PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pens Julver (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Denis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Julver
vs
Denis

184 cm
21
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
22
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Self confident

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Pens Julver!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Leo Denis!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Julver tries to clinch up.

Denis has closed the distance and engaged Julver in a clinch.

Denis breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Julver wants to clinch

and Denis counters with a nice double leg into side control. Julver won't be happy with that.
Julver on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Denis tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Julver wants to control but Denis postures up.
Denis cracks Julver with a big elbow.
Denis landing strikes.
Denis takes a little break here. Julver wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Julver is trying to control Denis's posture but Denis avoids it.
Julver tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Denis tries to advance to mount but Julver denies him.
Denis in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Julver is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Denis off and has taken his back!
Denis is really stuck here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Denis rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
It looks like Julver is going to stand back up.
Denis tries to roll over but Julver keeps him under control.
Denis trying to control from the bottom.
Julver is breathing heavily.
Julver slips a nice elbow through Denis's hands, connecting with Denis's forehead.
Denis manages to get to full guard.
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.
Denis controls Julver momentarily but Julver frees himself.
Denis striking off his back but it's not causing Julver any problems.
Julver trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Julver clinches but Denis breaks the clinch

so Denis counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Denis working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Julver's head.
Denis trying to control the position from guard on top but Julver is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Denis lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Denis controlling from the top position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Denis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Julver is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Julver working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Denis doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Denis manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Denis chips away with some ground and pound.
Denis makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Julver will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Denis postures up.
Denis is looking to work some ground and pound but Julver has wrist control.
Julver wants to get back to his feet but Denis is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Denis wants to control from the top but Julver keeps moving.
Julver lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Denis!
Julver putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Julver looking to control but Denis is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Julver controlling from mount.
Denis is working to get back to half guard.
Denis wants to hold on but Julver pushes him away.
Denis tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Denis tries to hold on but Julver pushes him away.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Denis has given up his back. Will we see Julver going for some submissions?
Denis breaks Julver's hooks off and manages to turn into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Denis dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Julver lands a head kick. Denis smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Julver wants to clinch but Denis slips to the side

and Denis counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Denis lands with a punch from half guard.
Denis trying to mount his opponent but Julver defends it.

Denis moves into side control, avoiding a weak kimura attempt from Julver.

Denis has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Julver shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Denis counters with a shoot takedown. Julver fights it but they end up in guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Denis looking to pass the guard.
Julver is looking to stand up but Denis isn't so interested in that idea.
Denis postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Denis preventing the sweep.

Denis drops back, looking for a kneebar! Julver looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Julver looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Julver!
Denis is breathing heavily.
Denis is looking for a sweep.
Leo Denis has got the better of the ground game so far.
A control attempt from Denis but he's now mounted!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Julver cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Denis wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Julver trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Denis is in bad spot here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Denis really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Julver. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Julver tries to keep control of the position but Denis is staying busy.
Denis wants to escape the position.
Denis just trying to survive but Julver is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Julver's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

Julver tightening his grip on Denis, looking for the choke.
Denis trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Julver lands a shot to the body.

Julver is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Julver is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Denis up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Denis tries to roll but Julver sticks to his back.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Julver controlling the positon.

Julver has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Denis has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Denis trying to control the hands but Julver breaks the grip.
Julver lands a shot to the body.

Denis is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Denis tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Poor strikes thrown by Julver there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Denis is squirming around, avoiding Julver's attempts to control the action.
Julver landing punches.
Julver lands a nice shot to the head.
Denis tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Julver with good strikes from the mount here!
Julver looking to finish Denis with some ground and pound. This is bad for Denis!
Julver raining down shots from the mount!

Julver is standing up, even though he is in mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Denis takes a swing at Julver's ribcage but misses.
Julver doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Denis decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Julver's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pens Julver will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Julver with a lazy takedown attempt

and Denis counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Julver wants to control but Denis is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Denis is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Julver has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Julver is refusing to be controlled, as Denis sits in half guard.
Julver is trying to get back to full guard.
Julver won't allow Denis to pass to mount.
Julver is pressing down on Denis's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Denis trying to control the position from guard on top but Julver is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Julver not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Denis takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Julver seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Julver keeping moving, preventing Denis from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Julver had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Denis is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Julver Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Denis's back instead.
Denis is trying to get back to his feet but Julver has full control of the position and if anything, Denis has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Julver working for a choke but Denis is defending well.
Julver somehow managing to miss with a strike from the back.
Denis tries to break free.
Denis looking very determined here, making life difficult for Julver.
Julver throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Will Julver go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Julver looking for the RNC.
Denis looking very determined here, making life difficult for Julver.
Julver landing with strikes.
Denis tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Denis is looking to get to half guard.
Denis is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Denis regains half guard.
Denis is staying active underneath Julver, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Denis can do anything to dispel that myth.
Denis wants to control but Julver is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Julver is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Julver is looking to take a break and control but Denis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Julver is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Denis defends it well.
Julver sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Julver missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Denis wants to improve his position but Julver is controlling well.
Denis is trying to control but Julver passes into side control!
Julver trying to control the action but Denis is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Denis tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Julver presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Julver trying to control but Denis is having none of it.
Denis is working to get back to half guard.

Julver is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Denis can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Denis really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Pens Julver.
I think Julver 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!