PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bryant Stephan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). BJ Penn is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Stephan
vs
Penn

182 cm
23
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
195 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Bryant Stephan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Stephan throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Stephan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Penn blocks a head kick by Stephan.
Stephan wants to clinch.
Stephan throws a sloppy head kick and Penn moves out of range easily.
Penn throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Stephan throws a sloppy head kick and Penn moves out of range easily.
Stephan looks to land a left hand but Penn moved out of range nicely.
Penn steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Stephan.
Penn misses with a jab, cross combination.
Penn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Stephan wants to clinch.
Penn wants to counter with a clinch but Stephan pushes him away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephan throws a head kick that misses

and Penn counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Stephan wants to break free but Penn has control.
Penn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stephan backwards.
Penn is pushing Stephan up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Penn.
A right handed body shot lands from Penn.
Stephan can't break the clinch.
Penn stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Stephan is breathing heavily.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Stephan pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Penn lands a right hand.
Penn lands with a left to the head.
Penn presses Stephan against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Penn lands a right hand.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Penn.
Penn lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A right hook to the body lands for Penn.
Penn softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands a left hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Penn lands an uppercut.
A left hand lands to the body for Penn.
Stephan taking a breather.
Penn lands with a short shot to the head.
A nice left hand lands by Penn.
Penn lands with a light punch inside.
Penn lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Penn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stephan backwards.
Penn lands a body shot.
Penn lands a nice uppercut.
Penn presses Stephan against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Penn scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Penn lands a left hand.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Penn creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
A short left from Penn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn digs a right hand underneath Stephan's ribcage. Stephan let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Penn cracks Stephan with a nice body shot.
Stephan working hard to break the clinch.

Penn jumps guard and drags Stephan to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Penn can do anything to dispel that myth.
Penn thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Penn wants to sweep here but Stephan controlling him for the moment.
Penn is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Penn is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Stephan stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Stephan sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Penn rushes Stephan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
A short right from Penn.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Penn.
Penn has Stephan pressed against the cage, preventing Stephan from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Stephan tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Penn manages to break the clinch.
Penn throws out a loose jab but Stephan uses good head movement to avoid it.
Penn with a jab.
Penn lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Penn cracks Stephan with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Penn scores with a hook to the body. Stephan takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Stephan on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Penn dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Penn ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Penn scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Bryant Stephan has been cut.
Stephan blocks a jab.

Stephan gets a clinch.
Stephan working aggressively here.
BJ Penn seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Stephan managing to block the knees to the body from Penn.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Stephan just misses with a elbow thrown towards Penn's brow.
Penn lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Stephan backwards.
A nice right hand lands inside from Penn.
Penn lands a nice shot to the body.
Penn lands a right hand that snaps the head of Stephan backwards.
Stephan just leaning against Penn, taking a breather.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Penn lands a body shot in the clinch.
Stephan tries to break the clinch but Penn is controlling the position.
Penn lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn scores with a hook to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Penn.
Penn lands a body shot.
Penn lands with a short shot to the head.
Penn stalling in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Penn.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
A short right from Penn on the inside.
Penn lands with a short shot to the head.
Penn lands a body punch.
Penn lands with a short shot to the head.
Penn lands a shoulder strike.
Penn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stephan backwards.
Penn lands a right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Penn scores with a shoulder strike.
A short uppercut from Penn.
Stephan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Penn lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Penn lands a body shot.
Penn scores with a hook to the body.
Penn lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Penn has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Penn cracks Stephan with a nice body shot.
Penn makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Penn scores with a nice hook to the head.
Penn lands a right hand that snaps the head of Stephan backwards.
A short left from Penn.
Penn works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Stephan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands with a right to the head.
Still in the clinch, Penn scores with a nice short uppercut.
Penn throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Stephans head.
Stephan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Still in the clinch, Penn scores with a nice short uppercut.
Penn lands with a left to the head.
Penn scores with a shoulder strike.
Penn lands with a right to the head.
Penn lands with a left to the head.
Penn lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Still in the clinch, Penn scores with a nice short uppercut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A nice right hand lands inside from Penn.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Penn throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Stephans head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn scores with a hook to the body.
Good body shot from Penn.
Penn scores with a shot to the side of Stephan's head.
Stephan's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Penn lands a body punch.
Stephan wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Penn has him pressed against the cage.
Stephan takes a shot to the head.
Penn works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Penn keeps control of Stephan as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Penn gets through Stephan's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Penn scores with a nice hook to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn is leaning against Stephan and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Penn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Bryant Stephan's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Stephan wants to clinch.
Penn throws a hook but Stephan blocks it.
Stephan is looking to clinch but Penn is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Stephan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Stephan misses with a head kick.
Stephan tries to clinch but Penn moves out of range.
Penn avoids a kick to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Stephan looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Stephan tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Penn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Penn dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Penn scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Penn slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn misses with an uppercut.
BJ Penn seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Penn scores with a jab to the body.
Stephan moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.

Penn has closed the distance and engaged Stephan in a clinch.
A short uppercut from Penn.
Penn lands a damaging elbow.
Still in the clinch, Penn scores with a nice short uppercut.
Penn lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Penn works on Stephan's body with a couple of short punches.
A short right from Penn on the inside.
Penn lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Penn working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Penn.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Penn lands a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Penn turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Stephan is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Penn asserts his dominance and retains side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn misses with the ground and pound.
Penn misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Stephan is avoiding damage well.
Stephan wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Penn really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Stephan. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stephan takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Penn lands with a hook. Stephan tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
BJ Penn is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Penn clinches up against the cage.
Penn lands a shot to the body.
Stephan throws a head punch that misses.
Penn lands a left hand.
Stephan is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Stephan is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Stephan is trying to break free.
Penn lands a shot to the body.
Stephan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Penn blocks it with crossed arms.
A right hook to the body lands for Penn.
Penn scores with a nice hook to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
BJ Penn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Penn has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 26:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... BJ Penn!
A victorious BJ Penn thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.