PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JB Stevens (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Penn
vs
Stevens

178 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Determined

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 Hilo, BJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, JB Stevens!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Stevens fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Penn sprawls well initially but Stevens persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Penn wants to control but Stevens is keeping busy.
Stevens takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Stevens looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Stevens trying to control the action but Penn is working from the bottom.
Stevens wants to pass the guard but Penn is defending well.
Stevens is trying to control the action in half guard but Penn is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Penn is trying to stand.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Penn throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Stevens fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Penn feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Stevens's calf.
Penn lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens throws a half hearted mid kick.
Stevens checks a leg kick nicely.

Stevens scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Stevens decides to stand back up. Stevens steps back and let's Penn get back to his feet.
Stevens slips a jab and a cross from Penn.

Stevens looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Stevens passes into half guard.
Stevens looks gassed!
Penn is trying to stand up here but Stevens is controlling him well.

Stevens stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Penn to get to his feet.
Penn lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Penn.
Penn throws a head kick but Stevens moves out of range.

Stevens shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
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!

Stevens stands up from the dominant position. He obviously fancies his chances standing.
BJ Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Penn closes the distance and lands a one-two.

Penn shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Penn was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Stevens gets back to half guard.
Stevens manages to get to full guard.
Penn postures up.

Stevens has his feet on Penn's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Penn throws a head kick that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens fails with a takedown attempt.
Penn throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Penn shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Stevens counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Penn is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Stevens seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Stevens's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Stevens trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn is looking to stand up but Stevens isn't so interested in that idea.
Penn keeping full guard, as Stevens tries to pass.

Stevens gets to his feet - Penn follows without any prompting.
Stevens throws a wild body kick that Penn sees coming a mile off.

Stevens drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stevens passes Penn's left leg - he's now in half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Stevens stops Penn from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Stevens is keen to just control but Penn is a slippery customer.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JB Stevens dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Stevens darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Penn is trying to stand up here but Stevens is controlling him well.
Stevens is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Stevens is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Penn defends it well.
Stevens content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Stevens wants to take a breather but Penn is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Penn looks like he's trying to stand up.
Stevens keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Stevens trying to control the action but Penn is working from the bottom.

Despite being in the dominant position, JB Stevens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Stevens has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Stevens there as he acknowledges the shot.
Penn with a nice cross.
Penn tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Stevens shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn pushes Stevens off looking to stand but Stevens dives back in and keeps control.
Penn is staying active underneath Stevens, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Stevens in particular looking to stall.
Stevens moves nicely into side control.
Stevens trying to control the position but Penn is working away.

Stevens decides to take the fight back to the feet.

Stevens closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Penn to the mat! Penn manages to get full guard.
Stevens controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stevens trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Stevens might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Penn kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Despite being in the dominant position, JB Stevens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Penn comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Stevens instigates a clinch.
Penn is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Stevens has picked Penn up - he's going for a ride! Stevens dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn wants to get back to his feet.
Stevens slows the pace down in half guard.
Penn tries to kick Stevens off in order to stand up. Stevens Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Stevens controls the position.
Penn tries to escape but Stevens is in control.
JB Stevens has got the better of the ground game so far.
Stevens wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penn keeps working.
Penn wants to get back to his feet.
Penn is not content to let Stevens control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

JB Stevens showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Stevens tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Stevens swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Penn connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A nice leg kick lands there from Stevens.
Stevens will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Stevens darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Stevens stops Penn from getting back to his feet.
Stevens sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Penn is trying to stand back up but Stevens is controlling him
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Stevens content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stevens 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.
Stevens perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Despite being in the dominant position, JB Stevens just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Stevens looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Penn wants to get back to his feet.
BJ Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Stevens is keen to just control but Penn is a slippery customer.
Still in half guard, Stevens seems content to control.

Stevens decides to stand and escape the position.

Stevens feints and as Penn raises his hands in defense, Stevens changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Stevens pushes down on Penn's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Stevens controlling the action here.
Stevens is looking to advance position but Penn won't allow it.
Penn wants to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Stevens in particular looking to stall.
Stevens moves nicely into side control.
Penn prevents Stevens from improving position.
Penn is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Stevens controls the position.

Stevens tries for a kimura but Penn is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Stevens trying to control the action but Penn is working from the bottom.
Penn wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
JB Stevens is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Stevens taking a breather here.
Penn gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Stevens is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Penn can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

And that's the end of the fight!
JB Stevens comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Stevens winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... JB Stevens!