PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Wilhelm Strauss (ranked 854 p4p, 1089 weight class) and Nikos Giannopoulos (ranked 120 p4p, 150 weight class). Strauss comes to the cage accompanied by Root Of All Evil. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Strauss
vs
Giannopoulos

174 cm
41
181
31 - 12 - 1

184 cm
39
184
16 - 8 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

Carnage Clothing

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 31 - 12 - 1, fighting out of London, Wilhelm Strauss!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nikos Giannopoulos!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Strauss misses with a body kick.
Giannopoulos keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Giannopoulos throws a right hand that misses
and Strauss counters with a nice uppercut.
Strauss scores with a body shot.
Some bone on bone action there as Strauss checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Strauss went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
A looping hook to the body misses from Giannopoulos. Strauss does a little dance to reset his feet.
Strauss ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Giannopoulos moves away.
Nikos Giannopoulos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strauss cracks a nice hook into Giannopoulos's ribs.
Strauss tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Giannopoulos was well out of range. Poor timing from Strauss.
Strauss lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Giannopoulos throws an off balance right hand
and Strauss counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Giannopoulos takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Giannopoulos with a nice cross.

It looks like Wilhelm Strauss has been cut.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Giannopoulos is looking to slow Strauss down with leg kicks.
Strauss moves away from the strike by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos ducks under a wild hook from Strauss.
Giannopoulos appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Giannopoulos shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Giannopoulos lands a really nice looking cross but Strauss seems unphased.
Strauss throws a jab but it's blocked by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos throws out a counter right but Strauss avoids it with no problem.
Strauss is looking to wear down Giannopoulos with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strauss keeps the fight on the outside.
Strauss 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.
Giannopoulos tries to work over Strauss's front leg with a kick but Strauss checks it.
Strauss throws a lazy right hand but Giannopoulos sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Giannopoulos scores with a jab.
Giannopoulos throws a hook to the side of Strauss's head but Strauss sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Strauss steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos tries to close the distance and clinch up but Strauss swats him away and circles back towards the center.
It looked like Strauss wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Giannopoulos has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
Strauss misses with an uppercut.
Strauss blocks the body kick.
Giannopoulos throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Strauss throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Giannopoulos on the side of the head.
Giannopoulos tries to land a body kick
and Strauss counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Giannopoulos waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Strauss.
Strauss checks a low kick from Giannopoulos.
Strauss throws a body shot but no joy.
Strauss throws a right hand that Giannopoulos ducks under and follows up with a left that Giannopoulos also avoids with ease.
Giannopoulos has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Strauss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Strauss looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
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!
Strauss buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Giannopoulos connects with a crisp jab.
Giannopoulos ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Giannopoulos throws a lazy right hand but Strauss sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Giannopoulos misses with a body kick.
A quick step to the side and Strauss tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Strauss moves out of range as Giannopoulos strikes.
Giannopoulos scores with a jab.
Strauss lets loose with a powerful body kick. Giannopoulos will feel that in the morning.
Strauss rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Giannopoulos moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Strauss stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Strauss avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Strauss keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Giannopoulos connects with a nice looking jab.
Strauss lands a slapping body shot.
Strauss tries to bum rush Giannopoulos with a series of wild strikes but Giannopoulos uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Strauss punishes Giannopoulos's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strauss ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Giannopoulos moves away.
Strauss throws a hook but Giannopoulos avoids it easily.
Strauss misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Strauss is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos falls off balance throwing a combination
and Strauss counters with a good low kick that Giannopoulos was not able to check.
Giannopoulos on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Strauss. Strauss obviously looking to wear him down.
A nice leg kick lands there from Strauss.
Giannopoulos needs to keep his hands up - Strauss had a free shot at his head there.

Giannopoulos gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Giannopoulos pushes Strauss back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Giannopoulos misses with the head strike.
Strauss misses with a short punch on the inside.
Strauss blocking some punches.
Still in the clinch, Strauss scores with a nice short uppercut.
Giannopoulos lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
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!
Strauss throws an elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strauss can't find room to land a body shot as Giannopoulos controls the action.
Strauss misses with a punch on the inside.
Giannopoulos lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Strauss is looking to control Giannopoulos's arms but Giannopoulos gets an underhook and turns him. Now Strauss has his back to the cage.
Giannopoulos blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Strauss throws a head punch that misses.
Giannopoulos is looking to control Strauss's arms but Strauss gets an underhook and turns him. Now Giannopoulos has his back to the cage.
Giannopoulos fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Giannopoulos scores with a shot to the side of Strauss's head.
Strauss blocking some punches.
Strauss blocks an uppercut.
Strauss throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Giannopoulos blocks it with crossed arms.

