PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Lucien Whitehead (ranked 7572 p4p, 0 weight class) and Daniel Lopez (ranked 3721 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopez has chosen Cartel de Santa Perros as his entrance music. Daniel Lopez has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Lucien Whitehead's chin.

Whitehead
vs
Lopez

225 cm
19
193 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Lucien Whitehead!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Daniel Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, John Mangel and Chris Dean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitehead avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Whitehead darts in and clinches Lopez up against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Lopez scores with a nice short uppercut.

It looks like Lucien Whitehead has been cut.

Lopez pulls Whitehead into guard.
Whitehead working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Whitehead postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lopez pulls Whitehead in close to his closed guard and prevents Whitehead from doing any damage or advancing position.
Whitehead 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.
Whitehead missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Whitehead really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lopez looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitehead working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Whitehead lands a couple of elbows.
Lopez working a defensive guard here.
Whitehead being controlled here momentarily.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Lopez manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.

Lopez tightens his grip and picks Whitehead up, before dumping him to the ground. Whitehead manages to land in guard.
Whitehead looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lopez is one step ahead there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead working a defensive guard here.
Lopez looking to pass the guard.

Lopez stands and steps away. Whitehead gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Lopez changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Whitehead tries to avoid it but Lopez manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Whitehead to the ground. Whitehead escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Whitehead is looking to counter with head kicks.
Whitehead lands a leg kick that knocks Lopez off balance momentarily.
Lopez moves in looking to clinch but Whitehead pushes him off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses.
A clash of legs there as Whitehead blocks the low kick.
Lopez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Whitehead moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
It looked like Whitehead was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Lopez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Lopez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Whitehead pushes Lopez off but Lopez dives into side control.
Whitehead sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Lopez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Lopez's back!
Lopez is holding onto Whitehead's left hand, preventing any choke attempts.
Whitehead avoiding Lopez 's attempts to control his hands.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Whitehead throwing damaging strikes from the back! Lopez could be in trouble here!
I really don't envy Lopez right now.
Whitehead lands strikes to the head.
Whitehead scores with a nice shot to the head of his opponent. Lopez is looking for a way out.
Whitehead is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Lopez up.
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 Lucien Whitehead will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Lucien Whitehead's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Lopez shoots and misses
and Whitehead counters with a two punch combo.
Whitehead circles away from the clinch attempt.
It looked like Whitehead was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

Lopez drives through and clinches with Whitehead against the cage.
Whitehead missing with knees to the body.
Lopez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Whitehead just stands there and leans against the cage.
Lopez is leaning against Whitehead and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

Lopez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lopez moves into the clinch.
Lopez blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Lopez is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Whitehead is defending well.
Lucien Whitehead has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Lopez.
Lopez lands a hook that snaps the head of Whitehead backwards.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees to the body from Lopez.
Whitehead is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lopez is defending well for now.

Lopez drags the fight down to the ground.
Whitehead missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lopez lands an upkick as Whitehead stands over him.
Lopez has momentary wrist control but Whitehead slips an elbow through the middle.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Whitehead's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Whitehead throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez working a defensive guard here.
Whitehead won't allow Lopez to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Whitehead puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Lopez is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Whitehead scores with a couple of nice shots.
Whitehead lands strikes from half guard.
Whitehead scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Lopez wants to improve his position but Whitehead is controlling well.
Lopez taking some punishment here, with Whitehead in his half guard.
Lopez is concentrating on defense, preventing Whitehead from advancing position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez trying to control here.
Whitehead takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Whitehead not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Whitehead working the head and body with strikes.
Lopez tries to kick Whitehead off but Whitehead keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Whitehead throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lopez wants to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Lucien Whitehead is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Whitehead tries to sprawl but Lopez drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Lopez is breathing heavily.
Whitehead keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Whitehead is refusing to be controlled, as Lopez sits in half guard.
Whitehead has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lopez is working away from the top position though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucien Whitehead dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Lucien Whitehead's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Lopez wants to clinch up but Whitehead keeps it at a distance.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Whitehead as he avoids it easily.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lopez.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Whitehead as he avoids it easily.
Whitehead appears to be looking for a big counter.

Lopez rushes Whitehead and presses him up against the cage.
Whitehead is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Lopez is defending well for now.
Whitehead fails to pull guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Whitehead after a bit of a struggle.
Lucien Whitehead has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Daniel Lopez.
Lopez prevents a body shot from Whitehead.
Whitehead prevents a body shot from Lopez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Whitehead wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.

Lopez manages to break the clinch.
Lopez throws a series of punches but Whitehead moves out of range.
Whitehead tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lopez blocks a head kick by Whitehead.
A head kick misses from Whitehead.

Lopez clinches with his opponent.

Lopez breaks the clinch.
Lopez misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Lopez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Whitehead throws a nice looking combination but Lopez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lopez looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Lopez darts in looking for a takedown but Whitehead gets double underhooks and turns Lopez into the cage.
Lopez goes for a double leg but Whitehead avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Whitehead continues to drive forward.

Lopez feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Whitehead is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lopez trying to stand up but can't free himself from Whitehead's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Whitehead holds on and takes a little breather.

Whitehead had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lopez defends it easily.
Whitehead working a defensive guard here.
Lopez being controlled here momentarily.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Whitehead has his foot on Lopez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lopez works his way back into a safe position though.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Lopez has managed to clinch.
A shot in the inside from Lopez.
Lopez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Whitehead's efforts to push away.
Whitehead tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lopez smiles and moves away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Lopez moves into range and clinches up with Whitehead.

And that's the end of the fight!
Daniel Lopez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Whitehead has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Dean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lucien Whitehead!