PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nikola Dragoslav (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Soda Popinkski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dragoslav comes into the arena with Disturbed - Indestructible blaring out of the sound system. On his way into the ring it seems that Nikola Dragoslav has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Nikola Dragoslav seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Dragoslav
vs
Popinkski

188 cm
20
273 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

190 cm
26
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

ADCC Champion
Brawler
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nikola Dragoslav!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Soda Popinkski!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dragoslav lands a left and a right that send Popinkski crashing to the mat, dazed. Dragoslav thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Soda Popinkski has been cut.
Popinkski fails in his attempt to clinch.
Dragoslav wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Dragoslav looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dragoslav swats away the attempt to clinch by Popinkski.
Dragoslav throws a right and a left that both miss.
Dragoslav attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Popinkski shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Dragoslav but Dragoslav pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Dragoslav rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Popinkski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Dragoslav pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Jab, jab by Dragoslav - just one landing.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Popinkski scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Popinkski stands up and beckons Dragoslav to his feet.
Popinkski shoots for a takedown but Dragoslav saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Popinkski throws a left and a right that both miss
and Dragoslav counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Popinkski takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Popinkski looks gassed!
Dragoslav moves in looking to clinch but Popinkski pushes him off.
Dragoslav lands a slapping body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dragoslav fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Popinkski looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Dragoslav moves into the clinch.
Dragoslav lands a body shot in the clinch.

Dragoslav breaks the clinch.
Dragoslav wants to clinch but Popinkski slips to the side

and Popinkski counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Popinkski.
Dragoslav looking to stall.

Dragoslav manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dragoslav scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Popinkski keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Dragoslav rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Popinkski moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Dragoslav drops Popinkski with a beautiful combination! Popinkski stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Dragoslav is looking for the KO!
Dragoslav misses with a double jab.
Dragoslav fails with an attempt to clinch.
Dragoslav misses with a jab, cross combination.
Dragoslav lands a nice hook to Popinkski's body. Popinkski takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Dragoslav throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Dragoslav tries to clinch up.
Dragoslav turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Nice shot by Dragoslav.
Dragoslav tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragoslav misses with a double jab.
Dragoslav tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Popinkski tries to clinch
and Dragoslav counters with a one-two to the body.

Popinkski rushes Dragoslav and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
Popinkski wants a takedown.
Nikola Dragoslav has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Soda Popinkski.
The referee calls for Popinkski to work.

Dragoslav pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dragoslav paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Dragoslav lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.

Popinkski scores with a takedown into Dragoslav's guard.
Popinkski wants to stand but Dragoslav is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popinkski won't allow Dragoslav to get back to his feet.
Popinkski throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dragoslav works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Dragoslav has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Popinkski has passed into side control.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dragoslav wants to control but Popinkski postures up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Popinkski remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikola Dragoslav dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Soda Popinkski's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Dragoslav fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Popinkski looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Dragoslav tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Popinkski holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Popinkski is trying to force a seperation but Dragoslav has the dominant position.

Dragoslav manages to break the clinch.
Dragoslav blocks a head kick by Popinkski.
Dragoslav looks to clinch

and Popinkski counters by clinching up.
Dragoslav gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Popinkski.
Popinkski is trying to drag Dragoslav to the mat but Dragoslav just about manages to keep his footing. He used the ropes to his advantage there.

Dragoslav escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Dragoslav closes the distance but Popinkski moves to the side

and Popinkski counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Dragoslav's guard now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dragoslav being controlled here, momentarily.
Popinkski wants to pass the guard but Dragoslav is keeping the position.
Popinkski trying to control but Dragoslav is working from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Popinkski controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Popinkski stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dragoslav swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Popinkski trying to control the position from guard on top but Dragoslav is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Popinkski pushing down on Dragoslav's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Dragoslav is looking for a sweep. Popinkski is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Popinkski connects with a nice short shot to Dragoslav's temple.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragoslav manages to get to full guard.
Popinkski makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Popinkski stands and throws Dragoslav's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Popinkski postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Dragoslav is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
The referee asks Popinkski politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Popinkski prefers to stall for the moment though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Popinkski decides to stand back up.

Popinkski shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Dragoslav wants to get back to full guard.
Popinkski moves into full mount! Dragoslav won't be happy about that!
Dragoslav is trying to get to the ropes to help him get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Soda Popinkski showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Soda Popinkski's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Popinkski throws a left and a right that both miss
and Dragoslav counters with a thumping low kick.
Dragoslav blocks a head kick by Popinkski.
Popinkski fails with the takedown
and Dragoslav counters with a nice body shot.
Dragoslav scores with a one two! Popinkski had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Popinkski pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Dragoslav throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dragoslav looks to clinch

and Popinkski decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Dragoslav's guard.
Soda Popinkski has got the better of the ground game so far.
Popinkski sitting in guard here, content to control.

Popinkski stands up from Dragoslav's guard - Popinkski perhaps looking for a knockout.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dragoslav slaps away a takedown attempt from Popinkski, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popinkski fails with the takedown
and Dragoslav makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Nikola Dragoslav has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Soda Popinkski.
Dragoslav throws a shot to the body.
Dragoslav dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Popinkski tries for a takedown but Dragoslav sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Dragoslav.
Dragoslav misses with the combination.
Dragoslav closes the distance but Popinkski moves to the side

and Popinkski counters by moving into the clinch.

Dragoslav pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Dragoslav throws and low kick but Popinkski moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popinkski throws a combination that misses
and Dragoslav counters with a one-two to the body.
Popinkski fails in his attempt to clinch.
Popinkski needs to keep his hands up - Dragoslav had a free shot at his head there.
Popinkski closes the distance and clinches up with Dragoslav, looking for a takedown. Popinkski pushes Dragoslav against the ropes but Dragoslav circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Dragoslav has managed to clinch.
Dragoslav is trying to break the clinch but Popinkski has him pressed against the ropes.
Dragoslav is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the ropes.

Dragoslav breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Dragoslav misses with a wild body shot.
No luck for Popinkski with that takedown attempt.
Dragoslav lands a nice shot that snaps Popinkski's head back.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dragoslav bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Popinkski's head backwards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dragoslav tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Popinkski counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Popinkski.

Dragoslav breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dragoslav looks to score with a jab to the body but Popinkski is just out of range.
Dragoslav tries to clinch but Popinkski moves away

and Popinkski counters with a nice double leg into side control. Dragoslav won't be happy with that.
Dragoslav takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Dragoslav is trying to control Popinkski's posture but Popinkski avoids it.
Popinkski advances to full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popinkski sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Dragoslav is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Popinkski tries to control but Dragoslav wriggling away.

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 Nikola Dragoslav.
I think Dragoslav 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 29:28
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Nikola Dragoslav!