Bray up against the cage in a clinch.
Penn fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Penn throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Penn pressing his opponent against the cage.
Bray avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Bray is pushing Penn up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Bray breaks from the clinch.
Bray misses with a takedown attempt - Penn sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Bray shoots in for a takedown but Penn shows good takedown defense.
Bray moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Bray shoots in for a takedown but Penn shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Bray swats away the attempt to clinch by Penn.

Bray tries to sprawl but Penn drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Bray is refusing to be controlled, as Penn sits in half guard.
Penn trying to control the pace.
Penn trying to pass the guard but Bray defending well.
Penn really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Bray. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bray manages to get to full guard.
Penn slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Bray lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Penn!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Bray is standing up, even though he is in mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Lauren Bray will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bray tries to clinch there but Penn circles away.
Bray throws a sloppy head kick and Penn moves out of range easily.
Penn displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Bray.

Penn gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Penn tries to score a body lock takedown but Bray shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Bray swings wildly with an uppercut but Penn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Penn is looking to control Bray's arms but Bray gets an underhook and turns him. Now Penn has his back to the cage.
Bray tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Bray breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bray.
Penn shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Bray but Bray pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Bray shoots in looking for a takedown but Penn manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bray's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Lauren Bray. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bray displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Penn.
Penn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Horrible takedown by Penn or perhaps it was just good defense by Bray which made him look bad.
Bray shoots in looking for a takedown. Penn tries to sprawl out of it but Bray keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Penn manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Penn tries for a takedown but Bray sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bray fails with a takedown attempt.
Bray tries to clinch there but Penn circles away.
Bray shoots in looking for a takedown. Penn tries to sprawl out of it but Bray keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Penn manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Bray keeps the fight on the outside.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bray looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bray swinging wildly here.
Penn shoots in but Bray avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn is looking to chop away at Bray's legs.
Bray keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Penn moves to clinch but Bray breaks away
and Bray counters with a left and a right that stings Penn.
Bray shoots in but no luck this time.
Bray throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Penn tries to clinch up.
Penn tries to clinch but Bray is having none of it.
Horrible takedown by Penn or perhaps it was just good defense by Bray which made him look bad.
Penn shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bray as he avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bray moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Bray fails with a takedown attempt.
Bray shoots in looking for a takedown but Penn manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Bray's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Bray shoots in but Penn avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Penn shoots in but no luck this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bray fails with a takedown attempt.
Penn shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Bray as he avoids it easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Lauren Bray.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bray, 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 Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lauren Bray!