PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Reco Penn (ranked 391 p4p, 38 weight class) and Khal Stark (ranked 2474 p4p, 251 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Stark's choice of entrance music: Gardenia by Kyuss. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Penn
vs
Stark

172 cm
24
143 lbs
17 - 2 - 1

174 cm
32
158 lbs
16 - 12 - 2

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Red Light Coffeeshop
Aspire Clothing

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)
Red Light Coffeeshop

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 17 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Reco Penn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 12 - 2, fighting out of New York, Khal Stark!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Ben Zyskovitsi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn lands a nice looking kick to the body. Stark takes a step back to recover.

Stark clinches up with Penn and pushes him back against the cage.
Penn digs a right hand underneath Stark's ribcage. Stark let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Penn fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

Stark breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Penn moves out of range of the strikes.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Penn.
Penn has been working on his boxing with his coaches at AREA 51 in the buildup to the fight.

Penn closes the distance and clinches.
Stark wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Penn scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Stark breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Penn keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Penn cracks Stark with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Penn rushes Stark and presses him up against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Stark's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Come on Penn - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

Stark breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Stark's head.
Penn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Stark takes a swing at Penn's ribcage but misses.
Stark lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Penn circles away quickly and effectively.
It appears Penn was looking to counter with a kick there.
Stark lands the left hand.
Stark tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Penn pushes Stark away with a front kick.
Stark throws a head kick but Penn moves out of range.
Penn scores with a shot to the body.
Penn bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Stark's head.
Stark fails in his attempt to clinch.
Stark throws a right hand that misses
and Penn counters with an outside leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Penn feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Stark's calf.
Stark is looking to clinch.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Stark.
Stark comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.

Stark closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Penn.
Penn tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Penn tries to work over Stark's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Penn tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Stark's elbow.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Stark.
Penn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stark backwards.

Stark breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Stark drops his hands momentarily and Penn takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Penn ducks right into an uppercut from Stark.
Stark fails to land with a series of punches.
A head kick by Stark misses
and Penn counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Penn tries to clinch but Stark moves out of range.
Penn fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Stark has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Penn delivers a nice body kick.
Penn moves out of range of the strikes.
Penn avoids the body shot from Stark.
Penn is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Stark.
Stark shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Stark tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.
Penn is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Stark goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Stark misses with a head kick.

Penn has taken the fight to the clinch.
Stark tries for a takedown but Penn manages to get underhooks.
Penn misses with a hook from the clinch.
Penn keeps control of Stark as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Stark wants to get back to striking at distance but Penn won't allow it.
Penn misses with some punches.

Stark escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Penn jabs Stark right on the nose. Stark blinks but takes it well.
Stark connects with a body shot that sends Penn's belly button to the back.
Stark fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Penn feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Starks jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Penn avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Penn scores with a push kick.

Penn fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Stark, pushing him back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn stalling.
Penn just leaning against Stark, taking a breather.
Stark is trying to stall.
Stark takes a shot to the head.
Penn fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Penn misses with a short punch on the inside.
Stark blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Penn is struggling to control the position.
Penn throws a punch but it's blocked by Stark.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A short right from Penn.
Penn lands a shoulder strike.
Penn lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Penn taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reco Penn dominated that round.
That's time! Penn's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Penn feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Stark's calf.
Penn slips a jab and a cross from Stark.
Reco Penn is winning the standup battle so far.
Stark gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Penn counters with an inside leg kick.
Penn stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Penn wants it to stay on the feet.
A thudding body kick lands there by Penn!

Penn drives through and clinches with Stark against the cage.
Reco Penn has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Stark breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Stark throws a series of punches but Penn avoids them all with ease.
Stark throws a right hand that Penn ducks under and follows up with a left that Penn also avoids with ease.
Stark throws a head kick that misses.
Penn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Stark.
Penn wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Stark with a hook.
Stark takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Stark tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.
Penn dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Stark. That did some damage!
Stark pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Stark moves to clinch but Penn breaks away
and Penn counters with a nice body kick.
Stark throws a hook but Penn avoids it easily.

