PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Fiodor Arlovski (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bruce Pepper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Arlovski
vs
Pepper

190 cm
24
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
265 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Fiodor Arlovski!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Bruce Pepper!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Daniel Bishop and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pepper stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pepper wants it to stay on the feet.
Arlovski misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Arlovski fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pepper misses with a double jab

and Arlovski counters by moving into the clinch.
Pepper throws a punch but it's blocked by Arlovski.

Arlovski has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Pepper uses from the top position.
Arlovski bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Pepper's guard.

Arlovski gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Arlovski cracks Pepper with a right hand to the side of the head.
Arlovski shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pepper pinned against the cage. Pepper gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fiodor Arlovski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Arlovski has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pepper stalling in the clinch but Arlovski improves position.
Pepper tries to circle away but Arlovski has him pinned against the cage.
Pepper stops a takedown attempt from Arlovski.
Arlovski tries to pull guard but Pepper holds him up against the cage and eventually Arlovski drops back down to his feet.
Pepper wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pepper misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pepper is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Arlovski's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pepper moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Pepper tries to sprawl but Arlovski drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Pepper wants to control but Arlovski is keeping busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
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!
Arlovski is stalling here. Pepper is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Arlovski seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Pepper has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Arlovski wants to control but Pepper postures up.
Pepper wants to lay and pray for a moment but Arlovski keeps working.
Pepper tries to stand but Arlovski is controlling his head.
Arlovski strikes from the bottom but Pepper takes advantage and advances to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Pepper stops Arlovski from getting back to his feet.
Arlovski is concentrating on defense, preventing Pepper from advancing position.
Arlovski tries to roll over but Pepper keeps him under control.
Pepper missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Arlovski is trying to stand back up but Pepper is controlling him

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pepper is looking to take a break and control but Arlovski is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Arlovski trying to control but Pepper postures up.
Arlovski regains full guard. Nicely done.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Arlovski trying to strike off his back.
Arlovski has a closed guard, preventing Pepper from standing up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fiodor Arlovski dominated that 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.

Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Pepper, as that shot connected.
Pepper looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
A head kick misses from Arlovski.
Arlovski tries for a takedown but Pepper sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Arlovski on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.

Arlovski rushes Pepper and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Arlovski breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arlovski lands with a nice combination. Pepper backs away looking to recover.

Arlovski moves into range and clinches up with Pepper.
Pepper is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Arlovski tries to throw a body punch but Pepper avoids it by throwing Arlovski back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Arlovski jumps guard and drags Pepper to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Pepper preventing the sweep.
Pepper pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Arlovski is keeping the position for now.
Arlovski trying to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arlovski has control of Pepper's left arm, preventing Pepper from doing any damage.
Pepper stays in close to Arlovski's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Fiodor Arlovski wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Arlovski tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Pepper was well out of range. Poor timing from Arlovski.
Pepper lands a two punch combo.
Fiodor Arlovski is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pepper scores with a three punch combo!

Arlovski rushes Pepper and presses him up against the cage.
Pepper is trying to break free.

Arlovski breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bruce Pepper seems to be getting the better of the standup.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pepper throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A shot to the liver by Pepper. Beautiful body shot.
Arlovski fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pepper 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.
Pepper moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Pepper does no damage.
Pepper is breathing heavily.
Pepper misses with a series of wild punches.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Arlovski stalling the fight.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Pepper has eaten all the pies!

Arlovski works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Arlovski gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Pepper throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Arlovski gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski lands a good knee to the midsection. Pepper won't want to take too many of those.

Arlovski gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Pepper regains guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arlovski working some strikes from top position.
Arlovski wants to pass the guard but Pepper is keeping the position.
Arlovski trying to control the position from guard on top but Pepper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fiodor Arlovski overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Arlovski wants to pass the guard but Pepper is keeping the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Arlovski showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fiodor Arlovski dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Arlovski shoots in but no luck this time.
Arlovski tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pepper swivels and escapes.
Pepper stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pepper wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Fiodor Arlovski. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pepper lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Arlovski throws a sloppy head kick and Pepper moves out of range easily.
Pepper scores with a nice right hand.
Pepper throws a series of punches but Arlovski avoids them all with ease.
Arlovski takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
A punch combination from Pepper misses.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pepper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Arlovski lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Pepper backs up against the cage.
Arlovski lands a nice looking kick to the body. Pepper takes a step back to recover.
Arlovski doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Pepper works over Arlovski's head and body with a nice combination.
Some wild striking there from Arlovski.
Danga de danga de dang - Pepper scores with a four punch combination!
Pepper throws a right hand that Arlovski ducks under and follows up with a left that Arlovski also avoids with ease.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pepper lands a lovely overhand right.
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!
Pepper swinging wildly here.
Arlovski shoots in looking for a takedown. Pepper tries to sprawl out of it but Arlovski keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pepper manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Arlovski looks to clinch
and Pepper counters with a left and a right that stings Arlovski.
Pepper misses with the combination.
Pepper lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Arlovski on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Pepper throws a right and a left that both miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pepper misses with a wild combination.
Pepper takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Fiodor Arlovski seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Arlovski fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Pepper avoids it really well and circles away.
Arlovski fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Arlovski will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Arlovski avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bruce Pepper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arlovski looks for a takedown but Pepper sprawls well.
Pepper lands with a nice combination. Arlovski backs away looking to recover.
A punch combination from Pepper misses.
Pepper misses with a wild combination.

Arlovski shoots in and bounces Pepper off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Bruce Pepper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Arlovski advances position into side control!

And that's the end of the fight!
Bruce Pepper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Arlovski 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fiodor Arlovski!