PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Leonid Mikhail (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and JJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mikhail
vs
Penn

175 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite 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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Leonid Mikhail!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, JJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Aleksandr Martynov and Sergei Dronov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mikhail fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Penn, pushing him back against the cage.

Mikhail breaks from the clinch.

Mikhail shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Mikhail controlling the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Mikhail manages to mount him!
Penn can't escape the position.
Penn is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Penn is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Mikhail working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn tries to reverse the position but Mikhail maintains control.
Penn is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Penn sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Penn pushes Mikhail off looking to stand but Mikhail dives back in and keeps control.
Penn trying to hold on to Mikhail's head to control him but Mikhail postures up.
Penn is looking to escape.
Mikhail is pressing down on Penn's thigh, looking to free his foot. Penn is holding on for now.
Penn is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Penn wants to get back to full guard but Mikhail has mounted him!
Mikhail sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Mikhail working for a guillotine from mount but Penn is in no mood to give up.
Penn gets back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn is trying to control but can't.
Penn looks gassed!
Penn works his way to full guard. Good work.
Mikhail wants to control from the top but Penn keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Penn manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Penn clinches but Mikhail breaks the clinch

and Mikhail decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Penn's guard.
Mikhail has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Penn is proving hard to escape from.
Penn trying to keep a closed guard but Mikhail is proving a slippery customer.
Penn throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Penn has his hands on Mikhail's head, controlling the position.
Mikhail is looking to work some ground and pound but Penn has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mikhail advances position into side control!
Penn tries to escape but Mikhail is in control.
Penn wants to control but Mikhail postures up.

Mikhail 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 regains half guard.

Mikhail stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Penn to get to his feet.
Penn tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Mikhail counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Penn is trying to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonid Mikhail dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Penn gets caught flat footed, as Mikhail shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Penn wants to get back to his feet but Mikhail is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Penn wants to sweep but no luck.
Mikhail is looking to stand up but Penn won't let him.
Penn wants to control the position but Mikhail says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Mikhail is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Mikhail trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Penn tries to buck Mikhail off but he can't manage it.
Mikhail looking to control but Penn is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn tries to hold on but Mikhail postures up.
Mikhail unloads with some shots from mount but Penn bucks and avoids them well.
Penn really wants to buck Mikhail off and get back to his feet.
Penn is looking to get to half guard.
Penn tries to hold on but Mikhail pushes him away.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Mikhail thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Penn regains half guard.

Mikhail seems to be working for a kimura but Penn defends the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Penn is staying active underneath Mikhail, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Penn has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Mikhail is working away from the top position though.
Penn tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Mikhail manages to move to mount!
Mikhail throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Penn because Mikhail loaded up on that one.
Penn is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Penn wants to hold on but Mikhail pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn is in all sorts of trouble here.
Penn wants to control but Mikhail is having none of it.

Penn bucks Mikhail off and manages to get back to his feet!
Penn closes the distance but Mikhail moves to the side

and Mikhail counters with a takedown into side control.
Mikhail working away.
Penn is looking to reverse the position.
Penn is trying to control Mikhail's posture but Mikhail avoids it.

Mikhail goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Penn rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Mikhail's guard! Nice work there by Penn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands a couple of digs.
Penn wants to stand and escape but instead Mikhail has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Mikhail won't allow Penn to get back to his feet.
Mikhail is stalling in the full guard.

Penn pushes Mikhail off and scrambles back to his feet.
Mikhail bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonid Mikhail dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Mikhail has Penn up against the cage in a clinch.
Penn takes an elbow to the forehead.
Mikhail avoiding damage as Penn throws knees to the body.

Mikhail pulls Penn into guard.
Mikhail keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
Mikhail is controlling Penn's posture.
Penn preventing the sweep.
Mikhail working a defensive guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Penn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn sitting in guard here, content to control.

Mikhail pushes Penn off and gets back to his feet.

Mikhail moves into range and clinches up with Penn.
Penn drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mikhail pulls his leg out and moves away.

Mikhail shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Mikhail was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Mikhail wants to control the pace but Penn is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn is trying to escape the mount.
Penn tries to hold on but Mikhail pushes him away.
Leonid Mikhail overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Penn tries to reverse the position but Mikhail maintains control.
Mikhail wants to control the pace but Penn is squirming around nicely.
Penn wants to control but Mikhail is having none of it.
Penn reaches up and holds on to Mikhail to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Penn wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Mikhail punching from mount but Penn doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Penn tries to hold on but Mikhail pushes him away.
Mikhail thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Mikhail unloads with some shots from mount but Penn bucks and avoids them well.
Mikhail looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Penn is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mikhail tries to control but Penn wriggling away.
Mikhail misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Penn wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Mikhail.
Mikhail throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Penn is trying desperately to improve position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Penn tries to hold on but Mikhail pushes him away.
JJ Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Penn is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leonid Mikhail showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mikhail 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sergei Dronov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonid Mikhail!