PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between BJJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kung Pow (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Penn might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Hawai'i 78. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Penn
vs
Pow

179 cm
21
158 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

178 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Powerful

Core Tokyo

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 2 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, BJJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kung Pow!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Shirou Masuda and Shigeki Sano.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pow swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Penn slips under a jab from Pow.
Penn tries for a takedown but Pow sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Penn missing with a left hand there. Pow was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pow throws a hook but Penn avoids it easily.
Penn fails in his attempt to clinch.
Pow changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Pow scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Penn shoots in looking for a takedown but Pow manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Penn's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Pow misses with the combination.
Pow misses with a hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn tries to clinch but Pow moves out of range.
Penn misses with a wild body shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Pow misses the target.
Penn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Pow.
Pow looks to land a left hand but Penn moved out of range nicely.
Pow missing with a left hand there. Penn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Kung Pow seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pow misses the shot to the body.
Pow misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Penn moves in looking to clinch but Pow pushes him off.
Pow keeps the fight on the outside.
Pow misses the shot to the body.
Penn blocks a jab.
Penn bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Sloppy strikes from Pow. Those never looked like landing.
Pow lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Penn at a distance.
Pow takes one on the chin but seems OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pow throws a solid leg kick but Penn takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Pow.
Pow looks to land a combination but Penn avoids it well.
Pow swings for the body but Penn moves out of range.
Penn misses the shot to the body.
Penn wants to clinch up but Pow keeps it at a distance.
Pow takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Penn tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pow lands a nice shot that snaps Penn's head back.
Pow lands a head shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pow misses with a jab, cross combination.

Penn tries to keep at a distance but Pow has taken the fight into the clinch.
Penn blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Penn blocks an uppercut.
Pow lands a right hand that snaps the head of Penn backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pow.

Penn manages to pull guard.
Penn working a defensive guard here.

Penn working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Pow doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Pow manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Pow is looking to stand up but Penn won't let him.
Pow really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Penn. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's five minutes gone in the round.

Penn is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Pow trying to control the position from guard on top but Penn is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pow engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's six 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.
Pow stopping the sweep attempt from Penn.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Kung Pow hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Penn avoids the body shot from Pow.
Pow thows a left - swing and a miss!

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Penn gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Pow.
A shot to the liver by Pow. Beautiful body shot.
Pow throws a hook to the side of Penn's head but Penn sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Pow scores with a jab to the body.
Pow misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pow throws out a loose jab but Penn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Penn uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Pow.
Pow throws a nice looking combination but Penn bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pow misses with a body shot
and Penn counters with a left to the body.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Pow missing with a left hand there. Penn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pow misses with a looping right.
Pow throws a body punch but Penn moves out of range.
Penn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Pow pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Penn keeps the fight on the outside.
Pow misses with the combination.
Penn wants to clinch.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Pow misses.
Penn digs a good body shot into Pow's ribs.
A jab from Pow does it's job there.
Penn takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Pow thows a left - swing and a miss!
Penn shoots for a takedown but Pow saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kung Pow dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

A big right from Pow misses.
Pow lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Pow throws a looping overhand right but Penn ducks down to avoid it.
Pow misses with a body shot
and Penn counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Pow. Those never looked like landing.
Pow lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Pow looks to score with a jab to the body but Penn is just out of range.
Pow throws a combination that misses
and Penn counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Pow moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pow lands an uppercut.
A shot in the inside from Pow.
Penn misses with a body punch.
Penn fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pow scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Pow pushes Penn back against the ropes and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Pow throws a punch but it's blocked by Penn.
Penn wants to stall.
Pow misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Penn.
Pow makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Pow lands a shoulder strike.
Pow fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Pow working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Penn is rocked!
Penn blocking some punches.
Pow working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Oh Penn is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Penn tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pow smiles and moves away.
Penn seems to have got his legs back now.
Penn moves out of range as Pow strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pow misses with a looping left.
Pow misses with a hook.
Pow throws a sloppy body shot
and Penn counters with a left to the body.
Pow misses with a hook. Penn ducked under it nicely.
Pow tries to move into range but Penn moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Pow misses with a hook. Penn ducked under it nicely.
Kung Pow seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pow swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Penn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pow throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Pow bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Penn's head.
Penn takes one to the chin there.
Penn has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Pow finds it's way round the side to connect with Penn's head.
Pow fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Some wild striking there from Pow.
Penn just misses with a punch to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Penn steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pow.
Pow fails to land with a series of punches.
Pow looks to throw the jab but Penn is out of range.
Pow misses with a jab to the body
and Penn counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Penn slips under a jab from Pow.
Pow misses with a straight right.
Penn misses the body punch
and Pow counters with a nice uppercut.

That's five minutes gone in the round.
Pow misses with a jab, cross combination.
Penn moves out of range of the strikes.
Penn is looking to wear down Pow with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Penn darts in trying to clinch
and Pow counters with a nice uppercut.
Pow throws a predictable looking body shot
and Penn counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Pow throws a looping overhand right but Penn ducks down to avoid it.
The fighters circle momentarily. Penn darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Pow misses with a shot to the body
and Penn counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's six minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Penn blocks a jab.
Pow takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Penn avoids the body shot from Pow.
Pow throws a shot from downtown. Penn moves away and avoids it.
Penn takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Pow throws a combination. Penn tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Penn ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Sloppy strikes from Pow. Those never looked like landing.

That's seven minutes gone in the round.
Penn moves away from the strike by Pow.
Penn keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Pow.
The fighters circling - Pow throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pow throws a combination. Penn tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Pow throws a left and a right that both miss
and Pow takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Pow bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Penn's head.
Nice defenses there by Penn.
Pow thuds his right hand into Penn's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.

That's eight minutes gone in the round.
Pow takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
A jab from Pow misses.
Pow staying out of range there.
Penn changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Pow pushes Penn up against the ropes in a clinch.
Pow lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Penn backwards.
Pow lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Pow misses with some punches.
Pow lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Penn backwards.
Pow gets through Penn's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Pow taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Pow softening up his opponent with strikes, against the ropes.
Kung Pow is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Penn fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for BJJ Penn. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pow has Penn pressed against the ropes, preventing Penn from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's nine minutes gone in the round.
Pow is leaning against Penn and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Pow lands a nice shot to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pow lands a right hand.
Penn wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Pow's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pow loads up on a big right hand but Penn slips the punch.
Penn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pow.
Pow getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Pow throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Pow jabs Penn to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Nice defenses there by Penn.
BJJ Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Penn avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kung Pow comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pow 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 2 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight for Kung Pow!
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight for Kung Pow!
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight for Kung Pow!

Kung Pow wins by unanimous decision!