PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Buckley Armstrong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Don Opas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Armstrong comes to the cage accompanied by Russian Roulette. Opas is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by AC/DC - Thunderstruck. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Armstrong
vs
Opas

176 cm
27
163 lbs
13 - 12 - 0

178 cm
25
165 lbs
12 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Very quick

Good wrestler
Great elbows
Granite 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 13 - 12 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Buckley Armstrong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Don Opas!
The judges for this bout are Sergei Dronov, Aleksei Zolotukhin and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Armstrong shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
enabling Opas to counter with a crisp jab.
Armstrong shoots in for a takedown but Opas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Armstrong uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Opas.
Good leg kick by Opas there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Armstrong shoots in for a takedown but Opas shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Buckley Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Armstrong wants to clinch.
Armstrong tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Opas swivels and escapes.
Armstrong wants to clinch but Opas slips to the side
and Opas counters with a head kick. That will keep Armstrong thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Armstrong shoots and misses
and Opas counters with a nice low kick that buckles Armstrong's knee momentarily.
Armstrong doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
An inside leg kick lands from Opas.
Armstrong looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Opas is fending him off so far but Armstrong persists. Nope, Opas circles away and we're back to standing.

Armstrong has closed the distance and engaged Opas in a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A nice glancing elbow lands by Opas.
Armstrong trying to stall but Opas improves his position.
Armstrong swings wildly with an uppercut but Opas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Opas lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Armstrong backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opas misses with a knee to the head.
Opas misses with an elbow over the top.
Opas lands a body shot in the clinch.

Opas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Armstrong darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Opas tries to roll over but Armstrong keeps him under control.
Opas gets full guard.
Opas lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Armstrong!
Opas dominating with strikes here.
Armstrong is looking to improve his position but Opas isn't that keen on the idea.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong is in a horrible position here. Opas smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Armstrong is working to get back to half guard.
Opas takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Opas with the ground and pound from mount.
Armstrong is desperately trying to improve his position but Opas has a good base and remains in mount.
Opas takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Armstrong keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Opas can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Armstrong is looking to escape.
Opas is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Opas takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Opas has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Armstrong tries to reverse the position but Opas maintains control.
Opas lands a nice shot to the head.
Armstrong is desperately trying to improve his position but Opas has a good base and remains in mount.
Opas in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Opas trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Armstrong working to try and regain half guard.
Opas looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armstrong working to try and regain half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Opas content just to control the position here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Opas with the ground and pound from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Opas dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Armstrong tries to score a power double leg takedown but Opas sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Armstrong somewhat.
Nice takedown defense from Opas. No joy for Armstrong on that attempt.
Opas goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt
letting Opas counter with a right hand.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Buckley Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Armstrong has a takedown stuffed.
Opas lands with a kick to the temple. Armstrong shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Opas lands a glancing blow to the side of Armstrong's head.
Opas connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Armstrong.
Armstrong will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Armstrong has his takedown stuffed
and Opas counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opas cracks Armstrong with a good jab.
Armstrong fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Opas is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
Armstrong fails with the takedown
and Opas counters with a good low kick that Armstrong was not able to check.
Opas throws a leg kick which misses Armstrong's front leg but catches the back leg as Armstrong tries to avoid it.
Buckley Armstrong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Opas is looking to slow Armstrong down with leg kicks.
Armstrong closes the distance and clinches up with Opas, looking for a takedown. Armstrong pushes Opas against the cage but Opas circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That kick from Opas tenderised Armstrong's leg. Armstrong is trying to keep his angry face on.
Opas scores with a jab to the body.
Opas leaves Armstrong with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
A head kick misses from Opas.
Opas lands with a shot to the body.
Armstrong misses with a takedown attempt - Opas sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Opas throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Armstrong stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Opas scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opas lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Opas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Opas connects with a leg kick. Armstrong looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Armstrong shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Opas pinned against the cage. Opas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Opas lands a slapping body shot.
Opas lands with a kick to the temple. Armstrong shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Opas keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
A good leg kick by Opas.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Armstrong.
Opas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Opas cracks Armstrong with a right hand to the side of the head.

Armstrong throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Opas tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Armstrong is in Opas's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Opas bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Armstrong's guard.

Armstrong is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Opas sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Armstrong's guard.
Opas working over Armstrong with some ground and pound. Armstrong looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Armstrong wants to get back to full guard.
Opas seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Armstrong gets full guard.
Armstrong being controlled here, momentarily.

Armstrong working for a triangle but Opas defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opas lands a couple of digs.

Armstrong looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Opas sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Armstrong's guard.

Armstrong looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Opas in particular looking to stall.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Opas moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Armstrong.
Opas lands some shots froms side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Opas 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! This is the final round!

Opas connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Armstrong fails with the takedown.
Armstrong with a lazy takedown attempt
and Opas counters with a slapping leg kick.

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

Armstrong is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Opas is controlling Armstrong's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Opas makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Opas.
Opas is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Armstrong wants to pass the guard but Opas is keeping the position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Opas is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opas wants to control from the top but Armstrong keeps moving.

Armstrong throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Opas passes Armstrong's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Opas seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Armstrong is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Opas's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Opas's back!
Opas rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Armstrong seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opas controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Armstrong is looking for a kimura but Opas is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Armstrong to get the leverage.

Armstrong seems to be looking for submissions.
Don Opas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Opas slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Armstrong drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Opas manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Armstrong has Opas in his guard.
Opas controlling from the top position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Armstrong looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Opas passes into half guard.
Opas is taking a breather. Armstrong says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Don Opas is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Armstrong looking for submissions off his back.
Opas keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Let's hope that Opas has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckley Armstrong has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Don Opas.
Armstrong looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Buckley Armstrong. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Armstrong fails with the takedown
and Opas counters with a nice uppercut.
Armstrong fails with a takedown attempt.
Opas is looking to slow Armstrong down with leg kicks.
Opas throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Opas, right into the meat.
Armstrong is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Opas throws a sloppy head kick and Armstrong moves out of range easily.
Armstrong missing with a left hand there. Opas was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

And that's the end of the fight!
Don Opas comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Opas has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Sergei Dronov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Don Opas!