PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Kopp (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Filho (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricardo Filho looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Kopp
vs
Filho

199 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid 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 Rio de Janeiro, Michael Kopp!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ricardo Filho!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Paulo Santos and Leandro Rodrigues.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kopp throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Kopp connects with a jab.

Filho is rocked!

Kopp shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Filho's guard.
Filho is still in real trouble! Can Kopp finish him?
Kopp chips away with some ground and pound.
Kopp will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.Kopp wants to control from the top but Filho keeps moving.
Kopp wants to stand but Filho has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Filho seems to have recovered his senses.
Filho wants to sweep but no luck.
Filho is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Filho looks gassed!
Kopp is looking to stand up but Filho won't let him.
Kopp works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kopp working the head and body with strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kopp wants to free his trapped foot but Filho is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Kopp is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Kopp throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Filho is trying to maintain the position but Kopp is very close to passing his half guard.
Kopp prevents Filho from improving his position.
Kopp trying to control the pace.
Kopp wants to control but Filho is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Filho slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Filho can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Kopp controls the pace.
Kopp looking to pass the guard.

Kopp stands up and waves to Filho to follow him.
Kopp throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Filho's waist but Filho gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Kopp off to one side.

Kopp scores a takedown into full mount!
Filho wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Filho has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.

Kopp is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Filho defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Filho tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

Kopp is standing up, even though he is in mount.

Kopp gets the takedown into side control.
Kopp scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Filho to see if he's OK.

Kopp decides to stand back up. Kopp steps back and let's Filho get back to his feet.
A chopping leg kick lands by Kopp.

Kopp has closed the distance and engaged Filho in a clinch.

Kopp breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kopp throws a nice looking combination but Filho bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Kopp misses with a takedown attempt - Filho sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Kopp shoots in but Filho avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Michael Kopp. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kopp misses with a head kick.
Kopp throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Kopp shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Filho but Filho pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Filho fails with an attempt to clinch.
Filho stuffs the takedown.
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!

Kopp shoots in and bounces Filho off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Filho looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kopp is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Kopp dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kopp closes the distance looking to clinch

and Filho counters with a shoot takedown. Kopp fights it but they end up in guard.
Kopp trying to control the position here.
Filho postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Filho has gone for a leg lock! Kopp slips out almost immediately though and dives into Filho's guard.

Kopp decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

Filho 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.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Filho 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.
Kopp is trying to keep Filho in close.
Filho must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kopp keeping moving, preventing Filho from controlling successfully.
Filho controls from within his opponent's guard.
Filho trying to control the position from guard on top but Kopp is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kopp looking to control.
Kopp avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Filho tries to stand but Kopp is controlling from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Kopp gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Filho counters with a right hand to the body.

Filho scores with a takedown into Kopp's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kopp is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Kopp wants to get back to his feet.
Filho tries to get to full guard but Kopp has control of the leg.
Kopp is nestled in close to Filho, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Kopp wants to take a breather but Filho is having none of it.
Filho tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Kopp controlling the pace.
Kopp prevents Filho from improving his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kopp slips a nice elbow through Filho's hands, connecting with Filho's forehead.

Kopp is working for a kimura but Filho is defending it quite comfortably.
Kopp trying to mount his opponent but Filho defends it.
Kopp is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

Kopp postures up and decides to stand up, from the half guard. The ref calls for Filho to stand up.
Kopp darts in trying to clinch

and Filho counters with a takedown into side control.
Filho in side control, throwing shots but Kopp defends.
Filho working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Filho stands up.
Filho looks to clinch

and Kopp counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Filho keeping control of the position.
Let's hope that Filho 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.
Filho taking some punishment here, with Kopp in his half guard.
Ground and pound from Kopp.
Kopp tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kopp is tying to control. Filho wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Kopp stalling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ricardo Filho will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Kopp misses with a takedown

and Filho counters with a shoot takedown. Kopp fights it but they end up in guard.
Filho has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Kopp is proving hard to escape from.
Filho trying to control but Kopp is working from the bottom.
Filho is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Kopp looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kopp avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Filho tries to free his leg and advance position but Kopp is retaining full guard.
Filho wants to stand but Kopp is controlling his posture from full guard.
Filho wants to pass the guard but Kopp is keeping the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Kopp throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Filho.
Filho takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kopp lands with a nice body kick.
Kopp tries to clinch up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Kopp.

Kopp moves into the clinch successfully.

Kopp jumps into guard, dragging Filho to the mat.
Filho trying to control the position from guard on top but Kopp is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Filho tries to free his leg and advance position but Kopp is retaining full guard.

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

Filho had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Kopp is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Filho Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Kopp's back instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kopp turns into Filho and is now in his guard.
Kopp trying to control the position from guard on top but Filho is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Filho wants to sweep but no luck.
Filho is trying to control the position but Kopp postures up.
Filho manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Kopp manages to get himself to full guard.
Filho pushes down on Kopp's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Kopp is positioning himself well to prevent Filho advancing to mount.
Kopp is trying to stand.
Filho wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kopp keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kopp looks like he's trying to stand up.
Filho missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Filho not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kopp trying to hold on to Filho's head to control him but Filho postures up.
Filho wants to free his trapped foot but Kopp is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Filho wants to clinch up but Kopp keeps it at a distance.
Filho takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.

Filho changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Kopp looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The ground and pound from Filho seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Kopp wants to control but Filho postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Filho is looking to take a break and control but Kopp is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Filho tries to advance to mount but can't.
Kopp takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Filho tries to advance to mount but Kopp denies him.
Kopp wants to get back to his feet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Filho scores a takedown into full mount!
Kopp really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Filho comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Filho has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Filho!