PBP Commentary

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

Koppenhaver
vs
He

180 cm
21
190 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

183 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Very confident

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 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Trevor Koppenhaver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ilya He!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koppenhaver displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from He.
He pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Koppenhaver chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before He can pounce on him.

Koppenhaver fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with He, pushing him back against the cage.
He can't get the takedown.
He wants to get back to striking at distance but Koppenhaver won't allow it.
Koppenhaver gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from He.
Trevor Koppenhaver has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ilya He.
Koppenhaver is working for takedown but He is calmly controlling the position for now.

He is fighting off a takedown attempt but Koppenhaver is just too persistent for him and manages to trip He to the mat. He regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.

He working for a triangle but Koppenhaver defends it easily.
He preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
He is trying to control the position but Koppenhaver postures up.
He is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koppenhaver scoring with some ground and pound.

He looking for a guillotine here but Koppenhaver defends easily.
Koppenhaver is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Koppenhaver sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Koppenhaver postures up.
Koppenhaver knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for He on the ground.
Koppenhaver tries to free his leg and advance position but He is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
He looking to control.
Koppenhaver trying to control but He is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Trevor Koppenhaver just wasn't active enough.
He closes the distance but Koppenhaver moves to the side

and Koppenhaver counters with a single leg into guard. He didn't expect that.
Koppenhaver has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

He looking for a guillotine here but Koppenhaver defends easily.
Koppenhaver seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Koppenhaver is breathing heavily.
Koppenhaver wants to control from the top but He keeps moving.
He can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Koppenhaver controls the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koppenhaver trying to control the position from guard on top but He is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koppenhaver won't allow He to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Trevor Koppenhaver just wasn't active enough.
He tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Koppenhaver counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Koppenhaver.
He wants to get back to his feet but Koppenhaver is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

He looking for a guillotine here but Koppenhaver defends easily.
Koppenhaver won't allow He to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Koppenhaver decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on He, up you get!

Koppenhaver closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Koppenhaver working away.
Koppenhaver wants to lay and pray for a moment but He keeps working.
He is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Koppenhaver's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
He is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Koppenhaver's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Koppenhaver's back!

He is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Koppenhaver has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

He working for a choke but Koppenhaver is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Trevor Koppenhaver will probably get the nod.
That's time! Koppenhaver's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

He misses with a head kick.
He throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Koppenhaver gets the takedown into side control.
Koppenhaver throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and He works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
He avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Koppenhaver.

He actively working from the bottom here.

He is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Koppenhaver pulls his head out easily.
He avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Koppenhaver.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
He tries to roll over but Koppenhaver keeps him under control.
Koppenhaver is figuring out what he wants to do next.
He trying to control but Koppenhaver postures up.
Trevor Koppenhaver overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
He manages to get to full guard.

He had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Koppenhaver defends it easily.
Koppenhaver content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koppenhaver slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Koppenhaver wants to control from the top but He keeps moving.

He is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Koppenhaver defends well.
Koppenhaver seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Koppenhaver looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
He is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Trevor Koppenhaver wasn't doing enough on the ground.
He clinches but Koppenhaver breaks the clinch

and Koppenhaver counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in He's guard now.
He striking off his back but it's not causing Koppenhaver any problems.

He looking for a guillotine here but Koppenhaver defends easily.
He wants to stand and escape but Koppenhaver is having none of it.

Koppenhaver avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Koppenhaver seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
He controls Koppenhaver momentarily but Koppenhaver frees himself.

He is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Koppenhaver with a nice head shot there.
Koppenhaver is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

He is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Koppenhaver defends well.
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 Trevor Koppenhaver 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. This is the final round!

Excellent takedown into side control there by Koppenhaver.
He is trying to get back to half guard.
You can see the frustration on He's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
He wants to get back to his feet but Koppenhaver is dominant here and he's now got He's back!
He just trying to survive but Koppenhaver is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Koppenhaver is looking to control He but He is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Koppenhaver looking to soften up his opponent with punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
He rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Koppenhaver is trying to control. He wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Koppenhaver 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.
He avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Koppenhaver.
He wants to get back to his feet.

That's two 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.
He regains full guard. Nicely done.

Koppenhaver got a little sloppy there for a moment and He has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Koppenhaver has managed to get both his arms back between He's legs - danger averted.
Koppenhaver seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Koppenhaver postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
He throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
He is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Koppenhaver is controlling him.
Koppenhaver slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koppenhaver trying to control but He is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

We're going to have a standup here because Trevor Koppenhaver wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
He misses with a takedown

and Koppenhaver counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Koppenhaver is working He over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

He is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Koppenhaver has his hands clasped together but He extends an breaks Koppenhaver's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by He.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:42 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Ilya He!