PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jose Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dj Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jose Martinez has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Martinez
vs
Penn

175 cm
20
175 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

187 cm
20
174 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jose Martinez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Dj Penn!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Tarja Halkonen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martinez with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Penn to counter with a crisp jab.

Penn fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Martinez sprawls well initially but Penn persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Penn wants to stand up but Martinez is controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Penn seems to be working for a kimura but Martinez defends the submission attempt.
Penn moves nicely into side control.
Martinez struggling a bit here.
Martinez tries to buck Penn off but Penn is having none of it.
Martinez is breathing heavily.
Martinez gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!

Penn working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Martinez working to try and regain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn get's back to his feet.

Martinez 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.
Penn controlling the position.

Martinez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Penn has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Martinez has managed to get both his arms back between Penn's legs - danger averted.
Martinez with a flurry of punches that miss.

Penn had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martinez defends it easily.
Martinez 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn can't keep his opponent in guard - Martinez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Martinez wants to pass the guard but Penn is defending well.
Martinez is trying to control. Penn wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Penn gets full guard.
Martinez's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martinez stands up from Penn's guard - Martinez perhaps looking for a knockout.

Martinez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Penn is trying to defend but Martinez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Martinez is working for a kimura but Penn is defending it quite comfortably.
Martinez is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez is stalling here. Penn is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Martinez seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Penn has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Martinez tries to bench press Penn off him but Penn keeps the position.
Martinez is trying to control Penn's posture but Penn avoids it.

Penn wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Martinez, who protects the arm well.

Penn is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Martinez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Martinez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Penn working away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Dj Penn will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Martinez takes a kick to the side of the head.

Penn scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Martinez manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Penn moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Martinez takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Jose Martinez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Penn.
Penn prevents Martinez from escaping the position.
Penn sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Martinez is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Penn wants to stand but Martinez has his arm trapped.
Martinez wants to control but Penn postures up.

Penn goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Martinez rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Penn's guard! Nice work there by Martinez!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Martinez has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Penn working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Martinez.
Martinez trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martinez throwing strikes from guard but Penn blocks nicely.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Martinez looking to sit in guard and control but Penn gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Martinez keeping full guard, as Penn tries to pass.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Martinez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Penn scoring with some ground and pound.

Martinez working for a triangle but Penn defends it easily.

Penn drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Penn jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez trying to control the position.

Penn got a little sloppy there for a moment and Martinez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Penn has managed to get both his arms back between Martinez's legs - danger averted.
Penn passes Martinez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Penn thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Penn is working for a kimura but Martinez is defending it quite comfortably.
Penn lands strikes from half guard.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

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.
Penn tries to stand and escape but Martinez is controlling the position.
Martinez is concentrating on defense, preventing Penn from advancing position.
Penn is thwarting Martinez's attempts to control the position.
Martinez keeping control of the position.
Penn is trying to control the action in half guard but Martinez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Penn wants to pass the guard but Martinez is defending well.

Jose Martinez has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Martinez with a poor takedown

and Penn counters with a single leg into guard. Martinez didn't expect that.
Penn lands a couple of elbows.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dj Penn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Martinez drives through with a takedown into guard.
Martinez looking to sit in guard and control but Penn gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Penn drops back looking for a leg! Martinez is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Martinez manages to kick Penn off! Penn jumps back into Martinez's guard.
Martinez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Penn in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Martinez wants to sweep but no luck.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Martinez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Penn distracts Martinez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
Martinez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Martinez looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Penn thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Martinez kicks Penn off and gets to his feet.
Martinez with a lazy takedown attempt
letting Penn counter with a right hand.

Penn shoots in and gets a takedown into Martinez's guard.
Penn preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn trying to control but Martinez is working from the bottom.
Penn throws a big right hand that misses.
Martinez is trying to keep Penn in close.
Dj Penn has got the better of the ground game so far.
Martinez wants to sweep here but Penn controlling him for the moment.
Martinez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Martinez content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Martinez is trying to control. Penn wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez is controlling the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jose Martinez.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Penn.

Penn tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Penn has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Martinez is trying to control Penn's posture but Penn avoids it.
Jose Martinez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez defending against the ground and pound.

Penn stands up and beckons Martinez to his feet.

Martinez shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Penn is trying to defend but Martinez finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Dj Penn is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Penn is looking to escape.
Penn wants to improve his position but Martinez is controlling well.
Martinez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jose Martinez.
Well Penn has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dj Penn!