PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Kennedy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pope's entrance music is For Whom The Bell Tolls. A fine choice. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Pope
vs
Kennedy

190 cm
27
213 lbs
15 - 11 - 0

191 cm
32
216 lbs
21 - 8 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Powerful

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 15 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Michael Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, George Kennedy!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Paulo Santos and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kennedy feints and then cracks Pope's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Pope down.
Kennedy connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Pope slips a straight right by Kennedy.
Kennedy misses with a head kick.
George Kennedy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Kennedy throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Pope throws the left hand but Kennedy avoids the punch easily.
Kennedy misses with a hook. Pope ducked under it nicely.
Kennedy looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The fighters circling - Kennedy throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pope moves out of range of the leg kick from Kennedy.
Kennedy throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
A low kick from Kennedy is predictable there
and Pope counters with a leg kick.
Kennedy throws a leg kick
and Pope counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like George Kennedy has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pope scores with a shot to the body.
Kennedy keeps Pope at a distance using the push kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kennedy tries a low kick but Pope avoids it.
Kennedy ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Michael Pope is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pope checks a leg kick nicely.
Pope lands a jab.
Kennedy with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Pope throws a jab but it's blocked by Kennedy.
Kennedy throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Pope thumps Kennedy with a low kick.
Kennedy misses with a kick to the body.

Kennedy looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Pope!
Pope struggling a bit here.
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!

Kennedy swings around for an armbar but Pope sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Kennedy's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope stopping the sweep attempt from Kennedy.
Pope controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Kennedy manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Kennedy trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Kennedy working Pope over with strikes here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Kennedy unloads with some shots from mount but Pope bucks and avoids them well.

Kennedy moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Pope has worked his arm free - good work by Pope!
Pope stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Pope wants to get back to his feet.
Kennedy tries to move to mount but Pope blocks the move with his legs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope is trying to improve his position.
Kennedy looking to control but instead Pope has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Kennedy wants to pass to mount but Pope is defending the position.
Pope is staying active underneath Kennedy, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Kennedy might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Pope haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

Kennedy is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Kennedy dominated that round.
The cut man is working on George Kennedy's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A leg kick checked by Pope.
Kennedy looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Kennedy takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A low kick from Kennedy misses
and Pope counters with a straight right hand.
Kennedy slips a straight right by Pope.
Pope avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Kennedy moves out of range of the leg kick from Pope.
Kennedy fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Pope.
Kennedy attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Kennedy has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Pope finds it's way round the side to connect with Kennedy's head.
A slapping leg kick lands for Kennedy.
Michael Pope is winning the standup battle so far.
Pope stuffs the takedown attempt from Kennedy. Kennedy gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Pope cracks Kennedy with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
No luck for Kennedy with that takedown attempt.
A left and a right from Kennedy both land. Nice combination.
Kennedy throws a leg kick
and Pope makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Pope throws a jab but it's blocked by Kennedy.
Pope wants to land a leg kick but Kennedy is out of range.
Kennedy dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Kennedy throws a low kick but Pope moves out of range easily.
Kennedy takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head kick misses from Kennedy.
Kennedy tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Pope is able to avoid easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kennedy throws a leg kick but Pope checks it.
Pope avoids the head kick by Kennedy.
Pope misses with a wild combination.
Kennedy lands with a nice body kick.
Nice jab there from Pope.
Kennedy is looking to slow Pope down with leg kicks.
Pope throws the left hand but Kennedy avoids the punch easily.
Kennedy staying out of range there.
Kennedy misses with a kick to the body
letting Pope counter with a right hand.

Kennedy is rocked!
Kennedy has his takedown stuffed
and Pope counters with a nice leg kick.
Michael Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Kennedy.
Kennedy thows a leg kick but Pope checks it
and Pope counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Kennedy is still on wobbly legs! Can Pope finish him?
Pope drops Kennedy with a huge uppercut! Kennedy drops to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Pope is raining down punches and the ref stops the fight! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:58 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Michael Pope!
Michael Pope bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.