PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between DeAndre Smith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and BJ Penn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Penn's choice of entrance music: Awesome. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Smith
vs
Penn

181 cm
24
198 lbs
10 - 4 - 1

185 cm
29
190 lbs
11 - 12 - 0

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
World class boxer
Heavy handed

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 10 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Amsterdam, DeAndre Smith!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, BJ Penn!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Paulsen Ambrosius and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Penn lands a nice shot that snaps Smith's head back.
BJ Penn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Penn keeps the fight on the outside.

Smith moves into the clinch.

Smith successfully pulls guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

Smith pushes Penn off and gets back to his feet.
Smith takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Smith closes the distance and clinches.
Penn can't break the clinch.
Penn wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smith has him pressed against the ropes.
Penn wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.
Smith tries to pull guard but Penn won't allow it.

Smith jumps guard and drags Penn to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Penn must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Penn won't allow Smith to sweep him here.
Penn wants to get up but he can't break Smith's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

BJ Penn has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Smith pushes Penn up against the ropes in a clinch.

Smith has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Penn regains guard immediately.
Smith stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Penn swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Smith scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn wants to stand up but Smith is controlling him.
Smith tries to free his leg and advance position but Penn is retaining full guard.
Penn working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smith.
Penn keeping moving, preventing Smith from controlling successfully.
Penn preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Penn can do anything to dispel that myth.
Penn wants to get back to his feet but Smith is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Smith advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An elbow from Smith crashes against the mat.
Smith throws a strike aimed at the side of Penn's head but Penn avoids it well.
Smith is trying to ground and pound but Penn uses the momentary lack of control by Smith to regain half guard.
Smith content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Penn is looking to escape.

Smith gets to his feet - back to striking we go!
BJ Penn is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab lands there for Penn.
Danga de danga de dang - Penn scores with a four punch combination!

It looks like DeAndre Smith has been cut.

Penn closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.
Smith prevents Penn from breaking the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Smith prevents Penn from breaking the clinch.
Smith stops a takedown attempt from Penn.
Penn managing to block the knees to the body from Smith.
Smith has Penn pressed against the ropes, preventing Penn from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Penn gets underhooks to prevent Smith's takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Penn wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Smith tries for a takedown but Penn manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for DeAndre Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Smith has Penn pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Penn manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Penn tries to circle away but Smith has him pinned against the ropes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

DeAndre Smith dominated that round.
The cut man is working on DeAndre Smith's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Penn bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Smith's head.
Smith has a takedown stuffed.
Smith is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Penn.
Smith takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Penn defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Smith.
Penn lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Penn.
Penn scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Penn scores with a one two! Smith had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Smith showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Penn.
Penn's corner calls for a 1-2. Penn obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A jab from Penn finds it's way through Smith's defenses.
Penn scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Penn lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Smith backs up against the ropes.
Penn shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Smith eats them both and turns towards Penn to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Penn misses with a jab, cross combination.
Penn thuds his right hand into Smith's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Penn displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Smith.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for DeAndre Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Some wild striking there from Penn.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn throws a series of punches but Smith avoids them all with ease.
A combination from Penn does no damage.
Smith with a lazy takedown attempt
and Penn counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Penn scores with a nice head shot.
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!
Penn looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A right-left combo lands from Penn.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Penn sprawls well. Penn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
A nice combination there by Penn.
Smith walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith avoids a punch combination nicely.
BJ Penn seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Smith takes one on the button.
Penn lands a two punch combo.
Penn lands with a hook. Smith tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Some wild striking there from Penn.
Penn jabs at Smith's body.
Penn lands a nice looking body shot.

Smith shoots in and bounces Penn off the ropes to secure the takedown into guard.
Smith throws an elbow that misses. Penn uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Smith's guard. Nice move by Penn!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Penn tries to stand but Smith is controlling from the bottom.

Smith has his feet on Penn's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Penn sprawls well. Penn wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
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 cut man is working on DeAndre Smith's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Smith slips a jab and a cross from Penn.
Smith throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Penn's waist but Penn gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Smith off to one side.
Penn moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Nice shot lands for Penn.
Penn misses with a few strikes there.
Penn lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Penn misses with the combination.
Penn thows a body shot but no joy.
Penn scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Smith doesn't seem bothered though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Penn scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Penn swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
Penn works over Smith's head and body with a nice combination.

Smith moves into the clinch.
Penn wants to get back to striking at distance but Smith won't allow it.
Smith goes for a takedown attempt but Penn pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Smith.

Smith has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Penn misses with a double jab.
Horrible takedown by Smith or perhaps it was just good defense by Penn which made him look bad.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for DeAndre Smith. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Penn throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Penn scores with a three punch combo!
Penn looks to land a combination but Smith avoids it well.
Penn works over Smith's head and body with a nice combination.
Penn leaves Smith with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Penn feints a jab promting Smith to slip. Penn then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Smith slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Penn uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Penn misses with a two punch combination.
Penn tests Smith's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Penn lands an overhand right.
Smith closes the distance and clinches up with Penn, looking for a takedown. Smith pushes Penn against the ropes but Penn circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Penn moves into range and clinches up with Smith.
Smith tries for a takedown. No joy.
Penn wants to break free but Smith has control.

Penn breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Penn rushes Smith and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Smith looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.

Smith has hold of one of Penn's legs. Penn is fighting the takedown attempt but Smith gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Smith trying to control but Penn is working from the bottom.
Penn wants to stand and escape but Smith is having none of it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
DeAndre Smith overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Smith tries to stand but Penn is controlling from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Smith lands a couple of elbows.

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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... BJ Penn!
BJ Penn tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.