PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Bj Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Claude Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Penn comes into the arena with Heavier than metal blaring out of the sound system. Thompson has chosen If Rap Gets Jealous by K'naan as his entrance music. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Penn
vs
Thompson

178 cm
26
158 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

170 cm
25
155 lbs
10 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bj Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Claude Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Robert Douchet and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Thompson tries for a takedown but Penn sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Thompson misses with a two punch combination.

Thompson gets tackled into the cage by Penn. Penn maintains the clinch.
Penn swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Thompson has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Penn regains guard immediately.
Thompson throws an elbow that misses. Penn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Thompson's guard. Nice move by Penn!
Penn wants to stand but Thompson is controlling his posture from full guard.
Thompson wants to sweep here but Penn controlling him for the moment.
Thompson looking to control.
Penn wants to stand but Thompson has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Thompson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Thompson 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.
Penn would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn stands up from Thompson's guard - Penn perhaps looking for a knockout.
A clash of legs there as Penn blocks the low kick.

Thompson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Thompson winds up and cracks Penn with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Penn keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Thompson is trying to work for a kimura but Penn is defending well.
Thompson thows a huge punch but Penn dodges it nicely.
Thompson throwing shots but Penn is blocking nicely.
Penn keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson throws a strike but Penn avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Thompson postures up in Penn's guard and throws a big left but Penn blocks it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Penn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Thompson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Penn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thompson trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Penn manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Thompson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Penn is aware though and is defending well.
Penn won't allow Thompson to sweep him here.

Thompson throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Thompson has a closed guard, preventing Penn from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Thompson is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Thompson is pulling down on Penn's head to control his posture.

Penn gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Penn loads up on a big right hand but Thompson slips the punch.

Thompson closes the distance and clinches.
Thompson comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Thompson lands an elbow just above Penn 's eye.
Penn lands a shoulder strike.
Thompson is looking to break free of the clinch but Penn has double underhooks.
Penn can't find room to land a body shot as Thompson controls the action.
A body shot lands from Penn.
Penn throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Thompsons head.
Penn is pressed up against the cage. Thompson has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Penn down to the mat. Penn avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Thompson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Thompson looks gassed!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn tries to clinch but Thompson is having none of it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Thompson connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Penn's hands.
Penn misses with an uppercut.
Thompson's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Penn connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Thompson scrambles back to his feet.
Thompson throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Penn closes the distance and pushes Thompson back into the cage.
Thompson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Thompson has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Thompson pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Penn lands a really nice looking cross but Thompson seems unphased.
Thompson keeps the fight on the outside.
Thompson looks to throw the jab but Penn is out of range.
Penn moves in looking to clinch but Thompson pushes him off.
Thompson tries to clinch but Penn moves out of range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thompson thows a body shot but no joy.
Penn scores with a nice strike.
Thompson looks to land a right hand but Penn moved out of range.
Nice straight punches there by Penn. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Penn.
Thompson is looking to clinch but Penn is avoiding it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Claude Thompson dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Penn throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Penn looks to land a left hand but Thompson moved out of range nicely.
Penn tries to clinch there but Thompson circles away.
Thompson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Penn was well out of range. Poor timing from Thompson.
Penn tries to clinch up but Thompson circles away and keeps his distance.

Thompson scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Penn is trying to stand.
Thompson is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Thompson unloading with bombs!
Thompson unloads with some shots from mount but Penn bucks and avoids them well.
Thompson thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Thompson with a couple of short strikes.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson looking to finish with strikes here!
Penn is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Thompson lands a big shot there that rocks Penn but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Thompson throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Thompson jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Penn is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Penn and Thompson has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Thompson looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Penn is avoiding damage well.
Thompson throws a strike aimed at the side of Penn's head but Penn avoids it well.
Thompson scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Penn to see if he's OK.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thompson tries to score with some ground and pound. Penn controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

Thompson swings around for an armbar but Penn sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Thompson's guard.
Thompson has a closed guard, preventing Penn from standing up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Penn avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Penn wanted to stand there but Thompson had control of the position.
Penn preventing the sweep.

