PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Eric Lovett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kenny Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kenny Penn struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 146.2lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lovett
vs
Penn

166 cm
22
152 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

187 cm
19
150 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Eric Lovett!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kenny Penn!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Steve Smith and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn tries to clinch but Lovett moves out of range.
Penn scores with a head kick.
Lovett is looking to clinch.
Lovett tries to bum rush Penn with a series of wild strikes but Penn uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penn tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Penn shoots in looking for a takedown. Lovett tries to sprawl out of it but Penn keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the ropes. Lovett manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Lovett misses with the combination.

Lovett rushes Penn and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Lovett stalling.
Penn is trying to maintain a safe position but Lovett gets an underhook and turns Penn into the ropes.

Lovett turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Lovett manages to end up in side control.

Lovett is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Penn is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Penn is not content to let Lovett control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovett landing strikes.
Penn is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Lovett tries for a kimura but Penn is defending well.
Lovett connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Penn some visible discomfort.
Penn looks gassed!
Penn takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Lovett prevents Penn from escaping the position.
Penn is being controlled here.
Check out the look on Lovett's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Lovett trying to control the action but Penn is working from the bottom.
Lovett grinds an elbow into Penn's temple.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lovett wants to control but Penn is keeping him busy.
Penn is working to avoid the ground and pound but Lovett connects with a decent elbow.
Lovett landing strikes.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Penn is looking to reverse the position.
Lovett lands a decent elbow from side control.
Penn is looking to regain half guard here but Lovett keeps moving and retains side control.

Lovett thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
You can see the frustration on Penn's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn tries to improve position but can't.
Penn wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Lovett working away.
Penn is looking for a sweep.
Lovett working the ground and pound from side control.
Penn taking punishment in the form of punches.
Penn wants to get back to his feet but Lovett drags him back down.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lovett darts in and clinches Penn up against the ropes.
Lovett gets underhooks to prevent Penn's takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Lovett pushes Penn back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Penn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lovett avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Penn fails to land the takedown.
Eric Lovett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kenny Penn.

Lovett clinches with his opponent.
Lovett misses with a body punch.
Lovett digs a right hand underneath Penn's ribcage. Penn let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Penn tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lovett just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Lovett wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Penn escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Penn shoots in and drives through. Lovett sprawls well.
Lovett misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Penn shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Lovett looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Lovett dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Penn clinches but Lovett breaks the clinch

and Lovett counters by moving into the clinch.
Lovett on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Lovett is trying to trip Penn. He has hold of a leg but Penn is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Lovett persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Lovett connects with a couple of short punches.
Lovett forces his way into half guard.
Lovett wants to free his trapped foot but Penn is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Lovett sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Penn defending well though.
Lovett lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Lovett is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lovett prevents Penn from improving his position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lovett scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Penn is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Penn makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Penn.
Lovett pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Penn is keeping the position for now.
Lovett stopping the sweep attempt from Penn.
Lovett throwing strikes from guard but Penn blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Penn has his takedown stuffed

and Lovett counters by clinching up.
Penn wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Lovett throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Penns head.
Penn tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lovett just stands there and leans against the ropes.
Penn prevents Lovett from breaking the clinch.
Penn keeps control of Lovett as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lovett is pressed up against the ropes. Penn has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lovett down to the mat. Lovett avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Eric Lovett has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kenny Penn.
Decent striking displayed by Lovett there.
Penn cracks the inside of Lovett's front leg.

Lovett fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Penn, pushing him back against the ropes.
Penn tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

Penn tightens his grip and picks Lovett up, before dumping him to the ground. Lovett manages to land in guard.

Penn drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Penn jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn tries to stand but Lovett is controlling from the bottom.

Lovett is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Penn won't allow Lovett to sweep him here.
Lovett manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Penn manages to get himself to full guard.
Lovett working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Penn's head.
Lovett keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Penn's head.
Lovett slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Lovett distracts Penn with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lovett postures up and lands a big shot to Penn's brow.
Penn can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Lovett controls the pace.
Lovett trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.
Penn working a defensive guard here.
Lovett postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Penn trying to keep a closed guard but Lovett is proving a slippery customer.
Lovett tries to free his leg and advance position but Penn is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Lovett dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Lovett fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Penn with a poor takedown
and Lovett counters with a series of strikes. Penn will be more careful next time no doubt.
Lovett throws a right hand that Penn ducks under and follows up with a left that Penn also avoids with ease.
No joy there for Lovett, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Penn is looking to clinch but Lovett is avoiding it.
Lovett staying out of range there.
Lovett lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

Lovett closes the distance and clinches.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Lovett lands with a short shot to the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn tries to break the clinch but Lovett is controlling the position.
A left hand lands to the body for Lovett.
Penn jumps guard but Lovett stands there with Penn around his waist. Penn gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Lovett is working on a single leg takedown against the ropes. Penn can't fight it off and eventually Lovett manages to take the fight to the floor. Penn looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Lovett is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Penn Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Lovett's back instead.

Lovett showing good submission defense here.
Lovett rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Lovett might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Lovett is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Penn's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Penn's back!
Lovett gets his hands free as Penn looks to control.

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.
Lovett doesn't have the hooks in and Penn manages to turn into his guard.
Penn looking to sit in guard and control but Lovett gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Penn is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lovett trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Penn is on top in guard.

Penn avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn trying to control but Lovett is working from the bottom.
Lovett controls Penn momentarily but Penn frees himself.
Penn wants to control from the top but Lovett keeps moving.
Lovett seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Lovett throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Penn is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lovett 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 four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Lovett lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Lovett scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Penn trying to control from the bottom.
Lovett working over Penn with some ground and pound. Penn looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Lovett is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Lovett seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Penn does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Lovett wants to pass to mount but Penn is defending the position.
Kenny Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Penn tries to get to full guard but Lovett has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Lovett showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Lovett has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Lovett!