PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Liam Neeson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Damien Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Neeson
vs
Penn

175 cm
29
146 lbs
8 - 11 - 0

168 cm
22
154 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

Excellent grappler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Zombie Nutrition - LOD

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 8 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Liam Neeson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Damien Penn!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Yuuki Gou and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Penn manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Neeson on his heels. He'll look to pass Neeson's guard now, I'm sure.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Penn is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Penn trying to control the position from guard on top but Neeson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Penn postures up in Neeson's guard and throws a big left but Neeson blocks it.
Neeson keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Damien Penn wasn't active enough on the ground.

Neeson dives in and scores a takedown into Penn's guard.
Penn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Penn is trying to keep Neeson in close.
Penn has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Penn wants to sweep but no luck.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Penn controlling the position.
We've been hearing good reports from Neeson's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Damien Penn was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Neeson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Neeson keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
Neeson keeping full guard, as Penn tries to pass.
Neeson wants to sweep here but Penn controlling him for the moment.
Penn wants to control from the top but Neeson keeps moving.
Penn pushing down on Neeson's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Penn is looking to take a break and control but Neeson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Penn is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Neeson tries to roll over but Penn keeps him under control.
Neeson is working hard here to advance position.
Neeson is staying active underneath Penn, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Penn might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Neeson haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Neeson is trying to get back to full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Neeson is in trouble now - Penn has advanced to mount!
Neeson working to try and regain half guard.
Neeson manages to regain half guard. Good work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn trying to control from half guard but Neeson is working away.

Penn is looking for a kimura here.
Neeson wants to get back to full guard.
Penn trying to control from half guard but Neeson is working away.

Penn is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Neeson is looking for a sweep. Penn is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Neeson is refusing to be controlled, as Penn sits in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Neeson!
Neeson tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Penn is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Neeson can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Penn is working for a guillotine from mount but Neeson frees his head quite easily.
Neeson is in all sorts of trouble here.
Neeson prevents Penn from taking his back.
Penn tries to control but Neeson wriggling away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Penn swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Neeson is now in Penn's guard. A big mistake from Penn there, giving up the dominant position!
Neeson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Neeson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Damien Penn dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Penn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Neeson circles away.

Neeson closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Penn did well to prevent Neeson getting side control.
Neeson passes into side control, despite Penn's attempt to control the position.
Penn wants to control but Neeson postures up.
Penn is trying to improve his position.
Penn wants to control but Neeson postures up.
Penn is not content to let Neeson control the position.
Neeson landing a few strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Neeson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penn keeps working.
Penn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Neeson wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Neeson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penn keeps working.
Penn tries to improve position but can't.
Penn avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Neeson.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn is looking to regain half guard here but Neeson keeps moving and retains side control.

Neeson is trying to get an arm triangle but Penn is defending well.
Neeson working away.
Penn is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neeson happy to just control the position for now.
Penn wants to control but Neeson postures up.
Neeson controlling the position.
Penn is not content to let Neeson control the position.
Damien Penn has got the better of the ground game so far.
Penn can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Penn closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Neeson quickly recovers to half guard.
Neeson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn is looking to advance position but Neeson won't allow it.

Penn is working for a kimura but Neeson is defending it quite comfortably.
Neeson is trying to control but can't.
Neeson tries to roll over but Penn keeps him under control.

Penn is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn is keen to just control but Neeson is a slippery customer.

Penn is looking for a kimura here.

Penn wants to work for an arm triangle but Neeson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Neeson manages to get to full guard.
Penn trying to control the position from guard on top but Neeson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Penn throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Neeson works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Damien Penn will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Penn shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Neeson defends it nicely.

Neeson shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Penn has Neeson pulled in close to control his posture.
Penn wants to sweep here but Neeson controlling him for the moment.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Neeson from controlling successfully.
Penn trying to keep a closed guard but Neeson is proving a slippery customer.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

Penn looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Neeson wants to control from the top but Penn keeps moving.
Neeson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Neeson won't allow Penn to sweep him here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Penn fails with the takedown.
Penn closes the distance and clinches up with Neeson, looking for a takedown. Penn pushes Neeson against the cage but Neeson circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Liam Neeson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Damien Penn.

Neeson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Penn sprawls well initially but Neeson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Neeson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Neeson is looking to advance position but Penn won't allow it.
Penn is staying active underneath Neeson, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Penn holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Neeson not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Penn working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Neeson has passed into half guard!
Penn is refusing to be controlled, as Neeson sits in half guard.
Penn is pressing down on Neeson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Penn pulls Neeson in to control the position.
Penn is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Neeson won't allow Penn to sweep him here.
Penn utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Penn has his hands on Neeson's head, controlling the position.
Neeson throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Penn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Neeson gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Penn wants to control but Neeson passes easily into half guard.
Neeson is keen to just control but Penn is a slippery customer.
Neeson looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Penn tries to get to full guard but Neeson has control of the leg.
Neeson is trying to control the action in half guard but Penn is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Liam Neeson.

Neeson shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Penn's guard.
Penn wants to sweep here but Neeson controlling him for the moment.
Neeson is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Penn is trying to control the position but Neeson postures up.
Neeson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

We're going to have a standup here because Liam Neeson wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Penn doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Neeson counters with a single leg into guard. Penn didn't expect that.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Penn working for a triangle but Neeson defends it easily.
Penn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Penn looking for a sweep. Not yet Penn, not yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Liam Neeson showed his dominance in that final round.
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 Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight for Damien Penn!
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight for Damien Penn!
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight for Damien Penn!

Damien Penn wins by unanimous decision!
Damien Penn decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.