PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Enok Jepsen (ranked 911 p4p, 121 weight class) and Jabbar Omarov (ranked 880 p4p, 116 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Jepsen
vs
Omarov

189 cm
23
195 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

184 cm
23
200 lbs
7 - 1 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Fanatic Inc.

Urban Fighter
Fanatic Inc.

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 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Enok Jepsen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jabbar Omarov!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Cecil Peabody and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jepsen takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.

It looks like Enok Jepsen has been cut.
Omarov misses with a hook
and Jepsen counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Jepsen fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Jepsen jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Omarov is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Jepsen takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Jepsen lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Jepsen throws a hook but Omarov avoids it easily.
Omarov displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Jepsen throws out the jab.
Jepsen misses with a straight left.
Omarov drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Jepsen defends it well.
Jepsen throws a body punch but Omarov moves out of range.
Omarov misses with an uppercut
and Jepsen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Jepsen misses with a body shot.
Omarov is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Omarov tries to close the distance and clinch up but Jepsen swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jepsen lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

It looks like Jabbar Omarov has been cut.
Jepsen throws a right hand that Omarov ducks under and follows up with a left that Omarov also avoids with ease.
It seemed like Omarov was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Omarov takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
A big left from Jepsen misses.
Omarov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Jepsen but Jepsen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Omarov looks for a takedown but Jepsen sprawls well.
Omarov connects with the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jepsen misses the jab.
Jepsen throws a nice looking combination but Omarov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Nice shot by Jepsen.
Omarov walks into a stiff left hand from Jepsen.
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!
Omarov has his takedown stuffed
and Jepsen makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Enok Jepsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jabbar Omarov.
Jepsen throws a nice looking combination but Omarov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Omarov wants to counter with a clinch but Jepsen pushes him away.
Jepsen throws a series of punches but Omarov avoids them all with ease.
Omarov lands a jab to the nose.
Omarov throws a lazy right hand but Jepsen sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Jepsen steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Omarov.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Omarov uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Jepsen has time to react.
Omarov moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Omarov shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Jepsen is trying to defend but Omarov finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Omarov missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Jepsen trying to hold on to Omarov's head to control him but Omarov postures up.
Omarov thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Omarov working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Omarov seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
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.
Omarov controlling the action here.
Jepsen keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Omarov lands a nice short elbow.
Omarov sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Jepsen defending well though.
Omarov is looking to advance position but Jepsen won't allow it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Omarov throwing shots but Jepsen is blocking nicely.

Omarov seems to be looking for submissions.
Omarov is taking a breather. Jepsen 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enok Jepsen dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Omarov avoids a punch combination nicely.
Omarov shoots and misses
and Jepsen counters with a stiff right hand.
Jepsen keeps the fight on the outside.
Jepsen is looking for a counter combo.
Jab from Jepsen.
Jepsen thows a left - swing and a miss!
Jepsen throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And Omarov tries to counter it with a takedown but Jepsen pushes his down on his head and steps out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jepsen connects with a looping right hand.
Omarov shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Jepsen but Jepsen pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Omarov connects with a looping right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Omarov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jepsen throwing a counter right hand but Omarov manages to avoid it.
We've been told by Jepsen's head coaches at Urban Achievers that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Jepsen throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Omarov counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Jepsen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Omarov can do to turn this around?
Jepsen misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Jepsen jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Jepsen lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Jepsen scores with a sloppy right hand. Omarov should have avoided that one.
Omarov looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Omarov.
Enok Jepsen has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jabbar Omarov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Omarov connects with a nice looking jab.
Omarov misses with a series of wild punches.
Omarov fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
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!
Jepsen throws an overhand right that lands on Omarov's shoulder, as Omarov tries to avoid the shot.
Omarov defending well as Jepsen loads up on a big left hand.
Omarov throws a hook to the side of Jepsen's head but Jepsen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Nice uppercut lands for Omarov. That snapped Jepsen's head back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jepsen connects with a body shot that sends Omarov's belly button to the back.
Jepsen misses with a hook.
Omarov fails to land with a series of punches.
Jepsen was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Omarov listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Jepsen misses with a few strikes there.
Omarov wants to counter with a clinch but Jepsen pushes him away.
Omarov looks to throw the jab but Jepsen is out of range.
Omarov swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Omarov takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Jepsen misses with an uppercut. Omarov saw that one coming.
Jepsen jabs Omarov to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Omarov slips a jab from Jepsen.
Omarov changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Jepsen throws a shot from downtown. Omarov moves away and avoids it.
Jepsen throws a right and a left that Omarov avoids nicely.
A nice combination there by Jepsen.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Omarov scores with a punch to the head.
Omarov with a poor takedown
and Jepsen cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Jepsen on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Omarov throws a lazy uppercut
and Jepsen connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Enok Jepsen is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Omarov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Jepsen misses with a straight right.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Enok Jepsen dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Jepsen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Jepsen on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Enok Jepsen is winning the standup battle so far.

Omarov drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Omarov content to stall in guard here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Omarov with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Omarov in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Jepsen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Jepsen wants to sweep here but Omarov controlling him for the moment.
Omarov wants to control from the top but Jepsen keeps moving.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Omarov is looking to work some ground and pound but Jepsen has wrist control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Omarov blocks a jab.

Omarov drops Jepsen with a nice combination! Omarov dives into Jepsen's guard, looking to finish!

Enok Jepsen's cut is getting worse.
Omarov postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Omarov trying to control but Jepsen is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Omarov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Jepsen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Omarov is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Omarov is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Jepsen pulls his head out easily.
Omarov is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Jepsen's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Jepsen's back!
Jepsen knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Omarov on the ground.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Will Omarov go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Jepsen covering up well under a series of strikes from Omarov.
Jabbar Omarov has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Omarov throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Enok Jepsen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Omarov working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Omarov misses with an elbow to the head.
Jepsen turns into Omarov and is now in his guard.
Omarov looking to hit a scissor sweep but Jepsen is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Omarov working for a triangle but Jepsen defends it easily.

Omarov has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Jepsen can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Omarov working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Jepsen doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Oh but Omarov is tightening it up a little... Jepsen has to be careful here... He's got his foot tucked under now, this looks tight! Jepsen reacted too slowly and this one could be over in a matter of seconds! YES! Jepsen taps out! Nice BJJ there by Omarov!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Jabbar Omarov!
Jabbar Omarov seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.