PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Pepe Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kwame Akabaro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Akabaro has chosen African Assassin - Mo Marah as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Kwame Akabaro acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Lopez
vs
Akabaro

179 cm
24
202 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

181 cm
29
191 lbs
15 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Bullet Proof System
GREEN!160

GREEN!160

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pepe Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kwame Akabaro!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, George Francis and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Akabaro does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Lopez fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Akabaro checks it well.
Akabaro lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Kwame Akabaro seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopez misses with a body shot.
Lopez will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Akabaro connects with a looping right hand.
Akabaro lands a jab to the head.
Akabaro throws a push kick but Lopez slaps the foot to one side.
Akabaro tries a head kick but it misses.
Lopez changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Akabaro throws a head kick that misses.
Lopez changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Akabaro thows a left - swing and a miss!
A leg kick checked by Lopez.
Akabaro tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A little feinted left hand from Lopez on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Lopez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akabaro blocks the body kick.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Akabaro! But no joy.
Akabaro throws a leg kick but Lopez checks it.

Lopez gets a takedown into half guard.
Lopez stops Akabaro from getting back to his feet.
Akabaro is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lopez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Akabaro defending well though.
Ground and pound from Lopez.
Lopez passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Akabaro!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Akabaro wants to hold on but Lopez pushes him away.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Akabaro because Lopez loaded up on that one.
Akabaro manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Akabaro is looking for a sweep. Lopez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Akabaro felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Lopez seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Akabaro does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Akabaro is looking to control Lopez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Akabaro avoid being mounted?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro wants to get back to full guard.
Lopez with the ground and pound but Akabaro uses the opportunity to regain guard.
We've been hearing that Lopez has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Akabaro keeping full guard, as Lopez tries to pass.
Akabaro is trying to control the position but Lopez postures up.
Lopez with a flurry of punches that miss.

Lopez is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Akabaro is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Akabaro has escaped and now he's on top!

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Akabaro preventing the sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro wants to get up but he can't break Lopez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Akabaro pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
Lopez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Akabaro is pushing down on Lopez's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lopez is fighting to maintain full guard but Akabaro has managed to sneak the leg through.
Akabaro trying to mount his opponent but Lopez defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Akabaro is trying to control the action in half guard but Lopez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Lopez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Akabaro preventing the sweep.
Akabaro sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Lopez's guard.
Lopez is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kwame Akabaro will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Lopez bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Lopez drops down looking for a counter takedown but Akabaro sprawls and moves away.
Akabaro tries to move into range but Lopez moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Lopez avoids the body shot from Akabaro.
Akabaro lands a jab-cross combination.
Akabaro works Lopez's body with a nice hook.
Akabaro throws a big shot that misses.
Lopez feinted with a counter takedown.
Akabaro closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Akabaro waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lopez.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Akabaro clobbers Lopez with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Akabaro throws the kick towards the body but Lopez avoids it.
Lopez throwing a counter right hand but Akabaro manages to avoid it.
Lopez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Akabaro throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Lopez counters with a shoot takedown. Akabaro fights it but they end up in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akabaro keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.
Lopez throws an elbow that misses. Akabaro uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lopez's guard. Nice move by Akabaro!

Lopez wants to improve his position but instead Akabaro has moved into half guard.
Akabaro prevents Lopez from improving his position.

Akabaro is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Lopez sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Akabaro tries to pass the half guard into mount. Lopez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Lopez is looking for a sweep. Akabaro is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Lopez has a hand on Akabaro's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Akabaro takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Pepe Lopez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lopez is trying to escape the mount.
Lopez is working hard here to advance position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro content just to control the position here.

Akabaro stands up from mount. Strange move.
Akabaro connects with a good right hand that stumbles Lopez. Lopez circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Akabaro throws a body shot but no joy.
Lopez misses with a low kick.
Akabaro wants to slow Lopez down by chopping away at his legs.
Lopez moves away from the strike by Akabaro.
Lopez misses with a wild body shot.
Lopez steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Akabaro. That one must have hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro misses with a kick to the body.
Akabaro pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Akabaro fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Lopez manages to avoid it.
Akabaro tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lopez was well out of range. Poor timing from Akabaro.
Lopez dodges the punch combination from Akabaro.
Lopez tries to counter with a takedown but Akabaro is quick to defend against it.
Lopez avoids the body shot from Akabaro.
Lopez attempts a counter takedown but Akabaro avoids it well and moves away.
Akabaro blocks a low kick nicely.
Akabaro fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Lopez throws a sloppy head kick and Akabaro moves out of range easily.
Akabaro misses with a head kick.
Akabaro lands a nice leg kick that just misses Lopez's sensitive parts.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kwame Akabaro showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Nice takedown defense from Akabaro. No joy for Lopez on that attempt.
Akabaro is looking to clinch.
Lopez thinks about countering with a head kick.
Lopez throws a leg kick but Akabaro sees it coming and checks it nicely.

Lopez gets a double leg takedown into Akabaro's guard.
Akabaro avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lopez works over Akabaro with some ground and pound from guard.
Lopez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Akabaro is keeping the position for now.
Akabaro wants to get back to his feet but Lopez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez throws a big right hand that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Akabaro is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Akabaro preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Akabaro looking for a sweep. Not yet Akabaro, not yet.
Lopez works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Lopez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Lopez is looking to take a break and control but Akabaro is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Akabaro is looking for a sweep. Lopez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Akabaro has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Akabaro throws a leg kick but Lopez moved away.
Good work by Lopez as he checks the leg kick.
Lopez attempts a counter takedown but Akabaro avoids it well and moves away.
No luck for Lopez with that takedown attempt.
Kwame Akabaro is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Akabaro misses with a straight left.
As Akabaro backs away, Lopez returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Akabaro throws a leg kick

and Lopez counters with a nice double leg into side control. Akabaro won't be happy with that.
Akabaro is looking to reverse the position.
Akabaro manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Akabaro wants to control but Lopez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez looks to land a strike but Akabaro avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Lopez with a nice head shot there.
Lopez looking to sit in guard and control but Akabaro gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Lopez looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Akabaro puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Akabaro looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Lopez wants to improve his position but Akabaro is controlling well.
Lopez wants to control but Akabaro is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Akabaro is trying to control. Lopez wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lopez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Akabaro is taking a breather. Lopez says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Akabaro wants to stand up but Lopez has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Pepe Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lopez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Lopez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lopez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Akabaro keeps control of the position for the meantime.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pepe Lopez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Akabaro 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kwame Akabaro!
In his post fight interview, Kwame Akabaro started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.