PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between KJ Noons (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Penn has chosen Hawaii Song as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. BJ Penn has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with KJ Noons's chin.

Noons
vs
Penn

180 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
159 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, KJ Noons!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Penn does no damage.
Penn misses with a wild combination.
Noons avoids the head kick by Penn.
Penn lands a jab-cross combination.
Penn tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Noons shoots in looking for a takedown. Penn tries to sprawl out of it but Noons keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Penn manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Noons with a jab.

It looks like BJ Penn has been cut.
Penn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Noons has Penn up against the cage in a clinch.

Noons escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Noons fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Noons uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Penn.
Noons shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for KJ Noons. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Penn looks gassed!
Penn throws a right hand that Noons ducks under and follows up with a left that Noons also avoids with ease.
Noons closes the distance and clinches up with Penn, looking for a takedown. Noons pushes Penn against the cage but Penn circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Noons's waist but Noons gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Penn off to one side.
Noons keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Noons shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Penn sprawls well. Penn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Noons gets slowly back to his feet.
Noons throws a series of punches but Penn avoids them all with ease.
Penn takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Noons fails with the takedown.
Noons lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Noons shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Penn but Penn pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Noons shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Penn defends it nicely.
BJ Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Noons connects with a solid leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Noons scores with a push kick.
Noons lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

Noons closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Noons wants to work for an arm triangle but Penn is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Noons wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penn keeps working.
Penn is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Penn wants to control but Noons is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Penn kicks Noons off and gets back to his feet.
Noons lands a nice looking body kick.
Noons fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Penn swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Noons counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Penn is lucky that one didn't land flush.
A punch combination from Penn misses.
Penn doesn't manage to clinch there - Noons circles away.
Penn closes the distance and clinches up with Noons, looking for a takedown. Penn pushes Noons against the cage but Noons circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Noons has managed to clinch.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Noons escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Noons keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Penn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Noons lands with a kick to the ribs.
Penn throws a series of punches but Noons moves out of range.
No luck for Noons with that takedown attempt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn tries for a takedown but Noons sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Noons fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Penn avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

KJ Noons dominated that round.
The cut man is working on BJ Penn's cut.
That's time! Noons's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Horrible takedown by Noons or perhaps it was just good defense by Penn which made him look bad.
Penn rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Noons moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Noons closes this distance looking for a takedown but Penn circles away.
Penn moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Noons moves into the clinch.
Noons managing to block the knees to the body from Penn.

Noons escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn misses with a combination

and Noons moves into the clinch.

Noons breaks from the clinch.
Penn will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Noons moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Noons has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Penn uses from the top position.
Penn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Penn wants to stand but Noons is controlling his posture from full guard.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Noons looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Penn slips nicely into half guard.
Noons is staying active underneath Penn, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Penn wants to stand up but Noons is controlling the position.

Penn is trying for a kimura here. Noons looks like he's in a lot of pain... and he's tapping out! Penn wins by kimura!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). BJ Penn!