PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shaw Maxwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). BJ Penn has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Maxwell
vs
Penn

165 cm
21
155 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

175 cm
24
167 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Poweful takedowns
Good kicks
Powerful

Crippler's Corner
T.K.O. The Killer Outfit

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shaw Maxwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Robert Douchet and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maxwell looks for the body kick but Penn saw that one coming.
Penn slips a jab from Maxwell.
Maxwell will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Penn pivots, looking for a leg kick but Maxwell is out of range and Penn settles back down.
Maxwell misses with a wild body shot.
A punch combination from Maxwell misses.
Maxwell throws a big shot that misses.

Penn takes the fight into the clinch.
Maxwell avoids the elbow strike from Penn, against the cage.

Penn jumps guard and drags Maxwell to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Maxwell pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Penn is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maxwell forces his way into half guard.
Maxwell tries to pass to full mount but Penn defends it.

Maxwell is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maxwell is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Penn is just riding it out for now. Maxwell eventually gives up the hold.

Penn is defending against the submission attempts here by Maxwell.
Penn is trying to control but can't.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Maxwell looks to throw the jab but Penn is out of range.
Maxwell throws a combination. Penn tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Maxwell misses with an uppercut. Penn saw that one coming.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt - Maxwell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Maxwell swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Penn.
Maxwell throws a head kick but Penn moves out of range.

Penn shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Maxwell's guard.

Maxwell looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Maxwell is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Penn is controlling him.
Penn sitting in guard here, content to control.

Maxwell working for a triangle but Penn defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Maxwell working for submissions but it's allowed Penn to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Maxwell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Penn takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Maxwell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Maxwell is looking to escape.
Penn sitting and controlling from the half guard.

Maxwell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Maxwell is refusing to be controlled, as Penn sits in half guard.
Penn missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

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.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Penn cracks the inside of Maxwell's front leg.
Penn fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Penn uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Maxwell.

Penn rushes Maxwell and presses him up against the cage.
Maxwell wants to break free but Penn has control.
Maxwell wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
The referee calls for Penn to work.
Penn tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Maxwell smiles and moves away.
Shaw Maxwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Maxwell misses with a straight right.
Maxwell misses with a wild body shot.
Maxwell stalks Penn and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Penn's face. Penn staggers backwards, shaken.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shaw Maxwell dominated that 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.

Penn lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Maxwell looks to score with a jab to the body but Penn is just out of range.
Penn scoring well with a low kick there.
Penn ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Maxwell takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Maxwell waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Penn.
Penn ducks under a wild hook from Maxwell.
Maxwell throws a hook but Penn blocks it.
Maxwell misses with a kick to the body
and Penn counters with a thumping low kick.
Maxwell misses with a wild combination.

Penn closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Maxwell sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Penn prevents Maxwell from standing back up.
Penn stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn is trying to control. Maxwell wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Maxwell looking for submissions off his back.
Penn seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Maxwell does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Penn looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Maxwell makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Maxwell.
Maxwell wants to get back to his feet but Penn is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Maxwell has an active guard here but Penn has managed to pass into half guard.

Maxwell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Maxwell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Maxwell works his way to full guard. Good work.
Penn controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Maxwell has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Penn is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Maxwell.
Penn working the head and body with strikes.
Maxwell is being controlled here.
Maxwell is looking for a sweep.

Penn tries for a kimura but Maxwell is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell is trying to improve his position.
Penn scoring with punches and elbows.
Maxwell is trying to improve his position.
Maxwell is working hard here to advance position.
Maxwell pushes Penn away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Penn gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Good leg kick by Penn there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Penn rushes Maxwell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Maxwell wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Penn has him pressed against the cage.
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.
Maxwell gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Penn.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell prevents the takedown attempt.
Maxwell wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Maxwell is looking to break free of the clinch but Penn has double underhooks.
Penn keeps control of Maxwell as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Penn tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Shaw Maxwell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Penn prevents Maxwell from breaking the clinch.
Penn can't get the takedown.
Penn changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Maxwell fights it off and pushes away nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

BJ Penn showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

No joy there for Maxwell, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Penn uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Maxwell.
Penn has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Penn there as he acknowledges the shot.
Penn moves away from the strike by Maxwell.
Maxwell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Penn.
Penn throws a nice outside leg kick.
Maxwell missing with a left hand there. Penn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Penn.
Maxwell manages to work his way to half guard, despite Penn's best efforts.

Penn seems to be looking for submissions.
Penn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Penn perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Maxwell looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Penn is controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn is trying to control. Maxwell wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Maxwell looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Penn trying to pass the guard but Maxwell defending well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Penn moves out of range of the strikes.
Maxwell is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Maxwell's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Maxwell misses with a two punch combination.
Maxwell lands a head shot.
Maxwell connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn moves out of range of the body kick.
Maxwell throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Penn.
Maxwell throws a right and a left that both miss.
Maxwell tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Penn chopping away at his opponent's legs.
A slapping leg kick lands for Penn.
Penn moves out of range of the strikes.
The fighters circling - Maxwell throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Maxwell throws out a powerful jab.
Maxwell misses with a looping right.
Penn ducks under a wild hook from Maxwell.
A head kick by Maxwell misses

and Penn counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Penn.
Penn advances to half guard.
Maxwell is looking to get back to full guard here but Penn has managed to pass to side control instead.
Penn controlling from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Maxwell gives up his back whilst trying to strike.
Penn trying to control momentarily.

Maxwell is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Penn is hanging on to Maxwell's back as he tries to escape.
Penn has Maxwell flattened out and is raining down punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Maxwell is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Maxwell rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Penn prevents Maxwell from improving his position.

Maxwell actively working from the bottom here.
Penn is keen to just control but Maxwell is a slippery customer.
Penn looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Maxwell missing with punches from the bottom.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Maxwell throws a sloppy head kick

and Penn counters with a nice double leg into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Penn controlling from the top position.

Maxwell working for submissions but it's allowed Penn to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
BJ 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29

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