PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maxime Oppong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lopez
vs
Oppong

176 cm
29
160 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

174 cm
23
165 lbs
8 - 4 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johnny Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Maxime Oppong!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Joseph Jones and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lopez gets a takedown into half guard.
Oppong tries to get to full guard but Lopez has control of the leg.
Oppong keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Oppong is staying active underneath Lopez, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Oppong wants to get back to full guard.
Oppong keeping control of the position.
Oppong is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lopez wants to control but Oppong is keeping him busy.
The fighters are battling for position here. Oppong manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Lopez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Oppong is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Lopez won't allow Oppong to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oppong seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lopez throws a looping overhand right but Oppong ducks down to avoid it.
Oppong avoids the body shot from Lopez.
Lopez swats away the attempt to clinch by Oppong.

Lopez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Oppong quickly recovers to half guard.
Oppong is pressing down on Lopez's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Oppong is controlling Lopez's posture.
Lopez won't allow Oppong to sweep him here.
Oppong is adopting a defensive guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Maxime Oppong has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
The fighters circling - Oppong throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Lopez feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Lopez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Oppong has control of Lopez's left arm, preventing Lopez from doing any damage.
Oppong 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.
Lopez trying to control but Oppong is working from the bottom.
Oppong tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oppong is controlling Lopez's posture.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Lopez misses with a lunging right hand

and Oppong holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Lopez stalling in the clinch but Oppong improves position.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Lopez.

Oppong escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Lopez swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Oppong.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Lopez jumps into guard, dragging Oppong to the mat.
Oppong working some strikes from top position.
Oppong working some strikes from top position.
Oppong scoring with some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lopez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Oppong loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Oppong working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Lopez's head.
Oppong is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Oppong throwing strikes but missing.
Lopez wants to sweep but no luck.
Oppong with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Oppong throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lopez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Oppong landing with the ground and pound.
Oppong postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Oppong postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Oppong throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxime Oppong dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lopez misses with a hook

and Oppong counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Lopez has a couple of punches blocked by Oppong.
Lopez takes a shot to the head.
Oppong blocks a body shot from Lopez.
Oppong scores with a shot to the side of Lopez's head.
A short right from Oppong on the inside.

Lopez manages to pull guard.
Lopez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Oppong throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Lopez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Oppong trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Oppong postures up and lands a big shot to Lopez's brow.
Oppong has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Oppong throws a big right hand that misses.
Maxime Oppong has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lopez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oppong postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Oppong keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Lopez's head.
Oppong with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Oppong works over Lopez with some ground and pound from guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Oppong stopping the sweep attempt from Lopez.
Lopez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lopez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Oppong throws a big right hand that misses.
Oppong in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Oppong postures up in Lopez's guard and throws a big left but Lopez blocks it.
Oppong lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Oppong with a nice head shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Oppong trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Lopez manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Oppong is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Oppong is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Maxime Oppong was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Oppong tries to clinch there but Lopez circles away.
Lopez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Oppong fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez clobbers Oppong with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Oppong dodges the punch combination from Lopez.
Oppong moves out of range as Lopez strikes.
Johnny Lopez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A punch combination from Oppong misses.
Lopez swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Oppong counters with a right hand to the body.

Lopez gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Oppong breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lopez swings for the body but Oppong moves out of range.
Oppong staying out of range there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez looks to land a right hand but Oppong moved out of range.
Oppong avoids the body shot from Lopez.
Oppong fails with an attempt to clinch.

Lopez shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Oppong is pulling down on Lopez's head to control his posture.
Lopez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Oppong looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lopez is one step ahead there.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Oppong has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Maxime Oppong.
Lopez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Oppong.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maxime Oppong showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Oppong throws a right and a left that Lopez avoids nicely.

Oppong gets caught napping as Lopez dives in and scores a takedown. Oppong manages to retain guard.
Lopez is fighting to break Oppong's control of his arms but Oppong is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Oppong's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Oppong keeping full guard, as Lopez tries to pass.
Lopez trying to control but Oppong is working from the bottom.
Oppong tries to land a sweep but no joy.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lopez looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Oppong controlling the position for now.
Oppong is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lopez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lopez's back!
Well, with Oppong on his back, surely it's only a matter of time before Lopez is tapping out... Can he escape the position?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Oppong is landing with strikes from the back.
Oppong is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Oppong gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Oppong gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Oppong apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Lopez connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

Lopez moves into range and clinches up with Oppong.
Oppong lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

Oppong breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Lopez scores with a hook.
A slow jab from Lopez misses its intended target.

Lopez gets a clinch.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Lopez lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Oppong tries to get to full guard but Lopez has control of the leg.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Oppong gets full guard.
Oppong trying to control the position here.
Lopez preventing the sweep.
Oppong is controlling Lopez's posture.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Oppong looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lopez is one step ahead there.

Maxime Oppong has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Lopez scores with a takedown into Oppong's guard.
Oppong wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Oppong is adopting a defensive guard.
Oppong wants to sweep but no luck.
Oppong is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Lopez looking to pass the guard.
Oppong looking for a sweep. Not yet Oppong, not yet.
Lopez looking to pass the guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Oppong moves in looking to clinch but Lopez pushes him off.
Oppong tries to clinch but Lopez moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopez moves into the clinch.

Oppong escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Oppong closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Lopez misses with a two punch combination.
Lopez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Oppong manages to avoid it.

Lopez rushes Oppong and presses him up against the cage.
A short left from Lopez.
Oppong blocks a punch to the side of the head.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

Lopez pulls guard effortlessly.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Oppong postures up and lands a big shot to Lopez's brow.
Lopez is trying to control the position but Oppong postures up.
Johnny Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Lopez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Oppong passes into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Maxime Oppong.
I've got Oppong 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maxime Oppong!
Maxime Oppong seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.