PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between BJ Penn (ranked 5306 p4p, 360 weight class) and Paulo Costa (ranked 5356 p4p, 488 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Paulo Costa enters the cage!

Penn
vs
Costa

175 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
20
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, BJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Paulo Costa!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Daniel Franklin and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Penn tests Costa's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Penn throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Costa shapes to counter with a head kick.
BJ Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Costa moves into range and clinches up with Penn.

Penn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Penn just misses with a punch to the body.
Penn lands a nice hook to Costa's body. Costa takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

Costa scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Costa thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Costa wants to control but Penn is keeping him busy.
Penn is looking to improve his position.
Costa wants to take a breather but Penn is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa prevents Penn from standing back up.
Penn preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Costa seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Penn does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Costa not doing much here.
Costa wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Penn uses the opportunity to regain full guard.
Costa trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.
Costa trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Costa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Costa showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
BJ Penn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Costa throws a combination. Penn tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Nice takedown defense from Penn. No joy for Costa on that attempt.
Penn rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Costa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Penn forces Costa back against the cage and clinches.
Penn has had enough of the clinch but Costa keeps him there for the moment.
Costa wants to take the fight to the mat but Penn manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Penn lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Penn tries to circle away but Costa has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Costa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Costa gets cracked there but stands up to it.

Costa has managed to clinch.
Costa tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Penn just stands there and leans against the cage.
BJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paulo Costa.
Costa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Costa throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Penn blocks it with crossed arms.
Penn has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Penn stalling in the clinch.
Penn lands an uppercut.
Penn is trying to break the clinch but Costa is controlling him.
Penn working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Penn lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Costa looking to throw knees to the head but Penn is blocking nicely.
Costa looking to throw knees to the head but Penn is blocking nicely.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Penn is trying to break the clinch but Costa has him pressed against the cage.
Penn lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Penn lands a left hand.
Penn lands with a right to the head.
Penn lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Costa backwards.
Penn is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Penn digs a right hand underneath Costa's ribcage. Costa let out a lung full of air as it connected.
A frustrated look appears on Penn's face as he tries to break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Penn dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

A punch lands to the side of Costa 's head but he takes it in his stride.
A left and a right from Penn both land. Nice combination.

It looks like Paulo Costa has been cut.
Costa 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.
Costa has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
BJ Penn is winning the standup battle so far.
Costa lands with a kick to the temple. Penn shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Penn throws a series of punches but Costa avoids them all with ease.
Costa doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Penn jabs Costa right on the nose. Costa blinks but takes it well.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Penn misses with a double jab.

Penn moves into the clinch.
Costa has Penn pressed against the cage, preventing Penn from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
A short left from Penn.
Penn wants to get back to striking at distance but Costa won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A hook to the body from Penn.

Costa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Penn forces Costa back against the cage and clinches.
Penn makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Costa tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Costa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Penn has Costa pushed against the cage.
Costa tries to pull guard but Penn holds him up against the cage and eventually Costa drops back down to his feet.
Penn lands with a short shot to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Costa has him pressed against the cage.
Penn lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Costa or not.
Penn wants to get back to striking at distance but Costa won't allow it.
Penn blocks an uppercut.
Penn lands a hook that snaps the head of Costa backwards.
Costa with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Penn is trying to break the clinch but Costa has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn gets through Costa's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Penn displaying some good clinch control by pressing Costa up against the cage.
Penn lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Costa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
BJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paulo Costa.
Costa misses with some punches.
A shot in the inside from Penn.
Penn pushes Costa back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Penn is pushing Costa 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Costa jumps guard but Penn stands there with Costa around his waist. Costa gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Penn pushes Costa back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Costa connects with a knee to the head.
Penn is trying to break the clinch but Costa is controlling him.
Penn scores with a shot to the side of Costa's head.
Penn lands with a left to the head.
A short left from Penn.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Penn lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Costa tries to pull guard but Penn holds him up against the cage and eventually Costa drops back down to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Penn dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Paulo Costa'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!

Penn with a hook.
Penn misses with a combination
and Costa counters with a nice uppercut.
Penn takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Penn misses with a few strikes there.

Costa clinches up with Penn and pushes him back against the cage.
Penn prevents the takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Penn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Costa backwards.
Costa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Penn lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa tries to pull guard but Penn won't allow it.
BJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paulo Costa.
Penn tries to break free but Costa pushes him back against the cage.
Costa jumps guard but Penn turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Penn is struggling to control the position.
Costa is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Costa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Penn displaying some good clinch control by pressing Costa up against the cage.
Costa with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Costa prevents Penn from breaking the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Costa jumps guard but Penn stands there with Costa around his waist. Costa gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Penn lands a shoulder strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Penn wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Penn lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Penn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Penn lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Penn lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Costa's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Penn is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Penn lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.

Costa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Costa clinches with his opponent.
Costa tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Costa breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Penn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Penn checks a leg kick nicely.
Penn throws a combination. Costa tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

Penn fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Costa, pushing him back against the cage.
Penn is pushing Costa 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Penn is looking to break free of the clinch but Costa has double underhooks.
Costa wants to break free but Penn has control.
Penn lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Costa using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Penn has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Penn is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Costa can do to turn this around?
Costa fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Costa takes a shot to the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Penn is stalling here.
A right handed body shot lands from Penn.

And that's the end of the fight!
BJ Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Penn, 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... BJ Penn!
BJ Penn spent the whole post fight interview bigging himself up. It didn't go down that well with the fans after a while as they thought it was a bit arrogant.