PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between My Gal (ranked 5659 p4p, 258 weight class) and Paulo Lopes (ranked 4376 p4p, 215 weight class). Lopes has chosen Ornatos Violeta - Chaga as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the ring.

Gal
vs
Lopes

175 cm
18
142 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
135 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Basic striking
Big heart

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Can Moonwalk

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, My Gal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Paulo Lopes!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Damien Edna and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gal lands with a cross.
Lopes shoots in for a double leg but Gal sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
A combination from Gal does no damage.
Lopes unleashes a big counter combination but Gal bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Gal throws the left hand but Lopes avoids the punch easily.
Lopes tries to move into range but Gal moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Gal falls off balance throwing a combination

and Lopes counters with a shoot takedown. Gal fights it but they end up in guard.
Gal throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Gal is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Heart Cave (8 elites, 4 double-elites, 1 triple) that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Gal not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lopes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Gal throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Lopes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Gal will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Lopes sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Lopes trying to control but Gal is working from the bottom.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gal tries to strike from the bottom.
Lopes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Gal trying to strike off his back.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Gal with a couple of shots from the bottom there - nothing Lopes can't handle though.
Lopes won't allow Gal to sweep him here.
Lopes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Lopes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gal trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Lopes trying to control but Gal is working from the bottom.
Gal can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Lopes controls the pace.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Lopes shoots in but Gal avoids the takedown attempt easily.

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.
Lopes takes one to the side of the head.
My Gal seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopes fails with a takedown attempt.
An attempted straight right counter from Gal misses the target.
My Gal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paulo Lopes.
Gal throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Gal tries to bum rush Lopes with a series of wild strikes but Lopes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Lopes wants to counter the offense by Gal and move into the clinch position.
Gal lands a really nice looking cross but Lopes seems unphased.
Lopes takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Gal waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lopes.
Gal loads up on a big right hand but Lopes slips the punch.

Gal closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the ropes.

Lopes gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Gal regains guard.
Lopes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gal is proving hard to escape from.
Lopes throwing strikes but missing.
Gal scores with a couple of body punches from the bottom.

Lopes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Gal will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Gal will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Gal throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Lopes landing with the ground and pound.
Lopes postures up.
Lopes is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Lopes with a nice head shot there.
Lopes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Gal is proving hard to escape from.
Gal scores with a short punch from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gal throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Lopes sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Gal keeping full guard, as Lopes tries to pass.

Gal working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lopes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lopes manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Lopes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

Gal looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopes sitting in guard here, content to control.
We've been informed that Lopes has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

Gal escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lopes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that My Gal will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Jab, jab by Gal - just one landing.

Lopes looking to score a takedown here. Gal is defending well but Lopes drives through and ends up in Gal's guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Gal is looking for a triangle but Lopes pushes his legs off easily.
Lopes trying to control but Gal is working from the bottom.
Gal punching to the body, from the bottom.
Lopes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lopes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gal throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Gal striking off his back.
Lopes keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gal's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gal is trying to control the position but Lopes postures up.
Lopes seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Lopes passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lopes wants to control but Gal is keeping him busy.
Gal tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lopes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Gal misses with a strike from the bottom.
Lopes 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.
Gal misses with a strike from the bottom.
Lopes working away.
Lopes is chipping away with strikes.
Lopes working away.
Lopes blocks the strikes from Gal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gal throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Gal wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Gal throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Lopes scores with a couple of short elbows.
Gal wants to control but Lopes postures up.

Lopes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
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.
Gal is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Lopes is one step ahead and moves to full mount!

Lopes is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Gal has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Lopes controlling the pace for now.
Gal is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Gal is squirming around, avoiding Lopes's attempts to control the action.
Gal tries to lock up and control but Lopes gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Lopes looking to control but Gal is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Gal is looking to improve his position but Lopes isn't that keen on the idea.
Lopes controlling from mount.
Gal regains half guard.
Lopes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Lopes lands with a punch from half guard.
Lopes not doing much here.
Paulo Lopes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lopes trying to control from half guard but Gal is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gal throws a sloppy strike from the bottom. He's now off balance and Lopes manages to pass to side control.
Gal is trying to improve his position.
Gal throws a few strikes from the bottom but Lopes takes advantage and mounts!
Gal throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Gal is flailing around like a fish out of water, trying to land strikes.
Lopes controlling the pace for now.

Lopes has hold of Gal's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Gal manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Lopes content just to control the position here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopes moves to take his opponent's back.
Gal trying to control the hands but Lopes won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paulo Lopes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Gal lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
My Gal is winning the standup battle so far.

Lopes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Gal is looking to reverse the position.
Lopes trying to control the action but Gal is working from the bottom.
Gal is looking to regain half guard here but Lopes keeps moving and retains side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gal manages to work his way to half guard, despite Lopes's best efforts.

Lopes is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Gal on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopes is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Gal sees it coming and defends easily.
Gal slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Gal keeping moving, preventing Lopes from controlling successfully.
Gal throws a nice elbow from the bottom.
Lopes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Gal throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Lopes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Lopes won't allow Gal to sweep him here.
Lopes passes Gal's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Gal gets full guard.
Lopes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Gal tries to strike from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopes wants to control from the top but Gal keeps moving.
Lopes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Gal striking from the bottom here.
Lopes slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Gal is trying to escape the position but Lopes is controlling the position.

Lopes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Lopes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Gal manages to work his way to half guard, despite Lopes's best efforts.
Lopes throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Gal taking some punishment here, with Lopes in his half guard.
Gal tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Lopes stalling.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes wants to free his trapped foot but Gal is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Gal misses with some strikes from the bottom.

Lopes seems to be looking for submissions.
Lopes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Lopes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Gal does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Lopes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Gal defends it well.
Gal wants to control but Lopes is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Gal tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Lopes wants to take a breather but Gal is having none of it.

Lopes is looking for a kimura but Gal is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lopes to get the leverage.
Gal trying to hold on to Lopes's head to control him but Lopes postures up.
Gal striking from half guard on the bottom.
Gal throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gal misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Gal wants to get back to full guard.
Lopes controlling the action here.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Lopes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Gal flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Still in half guard, Lopes seems content to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A slow jab from Gal misses its intended target.
Gal misses with a lunging right hand

and Lopes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Gal thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Lopes wants to stand but Gal has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lopes postures up.
Gal is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Lopes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paulo Lopes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Lopes 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 28:29
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paulo Lopes!
Paulo Lopes tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.