PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Small Show (ranked 3619 p4p, 283 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 3258 p4p, 265 weight class). Show comes into the arena with My Time Is Now blaring out of the sound system. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Show
vs
Penn

162 cm
25
153 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
150 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Small Show!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Dirk Anderson and Peter Branson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Show looking to score a takedown here. Penn is defending well but Show drives through and ends up in Penn's guard.
Penn throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Show is in close to Penn's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Show from controlling successfully.
Penn trying to control the position.
Show chips away with some ground and pound.
Show looking to sit in guard and control but Penn gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Show on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Show tries to get out of the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn wants to control from the top but Show keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn won't allow Show to sweep him here.
Penn trying to control but Show is working from the bottom.
Show looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Penn trying to control the position from guard on top but Show is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Show looking to hit a scissor sweep but Penn is one step ahead there.
Show keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Show wants to sweep but no luck.
Show keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Show trying to keep a closed guard but Penn is proving a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A low kick from Penn is predictable there

and Show counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Show lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Show throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Show controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Penn trying to control the position.
Show definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Show postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Show in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Show with a flurry of punches that miss.
Show landing some decent shots from guard.
Show with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Penn working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Show.
Show trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Show stands up over Penn, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Penn looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.

Penn working for a triangle but Show defends it easily.
Show postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Show connects with a couple of short punches.
Show scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Show wants to control from the top but Penn keeps moving.
Show is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Small Show dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Show closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Show scores with punches from side control.
Show working the head with strikes.
Show trying to control the action but Penn is working from the bottom.
Penn wants to control but Show postures up.
Show looks up at the clock and then as Penn takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Show smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Show scores with punches from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn gets back to half guard.
Show winds up and cracks Penn with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn is refusing to be controlled, as Show sits in half guard.
Show is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Penn is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Show landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Show missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Penn wants to control but Show is keeping busy.
Show content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Penn misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Penn has hold of Show's hands but Show slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Penn looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Show working over Penn with some ground and pound. Penn looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Show drops an elbow to the side of Penn's head.
Small Show overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Penn is refusing to be controlled, as Show sits in half guard.
Show working Penn over with strikes.
Show is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Penn can do to turn this around?
Penn is trying to stand up here but Show is controlling him well.
Show working over Penn with some ground and pound. Penn looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Penn actively working from the bottom here.
Show missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Penn blocking the ground and pound attempt from Show.
Penn is trying to control but can't.
Penn tries to roll over but Show keeps him under control.
Show stalling.
Show wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penn keeps working.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Show sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Show missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Show keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A jab from Penn misses.
Penn scores with a nice strike.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Good shot there by Penn.
Penn defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Show.
Show throws a lazy right hand but Penn sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Penn swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Small Show dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Show throws a predictable looking body shot
and Penn counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
A looping hook to the body misses from Show. Penn does a little dance to reset his feet.
Penn throws out a counter right but Show avoids it with no problem.
Show throws an off balance right hand
and Penn counters with a right hand to the body.
Show has a takedown stuffed.
Show misses with a hook to the body
and Penn counters with a right hand to the body.
A shot to the body from Show misses
and Penn counters with a stiff right hand.

Show shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Show showed some decent athleticism there.

Penn manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Show keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Penn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Show's elbow.
Show working aggressively here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Show struggles to land a body shot inside as Penn controls his hands.
Penn prevents a takedown attempt there.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Show.
Penn blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Penn throws a punch but it's blocked by Show.
Show has a couple of punches blocked by Penn.
Show tries to throw a body punch but Penn avoids it by throwing Show back against the cage.
Show wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Small Show. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penn is leaning against Show and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Show misses with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Penn.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn can't find room to land a body shot as Show controls the action.
Penn blocks an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Penn.
Show misses with a punch on the inside.
Show swings wildly with an uppercut but Penn uses good head movement to avoid it.

Show gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Show working Penn over with strikes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Penn is trying to maintain the position but Show is very close to passing his half guard.
Show 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Show is thwarting Penn's attempts to control the position.
Show is keen to just control but Penn is a slippery customer.
Show winds up and cracks Penn with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Penn makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Penn.
BJ Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Penn is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Show is aware though and is defending well.
Show throws an elbow that misses. Penn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Show's guard. Nice move by Penn!

Penn wants to control from the top but Show keeps moving.
Show looking to hit a scissor sweep but Penn is one step ahead there.
Small Show is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Show being controlled here, momentarily.
Penn wants to control from the top but Show keeps moving.
Show looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
BJ Penn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Show has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Small Show!
Small Show thanked the fans post fight for their support.