PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nuclear Penguin (ranked 2989 p4p, 331 weight class) and Jakub Balinski (ranked 3072 p4p, 341 weight class). Penguin kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Mardy Bum. Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Penguin
vs
Balinski

179 cm
19
171 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

177 cm
19
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Cardio machine

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Nuclear Penguin!
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, Jakub Balinski!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Chris Dean and Hugh Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice inside leg kick there by Penguin. That's going to slow Balinski down.
Balinski throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Penguin stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
A chopping leg kick lands by Penguin.
Penguin lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Penguin dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Balinski. That did some damage!
Penguin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Balinski throws a series of punches but Penguin avoids them all with ease.
Penguin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Penguin scores with a jab to the jaw.
Balinski chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Penguin can pounce on him.
Penguin misses with a low kick.
Penguin thows a body kick. Balinski tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A leg kick checked by Penguin.
A solid leg kick lands there for Penguin.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Balinski misses the shot to the body.
Penguin throws a head kick that misses.
Balinski 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.
Balinski fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penguin throws a head kick that half lands.
Balinski checks a leg kick nicely.
Balinski tries to bum rush Penguin with a series of wild strikes but Penguin uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penguin definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Balinski fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
That kick from Penguin tenderised Balinski's leg. Balinski is trying to keep his angry face on.
Penguin throws a head kick but Balinski moves out of range.
Balinski tries to counter with a clinch but Penguin shakes him off and moves away.
Balinski has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Penguin.
Penguin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Penguin tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Balinski is able to avoid easily.
Penguin throws a front kick that sends Balinski stumbling back into the cage.
Balinski shoots in looking for a takedown but Penguin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Balinski's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Balinski takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Balinski takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Penguin scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Penguin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penguin throws a leg kick

and Balinski decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Penguin's guard.
Penguin is pulling down on Balinski's head. It's preventing any offense from Balinski, at least for the moment.
Balinski won't allow Penguin to sweep him here.
Balinski pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Penguin is keeping the position for now.
Balinski preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penguin controlling Balinski's posture.
Balinski preventing the sweep.
Balinski wants to control from the top but Penguin keeps moving.
Penguin is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Balinski.
Balinski falls off balance throwing a combination
and Penguin counters with a big head kick but Balinski shrugs it off.
Penguin goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Balinski blocks a low kick nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Balinski looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Penguin shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Balinski has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Penguin.
Balinski throws a right and a left that both miss.
Penguin lands with a kick to the ribs.
Balinski moves out of range as Penguin throws a body kick.
Balinski rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Penguin moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Balinski on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Penguin is looking to score with low kicks.
Balinski avoids the head kick by Penguin.
Penguin cracks the inside of Balinski's front leg.
Penguin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Balinski shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Penguin cracks Balinski with a good jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Penguin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Balinski fails with the takedown.
Jakub Balinski is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Balinski swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Penguin cracks the inside of Balinski's front leg.
Penguin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Penguin misses with a low kick.
Penguin tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Balinski avoids a kick to the body.
Balinski's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Penguin throws a leg kick but Balinski sees it coming and moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penguin scores with a spinning back kick!
Nuclear Penguin is winning the standup battle so far.
A head kick by Balinski misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Penguin lands a nice looking kick to the body. Balinski takes a step back to recover.
Penguin misses with a head kick.
Balinski misses with a double jab
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penguin lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Balinski goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Penguin is looking to counter with head kicks.
Penguin throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Nice uppercut there from Penguin.
Balinski fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Penguin feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Penguin tries a head kick but it misses.
Penguin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Balinski has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Penguin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Penguin scores with a kick to the midsection.
Penguin thumps Balinski with a low kick.
Balinski has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Penguin.
Penguin lets loose with a powerful body kick. Balinski will feel that in the morning.
Penguin scores with a jab. Balinski acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Balinski throws a body punch but Penguin moves out of range.
Penguin tries to work over Balinski's front leg with a kick but Balinski checks it.
Balinski takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Penguin tried to score with a low kick but Balinski checks it.
Balinski's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Penguin connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Balinski scrambles back to his feet.
Balinski throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Penguin.
Penguin moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Penguin's jab looks to have found its range, popping Balinski under the eye.

Balinski shoots in and gets a takedown into Penguin's guard.
Balinski is breathing heavily.
Penguin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Penguin 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penguin pulls Balinski in close to prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penguin manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Balinski manages to get himself to full guard.

Penguin controls from within his opponent's guard.
Penguin stops Balinski from standing up.
Penguin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

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.

Balinski is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Penguin misses with some punches.
Penguin lands a hook to the side of the head.
Penguin swings wildly with an uppercut but Balinski uses good head movement to avoid it.
Penguin lands with a short shot to the head.
Penguin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Balinski blocks an uppercut.
Penguin throws a punch but it's blocked by Balinski.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Penguin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nuclear Penguin dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Balinski with a poor takedown
and Penguin counters with a thumping low kick.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Penguin.
A head kick misses from Penguin.
Balinski on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Penguin. Penguin obviously looking to wear him down.
Balinski checks the leg kick nicely there.
Penguin connects with a high kick.
Penguin throws a head kick but Balinski moves out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Penguin. No joy for Balinski on that attempt.
Penguin appeared to be looking to counter that last move with a leg kick.
Balinski throws a lazy right hand but Penguin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Penguin throws a low kick but Balinski avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No luck for Balinski with that takedown attempt.
Nuclear Penguin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jakub Balinski.
Penguin misses with a body kick.
Balinski takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Penguin lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Balinski takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Penguin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Penguin lands an overhand right.
Penguin bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Nice body kick there by Penguin.
Penguin thumps Balinski with a low kick.
Penguin lands with a cross.
Penguin scoring well with a low kick there.
Penguin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Balinski misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Penguin counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Penguin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Penguin throws a head kick that misses.
Balinski is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Balinski will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Balinski takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penguin tried to score with a low kick but Balinski checks it.
Balinski checks the leg kick nicely there.
Balinski with the counter takedown but Penguin avoids it easily.
Balinski misses with a takedown attempt
and Penguin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Penguin lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Penguin lands a nice looking body kick.
Penguin throws a leg kick which misses Balinski's front leg but catches the back leg as Balinski tries to avoid it.
Penguin tries a head kick but it misses.
Balinski blocks a head kick by Penguin.
Balinski now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Balinski goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
A punch combination from Balinski misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Penguin, right into the meat.
Nuclear Penguin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Penguin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Penguin scores with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Balinski throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Penguin fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Penguin jabs Balinski right on the nose. Balinski blinks but takes it well.
Penguin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Balinski has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Penguin throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Penguin throws a head kick that misses.
Penguin connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Penguin throws a sloppy head kick
and Balinski counters with a two punch combo.
Penguin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Balinski has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Penguin thows a body kick. Balinski tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Balinski looks to score with a jab to the body but Penguin is just out of range.
Penguin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Penguin lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penguin tries to land a leg kick but Balinski saw it coming and moves away.
Balinski takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Penguin throws a head kick but Balinski moves out of range.
Balinski looks to land a combination but Penguin avoids it well.
Penguin lands a nice leg kick that just misses Balinski's sensitive parts.
Balinski stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Penguin.
Balinski on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Jakub Balinski has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Balinski takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Balinski jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Balinski on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Penguin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Balinski can do to turn this around?
Balinski tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Nuclear Penguin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Balinski on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Balinski chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Penguin can pounce on him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nuclear Penguin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Penguin, 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nuclear Penguin!
An out of breath and clearly excited Nuclear Penguin thanked Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200) for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).