PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between TJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mitchell Butler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Penn
vs
Butler

175 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

166 cm
21
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Improved boxing
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

MMA Elite Nutrition

Attliction

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 New York, TJ Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mitchell Butler!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Dean Styles and Eddie Farnsworth.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Penn shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Penn showed some decent athleticism there.
Penn trying to control from half guard but Butler is working away.
Butler is looking to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn trying to control from half guard but Butler is working away.
Penn looks to land a strike but Butler avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Penn wanted to stand there but Butler had control of the position.
Penn wants to control from the top but Butler keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn is fighting to break Butler's control of his arms but Butler is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Penn is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Butler is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Penn drops back, looking for a kneebar! Butler looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Butler looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Butler!
Penn sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

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.
Butler working Penn over with strikes.
Butler sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Butler wants to lay and pray for a moment but Penn keeps working.
Butler might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Penn kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Butler prevents Penn from standing back up.
Butler wants to take a breather but Penn is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Butler stops Penn from getting back to his feet.
Well, if Butler is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Butler throws a head kick that lands with a deafening thwack! The crowd roars as Penn stumbles backwards and falls to the mat. Butler follows into mount!

Penn is rocked!
Penn tries to reverse the position but Butler maintains control.
Oh Penn is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Penn is breathing heavily.
Butler controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn seems to have got his legs back now.
Penn is desperately trying to improve his position but Butler has a good base and remains in mount.
Penn tries to hold on but Butler postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Butler sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Butler has his takedown stuffed
and Penn counters with an outside leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Butler lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Penn has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Penn and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Penn throws a low kick but it's checked well by Butler.
TJ Penn is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Penn tries to close the distance and clinch but Butler swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Penn fails to land the takedown.
Butler throws a combination that misses

and Penn counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Butler tries to roll over but Penn keeps him under control.
Butler avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Penn.
Penn prevents Butler from improving his position.
Penn trying to mount his opponent but Butler defends it.
Penn trying to control from half guard but Butler is working away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn is really struggling to control Butler but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Butler taking some punishment here, with Penn in his half guard.
Penn trying to control the action but Butler is working from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Penn looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Butler!
Penn putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Penn avoids the attempt from Butler to control.
Butler working to try and regain half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Butler's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Butler is looking to get to half guard.
Butler is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Penn trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Butler slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn wants to lay and pray for a moment but Butler keeps working.
Butler wants to improve his position but Penn is controlling well.
Butler regains full guard. Nicely done.
Butler lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Penn!
Butler looking to control and managing it successfully.
Penn tries to get back to half guard but can't.

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.
Butler lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Penn sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Butler prevents Penn from improving his position.
Penn makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Penn.
Butler passes into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

TJ Penn dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Penn tries to clinch up but Butler circles away and keeps his distance.
Butler with a lazy takedown attempt

and Penn counters with a takedown into side control.
Butler can't do much from the bottom here.
Butler dodges the ground and pound from Penn.
Butler struggling a bit here.

Penn looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Penn in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Butler takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Penn scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Butler to see if he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Butler parries the strikes from Penn easily there. Penn is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Butler to escape.
Penn trying to control the position but Butler is working away.
Penn lands a few punches from side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Butler sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

Butler pushes Penn off and gets back to his feet.
Penn doesn't manage to clinch there - Butler circles away.
Butler looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Butler looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Butler misses with a combination

and Penn counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Butler!
Butler is working to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn avoids the attempt from Butler to control.
Butler is squirming around, avoiding Penn's attempts to control the action.
Butler is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Penn landing strikes, looking to finish!
Butler swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Penn is trying to control here but Butler has managed to regain half guard.
Butler regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Penn.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn won't allow Butler to sweep him here.

Butler uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Butler misses with a jab, cross combination.
Penn closes this distance looking for a takedown but Butler circles away.
Butler throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Penn.
A swing and a miss from Butler.
Penn stalks Butler and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Butler's face. Butler staggers backwards, shaken.
Butler tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Butler throws a body kick the misses

and Penn counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Penn thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Butler's head.
Butler is looking to control Penn's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Butler avoid being mounted?
Penn is just content to waste time from the top position. Butler takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Butler keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
Butler wants to stand up but Penn is controlling him.
Butler keeping moving, preventing Penn from controlling successfully.
Butler tries to land a sweep but no joy.
TJ Penn overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn wants to get up but he can't break Butler's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

And that's the end of the fight!
TJ Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Penn has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Roberts scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 29:28
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 29:28

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