PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ceoghan Cartwright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Cartwright might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Disciples of Power - Born Unto Death. Penn has chosen Everything in its right place as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Cartwright
vs
Penn

188 cm
27
195 lbs
8 - 10 - 0

181 cm
24
185 lbs
8 - 6 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

BJJ Red Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

MayheM sportswear
Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ceoghan Cartwright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, James Penn!
The judges for this bout are Ryoma Takatsuka, Jeff Smith and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cartwright is looking to clinch.
Cartwright tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A little jabbing left from Penn on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Penn takes a swing at Cartwright's ribcage but misses.
Cartwright tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Penn lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Cartwright has managed to clinch.

Cartwright breaks the clinch.
Penn throws out a loose jab but Cartwright uses good head movement to avoid it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Penn.
Penn working the ground and pound but Cartwright is defending the strikes.
Cartwright is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Penn working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cartwright is trying to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Penn is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Cartwright knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Penn looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Cartwright is avoiding damage well.

Penn thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Penn tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Penn tries to move to mount but Cartwright blocks the move with his legs.

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 wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cartwright keeps working.

Penn tries for a kimura but Cartwright is defending well.

Penn thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Penn tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Penn looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Cartwright is avoiding damage well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Penn is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cartwright is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Penn is trying to get an arm triangle but Cartwright is defending well.
Cartwright tries to escape but Penn is in control.
Penn tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

Penn thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Cartwright is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Penn has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Penn tries to score with some ground and pound. Cartwright controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Cartwright is trying to buck Penn off.

Penn looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Penn tries for a kimura but Cartwright is defending well.
Penn prevents Cartwright from escaping the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Penn is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Cartwright is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Penn is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Cartwright has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Penn dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Cartwright, as that shot connected.
Cartwright is looking light on his feet compared to last time was saw him fight.

Cartwright has taken the fight to the clinch.
Cartwright creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Cartwright works on Penn's body with a couple of short punches.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Cartwright takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Penn dodges an elbow strike from Cartwright.
Penn takes an elbow to the forehead.
Penn is trying to drag Cartwright to the mat but Cartwright just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cartwright can't find room to land a body shot as Penn controls the action.
Cartwright creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Penn avoids a wild elbow strike from Cartwright.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn takes an elbow to the temple.
Cartwright lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Penn backwards.
Cartwright lands a body shot in the clinch.
Cartwright misses with a punch to the body.
Cartwright creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Penn takes an elbow to the temple.
Penn is looking to take this one to the mat.
Penn is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Cartwright pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Ceoghan Cartwright has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Penn.
Cartwright lands with a right to the head.
Nice elbow from Cartwright.

Cartwright's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Penn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Penn with the counter takedown but Cartwright avoids it easily.
Cartwright moves out of range as Penn strikes.
Penn circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Penn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cartwright tries to bum rush Penn with a series of wild strikes but Penn uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Penn darts in looking for a takedown but Cartwright gets double underhooks and turns Penn into the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Cartwright ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Penn moves away.

Cartwright moves into the clinch.
Cartwright misses with a punch to the body.
Cartwright throws an elbow but it's blocked.

Cartwright escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cartwright stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Cartwright wants it to stay on the feet.
Cartwright tries to clinch but Penn is having none of it.
Cartwright fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ceoghan Cartwright is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Ceoghan Cartwright seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Cartwright gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Cartwright.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Cartwright after a bit of a struggle.
Cartwright pushes off an throws an elbow but Penn leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Cartwright lands an elbow inside.
Ceoghan Cartwright has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Cartwright tries to throw a body punch but Penn avoids it by throwing Cartwright back against the cage.
Cartwright lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Penn backwards.

Cartwright escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cartwright tries to clinch there but Penn circles away.
Ceoghan Cartwright is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Cartwright forces Penn back against the cage and clinches.
Cartwright tries to work over Penn's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Cartwright breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Penn fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Decent striking displayed by Cartwright there.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Cartwright.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Penn finds it's target.
Penn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Cartwright tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.
Penn will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Cartwright ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Penn throws out a loose jab but Cartwright uses good head movement to avoid it.
Penn fails to land the takedown.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Cartwright misses with a hook. Penn ducked under it nicely.

Penn gets tackled into the cage by Cartwright. Cartwright maintains the clinch.

Penn gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Penn throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Cartwright is trying to stand back up but Penn is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ceoghan Cartwright dominated that second round.
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 throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Cartwright.
Cartwright went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Penn misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cartwright.
Cartwright looks to clinch
and Penn counters with a nice uppercut.
Cartwright on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Cartwright.
Penn throws out a counter right but Cartwright avoids it with no problem.
Penn slips a straight right by Cartwright.

Penn closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cartwright quickly recovers to half guard.
Penn trying to mount his opponent but Cartwright defends it.

Penn is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cartwright pushes Penn off looking to stand but Penn dives back in and keeps control.
Penn throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Penn passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Cartwright!
Penn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Cartwright is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn fails to advance to Cartwright's back.
Cartwright trying desperately to get to his feet.
Penn fails to advance to Cartwright's back.
Penn lands a heavy elbow.
Cartwright is squirming around, avoiding Penn's attempts to control the action.
Cartwright tries to buck Penn off but he can't manage it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Penn lands with some strikes.
Penn misses with a head shot.
Penn has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Cartwright is trying to stand.
Penn misses with a head shot.
Penn lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Penn can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cartwright is looking to escape.
Cartwright trying desperately to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Penn jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Cartwright is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Cartwright and Penn has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.

Penn wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Cartwright, who protects the arm well.
Cartwright is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Penn has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Penn trying to control the position but Cartwright is working away.
Penn cracks Cartwright with an elbow. That is naaassty.
James Penn has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Penn postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cartwright wants to get back to his feet but Penn drags him back down.
Penn wants to control but Cartwright is keeping him busy.
Cartwright is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Cartwright moves into the clinch successfully.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cartwright lands a body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Penn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Penn 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 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Penn!
Our winner, James Penn, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.