PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Saba Vught (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and AJ Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopez has a niggling injury. He would have liked to come in 100% fit but that's not always possible. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Vught
vs
Lopez

189 cm
25
201 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Good kicks
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Saba Vught!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, AJ Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lopez tries to keep at a distance but Vught has taken the fight into the clinch.
Lopez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lopez throws a head punch that misses.
Vught throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Vught breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Vught gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Vught creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Lopez's defenses.
Vught tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

Vught manages to break the clinch.

Vught darts in and clinches Lopez up against the cage.

Vught breaks from the clinch.
Lopez should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Vught. Lopez shrugs it off though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vught looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses.
Lopez looks gassed!

Vught drives through and clinches with Lopez against the cage.
Lopez tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Vught smiles and moves away.

Vught closes the distance and clinches.
Vught tries to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling the position.

Vught breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vught lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Vught tries to clinch up.
Vught tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vught misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

Vught pushes Lopez up against the cage in a clinch.
Vught content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Vught is trying to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling him.
Vught taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Lopez blocks an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Vught breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Vught scoring well with a low kick there.
Lopez keeps the fight on the outside.
Lopez shoots for a double leg takedown but Vught sprawls well. He's pushed Lopez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Saba Vught has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Lopez.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lopez has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Vught.

Vught gets a clinch.
Lopez takes a shot to the head.
Vught lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Vught breaks the clinch.
Vught stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Vught wants it to stay on the feet.
Vught lands a nice looking body kick.
Vught tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Vught has managed to clinch.

Vught breaks from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Vught closes the distance and pushes Lopez back into the cage.
A bit of stalling here from Vught.
Lopez has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Vught after a bit of a struggle.
Lopez is trying to pull guard but Vught turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Lopez avoids the elbow strike from Vught, against the cage.
Vught throws an elbow but it misses.
Vught lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Lopez drags the fight down to the ground.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lopez is on top in guard.
Vught wants to stand up but Lopez is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez wants to stand but Vught has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Vught is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopez tries to free his leg and advance position but Vught is retaining full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Vught kicks Lopez off and gets to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saba Vught dominated that round.
That's time! Vught's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A head kick misses from Vught.
Vught is looking to clinch but Lopez is avoiding it.
Lopez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Vught bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Good shot there by Vught.

Vught has Lopez up against the cage in a clinch.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Vught won't allow it.

Vught breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Lopez takes a kick to the side of the head.
Vught throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Vught fails in his attempt to clinch.
Vught tries to clinch but Lopez is having none of it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lopez misses with a wild body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Vught circles away.
Saba Vught is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Vught has taken the fight to the clinch.
Lopez jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Vught walks away with a smile on his face. Lopez gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Saba Vught has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Lopez.
Vught is looking to clinch.
Vught fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lopez shoots in but Vught avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Vught clinches up against the cage.
Vught is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Lopez wants to break the clinch but can't.
A short uppercut from Vught.
Vught lands a nice elbow.
Vught is trying to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling him.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Vught just misses with a elbow thrown towards Lopez's brow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vught throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Lopez goes for a takedown attempt but Vught pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Vught doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.

Lopez gets tackled into the cage by Vught. Vught maintains the clinch.
Vught looking to slow down the pace here.
Vught prevents Lopez from breaking the clinch.
Knees to the body from Vught.
Vught lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lopez stalling in the clinch but Vught improves position.
Lopez is trying to break the clinch but Vught is controlling him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is trying to break free.
Lopez is looking to control Vught's arms but Vught gets an underhook and turns him. Now Lopez has his back to the cage.

Vught manages to break the clinch.
Vught tries to clinch but Lopez moves out of range.
A head kick from Lopez lands but Vught takes it in his stride.

Lopez has closed the distance and engaged Vught in a clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Vught.
Vught keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lopez's efforts to push away.
Vught throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Lopezs head.
Lopez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Vught gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Vught lands an elbow that stopped Lopez in his tracks for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopez manages to pull guard.
Vught missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Vught decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Vught tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Saba Vught is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Vught clinches up against the cage.
Vught tries to circle away but Lopez has him pinned against the cage.

Lopez gets control of Vught's arms and successfully pulls guard. Lopez will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Vught trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Vught is working hard here to advance position.
Vught 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saba Vught dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Vught moves into the clinch.
Vught wants to break free but Lopez has control.
Vught tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Vught displaying some good clinch control by pressing Lopez up against the cage.
Vught can't break the clinch.
Lopez blocks the elbow strike.
Vught creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Lopez taking a breather.
Lopez tries a body shot but Vught blocks it.

Vught breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Stalling in the clinch from Vught.
Vught utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Lopez looking to slow down the pace here.
Vught lands an elbow inside that Lopez shrugs off.
Vught pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Vught's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Lopez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Lopez can't break the clinch.
Lopez dodges an elbow strike from Vught.
Vught lands an elbow that stopped Lopez in his tracks for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A right hook to the body lands for Vught.
Vught tries to land a knee to the head but Lopez blocks with his arms.

Lopez pulls guard effortlessly.
Lopez controls Vught momentarily but Vught frees himself.
Vught pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lopez is on top in guard.
Lopez wants to control from the top but Vught keeps moving.
Vught knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lopez on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vught pulls Lopez in to control the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Vught wants to get back to his feet but Lopez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Vught keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.

The ref stands the fighters back up. AJ Lopez was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lopez wants to get back to striking at distance but Vught won't allow it.
Vught lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Lopez working hard to break the clinch.
Lopez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Vught's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Vught tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Vught throws a nice head kick!
No joy there for Lopez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Vught lands with a kick to the temple. Lopez shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
Vught plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lopez.
Lopez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Saba Vught has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of AJ Lopez.
Vught tries to clinch but Lopez is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lopez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Vught tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Saba Vught showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Vught, 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saba Vught!