PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Michael Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Cage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cage comes into a darkened arena with his song building. "Blood on my Hands" by The Used kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pope
vs
Cage

213 cm
20
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
19
270 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 Las Vegas, Michael Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alexander Cage!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cage shoots for a takedown but Pope saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Cage closes the distance and clinches up with Pope, looking for a takedown. Cage pushes Pope against the cage but Pope circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.

Cage closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cage lands in his opponent's guard.
Cage 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.
Cage preventing the sweep.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pope is on top in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cage looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Cage keeping full guard, as Pope tries to pass.
Cage keeping moving, preventing Pope from controlling successfully.
Pope looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope wants to stand but Cage is controlling his posture from full guard.
Pope looking to pass the guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cage not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Pope looking to pass the guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Pope shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Pope trying to mount his opponent but Cage defends it.
Cage is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Pope's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Pope's back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
What can Pope do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Pope tries to break free.
Cage biding his time, looking for the opening.
Pope manages to reverse the position and now he's in Cage's guard. Nice work there by Pope.
Pope trying to control the position from guard on top but Cage is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cage is keeping the position for now.
Pope is looking to work some ground and pound but Cage has wrist control.
Cage has Pope pulled in close to control his posture.
Cage trying to control the position.
Cage is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's four 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 loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cage trying to control the position here.

Despite being in the dominant position, Alexander Cage just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Cage.
Michael Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Cage.
Cage looks gassed!
Cage misses with a low kick.
Cage shoots in for a double leg but Pope sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Pope lands with a kick to the temple. Cage shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Pope rushes Cage and presses him up against the cage.

Pope escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pope tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Pope dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Cage closes the distance and clinches.
Cage changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Pope fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cage takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

Pope moves into the clinch.
Pope is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Cage tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pope unloads a knee to the mid-section. Cage lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Pope lands a nice knee to the body.
Cage tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pope smiles and moves away.
Michael Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Cage.

Cage tries to keep at a distance but Pope has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pope lands a knee to the body.
Cage is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pope escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pope connects with a body shot.
Pope with a poor takedown

and Cage counters with a shoot takedown. Pope fights it but they end up in guard.
Cage controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Pope is trying to control the position from the bottom.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pope is on top in guard.
Pope trying to control but Cage is working from the bottom.
Cage controls Pope momentarily but Pope frees himself.
Pope throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope wants to control from the top but Cage keeps moving.
Pope postures up.
Cage keeping moving, preventing Pope from controlling successfully.
Cage has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Pope pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cage is keeping the position for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cage looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope lands a head kick!
Pope shoots in but Cage avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Cage closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Cage remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Cage wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pope keeps working.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope wants to control but Cage postures up.
Cage content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Pope is trying to improve his position.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Pope here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Cage controls the position from side control.
Cage trying to control the position but Pope is working away.
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 Michael Pope will probably get the nod.
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. This is the final round!

Pope takes the fight into the clinch.

Pope breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Cage looks for a takedown but Pope sprawls well.
Cage tries to clinch but Pope moves away
and Pope counters with a low kick, right behind Cage 's knee.
Cage tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Pope makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Pope moves into range and clinches up with Cage.
Cage tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Pope is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Pope gets control of Cage's arms and successfully pulls guard. Pope will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.

Pope has his foot on Cage's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Cage works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pope wants to sweep but no luck.
Cage is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope wants to sweep but no luck.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Cage has eaten all the pies!
Cage trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Pope escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cage gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cage controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Pope is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Pope working a defensive guard but Cage passes into half guard.
Cage controlling the pace.
Cage wants to control but Pope is keeping him busy.
Still in half guard, Cage seems content to control.

Despite being in the dominant position, Alexander Cage just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cage wants to clinch but Pope slips to the side
and Pope counters with a head kick.
Cage fails in his attempt to clinch.
Cage shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pope as he avoids it easily.
Michael Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Alexander Cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pope gets a clinch.
Nice elbow from Pope.

Cage has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Pope clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Cage just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Cage doesn't have the hooks in and Pope manages to turn into his guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pope accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cage is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Alexander Cage has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cage swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pope wants to control from the top but Cage keeps moving.
Pope will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Cage is pulling down on Pope's head. It's preventing any offense from Pope, at least for the moment.
Pope postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Pope not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Alexander Cage has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Michael Pope is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pope wants to get up but he can't break Cage's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Michael Pope.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pope, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Pope!