PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cyrus Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mo Brahim (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mo Brahim has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pope
vs
Brahim

159 cm
24
279 lbs
1 - 4 - 0

185 cm
25
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 1 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Cyrus Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mo Brahim!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Roberts and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pope fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Brahim shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pope sprawls well. Pope wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Brahim gets slowly back to his feet.
Pope shoots for a double leg takedown but Brahim sprawls well. He's pushed Pope's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Pope avoids a kick to the body.

Brahim closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Pope's guard.
Brahim is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Pope pulls Brahim in close to prevent any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pope not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Brahim content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pope keeping moving, preventing Brahim from controlling successfully.
Pope controlling Brahim's posture.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Brahim throws a big right hand that misses.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Brahim misses with a wild combination.
Pope misses with a takedown attempt - Brahim sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cyrus Pope. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brahim has a takedown stuffed.
Brahim throws a body shot but no joy.
Brahim fails with the takedown.

Brahim feints and as Pope raises his hands in defense, Brahim changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pope pulls Brahim in close to his closed guard and prevents Brahim from doing any damage or advancing position.
Brahim postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brahim trying to control the position from guard on top but Pope is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pope might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pope working a defensive guard here.
Pope controlling the position.
Pope keeping full guard, as Brahim tries to pass.
Pope is pulling down on Brahim's head. It's preventing any offense from Brahim, at least for the moment.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Brahim shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pope pinned against the cage. Pope gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Pope.
A jab from Brahim does it's job there.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Pope changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Brahim looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Brahim can do anything to dispel that myth.

Pope looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mo Brahim dominated that round.
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.

Pope shoots in and drives through. Brahim sprawls well.

Brahim shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Pope napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Brahim trying to control the action but Pope is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
What's Pope going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brahim with the ground and pound but Pope regains half guard under the barage of strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brahim sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Pope defending well though.
Brahim tries to pass to full mount but Pope defends it.
Brahim trying to control from Pope's half guard. Pope has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Brahim has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Brahim being controlled here momentarily.
Brahim's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Pope could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Pope trying to control the position.
Pope trying to control the position here.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Brahim shoots and misses
and Pope counters with a solid body kick.
Brahim throws a body kick that misses.
Nice takedown defense from Pope. No joy for Brahim on that attempt.
Pope connects with a leg kick. Brahim looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Brahim fails with the takedown
and Pope counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Cyrus Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mo Brahim.
Brahim is breathing heavily.
Pope fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Brahim avoids it really well and circles away.
Pope closes the distance and clinches up with Brahim, looking for a takedown. Pope pushes Brahim against the cage but Brahim circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Brahim. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brahim dives in for a single leg takedown but Pope sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.

Pope breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Pope shoots in for a takedown but Brahim shows good takedown defense.
No luck for Pope with that takedown attempt.
Pope displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Brahim.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pope.

Pope shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Brahim blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pope.

Pope decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Pope.
Brahim looks to land a combination but Pope avoids it well.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pope circles away from the clinch attempt
and Pope counters with a solid body kick.
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 Cyrus Pope will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Brahim shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pope pinned against the cage. Pope gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Mo Brahim seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Brahim shoots for a double leg takedown but Pope sprawls well. He's pushed Brahim's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Brahim shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pope as he avoids it easily.
Cyrus Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mo Brahim.
Brahim looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pope looks for a takedown but Brahim sprawls well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Brahim gets a double leg takedown into Pope's guard.
Brahim postures up.
Brahim takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Brahim is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Brahim being controlled here momentarily.
Brahim throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pope works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Pope trying to keep a closed guard but Brahim is proving a slippery customer.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Pope walks into a stiff left hand from Brahim.
Pope throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Brahim's head.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Brahim.
Brahim pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pope stuffs the takedown attempt from Brahim. Brahim gets slowly back to his feet.
Brahim slaps away a takedown attempt from Pope, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Brahim tries to close the distance and clinch but Pope swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pope rushes Brahim and presses him up against the cage.
Pope is trying to break free.
Brahim tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Pope's elbow.

Pope breaks the clinch.
Cyrus Pope is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Brahim gets in close and instigates a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Pope's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Brahim tries to pull guard but Pope holds him up against the cage and eventually Brahim drops back down to his feet.

Brahim pulls guard.
Pope postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Brahim is working an open guard so Pope takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
A head kick by Brahim misses
and Pope counters with a head kick. That will keep Brahim thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope shoots for a takedown but Brahim saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
No luck for Pope with that takedown attempt.
Brahim tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Pope moves in looking to clinch but Brahim pushes him off.
A low kick from Brahim is predictable there
and Pope counters with a nice body kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Pope is defended easily by Brahim.
Brahim takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Mo Brahim.
I think Brahim 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:29
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:29
Judge Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Mo Brahim!