PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Shonie Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luther Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Carter
vs
Pope

171 cm
20
156 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

172 cm
20
157 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Black Skull Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Shonie Carter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Luther Pope!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Pope.
Pope throws a nice inside leg kick.
Carter jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Pope throws a big shot that misses.
Pope fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Carter throws a hook but Pope blocks it.
Carter scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Carter shoots in but Pope avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pope attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Pope is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Carter.
Carter tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Carter closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pope circles away.
Carter chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Pope can pounce on him.
Carter shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pope as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shonie Carter. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Carter has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Pope finds it's way round the side to connect with Carter's head.
Carter closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Pope lands with a nice body punch.
Pope scores with a jab to the head.
Pope tries to clinch
and Carter counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Carter shoots in for a takedown but Pope shows good takedown defense.
Pope misses with a wild combination.
Pope throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Carter wants to clinch

and Pope counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Pope will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Carter up against the cage.
Carter taking a breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope scores with a hook to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Pope takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Pope taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Pope lands a shot to the body.
Pope stalling against the cage.
Carter fails to pull guard.
Pope on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Carter has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Pope regains guard immediately.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pope wants to stand but Carter is controlling the position.

Pope has his feet on Carter's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Pope finds it's way through Carter's defenses.
Pope takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Carter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Jab by Pope.
Pope lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Carter staying out of range there.
A left lands for Pope.
Pope lands with a hook. Carter tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Pope throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Luther Pope seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Carter ducks under a wild hook from Pope.
Carter takes a swing at Pope's ribcage but misses.
Carter throws a hook but Pope avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Carter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pope lands with a nice body punch.
Pope lands with a cross.
Carter tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pope was well out of range. Poor timing from Carter.
Pope lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Pope lands with a hook. Carter tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Luther Pope is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pope is looking to clinch.
Carter is looking to clinch but Pope is avoiding it.
Pope thows a left - swing and a miss!
Pope is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round!Carter had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Carter swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Carter takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Carter swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Pope connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Pope throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luther Pope dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pope misses with a few strikes there.
Pope connects with a nice looking jab.
Carter staying out of range there.
Pope misses with a wild body shot.
Pope goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Pope dodges the punch combination from Carter.
Carter showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pope.
Carter is looking to clinch but Pope is avoiding it.

Carter clinches up with Pope and pushes him back against the cage.
Pope wants to stall.
Pope's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Pope lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carter tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Nice body punch from Pope - that landed with a thud.
Carter is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
The referee calls for Pope to work.
A right hook to the body lands for Pope.
Pope content to slow the pace in the clinch.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Luther Pope.
Pope fails to land with a series of punches.
Pope throws a good cross that connects.
Carter fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pope tries to clinch but Carter is having none of it.
Nice shot lands for Pope.
Good exchange - Carter coming out on top.
Pope connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Carter throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Carter is looking to clinch but Pope is avoiding it.
Pope throws a looping overhand right but Carter ducks down to avoid it.
Pope lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Carter at a distance.
Pope misses with a wild combination.
Carter ducks under a wild hook from Pope.
Pope darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Pope pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Pope dips to his left and cracks Carter with an uppercut!
Carter throws a body punch but Pope moves out of range.
Carter with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pope to score with a decent uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope misses with a hook. Carter ducked under it nicely.
Carter shoots in for a takedown but Pope shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Shonie Carter. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pope lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Pope jabs at Carter's body.
Pope connects with the punch.
Pope jabs at Carter's body.
Pope digs a good body shot into Carter's ribs.
Some wild striking there from Pope.
Pope waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Carter.
Some wild striking there from Carter.
The fighters circling - Pope throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pope lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Pope misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Carter is defended easily by Pope.
Carter tries to clinch
enabling Pope to counter with a crisp jab.
Pope thuds his right hand into Carter's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Carter is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Pope.
Carter will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pope punishes Carter's body with a nice straight punch.
Carter uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pope.
Carter showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Pope.
Luther Pope is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Carter tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pope swivels and escapes.
Luther Pope seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pope misses with a double jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luther Pope showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Pope looks to clinch

and Carter counters with a nice double leg into side control. Pope won't be happy with that.
Pope avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Carter.

Carter tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Carter has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Carter is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Pope has escaped the position, nice work there.
Pope is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Carter's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Carter passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Carter cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Carter misses with a head shot.

Carter goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Pope turns into him and now he's in Carter's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carter looking to hit a scissor sweep but Pope is one step ahead there.
Luther Pope is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Carter throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Carter working for a triangle but Pope defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pope wants to stand but Carter has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope postures up.

Carter looking for a guillotine here but Pope defends easily.
Pope trying to stand up but can't free himself from Carter's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Carter has his foot on Pope's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Pope works his way back into a safe position though.
Carter pulls Pope in to control the position.
Pope tries to stand but Carter is controlling from the bottom.
Shonie Carter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Carter is actively looking for submissions from his back. He's worked himself a little space on the bottom and seems to be going for a triangle. No, he's switched into an armbar! That was slick! Pope rolls with it to try and escape but Carter cranks on the arm and Pope is forced to tap out! This one is aaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Shonie Carter!