PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Leonidas Spiliopoulos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maxwell Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Spiliopoulos comes into the arena with Sabaton blaring out of the sound system. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Spiliopoulos
vs
Phillips

172 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
163 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Likes musicals

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Leonidas Spiliopoulos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Maxwell Phillips!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, David Schapiro and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Phillips is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Spiliopoulos's half guard.
Spiliopoulos is looking for a sweep. Phillips is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Spiliopoulos gets back to full guard.
Phillips postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Phillips loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Spiliopoulos keeping moving, preventing Phillips from controlling successfully.
Phillips throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Spiliopoulos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Spiliopoulos is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Spiliopoulos avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Spiliopoulos trying to keep a closed guard but Phillips is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips scoring with some ground and pound.
Phillips postures up.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Spiliopoulos holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Spiliopoulos takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Spiliopoulos closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Phillips stops Spiliopoulos from passing to mount.
Spiliopoulos is working hard here to advance position.
Who's going to make the next move?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Phillips trying his best to control but Spiliopoulos has mounted him.
Spiliopoulos fails to take his opponent's back.
Phillips wants to hold on but Spiliopoulos pushes him away.
Spiliopoulos trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Spiliopoulos jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Phillips manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Phillips is looking to regain half guard here but Spiliopoulos keeps moving and retains side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Spiliopoulos thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Spiliopoulos is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Phillips has escaped the position, nice work there.
Phillips tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Spiliopoulos wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

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.
Spiliopoulos tries to advance to mount but can't.
Phillips is looking for a sweep.
Spiliopoulos trying to control the position but Phillips is working away.

Spiliopoulos is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Phillips knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Phillips really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Spiliopoulos. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Spiliopoulos tries to advance to mount but Phillips denies him.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Spiliopoulos passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Phillips!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonidas Spiliopoulos dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A telegraphed takedown attempt from Spiliopoulos is defended easily by Phillips.
Spiliopoulos goes for a double leg but Phillips avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Phillips continues to drive forward.
Phillips misses with a double jab.
Spiliopoulos attempts a counter takedown but Phillips avoids it well and moves away.

Spiliopoulos gets caught flat footed, as Phillips shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Spiliopoulos looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Phillips postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Phillips is looking to work some ground and pound but Spiliopoulos has wrist control.
Spiliopoulos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Spiliopoulos controls Phillips momentarily but Phillips frees himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phillips trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Spiliopoulos is adopting a defensive guard.
Phillips working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Phillips trying to control the position from guard on top but Spiliopoulos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Phillips postures up and lands a big shot to Spiliopoulos's brow.

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.
Spiliopoulos controlling the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
A punch combination from Phillips misses.
Phillips displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

Spiliopoulos throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Phillips was covering up waiting for the punch and Spiliopoulos finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Spiliopoulos stands and throws Phillips's legs to the side, diving into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Phillips tries to buck Spiliopoulos off but Spiliopoulos is having none of it.

Spiliopoulos is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Phillips knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips is trying to improve his position.

Spiliopoulos wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Phillips, who protects the arm well.

Spiliopoulos tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Spiliopoulos has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Phillips!

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.
Phillips is wriggling around trying to escape.
Spiliopoulos looking to control but Phillips is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Spiliopoulos goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Phillips turns into him and now he's in Spiliopoulos's guard.
Phillips trying to control but Spiliopoulos is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Maxwell Phillips will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Phillips throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Spiliopoulos was covering up waiting for the punch and Phillips finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Phillips throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Phillips with a flurry of punches that miss.
Spiliopoulos is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Spiliopoulos has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Phillips can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Spiliopoulos throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spiliopoulos has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Spiliopoulos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Phillips is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Phillips working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Spiliopoulos pushes a forearm under Phillips's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Phillips is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Leonidas Spiliopoulos!
Our winner, Leonidas Spiliopoulos, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.