PMMA 2 The ERA PBP Commentary

Undercard bout

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Dean (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sjaak Topolnjak (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Dean had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 171.4lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Sjaak Topolnjak has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Dean
vs
Topolnjak

178 cm
18
181 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
179 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, James Dean!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Sjaak Topolnjak!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Cecil Peabody and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dean chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Topolnjak can pounce on him.

Dean shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Dean not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Dean misses with a head shot. Topolnjak uses the momentum to regain guard.
Dean throws a big elbow that misses.
Dean postures up in Topolnjak's guard and throws a big left but Topolnjak blocks it.
Dean content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Topolnjak has his foot on Dean's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Dean works his way back into a safe position though.
Topolnjak preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Topolnjak keeping moving, preventing Dean from controlling successfully.
Dean postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Dean knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Topolnjak on the ground.
Topolnjak trying to keep a closed guard but Dean is proving a slippery customer.
Dean wants to control from the top but Topolnjak keeps moving.
Topolnjak is trying to keep Dean in close.
Dean has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dean trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Topolnjak is trying to control the position but Dean postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dean stopping the sweep attempt from Topolnjak.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Sjaak Topolnjak was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Topolnjak misses with a jab, cross combination.
Dean shoots in for a double leg but Topolnjak sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Topolnjak darts in and clinches Dean up against the cage.
A short body shot lands from Topolnjak as the two fighters clinch.
Topolnjak is looking to break free of the clinch but Dean has double underhooks.
Dean wants to break the clinch but can't.
Dean has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Topolnjak has had enough of the clinch but Dean keeps him there for the moment.
Topolnjak can't break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Dean stalling against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dean looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Topolnjak manages to break the clinch.
Dean is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Topolnjak.

It looks like James Dean has been cut.
Dean is breathing heavily.
Dean throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Topolnjak's waist but Topolnjak gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Dean off to one side.
Topolnjak digs a good body shot into Dean's ribs.
Topolnjak tests Dean's chin there with a solid looking shot.

Dean is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Are you kidding me?! Topolnjak ducked down and unloaded an uppercut from hell that sent Dean clean off his feet! Someone make me a GIF - that's knockout of the night for sure!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:40 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Sjaak Topolnjak!

C
A

C
B

energy
A | B

hype
A | B

pop
A | B

mgr
A | B

FIGHT
RATING
53%

Undercard bout

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bolesni Stevo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dylan Todd (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Stevo
vs
Todd

180 cm
18
176 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bolesni Stevo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dylan Todd!
The judges for this bout are Chris Downing, Gwen Towbar and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Todd fails to land the takedown.
Stevo lands with a slapping head kick.
Stevo tries to clinch but Todd moves out of range.
Todd is looking to clinch.

Todd looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Stevo!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.

Todd has hold of Stevo's arm. He's looking for a kimura. Stevo seems comfortable defending it but Todd has shifted his position slighty and is cranking on the arm! Stevo is real pain and he's forced to tap out! Stevo is disgusted with himself for not defending it better but Todd couldn't care less - he's delighted!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:29 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Dylan Todd!
Dylan Todd decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.

C
A

C
B

energy
A | B

hype
A | B

pop
A | B

mgr
A | B

FIGHT
RATING
51%

Undercard bout

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nick Frenandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Couture (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Frenandez
vs
Couture

185 cm
21
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

175 cm
25
206 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nick Frenandez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, John Couture!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Stewart Dunkirk and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Couture misses with a double jab.
Couture lands a slapping body shot.
John Couture seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Couture swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Couture fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Frenandez to the ground. Couture is now in Frenandez's guard.

Frenandez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Couture is aware though and is defending well.
Couture postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Couture slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

Frenandez has his foot on Couture's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Couture works his way back into a safe position though.
Couture throws a big elbow that misses.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Frenandez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Couture gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Couture trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Couture got a little sloppy there for a moment and Frenandez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Couture has managed to get both his arms back between Frenandez's legs - danger averted.
Couture pushing down on Frenandez's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Frenandez is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Couture scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Frenandez actively working from the bottom here.
Frenandez is breathing heavily.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Couture lands a nice short elbow.
Couture is controlling the pace.

Frenandez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Couture pulls his head out easily.

Couture is looking for a kimura here.

Couture is trying to work for a kimura but Frenandez is defending well.
Couture not doing much here.

Frenandez looking for submissions off his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Couture trying to control the pace.

Couture seems to be working for a kimura but Frenandez defends the submission attempt.
Frenandez is trying to get back to full guard.
Couture wants to lay and pray for a moment but Frenandez keeps working.

Couture looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Couture there.
Couture wants to stand up but Frenandez has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Frenandez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Couture keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Couture seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Frenandez does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Couture wants to stand up but Frenandez is controlling the position.
Couture is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Couture is working for a kimura but Frenandez is defending it quite comfortably.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Frenandez looking for submissions off his back.

Couture is trying to work for a kimura but Frenandez is defending well.
Couture keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Frenandez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
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. Couture connects with a nice short shot to Frenandez's temple.
Couture controlling the action here.

Frenandez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Couture dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Frenandez takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Nick Frenandez has been cut.
Frenandez slips a jab and a cross from Couture.

Couture clinches up with Frenandez and pushes him back against the cage.
Frenandez looking to throw knees to the head but Couture is blocking nicely.
Couture stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Couture stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
A short right from Couture.
Frenandez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Couture gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Couture taking a breather.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Frenandez tries for a takedown but Couture manages to get underhooks.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Frenandez tries to break free but Couture pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Couture lands with a right to the head.
Couture scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Couture keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Frenandez's efforts to push away.
Frenandez being controlled against the cage.
Frenandez is trying to push Couture away but Couture has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Frenandez tries to score a body lock takedown but Couture shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nick Frenandez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Frenandez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Couture has him pressed against the cage.
A hook to the body from Couture.
Frenandez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Couture pulls his leg out and moves away.
Couture lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Frenandez circles away quickly and effectively.

Couture has taken the fight to the clinch.

Couture gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Frenandez regains guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Couture passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Couture staying calm.
Couture scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Frenandez to see if he's OK.

Couture wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Frenandez, who protects the arm well.
Couture moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Couture looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Couture just content to control the position.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Couture has an Americana. Frenandez didn't react quickly enough there and he's in big trouble now! He tries to squirm out but is forced to tap! Couture is delighted and gyrates in front of the ring girls. They seem to like the attention - it'll be interesting to see if Couture hooks up with any of them at the after show party.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:51 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Americana). John Couture!