PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jan Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeice Retso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jeice Retso is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Pope
vs
Retso

181 cm
19
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

150 cm
25
154 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Bad Man Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jan Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jeice Retso!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pope blocks a jab.
Retso shoots in for a double leg but Pope sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Retso has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Pope is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Retso throws a jab but it's blocked by Pope.
Retso misses with a hook
and Pope counters with an outside leg kick.
Pope with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Retso to score with a decent uppercut.

Retso shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Pope's guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

Retso got a little sloppy there for a moment and Pope has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Retso has managed to get both his arms back between Pope's legs - danger averted.
Retso trying to control but Pope is working from the bottom.
Pope working a defensive guard but Retso manages to pass into side control anyway.
Pope tries to buck Retso off but Retso is having none of it.
Retso just content to control the position.
You can see the frustration on Pope's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Pope on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pope tries to get out of the position.
Retso throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Retso tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Retso staying calm.
Pope is trying to control Retso's posture but Retso avoids it.
Retso wants to control but Pope is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Retso works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Pope is trying to control Retso's posture but Retso avoids it.
Pope is trying to get back to half guard.
Retso trying to control the action but Pope is working from the bottom.
Pope tries to improve position but can't.
Pope is not content to let Retso control the position.
Retso working away.
Pope is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Retso wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pope keeps working.
Pope is trying to improve his position.
We've been hearing good reports from Pope's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Pope is being controlled here.
Pope tries to bench press Retso off him but Retso keeps the position.
Retso in the domination position with Pope hanging on.
Pope struggling a bit here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Retso takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Pope scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Retso misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Retso changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pope tries to avoid it but Retso manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pope to the ground. Pope escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jan Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeice Retso.
Retso throws a looping overhand right but Pope ducks down to avoid it.
Retso takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Retso fails to land the takedown.
Retso throws a chopping leg kick but Pope manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Pope stuffs the takedown attempt from Retso. Retso gets slowly back to his feet.
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!
Retso takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Retso shoots in looking for a takedown but Pope manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Retso's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Retso darts in looking for a takedown but Pope gets double underhooks and turns Retso into the cage.

Pope gets control of Retso's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pope will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Retso won't allow Pope to get back to his feet.
Pope looking to hit a scissor sweep but Retso is one step ahead there.

Pope pushes Retso off and gets back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jeice Retso will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Retso misses with a straight right.
Retso takes a shot right to the bread basket.

Pope rushes Retso and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Nice body punch from Pope - that landed with a thud.
Retso jumps guard but Pope turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Pope pressing his opponent against the cage.
Pope lands a body shot.
Retso is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Pope to keep the fight standing.
Pope stalling.
Retso wants to break free but Pope has control.
Pope is pressed up against the cage. Retso has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pope down to the mat. Pope avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Jan Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeice Retso.
Retso fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Pope thumps Retso with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pope closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Pope stalling in the clinch.
Pope works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Pope makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Pope's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Retso tries to score with a low kick but Pope moves his leg out of the way.
Pope scoring well with a low kick there.
Pope fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
A left and a right from Pope both land. Nice combination.
Pope's corner calls for a 1-2. Pope obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Pope fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Pope fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Retso.
Pope stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Pope wants it to stay on the feet.
Jan Pope is winning the standup battle so far.
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!
Pope lands with a nice body punch.
Retso on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Pope scores with the left hand. Retso knows he should have avoided that one.
Retso tries for a takedown but Pope sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Retso.
Retso is breathing heavily.
A nice leg kick lands there from Pope.
Pope lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Pope cracks Retso with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Pope connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Retso on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Retso doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pope counters with a straight right hand.
Pope connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Retso momentarily.

Retso 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.
Retso trying to control the position from guard on top but Pope is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pope is pulling down on Retso's head. It's preventing any offense from Retso, at least for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope is looking to sweep but instead, Retso has passed into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Well, if Retso is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Pope pushes Retso off and gets back to his feet.
Pope thuds his shin into the meat of Retso's side.
Retso throws out a loose jab but Pope uses good head movement to avoid it.
Retso misses the body punch
and Pope counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Retso is defended easily by Pope.
Pope scores with the left hand. Retso knows he should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope lands a jab to the nose.
Retso gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Pope blocks a low kick nicely.
Retso tries to clinch up but Pope circles away and keeps his distance.
Pope scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Pope scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
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!
Retso looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pope defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Retso.
Pope scores with a shot to the body.
Retso shoots in for a takedown but Pope shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Pope drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Retso defending against the ground and pound.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Retso is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Pope missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jan Pope 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!

Retso shoots in for a takedown but Pope shows good takedown defense.
Retso is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Pope lands a head kick. Retso smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Retso takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Retso is looking to score with low kicks.
Retso fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Pope connects with the punch.
Retso jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Pope leaves Retso with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Jan Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeice Retso.
Pope dips to his left and cracks Retso with an uppercut!
Pope cracks Retso with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Retso dives in and grabs Pope's left leg, looking for a takedown. Pope pushes down on Retso's head and hops out.
Retso shoots in looking for a takedown. Pope tries to sprawl out of it but Retso keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Pope manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Pope connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Retso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Pope cracks Retso with an open hand slap.
Retso shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pope sprawls well. Pope wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Retso gets slowly back to his feet.
Retso has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope works over Retso's head and body with a nice combination.

Retso is rocked!
Pope steps in with a hook that catches Retso right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Pope follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Retso looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:18 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jan Pope!