PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Luther Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tyler McDrunken (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pope
vs
McDrunken

172 cm
21
157 lbs
9 - 2 - 0

178 cm
26
152 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Australian Xtreme - NEW 159 Energy!

Bushido Clothing
Bushido 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 9 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Luther Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Tyler McDrunken!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McDrunken misses the shot to the body.
Pope uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from McDrunken.
Pope thows a body shot but no joy.
A slow jab from Pope misses its intended target.
McDrunken keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pope slips under a jab from McDrunken.
McDrunken looks to score with a jab to the body but Pope is just out of range.
A big right from McDrunken misses.
Pope throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Nice jab there from Pope.
Pope throws a body punch but McDrunken moves out of range.
McDrunken misses with a takedown attempt - Pope sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
McDrunken is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Pope.
McDrunken keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
No joy there for Pope, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pope lands with a cross.
Pope throws a leg kick but McDrunken checks it.
McDrunken with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Pope to score with a decent uppercut.
Pope shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
A looping hook to the body misses from McDrunken. Pope does a little dance to reset his feet.
McDrunken takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McDrunken dodges the punch combination from Pope.
Pope attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Pope lands a jab-cross combination.

McDrunken closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Pope did well to prevent McDrunken getting side control.
McDrunken throwing shots but Pope is blocking nicely.
Pope looks like he's trying to stand up.
McDrunken wants to pass the guard but Pope is defending well.
McDrunken not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope tries to kick McDrunken off but McDrunken keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
McDrunken missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
McDrunken is trying to control. Pope wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
McDrunken tries to pass to full mount but Pope defends it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Pope digs a good body shot into McDrunken's ribs.
Pope throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Pope swings and misses with a hook to the body.
McDrunken looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pope is fending him off so far but McDrunken persists. Nope, Pope circles away and we're back to standing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McDrunken drops his hands momentarily and Pope takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
A big right from McDrunken misses.
McDrunken cracks Pope with an open hand slap.
Pope lands a jab to the nose.
McDrunken throws a shot from downtown. Pope moves away and avoids it.
Pope just misses with a punch to the body.
Pope swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Pope misses the shot to the body.
McDrunken throws a jab when Pope was well out of range.
Pope uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McDrunken.
McDrunken misses with a straight right.
Pope lands a nice hook to McDrunken's body. McDrunken takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pope misses the shot to the body.
Pope scores with a body shot.
Pope swinging wildly here.

McDrunken shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Pope is trying to defend but McDrunken finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
McDrunken controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McDrunken not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Pope is pressing down on McDrunken's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
McDrunken 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.

Luther Pope dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

McDrunken shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pope napping and manages to drive through into side control!
McDrunken works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
McDrunken working the strikes but Pope uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Pope trying to control here.
McDrunken throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Pope blocking the ground and pound attempt from McDrunken.
McDrunken missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McDrunken is stalling here. Pope is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! McDrunken seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Pope has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
McDrunken is trying to work for a sweep but Pope has mounted him!
McDrunken tries to lock up and control but Pope gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Pope trying to control but McDrunken is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
McDrunken wants to control but Pope is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McDrunken is wriggling around trying to escape.
Pope looking to control but McDrunken is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McDrunken tries to lock up and control but Pope gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
McDrunken is looking to improve his position but Pope isn't that keen on the idea.
Pope avoids the attempt from McDrunken to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Pope sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tyler McDrunken showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Pope looks to throw the jab but McDrunken is out of range.
McDrunken misses the body punch
and Pope counters with a slapping leg kick.
Pope attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Pope is looking to wear down McDrunken with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
McDrunken throws a looping overhand right but Pope ducks down to avoid it.
Pope defending well as McDrunken loads up on a big left hand.
Pope moves out of range of the strikes.
Pope misses with a hook.
McDrunken takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
McDrunken falls off balance throwing a combination
and Pope counters with a one-two to the body.
A combination from McDrunken does no damage.
McDrunken takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Pope just misses with a punch to the body.
McDrunken misses with an uppercut.
Pope misses the shot to the body.
McDrunken will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pope cracks McDrunken with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McDrunken avoids the body shot from Pope.
Pope ducks under a wild hook from McDrunken.
Pope throws a nice looking combination but McDrunken bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Pope avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Pope tries to bum rush McDrunken with a series of wild strikes but McDrunken uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

McDrunken shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
McDrunken wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pope keeps working.
McDrunken prevents Pope from standing back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McDrunken throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
McDrunken has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pope has hold of McDrunken's hands but McDrunken slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
McDrunken perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
McDrunken lands with a punch from half guard.
Pope avoiding damage under a succession of punches from McDrunken.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McDrunken thows a huge punch but Pope dodges it nicely.
McDrunken missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
McDrunken throwing shots but Pope is blocking nicely.
Pope tries to kick McDrunken off but McDrunken keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
McDrunken not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
McDrunken looks to land a strike but Pope avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Pope avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four 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.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
McDrunken slips a jab from Pope.
McDrunken scores with a crisp jab that stopped Pope in his tracks.
McDrunken 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.
Pope pivots, looking for a leg kick but McDrunken is out of range and Pope settles back down.
McDrunken blocks a jab.
McDrunken swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
McDrunken thuds a left hand into Pope's body.
Pope misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McDrunken.
Pope swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Pope slips a jab from McDrunken.
Pope scores with a jab to the jaw.
McDrunken lands with an uppercut that bounces Pope off the cage and back into rage.
McDrunken misses with a hook. Pope ducked under it nicely.
Pope moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
McDrunken swings for the body but Pope moves out of range.
Pope throws a series of punches but McDrunken avoids them all with ease.
Pope ducks right into an uppercut from McDrunken.

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 Luther Pope.
I think Pope 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Luther Pope!