PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chael Sonnen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sonnen comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Animal ive become kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Buckle up people - heeeeeeeeeere we go!

Penn
vs
Sonnen

178 cm
22
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
175 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Brawler
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, BJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Chael Sonnen!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Daniel Franklin and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Penn scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Penn shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Sonnen defends it nicely.

Sonnen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Sonnen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sonnen forces his way into half guard.
Sonnen thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Penn to regain full guard.
Penn doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Sonnen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Penn is on top in guard.
Penn is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
Sonnen striking off his back but it's not causing Penn any problems.
Sonnen wants to sweep here but Penn controlling him for the moment.

Penn decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sonnen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Penn decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sonnen's guard.
Sonnen looks gassed!
Penn passes into half guard.
Penn wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sonnen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Sonnen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Penn wants to stand but Sonnen has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Sonnen does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Sonnen landing strikes from the bottom.

Penn stands up from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Penn counters with a nice double leg into guard.
BJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chael Sonnen.
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!
Sonnen is striking from the bottom but Penn uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sonnen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Sonnen punching from the bottom.

Penn stands up and beckons Sonnen to join him on the feet.
Penn misses with a series of wild punches.
Sonnen shoots and misses
and Penn counters with a one-two to the body.
Sonnen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sonnen doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Penn counters with an inside leg kick.
Sonnen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sonnen tries for a takedown but Penn circles away easily

so Penn counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

Penn is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Sonnen scores with a short punch from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen scores with a nice shot.
Penn passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Penn working the ground and pound.
Sonnen tries to buck Penn off but Penn is having none of it.

Penn decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sonnen to his feet.
Sonnen avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Sonnen with a poor takedown
and Penn counters with a slapping leg kick.
Penn throws a series of punches but Sonnen avoids them all with ease.
Penn tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sonnen was well out of range. Poor timing from Penn.
Sonnen has his takedown stuffed
and Penn counters with a three punch combo that has Sonnen backing up. Sonnen nods at Penn to acknowledge the strikes.
No luck for Sonnen with that takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Penn is looking to clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Penn.
Sonnen fails with the takedown

and Penn decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Sonnen's guard.
Sonnen is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Penn is working Sonnen over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Penn might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sonnen throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Penn with a nice head shot there.
Sonnen will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Penn stopping the sweep attempt from Sonnen.
Penn is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Sonnen tries for a takedown but Penn sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Sonnen scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Penn manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Sonnen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
BJ Penn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Sonnen misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Penn frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Sonnen is trying to escape the mount.

Penn is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Horrible takedown by Sonnen or perhaps it was just good defense by Penn which made him look bad.
Sonnen throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Penn's waist but Penn gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sonnen off to one side.
BJ Penn has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chael Sonnen.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Penn gets a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn wants to stand up but Sonnen has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Sonnen wants to get back to full guard.
Sonnen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Sonnen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Penn moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Sonnen.

Penn decides to stand up, so the ref orders Sonnen to his feet.
Sonnen has his takedown stuffed
and Penn counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Penn fails with the takedown.

Sonnen closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Penn to the mat! Penn manages to get full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen with a nice head shot there.
Sonnen throws and elbow that misses. Penn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Sonnen's guard. Nice move by Penn!
Sonnen throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Penn stands up out of Sonnen's guard for a moment - Sonnen manages to land a nice upkick.
Penn loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Penn passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Sonnen tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Sonnen throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Sonnen throws a strike from the bottom but Penn passes into side control!
Sonnen is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Penn off and has taken his back!
Sonnen punishes Penn with strikes from the back mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sonnen lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Penn is covering up but some of the strikes from Sonnen are getting through and doing damage.
Sonnen has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Penn.
Penn covers up after that shot from Sonnen.
Sonnen looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Sonnen missing with strikes from the back.
Penn covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Penn covering up well and avoiding damage.
Penn holding both Sonnen 's hands and preventing any damage.
Penn is trapped and Sonnen is scoring with shots to the head and body.

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.
Sonnen thows a strike but Penn uses the opportunity to reverse the position! Great move by Penn as he ends up in Sonnen 's guard!
Penn pushing down on Sonnen's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Sonnen is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Penn scores with a couple of nice shots.
Sonnen flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Sonnen is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Penn jumps into side control!

Penn stands up and beckons Sonnen to his feet.
Penn tries to close the distance and clinch up but Sonnen swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chael Sonnen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Penn misses the shot to the body.

Sonnen 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.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sonnen wants to pass the guard but Penn is keeping the position.
Penn is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chael Sonnen will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Penn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Nice uppercut lands for Penn. That snapped Sonnen's head back.
Sonnen gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

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

Penn has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Sonnen defend it? Penn steps over the head and cranks it - Sonnen is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Penn!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:26 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). BJ Penn!