Penn stands and steps away. Thompson gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Thompson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Penn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Penn darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Thompson looks to land a left hand but Penn moved out of range nicely.
Thompson lands a nice leg kick that just misses Penn's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws a looping overhand right but Thompson ducks down to avoid it.
Thompson with a hook.
Penn walks into a jab.
Penn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Thompson.
Penn tries to clinch up.

Penn clinches with his opponent.
Penn tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Penn tries a body shot but Thompson blocks it.
Thompson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Thompson fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Penn tries to clinch there but Thompson circles away.
Bj Penn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Thompson throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Penn's waist but Penn gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Thompson off to one side.
Thompson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Thompson shoots in looking for a takedown. Penn tries to sprawl out of it but Thompson 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.
Thompson drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Penn fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thompson instigates a clinch.
Penn goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Thompson is trying to push Penn away but Penn has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thompson.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Thompson creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Thompson blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Penn.
Penn works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Penn misses with a shot to the kidneys.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Penn.
The referee is keeping an eye on Thompson - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Thompson's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Thompson slips a jab from Penn.
Penn checks a leg kick.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Thompson throws a right and a left that Penn avoids nicely.
Thompson throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Penn.
Thompson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Penn checks a leg kick nicely.
Penn cracks Thompson with an open hand slap.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Claude Thompson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Penn is looking to clinch.
Thompson scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Penn is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
A big right from Penn misses.
Thompson swats away the attempt to clinch by Penn.

Penn clinches up with Thompson and pushes him back against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Penn.
Penn misses with a body punch.
Thompson wants a takedown.
Penn tries to work over Thompson's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thompson misses with a hook to the ribs.
Penn lands a shoulder strike.
Thompson prevents a body shot from Penn.
Thompson trying to stall but Penn improves his position.
Penn scores with a hook to the body.
Penn pushes Thompson back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thompson.
Thompson takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Penn prevents a body shot from Thompson.
Penn lands with a short shot to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Thompson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thompson's elbow.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Thompson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson drops his hands momentarily and Penn takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Penn misses with an uppercut.
Penn connects with a crisp jab.
A decent looking cross lands there for Penn.
Penn scores with a jab.
Penn tries to clinch up.
Thompson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Penn gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Thompson tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Penn misses with a hook from the clinch.
Thompson scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Thompson lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Penn.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Penn creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Penn digs a right hand into Thompson's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Thompson's gas tank.

Thompson escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Penn is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Penn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn moves in looking to clinch but Thompson pushes him off.
Thompson keeps the fight on the outside.
Thompson motions for Penn to come forward. Thompson throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Thompson defending well as Penn loads up on a big left hand.
Thompson throws a jab when Penn was well out of range.
Penn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Thompson swinging wildly here.
Bj Penn is winning the standup battle so far.
Penn connects with a looping right hand.
Penn moves away from the strike by Thompson.
Thompson fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Penn manages to avoid it.
A jab from Penn misses.
Penn misses with an uppercut. Thompson saw that one coming.
Thompson moves away from the strike by Penn.
Sloppy strikes from Thompson. Those never looked like landing.
Penn listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Penn tests Thompson's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Penn closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Penn.
Penn is leaning against Thompson and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Thompson throws a head punch that misses.
Thompson swings away with an uppercut that misses.
With the fighters up against the cage, Thompson throws an elbow but misses.
Penn lands with a short shot to the head.
Penn misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Thompson throws a punch but it's blocked by Penn.
Penn misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Penn goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Thompson blocks an uppercut.
Thompson lands with a short shot to the head.

Thompson pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thompson throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Penn thuds his right hand into Thompson's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
The fight stays on the outside here - Penn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Thompson closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Penn quickly recovers to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson looks to land a strike but Penn avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Bj Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
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!

Thompson drops back, looking for a kneebar! Penn looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Penn looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Penn!
Thompson tries to improve position but can't.

Penn decides to stand up, so the ref orders Thompson to his feet.
Penn wants to clinch up but Thompson keeps it at a distance.
A jab from Penn misses.
A jab from Penn misses.
Thompson throws a jab when Penn was well out of range.

Thompson shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Thompson was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Penn is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bj Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Thompson has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Claude Thompson!