PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Al Tree (ranked 4797 p4p, 5260 weight class) and Arron Copeland (ranked 0 p4p, 247 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Tree
vs
Copeland

170 cm
18
135
1 - 0 - 0

160 cm
25
130
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Al Tree!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Arron Copeland!
The judges for this bout are Arvi Lind, Anni Minnemäki and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Copeland fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Copeland misses with a wild body shot.
Tree swings for the body but Copeland moves out of range.
Copeland avoids the body shot from Tree.
Copeland lands a glancing blow to the side of Tree's head.
Tree fails to land with a series of punches.
Copeland fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Tree seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Copeland misses with a looping right.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Copeland shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Copeland was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Tree being controlled for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tree tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Copeland wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Copeland taking a breather here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Tree is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Copeland slows the pace down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Copeland misses with a body shot.
As Copeland tries to get set, Tree tries to push him back and clinch up but Copeland manages to avoid the attempt.
Copeland shoots in for a double leg but Tree sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Tree misses with a series of wild punches.
Copeland feints the counter takedown.
Copeland will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Al Tree has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Arron Copeland.
Copeland moves out of range as Tree strikes.
Tree lands a nice leg kick that just misses Copeland's sensitive parts.
Tree jabs Copeland to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tree scores with a body shot.
Tree uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Copeland.
We've been informed that Copeland has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Copeland misses the jab.
Tree misses with a wild body shot.
Tree lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Copeland circles away quickly and effectively.
Tree throws a body shot but no joy.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tree. Copeland does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tree throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Copeland moves out of range as Tree strikes.
Copeland closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Copeland drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Arron Copeland will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Copeland throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tree misses with a head kick.
Tree avoids the body shot from Copeland.
Copeland just misses with a punch to the body.
Tree throws a sloppy head kick and Copeland moves out of range easily.
Tree takes a swing at Copeland's ribcage but misses.
Tree slips under a jab from Copeland.
Copeland swings for the body but Tree moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Copeland uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Tree.
Tree misses the shot to the body.
Copeland blocks a head kick by Tree.
Tree ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Copeland moves away.
Copeland changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tree misses with a wild body shot.
Decent striking displayed by Copeland there.
Tree connects with a solid leg kick.
Tree on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Copeland throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

Copeland looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Copeland stalling.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Copeland is continuing to stall.
Let's hope that Copeland has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Tree is looking for a sweep. Copeland is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Copeland not doing much here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters, thinking about a standup.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Copeland throws a body shot but no joy.

Copeland shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Copeland controlling the pace.
Copeland works his way into full mount!
Copeland wants to take Tree's back here but Tree is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tree is trying desperately to improve position.
Tree tries to lock up and control but Copeland gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Copeland controlling the pace for now.
Copeland moves to back control.
Copeland slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Copeland controlling well, preventing Tree from escaping the position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Arron Copeland showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Copeland scores with a nice right hand.
Tree misses with a few strikes there.
Tree misses with a two punch combination.
And Copeland tries to counter it with a takedown but Tree pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Nice body punch from Copeland.
Tree tries a head kick but it misses.
Copeland swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Tree turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tree swings for the body but Copeland moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tree gets a clinch.

Copeland jumps into guard, dragging Tree to the mat.

Copeland is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Tree defends well.

Copeland working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Tree doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Copeland is tightening it up a little... Tree has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Tree reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Tree taps out! Nice BJJ there by Copeland!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Arron Copeland!