Strauss escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Giannopoulos fails with an attempt to clinch.
Giannopoulos takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Giannopoulos looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Strauss scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Wilhelm Strauss dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Wilhelm Strauss's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Giannopoulos slips under a jab from Strauss.
Giannopoulos buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Giannopoulos swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Strauss.
Strauss staying out of range there.
Strauss takes a swing at Giannopoulos's ribcage but misses.
Giannopoulos fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Strauss lands a lovely overhand right.
Strauss moves away from the strike by Giannopoulos.
A looping hook to the body misses from Strauss. Giannopoulos does a little dance to reset his feet.
Strauss does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Strauss drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Giannopoulos misses with a series of wild punches.
Strauss avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Strauss misses with a hook.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Strauss missing with a left hand there. Giannopoulos was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Giannopoulos connects with an inside leg kick.
Giannopoulos misses with a body shot.
Strauss throws a quick counter kick to the body but Giannopoulos avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Strauss slips a straight right by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
A shot to the liver by Giannopoulos. Beautiful body shot.
Giannopoulos throws a poor cross that misses
and Strauss counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Giannopoulos chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Strauss can pounce on him.
A swing and a miss from Strauss.
Strauss misses with a body kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Giannopoulos lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Strauss has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Strauss and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Strauss swings for the body but Giannopoulos moves out of range.
Giannopoulos appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Giannopoulos lands a nice leg kick that just misses Strauss's sensitive parts.
Giannopoulos fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Strauss lands a slapping body shot.
Strauss just misses with a punch to the body.
Strauss tries to land a leg kick but Giannopoulos saw it coming and moves away.
Giannopoulos swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Strauss throws a nice looking combination but Giannopoulos bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A nice side step and Giannopoulos releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Strauss misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Giannopoulos lands with an overhand left.
Giannopoulos wants to clinch up but Strauss keeps it at a distance.
Strauss throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Giannopoulos misses with a wild body shot.
Strauss looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Giannopoulos's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Strauss pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Giannopoulos thows a left - swing and a miss!
Strauss throws a shot from downtown. Giannopoulos moves away and avoids it.
Giannopoulos falls off balance throwing a combination
and Strauss makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Giannopoulos throws a hook but Strauss blocks it.
Strauss lands a nice hook to Giannopoulos's body. Giannopoulos takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Wilhelm Strauss is winning the standup battle so far.
Strauss wants to land a leg kick but Giannopoulos is out of range.
Giannopoulos throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Strauss throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Giannopoulos on the side of the head.
Strauss swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Giannopoulos.
Strauss connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Giannopoulos's hands.
Strauss throws a leg kick but Giannopoulos sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Giannopoulos lands a slapping body shot.
Giannopoulos misses with a low kick.
Giannopoulos digs a good hook to Strauss's body.
No joy there for Giannopoulos, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Strauss throws a series of punches but Giannopoulos avoids them all with ease.
Strauss gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Giannopoulos.
Strauss misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A little jabbing left from Giannopoulos on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Giannopoulos swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Strauss cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
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!
Strauss lands with a shot to the body.
Strauss connects with a body shot.
Giannopoulos takes one on the button.
Giannopoulos throws a hook but Strauss blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strauss lands a jab-cross combination.
Strauss cracks Giannopoulos with a right hand to the side of the head.
Giannopoulos swings widly with a right hand
and Strauss counters with a three punch combo that has Giannopoulos backing up. Giannopoulos nods at Strauss to acknowledge the strikes.
Giannopoulos throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Giannopoulos throws the left hand but Strauss avoids the punch easily.
A big right from Strauss misses.
Giannopoulos displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Giannopoulos.
Strauss misses with an uppercut. Giannopoulos saw that one coming.
Strauss lands with a nice body punch.
Giannopoulos takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
A head kick misses from Strauss.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Strauss uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos is looking to clinch but Strauss is avoiding it.
Strauss keeps the fight on the outside.
Strauss thows a body kick. Giannopoulos tries to catch it but that hurt him.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Wilhelm Strauss dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Wilhelm Strauss's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Strauss cracks Giannopoulos with a right hand to the side of the head.
Strauss connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Giannopoulos dips to his left and cracks Strauss with an uppercut!
A leg kick checked by Giannopoulos.
Strauss ducks right into an uppercut from Giannopoulos.
A solid leg kick lands there for Strauss.
Strauss with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Giannopoulos to score with a decent uppercut.

Wilhelm Strauss's cut is getting worse.
That kick from Strauss tenderised Giannopoulos's leg. Giannopoulos is trying to keep his angry face on.
Giannopoulos connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Giannopoulos cracks Strauss with a nasty uppercut that draws ooohs from the crowd and sends Strauss tumbling backwards onto the mat. He tries to recover but Giannopoulos pounces and lands a hail of unanswered strikes that forces the referee to step in to end the fight! Strauss is not happy but he gave the referee no choice!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Nikos Giannopoulos!