PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rodrigo Lopez (ranked 5031 p4p, 449 weight class) and Evgeny Popov (ranked 2853 p4p, 314 weight class). Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the prize buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Lopez
vs
Popov

176 cm
18
165 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
155 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

UnderGround Supplements

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Rodrigo Lopez !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Evgeny Popov!
The judges for this bout are Paul Aken, Radbod Blank and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Popov slaps away a takedown attempt from Lopez , before circling back to the center of the mat.

Popov shoots in and gets a takedown into Lopez 's guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Popov working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Lopez is trying to keep Popov in close.
Popov stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lopez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez has momentary wrist control but Popov slips an elbow through the middle.
Lopez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Popov stopping the sweep attempt from Lopez .
Lopez is working hard here to advance position.
Popov works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lopez is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Popov connects with a nice short shot to Lopez 's temple.
Nice strikes from Popov there.

Popov is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Popov keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Lopez is looking to improve his position.
Popov wants to free his trapped foot but Lopez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Popov moves into full mount! Lopez won't be happy about that!

Popov working for a submission but Lopez is keeping him at bay.
Popov prevents Lopez from getting the reversal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

Popov seems to be looking for submissions.
Lopez is trying to get back to full guard.
Lopez moves into full guard.
Popov is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Popov wants to get up but he can't break Lopez 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Popov lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Popov pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
Popov looks winded!
Lopez seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez is looking for a triangle but Popov pushes his legs off easily.
Lopez throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Popov works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Lopez is trying to control but can't.
Popov wants to pass the guard but Lopez is defending well.

Popov seems to be looking for submissions.
Popov wants to pass the guard but Lopez is defending well.

Popov is looking for a kimura here.
Lopez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popov with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lopez controls Popov momentarily but Popov frees himself.
Lopez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Popov stands up over Lopez , holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lopez controls Popov momentarily but Popov frees himself.
Popov 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.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Popov forces his way into half guard.
Popov scoring with strikes to the body and head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evgeny Popov dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Popov shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lopez napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lopez tries to improve position but can't.
Lopez regains half guard.
Lopez is looking for a sweep. Popov is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Popov is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Lopez is just riding it out for now. Popov eventually gives up the hold.
Popov wants to lay and pray for a moment but Lopez keeps working.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez moves into full guard.
Lopez wants to sweep but no luck.
Popov distracts Lopez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popov trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Popov is breathing heavily.
Lopez utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Evgeny Popov has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lopez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Popov.
Popov distracts Lopez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Popov passes Lopez 's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Popov lands strikes from half guard.
Popov is keen to just control but Lopez is a slippery customer.
Popov uses his free foot to push down on Lopez 's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Lopez .
Popov controlling the position easily from mount.
Lopez wants to control but Popov is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popov lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Lopez hang on?
Popov landing strikes from the mount.
Lopez wants to hold on but Popov pushes him away.
Popov postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Lopez looks a forlorn figure.
Lopez regains half guard.
Popov working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Lopez trying to hold on to Popov's head to control him but Popov postures up.
Popov has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Popov trying to mount his opponent but Lopez defends it.
Popov content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is looking to control Popov's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Lopez avoid being mounted?
Popov is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Lopez !
Popov avoids the attempt from Lopez to control.
Lopez bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Lopez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Popov wants to hit a switch here but Lopez passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Popov there!
Lopez wants to control the pace but Popov is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popov is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Lopez thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Lopez wants to control the pace but Popov is squirming around nicely.
Popov is working to get back to half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evgeny Popov showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Lopez misses with a series of wild punches.
Lopez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Popov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Popov misses with a two punch combination.
Lopez shoots and misses

and Popov counters by clinching up.
Lopez jumps guard but Popov turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Rodrigo Lopez . That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Popov is struggling to control the position.

Lopez breaks from the clinch.
Lopez misses with a body shot.
Lopez tries to clinch

and Popov decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Lopez 's guard.

Lopez is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Popov presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez stops a takedown attempt from Popov.

Lopez breaks the clinch.
Popov looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Lopez is fending him off so far but Popov persists. Nope, Lopez circles away and we're back to standing.
Popov shoots and misses

and Lopez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Lopez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Popov shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Lopez pinned against the cage. Lopez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
A counter left hand to the body from Lopez misses its target.

Lopez clinches up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez jumps guard but Popov turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Popov holds him up against the cage and eventually Lopez drops back down to his feet.
Lopez is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Popov is defending well.
Popov looking for a takedown.

Popov lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Popov prevents Lopez from improving his position.
Popov has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Popov tries to pass the half guard into mount. Lopez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is looking to escape.
Lopez wants to control but Popov is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Popov working the head and body with strikes.
Lopez tries to get to full guard but Popov has control of the leg.
Evgeny Popov is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Popov slows the pace down in half guard.
Lopez trying to control but Popov postures up.
Popov controlling the action here.

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.
Lopez trying to control but Popov postures up.
Popov controlling the action here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Popov shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lopez as he jumps to the side.
Popov goes for a double leg but Lopez avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Lopez continues to drive forward.
Lopez tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Popov manages to circle out of the way.
Lopez tries to clinch but Popov moves out of range.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Popov! But no joy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Popov defends it nicely.

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 Rodrigo Lopez .
I think Popov 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 Paul Aken scores the fight 28:29
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 28:30
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Evgeny Popov!