PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between DJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Thompson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that James Thompson was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Penn
vs
Thompson

175 cm
22
164 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
155 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Abtastic Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, DJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Thompson!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Emerson Jorge and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn tries to clinch up.
Thompson wants to slow Penn down by chopping away at his legs.
Thompson is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Penn.
Thompson misses with a low kick as Penn jumps back.
Thompson will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Penn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Penn fails with an attempt to clinch.

Penn gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Penn wants to break the clinch but can't.
Thompson prevents Penn from breaking the clinch.
Penn has Thompson pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Thompson manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Thompson can't break the clinch.
Penn tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Thompson just stands there and leans against the cage.

Thompson breaks from the clinch.
Penn takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Thompson throws a solid leg kick but Penn takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Thompson.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn lunges at Thompson with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Thompson's hand.
Penn throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Thompson.
Thompson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Penn misses with a combination
and Thompson counters with a nice leg kick.
Penn shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thompson but Thompson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for DJ Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown but Penn shows good takedown defense.
Thompson moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.
Penn misses with a series of wild punches.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
DJ Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn moves into range and connects with a jab.
Penn wants to clinch but Thompson slips to the side
and Thompson counters with a thumping low kick.
Thompson looks gassed!
Thompson on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Penn darts in trying to clinch
and Thompson counters with a nice leg kick.
Penn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Thompson stuffs the takedown.
Penn doesn't manage to clinch there - Thompson circles away.
Penn throws a nice looking combination but Thompson bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Thompson.
Penn closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Penn moves out of range as Thompson throws a body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn blocks the body kick.
Thompson misses with a leg kick.
Penn lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Penn scores with a nice right hand.
A bone on bone clash there as Thompson blocks the leg kick.
Penn fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Thompson manages to avoid it.
Penn throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Penn takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Thompson shoots in but no luck this time.

Penn shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Penn showed some decent athleticism there.
Penn is taking a breather. Thompson says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thompson is pressing down on Penn's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Penn is stalling in the full guard.
Penn's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

Penn gets to his feet. Thompson looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Thompson throws the kick towards the body but Penn avoids it.
Thompson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Thompson looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Penn closes the distance looking to clinch
and Thompson counters with a nice body kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Thompson dodges the punch combination from Penn.

Penn feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Penn preventing the sweep.
Thompson keeping full guard, as Penn tries to pass.

Thompson looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Penn gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Thompson throws a nice inside leg kick.
Thompson fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Penn.
Nice takedown defense from Penn. No joy for Thompson on that attempt.
Penn scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Penn tries to bum rush Thompson with a series of wild strikes but Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thompson throws out a loose jab but Penn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Penn wants to clinch.
Thompson lands with a thumping leg kick.
Thompson buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Thompson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Penn throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Thompson misses with a body kick.
Thompson throws a sloppy body shot

and Penn counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Thompson actively working from the bottom here.
Thompson tries to roll over but Penn keeps him under control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Penn stands up out of the half guard.
Thompson on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Penn chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Thompson can pounce on him.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Penn as he avoids it easily.
DJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Thompson.
Thompson shoots in for a takedown but Penn shows good takedown defense.
Penn throws a shot from downtown. Thompson moves away and avoids it.
Penn looks to throw a body kick
and Thompson counters with a leg kick.
Thompson walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Penn checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Thompson misses with a double jab
and Penn counters with a nice uppercut.
Penn misses with a double jab
and Thompson makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Penn blocks the leg kick.
Penn stuffs the takedown attempt from Thompson. Thompson gets slowly back to his feet.
Thompson fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Thompson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Penn.
Penn connects with a body shot.
Penn throws the kick towards the body but Thompson avoids it.
Penn misses with a two punch combination.
Thompson misses with a body kick.
No joy there for Penn, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Penn lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Thompson throws and low kick but Penn moves out of range easily.
Penn misses with a lunging right hand
and Thompson finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Penn shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Thompson but Thompson pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Penn chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Thompson can pounce on him.
Penn fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Penn wants to clinch
and Thompson counters with a low kick, right behind Penn 's knee.
Penn scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
The fight stays on the outside here - Penn looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Penn feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Penn stands up from Thompson's guard - Penn perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DJ Penn dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

A right-left combo lands from Penn.
Thompson tries to clinch up.
Penn throws a good cross that connects.
Penn is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Thompson throws a low kick but Penn avoids it.
Penn falls off balance throwing a combination
and Thompson counters with a nice leg kick.
Penn's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Penn duly obliges.
Penn throws a left and a right that both miss
and Thompson counters with a low kick, right behind Penn 's knee.
Penn fails with the takedown
and Thompson counters with a good, hard body kick but Penn shrugs it off.
Penn displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Thompson throws out the jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thompson tries to lock up and control but Penn gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Thompson is wriggling around trying to escape.
Penn sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Thompson is working to get back to half guard.
Penn controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn manages to capitalize on a mistake by Thompson to take his back!
Penn biding his time, controlling Thompson.
Thompson tries to break free.
DJ Penn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Thompson trying to control the position but Penn manages to sink in the hooks.
You can see the frustration on Thompson's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Penn trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Thompson can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn keeps control of the position easily here as Thompson tries to buck him off.
Penn seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Thompson for as long as he can get away with.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee stands the fighters back up. DJ Penn just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Penn throws a right and a left that both miss.
Penn throws a head kick that misses
and Thompson counters with a nice leg kick.
Danga de danga de dang - Penn scores with a four punch combination!
Penn wants to slow Thompson down by chopping away at his legs.
Penn fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Penn!
James Thompson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Penn is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Penn closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Penn misses with a double jab
and Thompson counters with a solid body kick.
Penn throws a series of strikes that have Thompson backpedaling.
Thompson misses with a leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
DJ Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Penn 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 30:27

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