PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Arturo Gatti (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Penn has chosen Awesome as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Gatti
vs
Penn

176 cm
31
185 lbs
11 - 19 - 0

185 cm
28
190 lbs
8 - 11 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
World class boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Arturo Gatti!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Paulsen Ambrosius and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gatti pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Penn dodges the punch combination from Gatti.
Nice sprawl there from Penn as Gatti shoots in.
Gatti throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Arturo Gatti seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gatti misses with a jab, cross combination.
Penn throws a hook to the side of Gatti's head but Gatti sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Penn tries to bum rush Gatti with a series of wild strikes but Gatti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gatti steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Penn.
Penn misses with a hook
and Gatti counters with a straight right hand.
Good shot there by Penn.
Gatti throws a right and a left that Penn avoids nicely.
Penn ducks under a wild hook from Gatti.
Gatti misses with a jab to the body
and Gatti takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Penn throws a nice looking combination but Gatti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Penn lands with a nice combination. Gatti backs away looking to recover.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Gatti misses the target.
Gatti fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Penn has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Penn misses with the combination.
Gatti misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Penn blocks a head kick by Gatti.
Gatti scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
A punch combination from Gatti misses.
Gatti throws a right and a left that both miss.
Gatti lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Penn at a distance.
Penn avoids a kick to the body.

Gatti fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Penn sprawls well initially but Gatti persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Gatti is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn pushes Gatti off looking to stand but Gatti dives back in and keeps control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
It looks like Gatti is going to stand back up.
Gatti is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Gatti tries to stand and escape but Penn is controlling the position.
Gatti wants to pass the guard but Penn is defending well.

Gatti stands up out of the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Gatti misses with the combination.
Penn blocks a head kick by Gatti.
Gatti looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gatti throws a nice looking combination but Penn bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gatti. Penn does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gatti throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Penn.
Gatti looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gatti misses with a series of wild punches.
Gatti looks to land a combination but Penn avoids it well.
Gatti misses with a few strikes there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Gatti does no damage.
Gatti tries to bum rush Penn with a series of wild strikes but Penn uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penn lands with a nice combination. Gatti backs away looking to recover.
Gatti falls off balance throwing a combination
letting Penn counter with a right hand.
Gatti misses with the combination.
Penn stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Gatti.
Gatti cracks Penn with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Gatti ducks under a wild hook from Penn.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jab, jab by Gatti - just one landing.
Gatti misses with a head kick.
Gatti misses with a double jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arturo Gatti dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Gatti lands a nice leg kick that just misses Penn's sensitive parts.
Penn fails to land with a series of punches.
Penn misses the shot to the body.
Gatti pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gatti throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Gatti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gatti just misses with a punch to the body.
A slapping leg kick lands for Gatti.
Gatti closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Penn swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Gatti.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Penn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Gatti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice cross by Gatti.
Gatti thuds a left hand into Penn's body.
Gatti fails with a takedown attempt.
Gatti tries to score with a low kick but Penn moves his leg out of the way.
Gatti tries to bum rush Penn with a series of wild strikes but Penn uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gatti looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Gatti throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Penn dodges the punch combination from Gatti.
Gatti lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Penn backs up against the ropes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gatti shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Penn pinned against the ropes. Penn gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Gatti misses with a double jab.
Penn steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Gatti. That one must have hurt.
BJ Penn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gatti looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Penn throws an off balance right hand
and Gatti makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Gatti takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Gatti swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Gatti scores with a one two! Penn had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Gatti misses with a double jab
and Penn counters with a straight right hand.
Gatti scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Penn might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatti tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Arturo Gatti is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Gatti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gatti will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Left hook, right uppercut from Gatti.
Penn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Penn takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Arturo Gatti is winning the standup battle so far.
Gatti missing with a left hand there. Penn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Gatti misses with a series of wild punches.
Gatti throws a left and a right that both miss
and Penn counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Penn throws a nice looking combination but Gatti bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatti shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Penn moves out of range of the leg kick from Gatti.
Penn has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Penn scores with a hook to the body. Gatti takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Gatti misses with a two punch combination.
Gatti misses with a hook
enabling Penn to counter with a crisp jab.
Penn lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gatti circles away quickly and effectively.
Gatti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Penn moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gatti throws a nice outside leg kick.
Penn throws a right hand that Gatti ducks under and follows up with a left that Gatti also avoids with ease.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Gatti dodges the punch combination from Penn.
Gatti lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Penn circles away quickly and effectively.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arturo Gatti dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Gatti misses the shot to the body.
Gatti looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gatti thows a leg kick but Penn checks it
and Penn cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gatti fails with a takedown attempt.
Penn tries to bum rush Gatti with a series of wild strikes but Gatti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gatti throws a combination that misses
and Penn counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gatti pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Gatti throws a right and a left that both miss.
Penn takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Penn tries to clinch but Gatti is having none of it.
A combination from Gatti does no damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gatti throws a body punch but Penn moves out of range.
Gatti is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Penn.
Penn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Gatti.
Penn misses with a wild combination.
Penn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Gatti throws a series of punches but Penn avoids them all with ease.
Gatti takes a swing at Penn's ribcage but misses.
Gatti looks to land a combination. Penn sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Some wild striking there from Gatti.
Penn digs a good body shot into Gatti's ribs.
Horrible takedown by Gatti or perhaps it was just good defense by Penn which made him look bad.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Gatti misses.
Penn fails to land with a series of punches.
Penn connects with a jab.
Penn throws out a powerful jab.
No joy there for Gatti, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
BJ Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Penn moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Penn dodges the punch combination from Gatti.
Gatti shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Penn as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arturo Gatti. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Gatti throws a sloppy head kick
and Penn counters with a stiff right hand.
Penn tries to bum rush Gatti with a series of wild strikes but Gatti uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gatti lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Penn circles away quickly and effectively.
Gatti throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Penn cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gatti misses with a low kick.
Gatti looks to land a left hand but Penn moved out of range nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Gatti. Those never looked like landing.
Penn is looking to clinch but Gatti is avoiding it.
Penn throws a right hand that Gatti ducks under and follows up with a left that Gatti also avoids with ease.
Penn throws out a loose jab but Gatti uses good head movement to avoid it.
Nice defenses there by Gatti.
No joy there for Gatti, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Penn misses with a double jab
and Gatti counters with a one-two to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gatti fails with a takedown attempt.
Gatti throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gatti misses with a double jab
and Penn counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gatti lands with a good body shot.
Gatti rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Penn moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gatti feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Penn's calf.
Penn rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gatti moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Arturo Gatti is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Gatti lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Arturo Gatti.
Well Gatti 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 30:27
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Arturo Gatti!