PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Spider Monkey (ranked 1230 p4p, 1501 weight class) and Chrysanthos Xanthopoulos (ranked 162 p4p, 202 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Chrysanthos Xanthopoulos was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Monkey
vs
Xanthopoulos

187 cm
25
170
5 - 3 - 0

183 cm
24
180
8 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Lethal high kicks
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA ðŸï¸
Â© Trap House

Champion Apparel

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 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Spider Monkey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Chrysanthos Xanthopoulos!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Anthony Taglia and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Xanthopoulos shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Monkey works his way to full guard. Good work.

Monkey had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Xanthopoulos defends it easily.

Monkey is looking for a triangle but Xanthopoulos pushes his legs off easily.

Xanthopoulos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Xanthopoulos stands up over Monkey, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Xanthopoulos lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Monkey is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xanthopoulos distracts Monkey with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Xanthopoulos stopping the sweep attempt from Monkey.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Xanthopoulos accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Xanthopoulos throws an elbow that misses. Monkey uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Xanthopoulos's guard. Nice move by Monkey!

Monkey looking to pass the guard.
Monkey advances position into side control!
Xanthopoulos manages to work his way to half guard, despite Monkey's best efforts.
Xanthopoulos is trying to get back to full guard.

Monkey is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Monkey is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Monkey trying to mount his opponent but Xanthopoulos defends it.
Xanthopoulos trying to control from the bottom.
Monkey seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Xanthopoulos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Monkey is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Xanthopoulos sees it coming and defends easily.
Xanthopoulos wants to improve his position but Monkey is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xanthopoulos is trying to stand.
Xanthopoulos wants to get back to full guard.
Monkey is keen to just control but Xanthopoulos is a slippery customer.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Xanthopoulos wants to get back to full guard.
Xanthopoulos blocking the ground and pound attempt from Monkey.
Xanthopoulos is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Monkey's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Monkey's back!
Xanthopoulos wants to control but Monkey manages to buck him off and is now in Xanthopoulos's guard! Nice work there by Monkey!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Xanthopoulos keeping moving, preventing Monkey from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monkey stopping the sweep attempt from Xanthopoulos.
Xanthopoulos wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Xanthopoulos manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Monkey manages to get himself to full guard.

Monkey working for a triangle but Xanthopoulos defends it easily.
Xanthopoulos distracts Monkey with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Chrysanthos Xanthopoulos will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Monkey misses with an uppercut
and Xanthopoulos counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Xanthopoulos scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Monkey uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Xanthopoulos.
Spider Monkey seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Monkey throws a jab but it's blocked by Xanthopoulos.
Xanthopoulos steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Monkey.
Xanthopoulos lands an overhand right.
Xanthopoulos takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

It looks like Chrysanthos Xanthopoulos has been cut.
Xanthopoulos fails to land with a series of punches.
Xanthopoulos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Monkey ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Xanthopoulos looks to land a left hand but Monkey moved out of range nicely.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Xanthopoulos shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Monkey connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Monkey dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Monkey fakes the leg kick and cracks Xanthopoulos in the body.

Xanthopoulos shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Monkey's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monkey tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Xanthopoulos must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Xanthopoulos avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Monkey bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Xanthopoulos's guard.

Monkey slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Xanthopoulos stops Monkey from passing to mount.

Monkey tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Monkey has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Xanthopoulos can't do much from the bottom here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xanthopoulos tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Monkey wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
You can see the frustration on Xanthopoulos's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Monkey is looking to take a break and control but Xanthopoulos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Monkey tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Xanthopoulos gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Monkey is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Xanthopoulos!
Monkey wants to control the pace but Xanthopoulos is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Monkey working for a submission but Xanthopoulos is keeping him at bay.
Xanthopoulos is squirming around, avoiding Monkey's attempts to control the action.
Xanthopoulos tries to reverse the position but Monkey maintains control.
Monkey looking to control but Xanthopoulos is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Xanthopoulos tries to hold on but Monkey postures up.

Monkey working for a guillotine from mount but Xanthopoulos is in no mood to give up.
Monkey wants to control the pace but Xanthopoulos is squirming around nicely.
Xanthopoulos can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monkey wants to control the pace but Xanthopoulos is squirming around nicely.
Xanthopoulos is working to get back to half guard.
Xanthopoulos slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Xanthopoulos is looking for a sweep. Monkey is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Xanthopoulos is trying to stand back up but Monkey is controlling him

Monkey is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Monkey is working for an americana but Xanthopoulos has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Monkey was thinking about the submission.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Spider Monkey dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chrysanthos Xanthopoulos's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Monkey slips under a jab from Xanthopoulos.
Xanthopoulos falls off balance throwing a combination
and Monkey counters with a leg kick.
Monkey fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Xanthopoulos has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Monkey throws a leg kick that misses.
Xanthopoulos moves forwards but Monkey connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Nice defenses there by Xanthopoulos.
Monkey looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Monkey scoring well with a low kick there.
Monkey misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Xanthopoulos.
Xanthopoulos shoots in for a double leg but Monkey sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Xanthopoulos cracks Monkey with an open hand slap.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monkey jabs Xanthopoulos to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Xanthopoulos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Monkey pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Xanthopoulos is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Monkey.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Monkey throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xanthopoulos lands with an overhand left.
Spider Monkey is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A low kick lands for Monkey.
Monkey fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Xanthopoulos has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Monkey misses with a straight right.
Monkey looks to land a left hand but Xanthopoulos moved out of range nicely.
Xanthopoulos pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Monkey half committed to a counter leg kick.
Monkey dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Xanthopoulos. That did some damage!
Monkey is looking to chop away at Xanthopoulos's legs.
Xanthopoulos changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Nice shot by Xanthopoulos.
Xanthopoulos will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Xanthopoulos's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Monkey connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Xanthopoulos scrambles back to his feet.
Monkey closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Monkey misses with an uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Monkey tries to score with a low kick but Xanthopoulos moves his leg out of the way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monkey throws a shot to the body.
Monkey cracks Xanthopoulos with a right hand to the side of the head.
Monkey scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Monkey with a jab.
Donk. Xanthopoulos catches Monkey right on the button with a cross.
Xanthopoulos throws a nice looking combination but Monkey bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A big right from Monkey misses.
Xanthopoulos with the counter takedown but Monkey avoids it easily.
Xanthopoulos slips a straight right by Monkey.
Xanthopoulos jabbing away but nothing is landing.
A clash of legs there as Xanthopoulos blocks the low kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Monkey.

Xanthopoulos shoots in and gets a takedown into Monkey's guard.
Xanthopoulos postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Xanthopoulos sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Monkey's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monkey tries to get to full guard but Xanthopoulos has control of the leg.
Xanthopoulos wants to pass to mount but Monkey is defending the position.
Monkey trying to control here.
Xanthopoulos not landing any meaningful shots this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monkey is trying to get back to full guard.
Chrysanthos Xanthopoulos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Xanthopoulos trying to control from half guard but Monkey is working away.

Monkey looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Xanthopoulos thows a huge punch but Monkey dodges it nicely.
Well, if Xanthopoulos is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Monkey moves into full guard.
Xanthopoulos wants to control from the top but Monkey keeps moving.
Monkey bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Xanthopoulos's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Spider Monkey showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Monkey has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Spider Monkey!
A relieved looking Spider Monkey thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.