PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between DJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eugene Albright (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.

Penn
vs
Albright

175 cm
28
160 lbs
16 - 10 - 1

180 cm
28
164 lbs
14 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 16 - 10 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, DJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eugene Albright!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Edson Gomes and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn tries to clinch there but Albright circles away.
Albright tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.
Penn fails with an attempt to clinch.
Albright throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Penn tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Albright counter with a right hand.
Albright jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Penn clinches with his opponent.

Albright gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Albright lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Albright thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Penn's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn is trying to stand back up but Albright is controlling him
Albright wants to take a breather but Penn is having none of it.
Penn is trying to stand back up but Albright is controlling him
Albright passes to side control.
Albright in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Albright misses with the ground and pound.

Penn throws Albright to one side and escapes!
Albright thows a body shot but no joy.

Albright darts in and clinches Penn up against the cage.
Penn has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Penn breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Albright swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Penn wants to clinch but Albright slips to the side
and Albright counters with a left to the body.
Albright misses the jab.
Penn tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Penn stuffs the takedown.
Albright shoots in and drives through. Penn sprawls well.
Penn misses the jab.
Penn throws a hook but Albright blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn moves out of range as Albright strikes.
Penn wants to clinch up but Albright keeps it at a distance.
Albright throws a big shot that misses.
Penn slips a straight right by Albright.
Albright throws a jab but it's blocked by Penn.
Penn wants to clinch but Albright slips to the side

and Albright holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Penn looking to stall.

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.
Albright jumps guard but Penn stands there with Albright around his waist. Albright gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
DJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eugene Albright.
Penn's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Penn can't break the clinch.
Penn tries to circle away but Albright has him pinned against the cage.

Penn breaks from the clinch.
Penn tries to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

Albright takes the fight into the clinch.

Albright jumps guard.
Penn preventing the sweep.
Albright is looking to sweep but instead, Penn has passed into half guard.
Albright trying to hold on to Penn's head to control him but Penn postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eugene Albright dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Albright circles away from the clinch attempt

and Albright counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Albright trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penn is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Albright is controlling him.
Albright wants to control from the top but Penn keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Penn wants to get back to his feet but Albright is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Eugene Albright wasn't active enough on the ground.
Penn wants to clinch but Albright slips to the side
and Albright counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Penn tries to clinch but Albright moves away
and Albright counters with a right hand to the body.
A punch combination from Albright misses.
Albright throws a hook but Penn avoids it easily.
Penn tries to clinch
and Albright counters with a two punch combo.
Penn throws a series of punches but Albright moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Albright gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Albright pulls Penn into guard.

Penn got a little sloppy there for a moment and Albright has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Penn has managed to get both his arms back between Albright's legs - danger averted.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Albright is on top in guard.
Albright distracts Penn with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Albright won't allow Penn to get back to his feet.
Albright trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.
Albright thows a big elbow that misses.
Albright stops Penn from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Albright wants to pass the guard but Penn is keeping the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Albright slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Albright from controlling successfully.
Albright's corner is telling him to maintain position.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Eugene Albright was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Albright is looking to clinch.
Penn wants to clinch but Albright slips to the side

and Albright counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Albright trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Albright is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Penn wants to stand and escape but Albright is having none of it.
Albright with a nice head shot there.
Albright has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Penn is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Penn trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Eugene Albright has got the better of the ground game so far.

Albright drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Penn manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Albright has Penn in his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eugene Albright showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Albright tries to close the distance and clinch but Penn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Penn doesn't manage to clinch there - Albright circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Albright circles away from the clinch attempt
and Albright cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn rushes Albright and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Albright tries to pull guard but Penn holds him up against the cage and eventually Albright drops back down to his feet.
Albright tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Penn just stands there and leans against the cage.
Albright fails to pull guard.
DJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eugene Albright.
Albright is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Penn's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Penn has Albright up against the cage in a clinch.

Albright has picked Penn up - he's going for a ride! Albright dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Albright in particular looking to stall.

Penn makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Penn throws a hook but Albright avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab by Albright.
A swing and a miss from Albright.
Penn lands a jab to the nose.
Penn ducks under a wild hook from Albright.
Penn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Penn thows a left - swing and a miss!
Penn wants to clinch
and Albright counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Albright shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Penn's guard.
Albright postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Eugene Albright is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Albright slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Let's hope that Albright has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Albright trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Albright content to stall in guard here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Eugene Albright.
Albright takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Penn misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eugene Albright comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Albright 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eugene Albright!