PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Semih Belozoglou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Horgorth Whoa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Belozoglou comes to the cage accompanied by Baris Manco - GulPembe. Whoa has chosen emsiferum-token of time as his entrance music. Semih Belozoglou had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 157.5lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Belozoglou
vs
Whoa

179 cm
25
167 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
165 lbs
1 - 10 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Semih Belozoglou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Horgorth Whoa!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Emerson Jorge and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Whoa enables Belozoglou to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Whoa manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Whoa not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Belozoglou throws a strike but Whoa rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Whoa postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Belozoglou has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Whoa slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Whoa wants to control but Belozoglou is keeping him busy.
Whoa prevents Belozoglou from escaping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whoa creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Belozoglou sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Whoa in side control, throwing shots but Belozoglou defends.
Whoa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Whoa stands up.

Belozoglou scores a takedown into full mount!
Whoa controls the position.
Whoa wants to get back to his feet.
Whoa swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

Belozoglou goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Whoa turns into him and now he's in Belozoglou's guard.
Whoa passes Belozoglou's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Belozoglou is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whoa working the head and body with strikes.
Whoa drops an elbow to the side of Belozoglou's head.
Belozoglou holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
Whoa not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Belozoglou knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Whoa on the ground.
Whoa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Belozoglou's head.
Whoa tries to stand but can't do so whilst Belozoglou controls his leg.
Belozoglou is staying active underneath Whoa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Belozoglou trying to control here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whoa seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Belozoglou trying to control from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Belozoglou fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Belozoglou scores with a takedown into Whoa's guard.
Whoa seems keen to control Belozoglou's posture.
Whoa looking to control.
Belozoglou is looking to work some ground and pound but Whoa has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whoa is trying to keep Belozoglou in close.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Whoa wants to stand but Belozoglou is controlling the position.

Horgorth Whoa has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Belozoglou shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Whoa napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Whoa wants to control but Belozoglou postures up.

Belozoglou goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Whoa rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Belozoglou's guard! Nice work there by Whoa!
Whoa wants to control from the top but Belozoglou keeps moving.
Belozoglou avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
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 Semih Belozoglou will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Whoa is looking to clinch.
Belozoglou fails with the takedown.

Belozoglou shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Whoa regains full guard. Nicely done.
Whoa looking for a sweep. Not yet Whoa, not yet.
Whoa looking to control.
Whoa manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Belozoglou manages to get himself to full guard.
Whoa looking to sit in guard and control but Belozoglou gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Whoa controls Belozoglou momentarily but Belozoglou frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whoa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Whoa looking to control.
Whoa is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Belozoglou with a flurry of punches that miss.

Belozoglou drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Belozoglou jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Belozoglou trying to control the position from guard on top but Whoa is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Belozoglou postures up.
Belozoglou has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Belozoglou drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Whoa dives on top into guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Whoa postures up and lands a big shot to Belozoglou's brow.
Whoa wants to stand and escape but instead Belozoglou has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Whoa looking for a sweep. Not yet Whoa, not yet.
Whoa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Whoa trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Whoa pushes Belozoglou off and gets back to his feet.
Belozoglou has his takedown stuffed

and Whoa holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Belozoglou wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Semih Belozoglou. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Whoa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Whoa leaves Belozoglou with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Semih Belozoglou seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Whoa moves in looking to clinch but Belozoglou pushes him off.
Whoa shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Belozoglou pinned against the cage. Belozoglou gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Belozoglou throws a series of strikes that have Whoa backpedaling.
Whoa throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nice shot lands for Belozoglou.
Semih Belozoglou is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Belozoglou closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Whoa did well to prevent Belozoglou getting side control.
Belozoglou wants to free his trapped foot but Whoa is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Belozoglou is looking for a kimura here.
Belozoglou trying to control from Whoa's half guard. Whoa has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Belozoglou looking to sit in guard and control but Whoa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Whoa looking to pass the guard.
Whoa wants to control from the top but Belozoglou keeps moving.
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 Semih Belozoglou will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Whoa tries to clinch up

and Belozoglou counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Whoa has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Belozoglou off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Whoa looks to clinch
and Belozoglou counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Whoa looks to clinch

and Belozoglou counters with a single leg into guard. Whoa didn't expect that.
Belozoglou's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Whoa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Belozoglou slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Belozoglou's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Semih Belozoglou has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Whoa throws a sloppy head kick and Belozoglou moves out of range easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Belozoglou clinches up against the cage.

Whoa manages to break the clinch.
Whoa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Belozoglou counters with a takedown into side control.
Whoa taking a bit of punishment here - Belozoglou scoring with strikes.

Belozoglou is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Whoa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Whoa is looking for a sweep.
Belozoglou trying to control the position but Whoa is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whoa manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Belozoglou is not content to let Whoa control the position.
Belozoglou wants to improve his position but Whoa is controlling well.
Whoa stops Belozoglou from getting back to his feet.
Belozoglou is not content to let Whoa control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Horgorth Whoa has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Whoa shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Belozoglou but Belozoglou pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Whoa looks to land a body kick but Belozoglou moved away.

Belozoglou looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Belozoglou is looking to take a break and control but Whoa is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Whoa is trying to control but can't.
Belozoglou wants to take a breather but Whoa is having none of it.
Belozoglou is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Whoa is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Belozoglou wants to free his trapped foot but Whoa is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Semih Belozoglou.
Left hook, right uppercut from Belozoglou.

Whoa gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Belozoglou to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Whoa is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

Belozoglou stands up and waves to Whoa to follow him.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Whoa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Belozoglou sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Whoa somewhat.
Horgorth Whoa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Semih Belozoglou is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Semih Belozoglou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Horgorth Whoa.

Belozoglou closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Semih Belozoglou showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Belozoglou, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Semih Belozoglou!