PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Phil Ivey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ian Topps (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phil Ivey has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ivey
vs
Topps

190 cm
23
188 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

187 cm
20
194 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Phil Ivey!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ian Topps!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Jorge Garcia and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ivey uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Topps.
Topps throws a hook but Ivey blocks it.
A lazy left from Topps finds it's target.
Ivey lands a nice looking body kick.
Ivey uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Topps.
Jab from Topps.
Ivey moves in looking to clinch but Topps pushes him off.
Topps misses with a few strikes there.
Topps keeps the fight on the outside.
Ivey ducks under a wild hook from Topps.
Topps avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ian Topps seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ivey tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ivey avoids the head kick by Topps.
Ivey staying out of range there.
Nice uppercut there from Topps.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ivey steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Topps.
Ivey is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Topps scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Phil Ivey is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Topps keeps the fight on the outside.
Topps misses with a looping left.
Ivey takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Ivey moves out of range of the strikes.
Topps ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ivey moves away.
Topps swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Topps shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ivey defends it nicely.
Ivey moves in looking to clinch but Topps pushes him off.
The fighters circling - Topps throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ivey misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Topps might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Topps stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ivey.
Topps looks gassed!
Ivey throws a head kick that misses.
Topps tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Ivey was well out of range. Poor timing from Topps.
Topps works over Ivey's head and body with a nice combination.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Topps with a nice cross.

Topps gets the takedown into side control.
Ivey manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!

Topps looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ivey wants to take a breather but Topps is having none of it.

Ivey is looking for a kimura here.
Ivey trying to control from half guard but Topps is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ivey looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Topps has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Ivey is working away from the top position though.
Ivey tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Topps.
Topps tries to roll over but Ivey keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Topps misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Ivey.

Ivey closes the distance and pushes Topps back into the cage.
Ivey tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Ivey lands a knee to the head.
Ivey keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Topps's efforts to push away.
Ivey slows down the pace here.
Topps wants to break free but Ivey has control.
Ivey with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Topps avoiding damage as Ivey throws knees to the body.
Ivey controlling the action here for a moment.
Topps blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ian Topps 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.

Topps lands a nice shot to the body.
Phil Ivey is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ivey fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Topps.
Topps misses with a jab, cross combination.
Topps misses the jab.
Ivey is looking to clinch but Topps is avoiding it.
Ivey tries to clinch up but Topps circles away and keeps his distance.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ivey dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Topps. That did some damage!
Topps darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Ivey dodges the punch combination from Topps.
Ivey dodges the punch combination from Topps.
Ivey tries to clinch but Topps is having none of it.
Topps wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Topps throws an overhand right that lands on Ivey's shoulder, as Ivey tries to avoid the shot.
A head kick misses from Topps.
Ivey takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Topps throws a sloppy head kick
and Ivey counters with a head kick. That will keep Topps thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Topps connects with a right hand. Ivey shakes it off.
Ivey takes a jab right on the kisser.
Ivey throws a sloppy head kick and Topps moves out of range easily.
Topps throws a lazy right hand but Ivey sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ivey needs to keep his hands up - Topps had a free shot at his head there.
Ivey looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Ivey keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Topps.
Topps cracks Ivey with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Topps fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Topps lands a jab.
A big left from Topps misses.
Ivey doesn't manage to clinch there - Topps circles away.
Ivey tries to clinch up but Topps circles away and keeps his distance.
Ivey tries to clinch there but Topps circles away.
Topps throws a hook but Ivey avoids it easily.
Topps swats away the attempt to clinch by Ivey.
Good standup being displayed there by Topps as he connects with a hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ivey tries a head kick but it misses.
Topps lands a slapping body shot.
Topps misses with a looping right.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Topps scores with a punch to the head.
Topps misses with an uppercut. Ivey saw that one coming.
Topps scores with the left hand. Ivey knows he should have avoided that one.
Topps misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Topps shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ivey pinned against the cage. Ivey gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Topps is breathing heavily.
Topps fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Ivey on the side of the head.
Topps with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Topps throws a body punch but Ivey moves out of range.

Topps gets a takedown into half guard.
Ivey moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ivey wants to get back to his feet but Topps is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Topps won't allow Ivey to sweep him here.
Ivey is trying to keep Topps in close.
Ivey can't keep his opponent in guard - Topps advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Ivey pushes Topps off looking to stand but Topps dives back in and keeps control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Nice strikes from Topps there.
Topps passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Ivey!
Topps moves to the back.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Topps showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Ivey takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Topps fails with a takedown attempt.
Ivey ducks under a wild hook from Topps.
Topps misses with a hook. Ivey ducked under it nicely.
Topps misses with a takedown attempt - Ivey sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Ivey staying out of range there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ivey steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Topps.
Ivey uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Topps.
Ivey takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Topps bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Ivey's head backwards.
Topps takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Some wild striking there from Topps.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Topps looks to score with a jab to the body but Ivey is just out of range.
Topps connects with a looping right hand.
Ivey moves in looking to clinch but Topps pushes him off.
Topps swings for the body but Ivey moves out of range.
Ivey tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Topps paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ian Topps seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Topps throws a looping overhand right but Ivey ducks down to avoid it.
Ivey is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Ivey fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ivey is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Topps thows a body shot but no joy.
Topps loads up on a big right hand but Ivey slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Topps swats away the attempt to clinch by Ivey.
Ivey ducks under a wild hook from Topps.
Ivey takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Ivey doesn't manage to clinch there - Topps circles away.
Ivey ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Topps falls off balance throwing a combination
and Ivey counters with a nice kick to the body.
Topps throws a lazy head kick
and Ivey counters with a good, hard body kick but Topps shrugs it off.
Ivey looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Ivey lands with a kick to the temple. Topps shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Ivey throws a leg kick which misses Topps's front leg but catches the back leg as Topps tries to avoid it.
Ivey tries to close the distance and clinch but Topps swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ivey tries to clinch there but Topps circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Topps is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ivey.
Ivey is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ivey tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Topps paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ivey slips under a jab from Topps.
Ivey keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Topps steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Ivey. That one must have hurt.
Ivey is looking to clinch but Topps is avoiding it.
Ivey lands with a thumping leg kick.
Ivey tries to clinch there but Topps circles away.
Ivey tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ivey throws a head kick that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Ivey there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Ivey tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ivey wants to clinch.
Topps scores with a jab. Ivey acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Phil Ivey has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ivey tries to clinch there but Topps circles away.
Ian Topps is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Topps drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Ivey tries to bench press Topps off him but Topps keeps the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ivey gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ivey trying to control from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Phil Ivey showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Topps has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ian Topps!