PBP Commentary

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

Penn
vs
Yuksel

175 cm
21
160 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

172 cm
18
149 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Epic Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Hakan Yuksel!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Dirk Anderson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch combination from Penn misses.
Epic Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Yuksel looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Penn looks to land a combination but Yuksel avoids it well.
Penn lands a glancing blow to the side of Yuksel's head.
Penn keeps the fight on the outside.
Penn swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Penn definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Penn throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Penn misses the shot to the body.
Penn lands with a nice combination. Yuksel backs away looking to recover.
Yuksel staying out of range there.
Yuksel walks into a stiff left hand from Penn.
Penn misses with a double jab.
Yuksel shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Penn as he avoids it easily.
Yuksel tries a head kick but it misses.
Yuksel has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Yuksel gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A shot to the liver by Penn. Beautiful body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Penn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yuksel manages to avoid it.
Some wild striking there from Penn.
Penn tries to bum rush Yuksel with a series of wild strikes but Yuksel uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Yuksel throws a lazy right hand but Penn sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Penn throws a body punch but Yuksel moves out of range.
Penn lands with a good body shot.
Penn scores with a nice right hand.
Penn scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Penn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yuksel.
Penn misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Yuksel takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Penn darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Penn jabs Yuksel to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Penn goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Penn throws a right and a left that both miss.
Penn misses with a body shot.
Penn lunges at Yuksel with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Yuksel's hand.
Some wild striking there from Yuksel.
Penn misses with a two punch combination.
Penn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yuksel circles away quickly and effectively.
Penn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Yuksel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Yuksel fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Penn sprawls well initially but Yuksel persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Yuksel is trying to control. Penn wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Penn works his way to full guard. Good work.
Penn is pulling down on Yuksel's head to control his posture.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Hakan Yuksel hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Penn misses with a series of wild punches.
Penn misses with a two punch combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws a body punch but Yuksel moves out of range.
Penn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nice takedown defense from Penn. No joy for Yuksel on that attempt.
Penn scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Yuksel shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Penn as he avoids it easily.
Epic Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hakan Yuksel.
Yuksel showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Penn.
Penn lands a slapping body shot.
Penn throws a lazy right hand but Yuksel sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Penn throws a series of punches but Yuksel moves out of range.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Penn dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Penn throws a body punch but Yuksel moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Epic Penn dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Penn throws a series of punches but Yuksel moves out of range.
Yuksel shoots in and drives through. Penn sprawls well.
Penn throws a good cross that connects.
Penn misses with a two punch combination.
Penn scores with a jab to the body.
Penn throws a nice looking combination but Yuksel bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Epic Penn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A looping hook to the body misses from Penn. Yuksel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Penn is looking to wear down Yuksel with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Yuksel gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Penn counters with a stiff right hand.
Penn connects with a nice looking jab.
Yuksel will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Epic Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hakan Yuksel.
Penn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Yuksel circles away quickly and effectively.
Yuksel fails with a takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn misses with the combination.
No joy there for Penn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Yuksel has his takedown stuffed
and Penn cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Yuksel slips a jab and a cross from Penn.
Penn misses with a few strikes there.
Yuksel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Yuksel has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Penn finds it's way round the side to connect with Yuksel's head.
Yuksel wants to clinch
and Penn counters with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Yuksel.
Penn misses with a body shot.
No joy there for Penn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A swing and a miss from Penn.
Penn misses with a jab, cross combination.
Yuksel ducks under a wild hook from Penn.
Penn keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Epic Penn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yuksel shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Penn throws a predictable looking body shot
and Yuksel counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Penn misses with a jab, cross combination.
A cross from Penn lands.
Penn has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Yuksel.
Penn just misses with a punch to the body.
Penn tries to bum rush Yuksel with a series of wild strikes but Yuksel uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penn fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Yuksel looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Penn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Penn misses with a double jab
and Yuksel counters with a stiff right hand.
Yuksel shoots in and drives through. Penn sprawls well.
Penn fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Yuksel looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Penn throws a body punch but Yuksel moves out of range.
Yuksel tries to close the distance and clinch but Penn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Yuksel misses with a takedown attempt
and Penn counters with a three punch combo that has Yuksel backing up. Yuksel nods at Penn to acknowledge the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Yuksel shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Penn sprawls well. Penn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Yuksel gets slowly back to his feet.
Penn throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Yuksel sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Penn scores with a nice strike.
Penn lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Yuksel has a takedown stuffed.
Penn throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn throws a right and a left that both miss.
Yuksel shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Penn but Penn pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Penn throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Epic Penn dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A big right from Penn misses.
Penn throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Penn scores with the left hand. Yuksel knows he should have avoided that one.
Yuksel dives in for a single leg takedown but Penn sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Penn tries to circle away but Yuksel has him pinned against the cage.
Penn lands with a right to the head.

Penn pulls guard.
Yuksel wants to pass the guard but Penn is keeping the position.
Yuksel throws a strike but Penn rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Penn decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Epic Penn is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yuksel manages to avoid it.
Sloppy strikes from Penn. Those never looked like landing.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Yuksel.
Penn looks to land a combination. Yuksel sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Yuksel slips a jab and a cross from Penn.
Penn tries to bum rush Yuksel with a series of wild strikes but Yuksel uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penn just misses with a punch to the body.
Yuksel tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands a nice hook to Yuksel's body. Yuksel takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Penn misses with a body shot.
Yuksel lands a nice looking body kick.
Penn misses with a wild combination.
Yuksel moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.
Penn moves into range and connects with a jab.
Penn misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Yuksel slips a jab and a cross from Penn.
Yuksel tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.
Penn goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Yuksel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Penn throws a hook but Yuksel avoids it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Yuksel manages to avoid it.
Penn misses with a wild body shot.
Yuksel has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Yuksel avoids the body shot from Penn.
Penn leaves Yuksel with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Epic Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hakan Yuksel.
Yuksel throws an off balance right hand
and Penn makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Penn. Yuksel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Penn's corner calls for a 1-2. Penn obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Penn looks to score with a jab to the body but Yuksel is just out of range.
Penn misses with a looping right.
No luck for Yuksel with that takedown attempt.
Penn misses the shot to the body.
Yuksel throws a series of punches but Penn moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yuksel fails with an attempt to clinch.
Penn misses with a few strikes there.
Yuksel closes this distance looking for a takedown but Penn circles away.
Penn misses with a few strikes there.
Yuksel tries to clinch up.
Penn falls off balance throwing a combination
and Yuksel counters with a head kick. That will keep Penn thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Good shot there by Penn.
Yuksel looks for a takedown but Penn sprawls well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Penn.
Hakan Yuksel has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Epic Penn is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Penn lands with a nice body punch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Epic Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Penn has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27

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