In what is the oddest MMA news of the week so far, the brother of UFC legend BJ Penn has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
News first reported by TMZ Sports, Reagan Penn, was scheduled to fly to Phoenix to watch his older sibling fight on this weekend’s UFC Fight Night. Things did not go exactly to plan however, as the younger Penn found himself arrested by Los Angeles police after an alleged drunken argument with cabin crew.
Penn apparently demanded alcohol from the crew prior to the take-off of the aircraft, but when his requests were not met, the MMA fighter with a 1-1 record was asked to leave the airplane following a forray. Penn refused to leave the aircraft, and Police were called. Officers could not calm the subject down, and Penn was reprimanded, and arrested for ‘trespassing’.
In news that will undoubtedly be an unwelcome distraction for the brother of the UFC legend, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department refused to release Penn until $500 had been paid for bail. Penn will need to attend court, however, on Feb. 1 to answer charges.
As for his brother, the former two-division UFC titleholder makes a return to the octagon for the first time since July ’14, where he will face-off against rising featherweight Yair Rodriguez in the Fight Night 103 main event on Sunday at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. All eyes will be on the older Penn, as he attempts to beat father time and prove he still has something to offer in MMA.
In what is the oddest MMA news of the week so far, the brother of UFC legend BJ Penn has been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
News first reported by TMZ Sports, Reagan Penn, was scheduled to fly to Phoenix to watch his older sibling fight on this weekend’s UFC Fight Night. Things did not go exactly to plan however, as the younger Penn found himself arrested by Los Angeles police after an alleged drunken argument with cabin crew.
Penn apparently demanded alcohol from the crew prior to the take-off of the aircraft, but when his requests were not met, the MMA fighter with a 1-1 record was asked to leave the airplane following a forray. Penn refused to leave the aircraft, and Police were called. Officers could not calm the subject down, and Penn was reprimanded, and arrested for ‘trespassing’.
In news that will undoubtedly be an unwelcome distraction for the brother of the UFC legend, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department refused to release Penn until $500 had been paid for bail. Penn will need to attend court, however, on Feb. 1 to answer charges.
As for his brother, the former two-division UFC titleholder makes a return to the octagon for the first time since July ’14, where he will face-off against rising featherweight Yair Rodriguez in the Fight Night 103 main event on Sunday at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix. All eyes will be on the older Penn, as he attempts to beat father time and prove he still has something to offer in MMA.
While their first show back from exile was largely a success, ProElite took a gamble last night and lost by focusing their attention on heavyweights. When a mere pair of heavyweight fights can mar an otherwise enjoyable UFC card, the odds of twelve second-and-third-tier big boys delivering a memorable night of fights for ProElite seemed unlikely.
Fans slept through the first 899 seconds of the bout, and Fulton through the last one.
While their first show back from exile was largely a success, ProElite took a gamble last night and lost by focusing their attention on heavyweights. When a mere pair of heavyweight fights can mar an otherwise enjoyable UFC card, the odds of twelve second-and-third-tier big boys delivering a memorable night of fights for ProElite seemed unlikely.
In the evening’s main event, Tim Sylvia took home his second consecutive win in a plodding unanimous decision over Andreas Kraniotakes. The former UFC champion employed a strict gameplan of wall & stall to keep his smaller opponent pinned to the cage while periodically dispensing knees and punches. It was a win, and that’s about all you can say for it.
In his second fight under the ProElite banner, Andrei Arlovski returned to action against the Cal Ripken of MMA, Travis Fulton. Though the two showed a slight interest in exchanging strikes in the first round, that desire had waned by the second. The judges were spared the embarrassment of admitting that they’d stopped watching the fight at quite literally the last second, when “The Pit Bull” connected with a powerful left high kick that dropped Fulton cold at 4:59 of the final round.
In his pro debut last August, Reagan Penn displayed the same adept submission game and killer instinct as his older brother BJ. Last night he revealed that they share the same cardio training regimen as well. The first round was an active back-and-forth grappling battle, but Reagan was noticeably slower with nearly two minutes left in the frame. He started the second round with his hands hanging low, which allowed Evan Cutts to unload solid punches and kicks before taking the fight to the ground. Cutts spent the rest of the round grinding down Penn and working for submissions while taking his back and gaining full mount. Round three was rinse and repeat. Cutts picked up his third pro victory with the unanimous decision.
Heavyweight Tournament cliffs notes:
– Jake Heun picked up his second pro win with a first round TKO over Ed Carpenter. After spending much of the round pinned beneath Ed Carpenter, Heun worked his way back up and landed a body kick and big right hand that sent his opponent falling backward. Heavy ground and pound forced the ref to stop the fight.
– Justyn Riley spent most of round one brutalizing Cody Griffin’s body with knees while holding him down on all fours. In round two he secured the same position, but opted for punches and elbows to Griffin’s flanks instead. Griffin survived being back mounted at the end of the round and opened the third stanza throwing bombs. He dropped Riley and stood over him raining down blows until waived off by the official just 32 seconds into round three.
