PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Pope James (ranked 4981 p4p, 4932 weight class) and Best Best (ranked 565 p4p, 562 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

James
vs
Best

186 cm
25
180
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
170
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Pope James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Best Best!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Sam Margolis and Paul Tew.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Best's head.
Best misses with a straight right.

Best forces James back against the cage and clinches.

James manages to break the clinch.
Best moves out of range as James strikes.

Best darts in and clinches James up against the cage.
Best looking to throw knees to the head but James is blocking nicely.
Best lands an elbow that stopped James in his tracks for a moment.
James's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Best creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through James's defenses.

It looks like Pope James has been cut.
James wants to break free but Best has control.
Best gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
James is trying to break free.
Best lands a nice elbow.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Best scores with a knee to the head.
Good body shot from James.
James prevents a body shot from Best.
James tries to break the clinch but Best is controlling the position.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Best.
A left hand lands to the body for Best.
Best lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Best lands on the inside with an uppercut.
A frustrated look appears on James's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Best pushes James back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James misses with a body punch.
Best makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
James wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
James wants to get back to striking at distance but Best won't allow it.
Best has James pressed against the cage, preventing James from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Best throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Best lands an elbow inside.
Best tried to land a shot to the body but connects with James's elbow.
James wants to break the clinch but can't.
Nice elbow from Best.

Pope James's cut is getting worse.
Best lands a body shot in the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Best.
Best scores with an uppercut up the middle.
James is trying to push Best away but Best has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
James takes an elbow to the temple.
A frustrated look appears on James's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Best lands a shoulder strike.
Best keeps the fight in the clinch, despite James's efforts to push away.
James wants to break the clinch but can't.
Best lands a left hand that snaps the head of James backwards.
Best landing knees to the body.
James is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Best working James over with knees to the body.
Best comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Best struggles to land a body shot inside as James controls his hands.
Best can't find room to land a body shot as James controls the action.
James is trying to force a seperation but Best has the dominant position.
Best prevents James from breaking the clinch.
Best is working James over against the cage.
Best tries to work over James's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A short left from Best.
Best scores with a shot to the side of James's head.
James is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A short uppercut from James.
A frustrated look appears on James's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Best prevents James from breaking the clinch.
Best keeps control of James as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
James is trying to break free.
James tries to break free but Best pushes him back against the cage.
Knees to the body from Best.
Best keeps control of James as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
James takes a knee right on the jaw!
Best connects with a nasty looking knee right to James's face.

Pope James's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.

James pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Best throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck James on the side of the head.

James is rocked!
The fighters circling - James throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
James looks to land a right hand but Best moved out of range.
James sets himself, and Best steps forward looking for the clinch! James avoids it this time.
James throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Best rushes James and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Best scores with a nice hook to the head.
Best lands a left hand that snaps the head of James backwards.
James is trying to push Best away but Best has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Best lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
James looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Best lands with a light punch inside.
James tries to circle away but Best has him pinned against the cage.
Best can't find room to land a body shot as James controls the action.
Best prevents a body shot from James.
James takes a knee right on the jaw!
A shot in the inside from Best.
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!
Best scores with a nice hook to the head.
Oh James is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
James wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
James seems to have got his legs back now.
Best lands a knee to the head.

Jeez, Pope James's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James wants to break the clinch but can't.
A right handed body shot lands from Best.
Best creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through James's defenses.
Best lands an elbow just above James 's eye.
Best with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Best misses with a punch on the inside.
Best throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but James blocks it with crossed arms.
James tries to break the clinch but Best is controlling the position.
James wants to break the clinch but can't.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Best obliges.
James wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Best has him pressed against the cage.
Best prevents James from breaking the clinch.
A knee to the head by Best.
James tries to break free but Best pushes him back against the cage.
James takes a shot to the head.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
James takes an elbow to the temple.
James lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
James looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Best lands a shoulder strike.
Best scores with a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Best Best dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pope James's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

James misses with a left hand

and Best counters by clinching up.
Best gets through James's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
James looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Best creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through James's defenses.
Best misses with a knee to the head.
Best lands a left hand.
James is trying to break the clinch but Best is controlling him.
James blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
James wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Best has him pressed against the cage.
Best prevents James from breaking the clinch.
Best working aggressively here.
Best connects with a knee to the head.
Best misses with a short punch on the inside.
Best Best seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Best lands a shoulder strike.
Best has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
James tries to break free but Best pushes him back against the cage.
Best lands a shot to the body.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Best.
Best is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Best lands a knee to the body.
Best lands an elbow inside that James shrugs off.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Pope James's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:56 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Best Best!
A relieved looking Best Best thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.