PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mikhail Popkov (ranked 6991 p4p, 4053 weight class) and Ian Reilly (ranked 735 p4p, 549 weight class). Reilly is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Rock you like a hurricane. Mikhail Popkov has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Popkov
vs
Reilly

200 cm
19
195
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
20
190
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

CHURCH OF ZOIDBERG - FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR
REDEMPTION ink

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikhail Popkov!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ian Reilly!
The judges for this bout are Percy O'Donnell, Don Winkell and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reilly lands a two punch combo.
Reilly throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Reilly slips under a jab from Popkov.
Popkov lands with a hook. Reilly tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Reilly attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Reilly buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Ian Reilly seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Reilly swings away with a leg kick that misses.
A little feinted left hand from Popkov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Reilly scores with a jab.
Reilly chopping away at his opponent's legs.
The fighters circling - Popkov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Popkov wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Reilly is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Popkov, as that shot connected.
Reilly tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Reilly ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Popkov fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Popkov checks a low kick from Reilly.
Reilly throws a leg kick which misses Popkov's front leg but catches the back leg as Popkov tries to avoid it.
Reilly loads up on a big right hand but Popkov slips the punch.
Reilly throws a quick inside leg kick.
Reilly thumps Popkov with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reilly steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Popkov.
Reilly tries a head kick but it misses.
Reilly tries a head kick but it misses.
Reilly fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Reilly lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Reilly dodges the punch combination from Popkov.
Nice defenses there by Reilly.
Reilly wants to land a leg kick but Popkov is out of range.
Reilly slips a jab from Popkov.
Reilly chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Popkov throws a looping overhand right but Reilly ducks down to avoid it.
Reilly lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Reilly will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
The fighters circling - Popkov throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Popkov avoids the head kick by Reilly.
Popkov throws an overhand right that lands on Reilly's shoulder, as Reilly tries to avoid the shot.
Popkov looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Reilly throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Popkov.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reilly scores with a jab. Popkov acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Popkov thows a left - swing and a miss!
Popkov pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Popkov comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Popkov takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Reilly goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Reilly connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Nice defenses there by Reilly.
Reilly has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Popkov moves out of range of the strikes.
An attempted straight right counter from Popkov misses the target.
Reilly displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Popkov throws out the jab.
Reilly slips a jab from Popkov.
Reilly misses with a two punch combination.
A big right from Popkov misses.
Reilly throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Popkov is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Reilly tried to score with a low kick but Popkov checks it.
Reilly lands with a nice body kick.
Reilly walks into a left hand.
Popkov throws a shot from downtown. Reilly moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popkov throws a hook but Reilly blocks it.
As Popkov backs off Reilly throws a huge counter combo but Popkov manages to avoid it all.
Popkov ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A little feinted left hand from Popkov on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Reilly throws a sloppy head kick and Popkov moves out of range easily.
Popkov throws a lazy right hand but Reilly sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Popkov is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
Popkov lands a jab to the head.
Popkov avoids the head kick by Reilly.
Reilly lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Popkov moves out of range of the body kick.
Reilly walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nice defenses there by Popkov.
Reilly misses with a left hand
enabling Popkov to counter with a crisp jab.
Popkov circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Reilly to the canvas! Reilly doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Popkov keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:44 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mikhail Popkov!