– Richard Odoms was simply too big and strong for Rodney Housley. Odoms was able to successfully control Housley against the cage and on the mat en route to a unanimous decision.
– Former NCAA champ Mark Ellis failed to parlay his considerable wrestling talent into a successful offense against Ryan Martinez. Martinez easily sprawled out of Ellis’ attempts to get the fight to the mat and made him pay with punches, hammerfists and knees (both legal and not). Martinez advances with the UD.
I sacrificed my Sunday to watch these fights so you don’t have to, but if you’re feeling full of self-hate you can catch them over at IronForgesIron.com.
Filed under: ProEliteA pair of former UFC heavyweight champions were in action on Saturday night in Moline, Illinois, and both of them won. But neither looked particularly impressive in the process.
Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski were both victorious …
A pair of former UFC heavyweight champions were in action on Saturday night in Moline, Illinois, and both of them won. But neither looked particularly impressive in the process.
Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski were both victorious at Saturday night’s ProElite event, yet save for one high kick from Arlovski at the very end of his fight, it was a dreadful affair all around.
Sylvia took a unanimous decision over Andreas Kraniotakes, 30-27 on all three judges’ cards. The fight consisted of a lot of clinching from Sylvia, and the crowd loudly booed at the end of the fight and again as Sylvia got his hand raised in the cage afterward.
Arlovski knocked out Travis Fulton with a shocking head kick with one second remaining in the third round of a fight that had been, up to that point, a dud. HDNet announcer Michael Schiavello accurately described the fight as “a cure for insomnia” heading into the third round, but Arlovski finally got busy in the third, and when the opportunity arose just as the fight was coming to an end, he threw a left high kick and landed his shin perfectly against Fulton’s jawline, knocking him cold.
Reagan Penn, the brother of B.J. Penn, looked even worse than Sylvia and Arlovski in losing a unanimous decision to Evan Cutts, 30-26, 30-27 and 30-27 on the judges’ scorecards. It was the second pro fight of Penn’s MMA career, and it’s hard to see any reason he’ll have a third fight.
And in the first round of ProElite’s eight-man heavyweight tournament, four men advanced to the semifinals:
— Ryan Martinez handed Mark Ellis the first loss of his career, winning by unanimous decision, 30-27 on all three judges’ cards. It was an extremely disappointing showing from Ellis, who entered the cage as a heavy favorite but left with the crowd loudly booing his lackluster performance.
— Jake Heun brutalized Ed Carpenter, knocking him down with a kick-punch combination and then finishing him off with ground and pound for a first-round TKO.
— Cody Griffin was losing the fight after two rounds but came back on fire at the start of the third, battering Justyn Riley, knocking him down and finishing him with punches on the ground to win a third-round TKO.
— Richard Odoms beat Rodney Housley by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring it 30-27. The fight wasn’t particularly competitive or particularly compelling — which meant it fit in well with this disappointing fight card.
Filed under: ProEliteTim Sylvia vs. Andreas Kraniotakes and Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Fulton will lead the Nov. 5 ProElite 2 fight card at the i wireless Center in Moline, Ill.
Also on the card will be an eight-man heavyweight tournament as well as t…
Tim Sylvia vs. Andreas Kraniotakes and Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Fulton will lead the Nov. 5 ProElite 2 fight card at the i wireless Center in Moline, Ill.
Also on the card will be an eight-man heavyweight tournament as well as the second fight for Reagan Penn, the younger brother of B.J.
Non-Tournament Pro Bouts
Tim Sylvia vs. Andreas Kraniotakes
Andrei Arlovski vs. Travis Fulton
Reagan Penn vs. TBA Waylon Lowe vs. TBA
Heavyweight Tournament Bouts
Mark Ellis vs. Ryan Martinez
Richard Odoms vs. Jason Bosler
Jake Heun vs. Chris Birchler
Esteves Jones vs. Walter Harris
Todd Monaghan vs. TBA (tournament reserve bout) Amateur Bouts
Kelly Skeffington vs. Jonathon Thomson
Daniel DeCamp vs. Nick McClean
That’s the damnedest case of jock itch we’ve ever seen, Kendall. (Pic: ProElite.com)
As the crowds in Rio walked out of UFC 134 and headed for the Copacabana Club, MMA fans in Honolulu, Hawaiia made their way to the Neal S. Blaisdell Center to witness the rebirth of ProElite. Those who watched were treated to submissions and knockouts galore as not a single bout went the distance, but there was more at stake than mere wins and losses. Last night’s biggest fights weren’t waged for a fight purse or sponsorships, but for the value in a name.
ProElite has a name many hardcore fans recognize, but not for reasons the promotion would want. From their previous partnership with noted scumbags to the messy collapse of their first run, they return to the promotion game carrying a lot of baggage. They can distance themselves from previous debacles by doing one thing, and that’s putting on quality, scandal free events. Last night was a step in the right direction. ProElite needs to build, but build slowly.