Penn has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn avoiding damage.
Penn lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Stark backwards.
Penn lands a body shot in the clinch.
Stark blocks an uppercut.
Stark leaning against his opponent.
Penn digs a right hand underneath Stark's ribcage. Stark let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Stark is breathing heavily.
Penn stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Stark blocking some punches.
Stark wants to get back to striking at distance but Penn won't allow it.
Penn misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Stark blocks an uppercut.
Penn lands a nice shot to the body.
Stark working hard to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Stark blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Penn.
Stark tries to break the clinch but Penn is controlling the position.
Penn is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Stark can do to turn this around?
Stark looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Penn.
Penn has a couple of punches blocked by Stark.
Penn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stark backwards.
Penn's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
A head punch on the inside from Penn fails to land.
Penn misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Stark blocks an uppercut.
Stark misses with a body punch.
Stark misses with the head strike.
Penn content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Penn lands a body shot in the clinch.
Penn misses with a punch on the inside.
Penn taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Still in the clinch, Penn scores with a nice short uppercut.
Penn misses with the head strike.
Penn lands a left hand that snaps the head of Stark backwards.
Penn wants to stall.
Penn throws a punch but it's blocked by Stark.
Penn swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A right hand to the body from Penn.
Stark throws a knee to the head but misses.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Penn wants to stall.
Penn misses with a hook to the ribs.
Penn blocks the elbow strike.
Penn tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Penn lands with a short punch from the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from Penn.
Penn avoiding damage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stark wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Stark can't break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reco Penn dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Penn clinches up with Stark and pushes him back against the cage.
Stark blocks a body shot from Penn.
A short right from Penn on the inside.
Stark blocks an uppercut.
Stark lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Penn backwards.
Come on Penn - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Penn effectively controlling the action here.
Penn leaning his opponent against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Penn for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Penn blocks an uppercut.
Penn stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Stark has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Penn.
Penn stalling in the clinch but Stark improves position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Reco Penn.
Stark misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Stark throws a right hand that Penn ducks under and follows up with a left that Penn also avoids with ease.
Stark scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Stark tries to close the distance and clinch but Penn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Stark rushes Penn and presses him up against the cage.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Penn.
Penn keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Stark's efforts to push away.
Penn scores with a shoulder strike.
Penn blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stark is trying to push Penn away but Penn has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Penn tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Stark is looking to break free of the clinch but Penn has double underhooks.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Penn.
Penn is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Khal Stark has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn lands a right hand.
Penn tries to work over Stark's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Stark pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stark misses with a straight right.
Penn connects with an inside leg kick.
Stark is looking to clinch.
Stark throws a solid leg kick but Penn takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Stark.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stark throws a lazy right hand but Penn sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Stark lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Penn at a distance.
Penn lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Penn throws a leg kick which misses Stark's front leg but catches the back leg as Stark tries to avoid it.
Khal Stark seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice body punch from Penn.
Penn lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Nice body kick from Penn.
Stark's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Penn clinches up with Stark and pushes him back against the cage.
Stark misses with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Stark pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Stark throws a head kick that misses
letting Penn counter with a right hand.
Jab, jab by Penn - just one landing.
Stark misses with a left hand
and Penn counters with an inside leg kick.
Stark takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Stark takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Stark tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Stark looks to score with a jab to the body but Penn is just out of range.
Penn tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Stark manages to circle out of the way.
Stark throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Penn holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Stark working aggressively here.
Penn lands a hook that snaps the head of Stark backwards.
A nice left hand lands by Penn.
Penn has a couple of punches blocked by Stark.

Stark breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Penn scores with a punch to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Stark swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Penn takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Penn throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Penn darts in and clinches Stark up against the cage.
Penn tries to throw a body punch but Stark avoids it by throwing Penn back against the cage.
Penn lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Stark throws a head punch that misses.
Penn lands with a left to the head.
Penn blocks the elbow strike.
Penn has Stark pressed against the cage, preventing Stark from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Stark blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Stark swings wildly with an uppercut but Penn uses good head movement to avoid it.
Penn lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Stark.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Penn.
Penn lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Penn lands a shot to the body.
Stark is trying to break free.
Penn lands a right hand that snaps the head of Stark backwards.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reco Penn showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Penn has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reco Penn!
An out of breath Reco Penn thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
In defeat, Khal Stark stepped up to the mic, saying 'Thanks to everyone!'.