PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Akemi Chang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bj Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Chang
vs
Penn

170 cm
22
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Determined

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 Tokyo, Akemi Chang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Bj Penn!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chang stuffs the takedown.

Chang rushes Penn and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Chang is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

Chang breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Penn fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Chang keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Akemi Chang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bj Penn.
Chang fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

It looks like Bj Penn has been cut.
Penn takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Penn shoots in but Chang avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Penn looks gassed!

Chang shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Chang gets to his feet - Penn follows without any prompting.

Chang looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Chang stands up over Penn, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Penn is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Chang content to stall in guard here.
Chang pushing down on Penn's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Chang keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

Chang stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Penn to get to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Chang scores with a nice right hand.

Chang bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Penn is looking for a sweep.
Penn throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.

Chang decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Chang shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Chang showed some decent athleticism there.
The fighters are battling for position here. Penn manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chang throws a big right hand that misses.

Penn throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Chang is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Chang avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Chang controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chang wants to stand but Penn is controlling his posture from full guard.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Chang from controlling successfully.

Penn working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Chang doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Chang manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Penn is striking from the bottom but Chang uses the opportunity to pass into half guard.
Penn throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Chang drops an elbow to the side of Penn's head.
Penn missing with punches from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akemi Chang dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Bj Penn's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Penn shoots and misses

and Chang counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Penn missing with punches from the bottom.
Chang blocks the strikes from Penn.

Penn actively working from the bottom here.

Penn looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Chang blocks the strikes from Penn.
Penn won't allow Chang to pass to mount.
Penn missing with punches from the bottom.

Penn actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Chang shoots in for a takedown but Penn shows good takedown defense.
Chang lands with a kick to the temple. Penn shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Penn shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Chang counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Penn is lucky that one didn't land flush.

Chang bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Chang tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Chang has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Chang misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn gets back to half guard.
Penn wants to get back to full guard.
Penn missing with punches from the bottom.
Penn is looking for a sweep. Chang is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Penn misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Chang lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Penn gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Chang finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Akemi Chang has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bj Penn.

Chang drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Penn has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Chang blocks the strikes from Penn.
Penn misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Penn sneaks back into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Penn is refusing to be controlled, as Chang sits in half guard.

Chang stands up and beckons Penn to join him on the feet.
Penn gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Chang counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Penn isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Chang stacks Penn on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Chang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn misses with a strike from the bottom.
Chang taking a breather here.
Chang connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Penn some visible discomfort.
Penn tries to strike but it doesn't land.
Penn manages to work his way to half guard, despite Chang's best efforts.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Penn moves into full guard.

Chang gets to his feet. Penn looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt
and Chang counters with a nice kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Akemi Chang dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Bj Penn's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Penn scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Penn postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Chang manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Penn lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

Penn is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Chang doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Penn.
Penn throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Chang is pressing down on Penn's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn prevents Chang from getting back to his feet.
Penn works over Chang with some ground and pound from guard.
Chang is looking to stand up but Penn isn't so interested in that idea.
Penn throws a big right hand that misses.
Penn advances to half guard.
Chang holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Penn is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Chang is just riding it out for now. Penn eventually gives up the hold.
Penn misses with a head shot. Chang uses the momentum to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Penn stops Chang from standing up.
Chang working a defensive guard here.
Akemi Chang overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Penn lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Penn postures up in Chang's guard and throws a big left but Chang blocks it.
Chang lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Penn!
Penn really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Chang looking to secure an arm triangle but Penn defends it well.
Penn sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Penn missing with punches from the bottom.
Penn throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Chang manages to pass to side control.
Penn is trying to work for a sweep but Chang has mounted him!
Penn regains half guard.

Penn has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Chang escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Chang!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Penn throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Penn tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
A lull in the action here.

Chang thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Penn throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bj Penn comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Chang 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 Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Akemi Chang!