PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Anthony Argiropoulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alex Ideluca (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Argiropoulos's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Grafh - Knock'em Down. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Argiropoulos
vs
Ideluca

160 cm
22
145 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

185 cm
20
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Anthony Argiropoulos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alex Ideluca!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Dillan Fox and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Argiropoulos lands with a right hand.

Argiropoulos gets a takedown into half guard.
Ideluca is doing well to control the position and prevent Argiropoulos from advancing to side control.
Ideluca won't allow Argiropoulos to pass to mount.
Ideluca gets full guard.
Ideluca wants to sweep but no luck.
Ideluca trying to control the position here.
Argiropoulos preventing the sweep.
Argiropoulos wants to control from the top but Ideluca keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Argiropoulos drops back looking for a leg! Ideluca is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Ideluca manages to kick Argiropoulos off! Argiropoulos jumps back into Ideluca's guard.
Argiropoulos trying to control the position from guard on top but Ideluca is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ideluca pulls Argiropoulos in close to prevent any damage.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Argiropoulos pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Nice sprawl there from Argiropoulos as Ideluca shoots in.
Ideluca displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Argiropoulos.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ideluca will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Ideluca tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Argiropoulos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Ideluca digs a good hook to Argiropoulos's body.
Argiropoulos stuffs the takedown.
Anthony Argiropoulos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Ideluca.

Ideluca takes the fight into the clinch.
Argiropoulos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Ideluca just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ideluca goes for a takedown attempt but Argiropoulos pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Argiropoulos moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ideluca throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ideluca shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Argiropoulos defends it nicely.
Ideluca avoids the head kick by Argiropoulos.
Argiropoulos could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Ideluca wants to clinch up but Argiropoulos keeps it at a distance.
Ideluca stuffs the takedown.
Argiropoulos lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Ideluca circles away quickly and effectively.
Ideluca avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ideluca misses with an attempted mid kick.
Argiropoulos shoots for a takedown but Ideluca saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Argiropoulos tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ideluca paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Ideluca rushes Argiropoulos and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ideluca is trying to pull guard but Argiropoulos turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Ideluca tries to break the clinch but Argiropoulos is controlling the position.
Ideluca wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Argiropoulos jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ideluca walks away with a smile on his face. Argiropoulos gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Argiropoulos shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Ideluca pinned against the cage. Ideluca gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Argiropoulos is breathing heavily.
Argiropoulos tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ideluca shoots in for a double leg but Argiropoulos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
An inside leg kick lands from Argiropoulos.
Ideluca leaves Argiropoulos with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
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 Anthony Argiropoulos will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ideluca tries for a takedown but Argiropoulos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Argiropoulos scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Ideluca tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Argiropoulos misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Ideluca parries the strikes from Argiropoulos easily there. Argiropoulos is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Ideluca to escape.
Argiropoulos is looking to take a break and control but Ideluca is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ideluca wants to control but Argiropoulos postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Argiropoulos stands up and beckons Ideluca to his feet.
Ideluca fails with a takedown attempt.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Ideluca is defended easily by Argiropoulos.
Anthony Argiropoulos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alex Ideluca.

Ideluca has taken the fight to the clinch.
Argiropoulos is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ideluca is keeping busy.
Ideluca is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Argiropoulos jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Ideluca walks away with a smile on his face. Argiropoulos gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Argiropoulos stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Argiropoulos wants it to stay on the feet.
Argiropoulos lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Argiropoulos shoots in for a double leg but Ideluca sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Ideluca steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Argiropoulos. That one must have hurt.
Ideluca is breathing heavily.
Argiropoulos keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Ideluca keeps the fight on the outside.
Argiropoulos slaps away a takedown attempt from Ideluca, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Ideluca misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Argiropoulos shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Ideluca but Ideluca pushes him off and we're back to square one.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Argiropoulos closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Ideluca did well to prevent Argiropoulos getting side control.
Ideluca wants to control but Argiropoulos is keeping busy.
Argiropoulos works his foot free and advances to mount.
Ideluca reaches up to try and control the position but Argiropoulos seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Ideluca rolls and tries to escape and now Argiropoulos has his back!
Ideluca trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Ideluca is trying to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Argiropoulos is looking for the choke from the back position but Ideluca is controlling his hands well.
Ideluca controlling his opponent's hands, preventing the submission attempt.

Ideluca fending off the submission attempt from Argiropoulos.
Ideluca staying busy and making it hard for Argiropoulos to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Argiropoulos dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ideluca tries to clinch up but Argiropoulos circles away and keeps his distance.
Ideluca fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Argiropoulos avoids it really well and circles away.
Ideluca tries to close the distance and clinch but Argiropoulos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Anthony Argiropoulos is winning the standup battle so far.
Argiropoulos leaves Ideluca with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ideluca takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Ideluca gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Argiropoulos is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Argiropoulos is trying to pull guard but Ideluca has him pressed against the cage.
Argiropoulos looking to slow down the pace here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ideluca stops a takedown attempt from Argiropoulos.

Argiropoulos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Argiropoulos shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ideluca as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Anthony Argiropoulos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ideluca tries to score a power double leg takedown but Argiropoulos sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Ideluca somewhat.
Argiropoulos wants to clinch.
Ideluca looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Argiropoulos is fending him off so far but Ideluca persists. Nope, Argiropoulos circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Argiropoulos drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ideluca throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Argiropoulos drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Ideluca manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Argiropoulos has Ideluca in his guard.
Argiropoulos wants to sweep but no luck.
Argiropoulos is trying to keep Ideluca in close.
Ideluca sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ideluca missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Argiropoulos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Ideluca stands and throws Argiropoulos's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Ideluca thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Ideluca controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Argiropoulos is looking to regain half guard here but Ideluca keeps moving and retains side control.

Ideluca wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Argiropoulos, who protects the arm well.
Argiropoulos struggling a bit here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ideluca advances to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Alex Ideluca.
I think Argiropoulos has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Anthony Argiropoulos!
A relieved looking Anthony Argiropoulos thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.