PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Bj Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luiz Soto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Penn comes to the cage accompanied by BJ Penn. 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
Soto

175 cm
25
148 lbs
20 - 10 - 0

173 cm
23
145 lbs
10 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 20 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Bj Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Luiz Soto!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Soto keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Soto jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Soto with a poor takedown
and Soto takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Soto shoots in for a takedown but Penn shows good takedown defense.
Penn moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Penn lands with a thumping leg kick.
Soto moves out of range of the body kick from Penn.
Penn's corner calls for a 1-2. Penn obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Penn throws a right hand that misses

and Soto counters with a nice double leg into side control. Penn won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Soto is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Soto wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Soto is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Penn will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Penn tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Soto easily slips into full mount!
Penn working to try and regain half guard.
Soto controlling the position easily from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto landing shots from mount.
Penn tries to hold on but Soto pushes him away.

Soto stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Soto throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Penn sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Penn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Soto.
Soto throws a combination. Penn tries to block but a couple of punches get through.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Soto, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Penn throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Soto on the side of the head.
Soto avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Soto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Penn.
Penn throws a shot from downtown. Soto moves away and avoids it.
Bj Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Soto drives through with a takedown into guard.
Penn bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Soto's guard.
Soto is controlling Penn's posture.
Soto avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Soto works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Soto escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Penn gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Soto is looking for a triangle but Penn pushes his legs off easily.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Soto has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Penn is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Soto.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Soto regains half guard, as Penn was trying to land strikes.
Penn is trying to control the action in half guard but Soto is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Penn is taking a breather. Soto says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Penn prevents Soto from standing back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Luiz Soto will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Penn lands a leg kick that knocks Soto off balance momentarily.
Soto tries for a takedown but Penn sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Penn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Soto.
Soto avoids the body shot from Penn.
Soto on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Penn stuffs the takedown attempt from Soto. Soto gets slowly back to his feet.
Penn tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Soto is able to avoid easily.
Soto fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Penn avoids it really well and circles away.
Bj Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Luiz Soto.
Soto keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Soto looks to land a combination. Penn sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Soto fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Soto on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Soto ducks under a wild hook from Penn.
Penn moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Soto rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Penn moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Soto slips under a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Soto avoids the body shot from Penn.
Penn pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Bj Penn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Penn throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bj Penn is winning the standup battle so far.
Penn slaps away a takedown attempt from Soto, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Soto displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Penn throws out the jab.
Penn throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Soto looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Penn!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Penn tries to hold on but Soto postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Soto can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Penn is looking to escape.
Penn wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Penn prevents Soto from getting a body triangle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Penn preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Soto.
Penn looking very determined here, making life difficult for Soto.
Soto doesn't have the hooks in and Penn manages to turn into his guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Soto working for a triangle but Penn defends it easily.

Soto has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Penn can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bj Penn will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Penn throws a nice outside leg kick.
Soto uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Penn.
Penn scores with a shot to the body.
Penn looks to land a left hand but Soto moved out of range nicely.
Penn swings widly with a right hand

and Soto counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Soto from controlling successfully.
Penn is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Soto looking for submissions off his back.
Soto wants to get back to full guard.
Soto takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Penn content to control rather than advance.
Penn trying to control the action but Soto is working from the bottom.
Soto blocking the ground and pound attempt from Penn.
Luiz Soto has got the better of the ground game so far.

Penn is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Penn is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Soto doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Penn.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Soto looks like he's trying to stand up.
Penn with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Soto works his way to full guard. Good work.

Soto has his foot on Penn's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Penn works his way back into a safe position though.

Penn thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Soto is looking to sweep but instead, Penn has passed into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn trying to control the action but Soto is working from the bottom.
Soto blocking the ground and pound attempt from Penn.
Soto is looking to escape.
Soto wants to get back to full guard.
Penn lands strikes from half guard.
Penn thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Penn working over Soto with some ground and pound. Soto looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Soto wants to get back to full guard but Penn has mounted him!
Soto tries to hold on but Penn pushes him away.
Penn lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Penn working Soto over with strikes here.

Soto is rocked!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Soto is wriggling around trying to escape.
Soto is still in real trouble! Can Penn finish him?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Penn lands with some strikes.
Soto takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Penn unloads with some vicious shots from mount and Soto wants out - he looks towards the referee who steps in to save him! Penn celebrates on the cage and the crowd goes wild!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Bj Penn!