PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Koulouraki Souvlaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Krabis Kropelis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Souvlaki's entrance music is Greek Anthem. A fine choice. Krabis Kropelis acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the ring.

Souvlaki
vs
Kropelis

174 cm
29
135 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

174 cm
22
145 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Powerful takedowns
Good low kicks
Powerful

Last Minute Power Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Koulouraki Souvlaki!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Krabis Kropelis!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Yukihiro Shimada and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souvlaki swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Kropelis drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Souvlaki defends it well.

Souvlaki tries to sprawl but Kropelis drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Souvlaki trying to control here.
Souvlaki wants to get back to full guard.
Souvlaki slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Souvlaki tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souvlaki is working hard here to advance position.
Kropelis stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Souvlaki swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Kropelis keeps trying to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souvlaki looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Kropelis throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Souvlaki works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Kropelis trying to control the position from guard on top but Souvlaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Kropelis being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Souvlaki scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Kropelis tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Souvlaki manages to move to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kropelis tries to buck Souvlaki off but he can't manage it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Kropelis is looking to improve his position but Souvlaki isn't that keen on the idea.
Kropelis tries to lock up and control but Souvlaki gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Kropelis is trying desperately to improve position.
Souvlaki landing strikes, looking to finish!
Souvlaki looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
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!
Souvlaki controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kropelis is squirming around, avoiding Souvlaki's attempts to control the action.
Souvlaki has his opponent pinned against the ropes, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Kropelis's face.
Souvlaki avoids the attempt from Kropelis to control.
Souvlaki takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Kropelis working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souvlaki controlling the pace for now.
Souvlaki lands with some strikes.
Kropelis is in all sorts of trouble here.
Souvlaki can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kropelis is looking to escape.
Kropelis is wriggling around trying to escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Souvlaki can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Kropelis is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Koulouraki Souvlaki dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Kropelis is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Souvlaki's half guard.
Souvlaki slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Kropelis is looking to stand up but Souvlaki won't let him.
Kropelis sitting in guard here, content to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souvlaki keeping moving, preventing Kropelis from controlling successfully.
Souvlaki controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souvlaki continues to stall.
Souvlaki is trying to keep Kropelis in close.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Kropelis pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Souvlaki is keeping the position for now.

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

Kropelis dives in and scores a takedown into Souvlaki's guard.
Souvlaki working a defensive guard here.

Souvlaki is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Kropelis defends well.
Souvlaki looking to hit a scissor sweep but Kropelis is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kropelis trying to control the position from guard on top but Souvlaki is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Souvlaki is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Souvlaki thows a huge punch but Kropelis dodges it nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souvlaki is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Kropelis is looking for a sweep. Souvlaki is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Kropelis trying to control but Souvlaki postures up.
Souvlaki stops Kropelis from getting back to his feet.
Kropelis is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Souvlaki stops Kropelis from getting back to his feet.
Souvlaki stalling.
Kropelis is looking to improve his position.

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.

Souvlaki is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Kropelis is just riding it out for now. Souvlaki eventually gives up the hold.
Souvlaki wants to take a breather but Kropelis is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kropelis is trying to stand back up but Souvlaki is controlling him

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Kropelis drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Souvlaki is looking to regain half guard here but Kropelis keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Krabis Kropelis 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Kropelis tries to sprawl but Souvlaki drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Kropelis is looking to get back to is feet but Souvlaki passes into side control.
Souvlaki cracks Kropelis with a big right hand but Kropelis just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Kropelis tries to bench press Souvlaki off him but Souvlaki keeps the position.
Souvlaki takes a little break here. Kropelis wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souvlaki's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Souvlaki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kropelis keeps working.
Souvlaki works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Kropelis wants to control but Souvlaki postures up.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Souvlaki wants to lay and pray for a moment but Kropelis keeps working.
Kropelis can't do much from the bottom here.
Souvlaki in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

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.
Souvlaki controlling the position from side mount.
Kropelis is not content to let Souvlaki control the position.
Check out the look on Souvlaki's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Souvlaki is looking to take a break and control but Kropelis is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souvlaki trying to control the action but Kropelis is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Souvlaki misses with a takedown attempt - Kropelis sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
And Kropelis tries to counter it with a takedown but Souvlaki pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Souvlaki fails with the takedown.
Souvlaki misses with a two punch combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Souvlaki.
Kropelis is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Krabis Kropelis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Koulouraki Souvlaki. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Kropelis keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Kropelis with the counter takedown but Souvlaki avoids it easily.
Kropelis has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Souvlaki is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Koulouraki Souvlaki seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Souvlaki closes this distance looking for a takedown but Kropelis circles away.
Kropelis is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Kropelis scores with a spinning back kick!
Souvlaki shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Kropelis but Kropelis pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Kropelis wants to counter with a clinch but Souvlaki pushes him away.
Souvlaki fails in his attempt to clinch.
Kropelis goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Souvlaki misses with a takedown attempt

and Kropelis counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Kropelis pulls Souvlaki into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Krabis Kropelis.
I think Kropelis 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight for Krabis Kropelis!
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight for Krabis Kropelis!
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight for Koulouraki Souvlaki!

Krabis Kropelis wins by split decision!
A less than humble Krabis Kropelis misjudged his post fight interview somewhat and came across a little too arrogant whilst trying to hype up his own abilities.