PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Costa (ranked 545 p4p, 742 weight class) and Mikhail Popkov (ranked 89 p4p, 119 weight class). Santiago Costa had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Costa
vs
Popkov

183 cm
37
190
28 - 26 - 0

200 cm
25
195
11 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Bondi MMA 🏝️
FUClothing

Voodoo Nutrition

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 28 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Santiago Costa!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikhail Popkov!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Ackerman and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Costa looks to land a combination but Popkov avoids it well.
Popkov is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Popkov throws a jab when Costa was well out of range.
Costa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Popkov manages to avoid it.
A nice side step and Popkov releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Costa scores with a jab. Popkov acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov is having none of it.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov is having none of it.
Nice uppercut lands for Costa. That snapped Popkov's head back.
Santiago Costa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Costa closes the distance and clinches.

Costa breaks from the clinch.
Popkov keeps the fight on the outside.
Costa with a lazy takedown attempt
and Popkov counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Popkov tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Costa was well out of range. Poor timing from Popkov.
Costa has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Costa tries to clinch there but Popkov circles away.

Costa darts in and clinches Popkov up against the cage.
Popkov lands with a right to the head.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Costa tries to throw a body punch but Popkov avoids it by throwing Costa back against the cage.
Popkov is trying to push Costa away but Costa has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Popkov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Costa rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Popkov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov moves away
and Popkov counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Popkov looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Popkov closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Costa misses with a hook to the body
and Popkov counters with a three punch combo that has Costa backing up. Costa nods at Popkov to acknowledge the strikes.
Nice cross by Costa.

It looks like Mikhail Popkov has been cut.
Popkov keeps the fight on the outside.

Costa darts in and clinches Popkov up against the cage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Popkov working hard to break the clinch.
Popkov wants to break the clinch but can't.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Popkov.
Costa blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Popkov takes a shot to the head.
Costa throws a head punch that misses.
Popkov scores with a hook to the body.
Costa misses with the head strike.
Costa is looking to control Popkov's arms but Popkov gets an underhook and turns him. Now Costa has his back to the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Costa goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Popkov tries a body shot but Costa blocks it.
Popkov misses with the head strike.

Popkov breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Costa throws a body punch but Popkov moves out of range.
A kick lands to the mid section there for Popkov.
Costa tries to close the distance and clinch but Popkov swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Costa gets a clinch.
Costa wants to stall.

Popkov pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Popkov stalks Costa and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Costa's face. Costa staggers backwards, shaken.
Popkov scores with a nice head shot.
Costa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Costa takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popkov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Costa scores with a decent looking hook.
Costa throws a nice looking combination but Popkov bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Costa misses with a body punch
and Popkov counters with a nice uppercut.
Costa wants to clinch.
Costa blocks a head kick by Popkov.
As Popkov looks to move away, Costa throws a big counter combo but Popkov just gets out of the way.
Costa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Popkov swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Costa is looking to clinch.
A head kick misses from Popkov.
Costa throws a big counter combination but Popkov scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov moves out of range.
Costa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Costa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Popkov is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Costa with a body shot.
Popkov has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popkov takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Costa wants to clinch.
Popkov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Popkov misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A big left from Costa misses.
Popkov now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov moves out of range.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov moves away
enabling Popkov to counter with a crisp jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Costa moves in looking to clinch but Popkov pushes him off.
Costa moves in looking to clinch but Popkov pushes him off.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Costa.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Costa scoring with punches from side control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mikhail Popkov dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Mikhail Popkov's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

A head kick misses from Popkov.
Popkov avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Popkov fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Costa has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Costa throws a jab but it's blocked by Popkov.
Popkov misses with an uppercut. Costa saw that one coming.

Costa rushes Popkov and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Popkov's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Costa tries to clinch
and Popkov connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Costa scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Costa tries to clinch but fails miserably
letting Popkov counter with a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A head kick misses from Popkov.
Costa lands a nice shot that snaps Popkov's head back.
Popkov scores with a hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Popkov misses with a head kick.
Costa looks to clinch
and Popkov counters with a nice body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Costa lands a nice hook to Popkov's body. Popkov takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Costa avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Costa is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Costa misses with an uppercut.
Mikhail Popkov seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Costa fails with an attempt to clinch.
Costa tests Popkov's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov moves out of range.
Popkov counters with a body kick.
Nice jab there from Popkov.
Costa listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Popkov throws the left hand but Costa avoids the punch easily.
Costa tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Popkov defends well and Costa ends up having to push Popkov into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Popkov throws a fast counter high kick but Costa manages to duck under it in time.
Popkov lands a hook to the side of the head.
Costa takes a shot to the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Costa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Costa escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Costa takes a jab right on the kisser.
Popkov jabs at Costa's body.
Costa tries to clinch but Popkov moves away
and Popkov counters with a stiff right hand.

Costa is rocked!
Costa is looking to clinch but Popkov is avoiding it.
Oh Costa is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Costa misses with a takedown
and Popkov rattles Costa with a well-timed uppercut counter. - Costa tries to back away and recover but his hands are down low and he gets tagged again, sending him stumbling down to the canvas. Popkov dives in after him and quickly finishes the job with a trio of brutal punches, leaving Costa stiff and motionless on the mat!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:26 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Mikhail Popkov!
A very excited looking Mikhail Popkov made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.