PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Martez Lopez (ranked 1676 p4p, 233 weight class) and Lakoj Dresden (ranked 1557 p4p, 221 weight class). Lakoj Dresden has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Lopez
vs
Dresden

178 cm
23
220 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

180 cm
23
224 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Fanatic Inc.

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Martez Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Lakoj Dresden!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Wesley Smith and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopez waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Dresden.
Dresden throws out a counter right but Lopez avoids it with no problem.
Dresden jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Dresden slips a straight right by Lopez.
Lopez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Dresden.
Dresden misses with a hook.
Lopez appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Lopez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Dresden.

Lopez closes the distance and clinches.
Lopez scores with a shoulder strike.
Dresden is leaning against Lopez and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Lopez just leaning against Dresden, taking a breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dresden misses with the head strike.
Lopez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Dresden backwards.
Lopez lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Dresden.
I was talking to Lopez's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Lopez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dresden tries to throw a body punch but Lopez avoids it by throwing Dresden back against the cage.
Dresden misses with the head strike.
Dresden throws a punch but it's blocked by Lopez.
Lopez is stalling here.
Lopez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Lopez has a couple of punches blocked by Dresden.
Lopez wants a takedown but no success here.
Lopez cracks Dresden with a nice body shot.
Lopez stalling in the clinch.
Lopez is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short left from Dresden.

It looks like Martez Lopez has been cut.
Lopez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dresden misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Lopez goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Lopez throws a head punch that misses.
Dresden doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lopez has Dresden pressed against the cage.
Lopez is struggling to control the position.
Lopez seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Dresden lands a left hand that snaps the head of Lopez backwards.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Dresden.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez wants to take the fight to the mat but Dresden manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Lopez fails to land.
Lopez lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Lopez lands with a left to the head.
Lopez lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lopez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Stalling in the clinch from Lopez.
A head punch on the inside from Lopez fails to land.
Lopez tries to work over Dresden's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Lopez tries to throw a body punch but Dresden avoids it by throwing Lopez back against the cage.
Dresden swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lopez pressing his opponent against the cage.
A hook to the body from Dresden.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is stalling here.
Lopez gets through Dresden's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Lopez misses with a punch to the body.
Lopez tries a body shot but Dresden blocks it.
Dresden misses with a punch on the inside.
Lopez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Dresden backwards.
Lopez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Lopez is trying to drag Dresden to the mat but Dresden just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martez Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lopez tries for a takedown. No joy.
Lopez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Dresden gets the underhooks and prevents it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martez Lopez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Martez Lopez's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Dresden misses with a straight left.

Lopez scores with a takedown into Dresden's guard.
Dresden has control of Lopez's left arm, preventing Lopez from doing any damage.
Lopez wants to pass the guard but Dresden is keeping the position.
Dresden has Lopez pulled in close to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dresden looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lopez is one step ahead there.
Dresden has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at LOD London BALLS OF STEEL. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dresden utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dresden has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Lopez has passed into side control.
Lopez is looking to take a break and control but Dresden is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lopez creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Dresden taking a bit of punishment here - Lopez scoring with strikes.
Lopez landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries to advance to mount but Dresden instead regains half guard.
Lopez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lopez prevents Dresden from improving his position.
Lopez slows the pace down in half guard.
Dresden is trying to maintain the position but Lopez is very close to passing his half guard.
Lopez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez winds up and cracks Dresden with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Dresden is looking to improve his position.
Lopez is looking to pass Dresden's guard but actually Dresden recovers to full guard.
Lopez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lopez stopping the sweep attempt from Dresden.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lopez works over Dresden with some ground and pound from guard.
Lopez throwing strikes but missing.
Lopez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dresden trying to control the position.
Lopez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Dresden is keeping the position for now.
Dresden has momentary wrist control but Lopez slips an elbow through the middle.
Lopez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lopez wants to control for a moment but Dresden uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Dresden is trying to maintain the position but Lopez is very close to passing his half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martez Lopez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Martez Lopez's cut.
That's time! Lopez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Dresden fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lopez blocks a jab.
Lopez tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Dresden defends well and Lopez ends up having to push Dresden into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Lopez ducks under a wild hook from Dresden.
Lopez moves to clinch but Dresden breaks away
and Dresden counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Lopez throws a lazy right hand but Dresden sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Martez Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Dresden lands a right hook to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lopez drives through and clinches with Dresden against the cage.
Lopez lands a shot to the body.
Dresden goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Lopez lands a nice shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Dresden is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Dresden fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lopez.
Lopez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Dresden pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Martez Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopez misses with a straight left.
Dresden missing with a left hand there. Lopez was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lopez.
Dresden takes a swing at Lopez's ribcage but misses.

Lopez fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Dresden to the ground. Lopez is now in Dresden's guard.
Lopez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Dresden can do to turn this around?
Lopez trying to control but Dresden is working from the bottom.
Lopez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Dresden works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lakoj Dresden has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dresden looking for a sweep. Not yet Dresden, not yet.
Lopez wants to control from the top but Dresden keeps moving.
Dresden seems keen to control Lopez's posture.
Dresden looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Dresden is trying to keep Lopez in close.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Lopez trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Dresden manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Dresden wants to pass the guard but Lopez is keeping the position.
Dresden must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez wants to sweep here but Dresden controlling him for the moment.
Lopez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Dresden's guard.

Lopez lands a couple of digs.
Lopez won't allow Dresden to sweep him here.
Lopez wants to pass the guard but Dresden is keeping the position.
Lopez throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dresden utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lopez stays in close to Dresden's body and controls the position.
Lopez is working Dresden over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lopez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Dresden keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.
Lopez controls from within his opponent's guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopez trying to control but Dresden is working from the bottom.

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

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 Martez Lopez.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Lopez, 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martez Lopez!
Martez Lopez seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.