PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Hatton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hatton comes into the arena with Blue Moon blaring out of the sound system. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Hatton
vs
Penn

175 cm
21
165 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

175 cm
26
165 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricky Hatton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Steven Brown and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hatton connects with a nice looking jab.
Penn dives in and grabs Hatton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hatton pushes down on Penn's head and hops out.
Hatton fails in his attempt to clinch.
Penn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hatton.
Hatton comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Hatton darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Hatton closes the distance and clinches.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hatton takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Hatton lands an elbow just above Penn 's eye.
Nice elbow from Hatton.
Hatton misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hatton stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hatton throws a head punch that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn stalling in the clinch.

Hatton breaks from the clinch.
Penn fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Penn shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hatton as he avoids it easily.
Ricky Hatton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Hatton wants to clinch up but Penn keeps it at a distance.
Hatton throws a body punch but Penn moves out of range.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Hatton.
Hatton works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Hatton swings for the body but Penn moves out of range.
Penn takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn keeps the fight on the outside.
Penn throws a head kick but Hatton moves out of range.
Hatton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Penn looks for a takedown but Hatton sprawls well.
Hatton moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.
Penn shoots in for a takedown but Hatton shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
No joy there for Hatton, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hatton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatton tests Penn's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Penn dives in and grabs Hatton's left leg, looking for a takedown. Hatton pushes down on Penn's head and hops out.
Ricky Hatton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Penn shoots in but Hatton avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Penn looks gassed!
Hatton scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Hatton moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.
Penn fails to land the takedown.
Hatton fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hatton rushes Penn and presses him up against the cage.
Hatton lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hatton working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Penn being controlled against the cage.

Hatton breaks from the clinch.
Hatton doesn't manage to clinch there - Penn circles away.

Hatton rushes Penn and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hatton effectively controlling the action here.
Hatton avoiding damage as Penn throws knees to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Hatton dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Penn fails to land the takedown.
Penn fails to land the takedown.
Decent striking displayed by Hatton there.

Hatton drives through and clinches with Penn against the cage.
Penn prevents a body shot from Hatton.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A frustrated look appears on Hatton's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Penn blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Penn jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hatton walks away with a smile on his face. Penn gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Ricky Hatton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Hatton scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Penn doesn't seem bothered though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hatton avoids it really well and circles away.
Penn takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Penn is trying hard to land a takedown here. Hatton sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Nice takedown defense from Hatton. No joy for Penn on that attempt.
Hatton bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Penn's head.
Penn takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Penn takes one to the chin there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hatton bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Penn takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hatton sizes up Penn with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Penn looks for a takedown but Hatton sprawls well.
Penn fails with a takedown attempt.
Hatton lands a right hook to the body.
Penn drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatton defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Penn.
Hatton sizes up Penn with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Hatton connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Penn momentarily.
Penn shoots in but Hatton avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hatton ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Hatton fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hatton cracks Penn with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Hatton connects with a looping right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hatton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Penn was well out of range. Poor timing from Hatton.
Penn throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Hatton closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Penn uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hatton.
Hatton tries to clinch but Penn is having none of it.

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 ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn stops Hatton from standing up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hatton trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Penn drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hatton dives on top into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricky Hatton 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!

Penn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Penn closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hatton to the mat! Hatton manages to get full guard.
Penn trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Penn postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Hatton is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Penn, into his guard.
Hatton stays in close to Penn's body and controls the position.
Hatton slips nicely into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hatton stalling.
Penn is trying to get back to full guard.
Hatton tries to stand and escape but Penn is controlling the position.
Penn trying to hold on to Hatton's head to control him but Hatton postures up.
Penn keeping hold of Hatton's head, controlling as best he can.
Penn moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Penn is working an open guard so Hatton takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Penn has a takedown stuffed.
Hatton moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Ricky Hatton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Penn misses with a body kick.
Hatton is looking to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hatton scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Hatton instigates a clinch.
Hatton gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hatton.
Hatton throws a head punch that misses.

Hatton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Ricky Hatton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Penn looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hatton is fending him off so far but Penn persists. Nope, Hatton circles away and we're back to standing.
Hatton throws a body punch but Penn moves out of range.
Penn shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Hatton as he jumps to the side.
Ricky Hatton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Nice uppercut lands for Hatton. That snapped Penn's head back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hatton connects with a crisp jab.
Hatton connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Penn's hands.
A jab from Hatton misses.
Penn misses with a body kick.
Hatton connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Penn momentarily.
Hatton stuffs the takedown.
Penn takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Hatton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hatton, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Glass scores the fight 30:26
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:26
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Hatton!