PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Riad Belhanda (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eddie Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Belhanda
vs
Penn

173 cm
20
179 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
30
177 lbs
15 - 10 - 1

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Very quick

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Golden Supplements [O.R.G]

SPARTA FIGHTWARE-GTI

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Riad Belhanda!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 10 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Eddie Penn!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Konstantin Menshow and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn moves out of range of the strikes.

Belhanda shoots in and gets a takedown into Penn's guard.
Belhanda has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Belhanda controls from within his opponent's guard.
Belhanda trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Belhanda is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Belhanda missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Belhanda wants to pass the guard but Penn is keeping the position.
Belhanda throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Penn works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Penn looking to control.
Belhanda not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn looking for a sweep. Not yet Penn, not yet.
Belhanda working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Belhanda trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.

Penn is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Belhanda is aware though and is defending well.
Belhanda looking to sit in guard and control but Penn gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Belhanda not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Penn stopping the sweep attempt from Belhanda.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belhanda wants to stand but Penn is controlling the position.
Penn tries to free his leg and advance position but Belhanda is retaining full guard.
Penn slips nicely into half guard.
Belhanda wants to control but Penn is keeping busy.
Penn not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Penn is looking to take a break and control but Belhanda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Belhanda is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belhanda trying to control but Penn postures up.
Belhanda moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Penn preventing the sweep.
Penn is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Penn stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Belhanda swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Penn not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Belhanda doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Penn counter with a right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Belhanda blocks a head kick by Penn.
Belhanda throws a lazy uppercut
and Penn counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Penn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Penn throws a hook but Belhanda avoids it easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Belhanda.
Penn avoids the head kick by Belhanda.
Belhanda closes the distance and lands a one-two.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Belhanda jabs at Penn's body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Belhanda takes a swing at Penn's ribcage but misses.
Penn throws a right hand that Belhanda ducks under and follows up with a left that Belhanda also avoids with ease.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Riad Belhanda dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Penn swings for the body but Belhanda moves out of range.
Riad Belhanda seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Belhanda shoots in and drives through. Penn sprawls well.
Penn takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Penn tries a head kick but it misses.
Belhanda shoots for a takedown but Penn saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Some bone on bone action there as Belhanda checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Penn keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Riad Belhanda. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penn misses with a looping right.
Belhanda misses with a right hand

and Penn counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Penn preventing the sweep.
Penn slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Let's hope that Penn has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Belhanda is on top in guard.
Penn working a defensive guard here.
Belhanda with a flurry of punches that miss.
Penn manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Belhanda is trying to escape the mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Penn has control of Belhanda's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Belhanda regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Penn trying to control but Belhanda is having none of it.
Belhanda can't escape the position.
Penn content just to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belhanda regains half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Belhanda manages to get to full guard.
Penn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Belhanda has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Penn has passed into side control.
Belhanda tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Penn presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

Penn jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Belhanda is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Belhanda and Penn has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands an elbow.
You can see the frustration on Belhanda's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Belhanda is looking to regain half guard here but Penn keeps moving and retains side control.
You can see the frustration on Belhanda's face as Penn controls the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Penn wants to control but Belhanda is keeping him busy.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Belhanda tries to buck Penn off but Penn is having none of it.
Belhanda regains half guard, as Penn was trying to land strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Penn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Penn moves out of range of the body kick.
Belhanda misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Penn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Penn defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Belhanda.
Penn waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Belhanda.
Penn shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Belhanda.
The fighters circle momentarily. Penn darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Penn defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Belhanda.
A head kick misses from Penn.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belhanda throws a good cross that connects.
Belhanda is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Belhanda throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Belhanda throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Penn lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Belhanda ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Penn moves away.
Penn loads up on a big right hand but Belhanda slips the punch.
Belhanda lands a head kick. Penn smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
A jab from Belhanda misses.
Penn throws a push kick but Belhanda slaps the foot to one side.
Penn works the jab nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Donk. Penn catches Belhanda right on the button with a cross.
Belhanda takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Penn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Belhanda throws an overhand right that lands on Penn's shoulder, as Penn tries to avoid the shot.
Penn throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Belhanda throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Belhanda displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Penn.
Penn shoots for a double leg takedown but Belhanda sprawls well. He's pushed Penn's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Riad Belhanda has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eddie Penn.
Penn looks to land a right hand but Belhanda moved out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belhanda throws the kick towards the body but Penn avoids it.
Belhanda looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Penn moves out of range as Belhanda strikes.
Penn slips under a jab from Belhanda.
Belhanda connects with a leg kick. Penn looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Penn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Belhanda circles away quickly and effectively.
Belhanda dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Penn tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Penn throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Belhanda's waist but Belhanda gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Penn off to one side.
Belhanda moves out of range of the body kick.
Penn blocks a head kick by Belhanda.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws a good cross that connects.
Penn drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Penn misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Penn throws a push kick but Belhanda slaps the foot to one side.
Eddie Penn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Penn scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
You can see the frustration on Belhanda's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Penn is looking to take a break and control but Belhanda is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Eddie Penn.
I think Penn 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:29
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 28:29

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