PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Dave Houses (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denis Opal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Houses
vs
Opal

200 cm
26
135 lbs
7 - 8 - 0

156 cm
26
135 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 8 - 0, fighting out of London, Dave Houses!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Denis Opal!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Sam Margolis and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Opal misses with a body punch
and Houses counters with a good, hard body kick but Opal shrugs it off.
Opal is trying hard to land a takedown here. Houses sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Opal shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Opal showed some decent athleticism there.
Houses is doing well to control the position and prevent Opal from advancing to side control.

Opal is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Houses defends it well.
Houses looks like he's trying to stand up.
Opal is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houses wants to get back to his feet but Opal is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Houses pulls Opal in close to prevent any damage.
Houses wants to sweep here but Opal controlling him for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Houses keeping full guard, as Opal tries to pass.
Houses is trying to keep Opal in close.

That's two 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.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

We're going to have a standup here because Dave Houses wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Opal.
Houses really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Houses is trying to get back to half guard.
Houses trying his best to control but Opal has mounted him.
Houses tries to lock up and control but Opal gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

Opal is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Houses has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Opal has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Houses's face.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houses is in all sorts of trouble here.

Opal is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Houses has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Opal seems to be looking to move to his opponent's back but Houses is holding on tight.
Opal avoids the attempt from Houses to control.
Houses is wriggling around trying to escape.
Houses is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Houses tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Opal is landing with some decent strikes but Houses is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opal content just to control the position here.
Houses is squirming around, avoiding Opal's attempts to control the action.
Opal prevents Houses from getting the reversal.
Houses is working hard here to advance position.
Opal pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Houses is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Opal throws a sloppy head kick
and Houses finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

Opal shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Houses's guard.
Opal postures up.

Opal stands and steps away. Houses gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Houses shoots and misses

and Opal moves into the clinch.
Opal looking to throw knees to the head but Houses is blocking nicely.

Opal breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Opal moves to clinch but Houses breaks away

and Houses counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Houses tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Houses jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Opal walks away with a smile on his face. Houses gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Houses. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Houses keeps the fight on the outside.
Houses misses with a series of wild punches.
Houses circles away from the clinch attempt

so Houses counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Houses postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Opal is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Houses, into his guard.
Opal 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.
Opal passes Houses's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opal content to control rather than advance.
Houses is staying active underneath Opal, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Opal perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Denis Opal hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Houses misses with a takedown attempt

and Opal counters with a shoot takedown. Houses fights it but they end up in guard.
Houses is trying to keep Opal in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houses pulls Opal in to control the position.
Houses will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Houses keeping moving, preventing Opal from controlling successfully.

Dave Houses has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Houses with a lazy takedown attempt

and Opal counters with a nice double leg into side control. Houses won't be happy with that.
Opal cracks Houses with a big elbow.
Opal working the ground and pound but Houses is defending the strikes.
Houses can't do much from the bottom here.
Houses sneaks back into half guard.
Opal slips a nice elbow through Houses's hands, connecting with Houses's forehead.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Houses keeps working.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Opal is thwarting Houses's attempts to control the position.

Opal wants to work for an arm triangle but Houses is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Houses is trying to escape back to his feet but Opal uses the scramble to pass into side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Opal misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Denis Opal showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Houses looks for the body kick but Opal saw that one coming.
Houses lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Houses gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Opal counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Houses moves into full guard.
Opal wants to control from the top but Houses keeps moving.
Opal works over Houses with some ground and pound from guard.

Opal stands up and waves to Houses to follow him.
Houses misses with a takedown attempt

and Opal counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Opal.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Houses wants to sweep here but Opal controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Opal decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Opal clinches.

Opal pulls guard effortlessly.

Opal looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Houses trying to control the position from guard on top but Opal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Opal bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Houses's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houses has a closed guard, preventing Opal from standing up.
Houses not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Opal trying to control the position from guard on top but Houses is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Opal stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Houses swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Opal is stalling in the full guard.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Houses tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Denis Opal hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Opal tries for a takedown but Houses sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Houses closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Opal's guard.

Houses drops back, looking for a kneebar! Opal looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Opal looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Opal!
Opal trying to control the action but Houses is working from the bottom.
Houses is being controlled here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Opal working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Opal working away.
Houses pushes Opal away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Opal gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Opal trying to control the position but Houses is working away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Houses wants to control but Opal postures up.
Dave Houses has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Denis Opal is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Houses tries to strike but it doesn't land.

And that's the end of the fight!
Denis Opal comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Opal winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 William Gold scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denis Opal!