PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alves's entrance music is Body Head Anthem. A fine choice. The key to victory for Michael Alves has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Alves
vs
Penn

178 cm
25
170 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
170 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Self confident

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Alves!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Luis Engracia and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn shoots in for a takedown but Alves shows good takedown defense.
Alves tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Penn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A head kick misses from Alves.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alves misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Alves doesn't manage to clinch there - Penn circles away.
Alves closes the distance looking to clinch

and Penn counters by clinching up.
Alves looking to throw knees to the head but Penn is blocking nicely.
Penn tries to pull guard but Alves won't allow it.
Alves is trying to stall.
Alves wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Penn has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn drops down looking for an ankle pick but Alves pulls his leg out and moves away.
Michael Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Alves tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Alves is looking to clinch but Penn is avoiding it.
Alves tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Penn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Penn takes a kick to the side of the head.

It looks like BJ Penn has been cut.
Alves connects with a high kick.
Alves throws a sloppy head kick and Penn moves out of range easily.
Penn tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Alves manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Alves misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Penn fails with the takedown.
Penn looks gassed!
Alves tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.
Alves tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice sprawl there from Alves as Penn shoots in.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Alves pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Alves misses with a head kick.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Penn.
Alves goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Alves wants to clinch.
Alves tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Alves.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Penn paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Michael Alves is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alves moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.
A jab from Alves misses.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch up but Penn swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A punch combination from Alves misses.
Alves is looking to clinch.
Alves tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.
Alves throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Alves goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Penn avoids the head kick by Alves.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alves lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Alves darts in trying to clinch

and Penn counters with a takedown into side control.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Penn stands up.

Alves closes the distance and pushes Penn back into the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alves tries to break the clinch but Penn is controlling the position.
Alves prevents a takedown attempt there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Alves dominated that round.
The cut man is working on BJ Penn's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Alves lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Alves tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Penn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Alves throws a head kick that misses.
Alves tries to clinch but Penn is having none of it.
Alves throws a sloppy head kick and Penn moves out of range easily.
Penn avoids a punch combination nicely.
Penn shoots in but Alves avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Penn is breathing heavily.
Penn takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
A nice leg kick lands there from Alves.
Michael Alves seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Alves.
Alves fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Penn checks it well.
Michael Alves is winning the standup battle so far.
Alves throws a head kick but Penn moves out of range.
Alves pushes Penn away with a front kick.
Alves moves in looking to clinch but Penn pushes him off.
Alves is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Alves lands with a good body shot.

Alves drives through and clinches with Penn against the cage.

Alves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alves misses with a head kick.
Alves tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Penn manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves tries to clinch up.
Alves misses with a body kick.
Penn takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch but Penn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Alves tries to clinch up but Penn circles away and keeps his distance.
Alves lands with a kick to the temple. Penn shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Michael Alves is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Penn tries to keep at a distance but Alves has taken the fight into the clinch.

Penn has hold of one of Alves's legs. Alves is fighting the takedown attempt but Penn gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Alves is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Penn 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.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn won't allow Alves to sweep him here.
Alves is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Penn won't allow Alves to get back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Penn accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Penn postures up.

Penn postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Alves is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Penn, into his guard.
Alves knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Penn on the ground.
Alves is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alves wants to stand but Penn is controlling his posture from full guard.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Alves from controlling successfully.
Alves has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Alves working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Penn's head.

Penn working for a triangle but Alves defends it easily.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alves would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Alves dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on BJ Penn's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Alves closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Penn is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Alves gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Alves tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Alves unloads a knee to the mid-section. Penn lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Alves just leaning against Penn, taking a breather.

Alves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Penn paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alves tries to close the distance and clinch but Penn swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Penn takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

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

Alves pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Penn shoots in for a takedown but Alves shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Penn misses with a takedown attempt
and Alves counters with a good, hard body kick but Penn shrugs it off.
Michael Alves has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of BJ Penn.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Alves - that will leave a mark!
Alves ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Alves tries to clinch up.
Penn moves out of range of the body kick.
Alves doesn't manage to clinch there - Penn circles away.
Alves scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Penn doesn't seem bothered though.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Alves.
The fight stays on the outside here - Alves looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Alves thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Penn if he has to take too many more of those.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Alves fails with an attempt to clinch.

Alves clinches up with Penn and pushes him back against the cage.

Alves breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Alves has taken the fight to the clinch.
Alves with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Alves wants to get back to striking at distance but Penn won't allow it.

Alves jumps guard and drags Penn to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Penn is looking to work some ground and pound but Alves has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alves is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Penn is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

Penn drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Alves dives on top into guard.
Alves trying to stand up but can't free himself from Penn's guard.
BJ Penn has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Penn looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Penn has a closed guard, preventing Alves from standing up.
Alves trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.

Penn working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Alves doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Alves manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Penn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Alves gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Michael Alves is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alves wants to control from the top but Penn keeps moving.
Alves is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Alves trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alves tries to stand but Penn is controlling from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Alves showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Alves, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Alves!
Michael Alves thanked the fans post fight for their support.