A run down of the fights, and video of the the Reagan Penn fight, after the jump.
That’s the damnedest case of jock itch we’ve ever seen, Kendall. (Pic: ProElite.com)
As the crowds in Rio walked out of UFC 134 and headed for the Copacabana Club, MMA fans in Honolulu, Hawaiia made their way to the Neal S. Blaisdell Center to witness the rebirth of ProElite. Those who watched were treated to submissions and knockouts galore as not a single bout went the distance, but there was more at stake than mere wins and losses. Last night’s biggest fights weren’t waged for a fight purse or sponsorships, but for the value in a name.
ProElite has a name many hardcore fans recognize, but not for reasons the promotion would want. From their previous partnership with noted scumbags to the messy collapse of their first run, they return to the promotion game carrying a lot of baggage. They can distance themselves from previous debacles by doing one thing, and that’s putting on quality, scandal free events. Last night was a step in the right direction. ProElite needs to build, but build slowly.
At one time Andrei Arlovski was a versatile force in the heavyweight division. The former UFC champ seemed equally dangerous on the ground and standing up. But in recent years his name has become associated with the words “brutal KO loss”, and debates turned from whether or not he was a top-level fighter to whether or not he should be fighting, period. “The Pit Bull” controlled most of the action last night, though Ray Lopez proved tough to put away. Lopez survived full mount numerous times throughout the bout, even reversing to take Arlovski’s back and threaten with a choke as the first round ended, but the 5-2 gamer was eventually overwhelmed by ground and pound half way through the final round. Arlovski dominated the bout, as well he should have, but his problem has never been how he looks when he’s winning, it’s how he looks when his jaw gets tapped.
It’s no easy to task to make a name for yourself when everyone already knows it. That was the challenge before Reagan Penn as he walked to the cage for his MMA debut. If the younger sibling of former UFC Lightweight and Welterweight champion BJ Penn had hoped to avoid the inevitable comparisons to his brother, he shouldn’t have employed the same great takedown defense, grappling skill, and killer instinct that made “The Prodigy” famous. Reagan fought the takedown well, but once things hit the mat his BJJ took over. In only 1:10, he had locked in a rear naked choke and drawn the tap. Maybe living up to the family name is better than making a new one for yourself after all.
Kendall Grove made very quick work of Joe Riggs in their headline bout. “Da Spyder” sunk in a deep standing guillotine only 59-seconds into the bout, giving arachnids a 2-0 record for the evening. This was Grove’s first bout since being released by the UFC.
Kendall Grove def. Joe Riggs via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:59
Andrei Arlovski def. Ray Lopez via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:43
Reagan Penn def. Paul Gardiner via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:10
Mark Ellis def. Jake Heun via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:29
Sarah McMann def. Raquel Pa’aluhi via submission (armlock) – Round 3, 2:53
Drew McFedries def. Garrett Olson via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:04
Prelims:
Kaleo Gambill defeated Sale Sproat via TKO (strikes) at 1:31 of round 1
Dustin Barca defeated Reno Remigio via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round 2
Brent Schermerhorn defeated Jesse Kaala-Akana Lundgren via TKO (punches) at 1:38 of round 1
In his first time in the MMA cage, Reagan Penn proved as much a phenom as his brother.
Penn, the younger brother of current UFC welterweight contender BJ Penn, won his professional mixed martial arts debut, defeating Paul Gardiner via rear naked choke in just 70 seconds at a ProElite show in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Gardiner came out strong, surprising Penn with a takedown. Penn looked for a guillotine, then quickly scrambled to take Gardiner’s back, where he choked him out without even fully sinking his hooks in.
Gardiner had been 1-0 in his pro career, winning his April debut fight via first-round TKO.
“I did what I wanted to do,” said a smiling Penn, who may have gotten the biggest ovation of the night from the crowd in his home state. Prior to the event, the 30-year-old Penn said he would take his career on a fight-by-fight basis, but the welterweight gave no indication afterward if he planned to compete again.
Andrei Arlovski also emerged victorious on the card, winning for the first time since October 2008 with a third-round TKO over Ray Lopez. Arlovski (16-9) controlled the fight for much of the duration but had trouble finishing the durable Lopez.
Finally, midway through the third, he rocked Lopez with strikes from the top, and continued the hail of punches until the ref pulled him off. Arlovski had lost four straight prior to that.
Despite the fact that the event was called ProElite: Arlvoski vs. Lopez, the show finished with Kendall Grove vs. Joe Riggs in the main event slot, and Grove needed less than one minute to defeat Riggs, forcing him to tap to a standing guillotine choke.
Grove moved to 13-9 with one no decision.
In the other main card fights, Mark Ellis defeated Jake Heun via second-round rear naked choke, Drew McFedries uses strikes to force a second-round TKO over Garret Olson, and promising female star Sara McMann stayed unbeaten, moving to 4-0 with a third-round TKO over Raquel Pa’aluhi.
Tim Sylvia
