B.J. PENN VS. GEORGES ST. PIERRE
According to the UFC, final odds at the MGM Grand have St. Pierre at -170 and Penn at +140. The fighters make their way to the cage. In nearly three years of covering MMA, I've never heard a crowd this loud.
Round 1 - No touch of the gloves. After an early clinch, St. Pierre pins Penn against the cage and works knees to the body. Penn gets off the fence and delivers his own. Still clinched, St. Pierre dips for a leg, and then two, but Penn masterfully avoids the takedown. Penn grabs a Muay Thai clinch as St. Pierre again goes lowfor a takedown attempt. Penn balances out of it and hobbles around on one leg as every kind of chant eachoes through the arena. St. Pierre breaks the hold with an overhand punch that partially connected. He then backs up penn with a combination and partially connects on a right. Back to the center of the cage. St. Pierre again looks for the single-leg takedown, but Penn again balances perfectly to avoid it. Pinned against the fence, Penn eats a short uppercut but lands a left on the seperation. Back to the center of the cage before St. Pierre lands a left and then a right. Penn shakes it off. The fighters again clinch, and St. Pierre pushes Penn into the fence. Penn misses a big right hand and then absorbs a low leg kick from St. Pierre. The round's final clinch allows St. Pierre to sneak in a short uppercut. MMAjunkie.com gives a close round to St. Pierre, 10-9.
Round 2 - St. Pierre works the left jab and catches Penn with it when he rushed in. Penn retreats to regroup and eats another punch when he again pushes forward. St. Pierre shoves Penn into the cage and is met with an elbow, and when St. Pierre dips, Penn batters him with some quick rabbit punches. St. Pierre, though, finally gets the takdown and works from inside Penn's guard. Penn goes high with his legs but eats an elbow to the kisser and some shots to the body. Penn shows no ill effects from it but is blasted with a right when St. Pierre stands over him and rains down a punch. St. Pierre takes side control and delivers a steady dose of punches, and the crowd goes crazy. St. Pierre maintains the dominant position and connects with punches to both sides of Penn's head. St. Pierre tries to secure the crucifix position, but Penn escapes. Back to full guard, St. Pierre delivers elbows to the head and body. Penn tries to again high with his guard, but St. Pierre stands out of it and rains down two big punches and reclaims side control. Penn wraps him back up in full guard but eats two quick forearm strikes to the mouth. A third one is followed by a right hand, but Penn's face is starting to show some damage. St. Pierre closes out the round with more ground and pound to take a two-rounds-to-none lead. MMAjunkie.com has it 10-9 for St. Pierre.
Round 3 - St. Pierre lands a left jab and a couple leg kicks and then attacks Penn with a couple punches from different angles. Penn's now gushing blood from his nose as he eats another head-snapping jab. St. Pierre clinches and looks for the single-leg takedown. It wasn't easy, but he gets it. St. Pierre frees one leg from Penn's guard and looks to move into side control. While trying to pass, St. Pierre pops Penn with two quick rights. However, he can't free his second leg, and Penn pulls him back into butterfly guard. St. Pierre rises up and drops a right hand on Penn before falling back into his guard. A left hand connects to the head and a series of rights get Penn's body. St. Pierre then connects on some hammerfists, but Penn powers his back to his feet and gets the fight standing again. St. Pierre reverses the position and puts Penn's back to the cage before referee Herb Dean warns them to pick up the pace. St. Pierre immediately forces Penn to the mat, and with a minute to go, drops stiff elbows while Penn's head is pinned against the cage. St. Pierre then stands and rains down two big blows. Penn pulls guard and tries to wait out the round, which gives to MMAjunkie.com, 10-9.
Round 4 - The doctor check on Penn but allow the fight to continue. Dean gets things started, and we now enter a championship fourth round. St. Pierre goes high a left and low with a righ kick, and Penn's then forced to the mat with a double-leg takedown. St. Pierre easily secures side control and puts Penn in the crucifix position to rain down a few blows. The blows continue as St. Pierre presses his elbow into Penn's mouth. The referee warns them about something, and Penn's head is bounced off the mat like a basketball. St. Pierre then takes the mount position and eats additional blows and the ref keeps watchful eye on things. Now working from side control, St. Pierre delivers knees to the body and returns to the crucifix position for more punishment. Back to the mount, St. Pierre tags Penn with elbows. Penn reclaims one leg, but he can't stop the punishment or St. Pierre's return to side control. Penn is gasping for breath, and St. Pierre continues a series of short punches before hopping back into mount. With a minute to go, St. Pierre continues the assault, and Penn's head bounces off the mat with a thud. The ref considers jumping in to stop it, and after St. Pierre kicks up the energy, he looks to the ref. A final left elbow pops Penn just as the round ends. MMAjunkie.com scores it 10-8 for St. Pierre. After conferring with the doctor, referee Heb Dean puts a stop to the fight. Penn sits on the floor gasping for breath as St. Pierre takes a victory lap around the cage. Georges St. Pierre def. B.J. Penn via TKO (doctor's stoppage) - Round 4, 5:00
