PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Popper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rodrigo Pavanelli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rodrigo Pavanelli will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Popper
vs
Pavanelli

170 cm
24
130 lbs
3 - 8 - 0

170 cm
22
130 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

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 3 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Popper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Rodrigo Pavanelli!
The judges for this bout are Seu Braga, Daniel Cesar and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pavanelli cracks a nice hook into Popper's ribs.
Pavanelli cracks a nice hook into Popper's ribs.
Pavanelli lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Popper circles away quickly and effectively.
Pavanelli fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Popper manages to avoid it.
Pavanelli ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Popper moves away.
Popper shoots in for a double leg but Pavanelli sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Pavanelli ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Popper moves away.
Pavanelli scores with a jab.
Danga de danga de dang - Pavanelli scores with a four punch combination!
Popper has a takedown stuffed.
Popper is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Pavanelli.

Popper looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Pavanelli is trying to stand back up but Popper is controlling him
Popper slows the pace down in half guard.
Popper is thwarting Pavanelli's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popper prevents Pavanelli from standing back up.
Popper tries to pass to full mount but Pavanelli defends it.
Popper is breathing heavily.
Pavanelli is looking to escape.
Pavanelli wants to improve his position but Popper is controlling well.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Popper shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Popper will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Popper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Popper.
Nice takedown defense from Pavanelli. No joy for Popper on that attempt.
A combination from Pavanelli does no damage.
Pavanelli's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Pavanelli duly obliges.
Pavanelli fails to land with a series of punches.
Pavanelli bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Popper's head backwards.
Pavanelli is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Popper rather than just go for the knockout.
No joy there for Pavanelli, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pavanelli scores with a hook to the body. Popper takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Popper fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pavanelli avoids it really well and circles away.
Pavanelli scores with a one two! Popper had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Nice shot lands for Pavanelli.
Pavanelli lands a body shot.
Pavanelli tries to bum rush Popper with a series of wild strikes but Popper uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Pavanelli scores with a nice right hand.
Pavanelli scores with a one two! Popper had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Popper showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pavanelli.
Pavanelli lands a slapping body shot.
Pavanelli is working the combinations to good effect here.
Popper showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pavanelli.

Popper shoots in and bounces Pavanelli off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Popper wants to control from the top but Pavanelli keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popper looking to pass the guard.
Pavanelli keeping moving, preventing Popper from controlling successfully.
Popper won't allow Pavanelli to get back to his feet.
Pavanelli is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pavanelli being controlled here, momentarily.

That's four 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.
Pavanelli wants to stand but Popper is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Pavanelli swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Popper fails to land the takedown.
Pavanelli throws a body punch but Popper moves out of range.
Pavanelli slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Pavanelli. No joy for Popper on that attempt.
Nice uppercut lands for Pavanelli. That snapped Popper's head back.
Popper shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pavanelli as he avoids it easily.
Popper on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Pavanelli digs a good body shot into Popper's ribs.
Pavanelli swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Popper misses with a takedown attempt - Pavanelli sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rodrigo Pavanelli dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Pavanelli lands a head shot.

Popper shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Popper trying to control the position from guard on top but Pavanelli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pavanelli trying to control the position here.
Popper trying to control the position from guard on top but Pavanelli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pavanelli can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Popper controls the pace.
Pavanelli is looking to stand up but Popper isn't so interested in that idea.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Popper drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Pavanelli dives on top into guard.
Popper has a closed guard, preventing Pavanelli from standing up.
Popper tries to strike from the bottom.
Pavanelli is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Popper keeping moving, preventing Pavanelli from controlling successfully.
Pavanelli postures up.
Pavanelli showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pavanelli wants to control from the top but Popper keeps moving.

Popper looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pavanelli controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Popper is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Popper controls Pavanelli momentarily but Pavanelli frees himself.
Pavanelli trying to control the position from guard on top but Popper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Popper has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Pavanelli wants to control from the top but Popper keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Rodrigo Pavanelli just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Popper looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Nice sprawl there from Pavanelli as Popper shoots in.
Pavanelli lands the left hand.
Pavanelli fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Popper on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Pavanelli misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pavanelli looks to score with a jab to the body but Popper is just out of range.
Nice sprawl there from Pavanelli as Popper shoots in.
Popper needs to keep his hands up - Pavanelli had a free shot at his head there.
Popper dives in and grabs Pavanelli's left leg, looking for a takedown. Pavanelli pushes down on Popper's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Popper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pavanelli bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.

Popper shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pavanelli's guard.
Popper trying to control but Pavanelli is working from the bottom.
Popper trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pavanelli is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Popper stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Pavanelli swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Popper throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pavanelli works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Popper is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Popper trying to control but Pavanelli is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Popper in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that John Popper will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Popper shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pavanelli sprawls well. Pavanelli wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Popper gets slowly back to his feet.
Pavanelli lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pavanelli.
Pavanelli throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Pavanelli throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Good exchange - Pavanelli coming out on top.
Pavanelli lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Pavanelli looks to land a combination. Popper sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Popper closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Popper lands in his opponent's guard.
Pavanelli keeping moving, preventing Popper from controlling successfully.
Popper is really struggling to control Pavanelli but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pavanelli kicks Popper off and gets to his feet.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pavanelli.

Popper changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Pavanelli looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Pavanelli struggling a bit here.
Pavanelli is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Popper trying to control the position but Pavanelli is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popper tries to move to mount but Pavanelli blocks the move with his legs.

Popper working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Popper is looking to take a break and control but Pavanelli is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pavanelli tries to buck Popper off but Popper is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pavanelli struggling a bit here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pavanelli looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Popper shoots in for a takedown but Pavanelli shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Pavanelli cracks Popper with a good jab.
Pavanelli's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Pavanelli duly obliges.
Popper looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pavanelli is fending him off so far but Popper persists. Nope, Pavanelli circles away and we're back to standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Popper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pavanelli rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Popper moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Pavanelli throws a right hand that Popper ducks under and follows up with a left that Popper also avoids with ease.

Pavanelli gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Popper to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Popper controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Pavanelli not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popper is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Pavanelli working a defensive guard here.
Popper wants to control from the top but Pavanelli keeps moving.
Popper trying to move into half guard but instead Pavanelli has managed to sweep!
Pavanelli looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Popper lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Pavanelli!
The referee warns Pavanelli that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to John Popper.
I think Popper has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Popper!