PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Bj Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jay Z (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Z has chosen New York as his entrance music. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Penn
vs
Z

175 cm
32
165 lbs
28 - 19 - 0

177 cm
27
167 lbs
16 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Crippler's Corner

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI
SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI

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 28 - 19 - 0, fighting out of London, Bj Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Jay Z!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Daniel Bishop and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn throws a body punch but Z moves out of range.
Z misses the jab.

Penn darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Penn wants to free his trapped foot but Z is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Z wants to get back to his feet.
Z is staying active underneath Penn, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Z works his way to full guard. Good work.
Z trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Z is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Penn is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Z is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Z is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn wants to pass the guard but Z is keeping the position.
Z is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Penn has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Penn wants to pass the guard but Z is keeping the position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jay Z hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Penn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Z.
Penn connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Z connects with a right hand. Penn shakes it off.
Penn avoids the body shot from Z.
Penn takes a swing at Z's ribcage but misses.
Z throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Penn takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Z stuns Penn with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Penn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Z.
Z misses with a looping left.
Z moves into range and connects with a jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nice uppercut lands for Z. That snapped Penn's head back.
Z ducks under a wild hook from Penn.
A big left from Penn misses.
Z lands with a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Z moves away.
Nice cross by Z.
Penn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Penn takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

Penn is rocked!
Penn moves away from the strike by Z.
Oh Penn is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Penn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Z looks to land a right hand but Penn moved out of range.
Z waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Penn.
Penn takes a swing at Z's ribcage but misses.
Penn seems to have got his legs back now.
Penn misses with a jab to the body
and Z counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Penn shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Z as he avoids it easily.
Penn lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Z at a distance.
Z swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Z misses with a double jab.
Penn thows a left - swing and a miss!
Penn moves away from the strike by Z.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn thuds a left hand into Z's body.
Jab from Z.
Z pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Z swings for the body but Penn moves out of range.

Penn throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Z tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Penn is in Z's guard.
Penn looking to pass the guard.
Z is trying to control the position but Penn postures up.
Penn throws a big right hand that misses.

Penn got a little sloppy there for a moment and Z has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Penn has managed to get both his arms back between Z's legs - danger averted.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Z wants to stand but Penn is controlling the position.
Z controls Penn momentarily but Penn frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Z dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Z shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Penn defends it nicely.
Penn throws a jab when Z was well out of range.
Z throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Z throws a lazy uppercut

and Penn decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Z's guard.
Penn looking to pass the guard.

Penn drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Z dives on top into guard.

Z postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Penn is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Z, into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Z looking for a sweep. Not yet Z, not yet.
Z working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Penn.

Penn got a little sloppy there for a moment and Z has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Penn has managed to get both his arms back between Z's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Z is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Z is looking for a triangle but Penn pushes his legs off easily.
Penn won't allow Z to sweep him here.
Penn looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Penn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Z trying to control the position.
Penn with a flurry of punches that miss.
Penn sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Z's guard.
Penn uses his free foot to push down on Z's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Z.
Z is looking to improve his position but Penn isn't that keen on the idea.
Bj Penn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Z wants to control but Penn is having none of it.

Penn is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Z can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Z wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn gets his hands free as Z looks to control.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Penn's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Z tries to escape the position.
Penn connects with a big shot to the side of Z's head.
Z looking very determined here, making life difficult for Penn.
Z rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Penn is looking for a kimura here.
Penn wants to pass to mount but Z is defending the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Penn is working for a submission of some sort.
Z gets back to full guard.
Z wants to sweep but no luck.

Z had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Penn defends it easily.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Z wants to sweep here but Penn controlling him for the moment.
Penn is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bj Penn dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Penn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Z manages to avoid it.
Penn throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Z sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Jay Z seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A jab from Z does it's job there.
Z displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Penn throws out the jab.
Z throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Z looks to land a left hand but Penn moved out of range nicely.
Penn bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Z's head.
Good exchange - Penn coming out on top.
Z swings for the body but Penn moves out of range.
Penn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Z ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Penn moves away.
Z lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Z throws a body punch but Penn moves out of range.
Penn shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Z makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Z with a hook.
Z throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Penn stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Penn moves away from the strike by Z.
Z thows a body shot but no joy.
Penn shoots in and drives through. Z sprawls well.
Penn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Penn misses the jab.
Jay Z seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Z throws a right and a left that Penn avoids nicely.
Penn on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn avoids the body shot from Z.
Penn looks to score with a jab to the body but Z is just out of range.
Z displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Penn.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bj Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penn lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Penn has a takedown stuffed.
Z is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Penn.
Penn ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Z moves away.
Z thows a body shot but no joy.
Penn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Z connects with a body shot that sends Penn's belly button to the back.
Penn avoids the body shot from Z.
Z ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Penn lands an overhand right.
Penn uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Z has time to react.
Penn throws a jab but it's blocked by Z.
Penn ducks under a wild hook from Z.
Z misses with an uppercut.
Penn defending well as Z loads up on a big left hand.
Z swings for the body but Penn moves out of range.
Penn throws a hook to the side of Z's head but Z sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Z keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Penn.
Z misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Penn. Z does a little dance to reset his feet.
Penn ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Z moves away.
Penn drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Penn misses with a takedown
and Z makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Z keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Z staying out of range there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Z will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Penn scores with a jab.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jay Z comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Z 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 James Atkins scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jay Z!
During a confident post fight interview, Jay Z thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.