PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Qun Curry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Curry
vs
Penn

172 cm
22
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
22
158 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Determined

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Qun Curry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Ivan Kurochkin and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn shoots for a double leg takedown but Curry sprawls well. He's pushed Penn's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Qun Curry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Curry scores with a leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Curry.
Penn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Curry lands a nice leg kick that just misses Penn's sensitive parts.
Curry scores with a hook to the body. Penn takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
An inside leg kick from Curry misses.
Curry misses with a low kick.
Curry misses with a low kick.

Penn shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Curry's guard.
Penn thows a big elbow that misses.
Penn throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn looks gassed!
Penn thows a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Curry wants to sweep here but Penn controlling him for the moment.
Penn throwing strikes but missing.
Curry is looking to stand up but Penn isn't so interested in that idea.
Curry is trying to control the position but Penn postures up.
Curry is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Curry misses with a low kick as Penn jumps back.

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.
Penn shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Qun Curry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Curry lands a right hook to the body.
Curry throws a chopping leg kick but Penn manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Penn chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Curry can pounce on him.
Curry is looking to slow Penn down with leg kicks.
Curry thows a body shot but no joy.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Curry.
Curry misses with a low kick as Penn jumps back.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Penn.
Curry managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Penn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Curry tries to improve position but can't.
Penn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Curry keeps working.
Penn looks up at the clock and then as Curry takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Penn smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

Penn is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Curry has escaped the position, nice work there.
Curry can't do much from the bottom here.

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.
Penn throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Curry throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Curry gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Curry works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Penn landing with the ground and pound.
Penn is in close to Curry's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Curry preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but BJ Penn will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Penn fails to land the takedown.
BJ Penn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice jab there from Curry.
Curry lands a nice leg kick that just misses Penn's sensitive parts.
Penn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Curry.
Curry keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Penn checks a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Curry.
Penn checks a leg kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Curry throws a shot from downtown. Penn moves away and avoids it.
Penn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Qun Curry has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn moves out of range as Curry strikes.
Curry throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Penn checks a leg kick.
Penn shoots in but Curry avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Curry is looking to wear down Penn with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Penn fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Curry.
Curry keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Curry lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Penn's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Penn takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Curry throws a shot to the body.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Penn checks a leg kick.
Curry stuns Penn with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Curry swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Horrible takedown by Penn or perhaps it was just good defense by Curry which made him look bad.
Curry throws a body punch but Penn moves out of range.

Penn scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Penn trying to control the action but Curry is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws a strike aimed at the side of Curry's head but Curry avoids it well.
Penn is trying to ground and pound but Curry uses the momentary lack of control by Penn to regain half guard.
Penn takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Penn winds up and cracks Curry with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn thows a huge punch but Curry dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Curry keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Penn sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Curry defending well though.
Curry regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Penn.
Penn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Penn stands up over Curry, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Penn connects with a couple of short punches.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Curry working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Penn.
Penn throws a strike but Curry rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
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 Qun Curry will probably get the nod.
That's time! Curry's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Penn shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Penn showed some decent athleticism there.
Penn is thwarting Curry's attempts to control the position.
Curry keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Curry wants to control but Penn is keeping busy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Penn misses with a head shot. Curry uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Penn missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Curry utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Penn working some strikes from top position.
Curry working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Penn.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Penn looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws and elbow that misses. Curry uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Penn's guard. Nice move by Curry!
Penn looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Curry puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Penn flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
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 wants to get back to full guard.
Penn is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Penn looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Curry is fending him off so far but Penn persists. Nope, Curry circles away and we're back to standing.
Curry connects with a solid leg kick.
Curry fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Penn checks it well.

Penn changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Curry looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Curry dodges the ground and pound from Penn.
Curry can't do much from the bottom here.
Curry manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn is looking to improve his position.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Curry prevents Penn from improving his position.
Penn flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Penn missing with punches from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Curry.

And that's the end of the fight!
BJ Penn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Penn has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... BJ Penn!