PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Daron Acemoglu (ranked 1782 p4p, 325 weight class) and Ottaa Koppia (ranked 240 p4p, 51 weight class). Daron Acemoglu has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Acemoglu
vs
Koppia

173 cm
28
180
9 - 7 - 1

183 cm
28
182
14 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

FEEBLE FIGHTWEAR

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 9 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Daron Acemoglu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Ottaa Koppia!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Phil Schofield and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Acemoglu misses the shot to the body.
Koppia swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Acemoglu lands with a good body shot.
Acemoglu swings for the body but Koppia moves out of range.
The fighters circling - Koppia throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Acemoglu attempts a counter takedown but Koppia avoids it well and moves away.

Acemoglu drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Koppia keeping moving, preventing Acemoglu from controlling successfully.
Acemoglu distracts Koppia with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Acemoglu has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Acemoglu throwing strikes from guard but Koppia blocks nicely.
Acemoglu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Acemoglu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Acemoglu trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Acemoglu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Koppia works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Koppia keeping moving, preventing Acemoglu from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Acemoglu throws a big elbow that misses.
Acemoglu working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Acemoglu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Acemoglu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Acemoglu throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Acemoglu landing with the ground and pound.
Acemoglu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Acemoglu stands up over Koppia, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Koppia really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Acemoglu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Acemoglu throws a big elbow that misses.
Acemoglu content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Acemoglu throws an elbow that misses. Koppia uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Acemoglu's guard. Nice move by Koppia!

Acemoglu is trying to control the position but Koppia postures up.
Acemoglu looking to hit a scissor sweep but Koppia is one step ahead there.
Koppia wants to control from the top but Acemoglu keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Acemoglu looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Koppia puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Acemoglu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Acemoglu is trying to maintain the position but Koppia is very close to passing his half guard.
Acemoglu is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

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.
Acemoglu moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Acemoglu working a defensive guard but Koppia manages to pass into side control anyway.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Acemoglu is looking for a sweep.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Acemoglu is working hard here to advance position.
Koppia working away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Daron Acemoglu dominated that round.
That's time! Acemoglu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Acemoglu steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Koppia.
Acemoglu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Koppia looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Acemoglu darts in looking for a takedown but Koppia gets double underhooks and turns Acemoglu into the cage.
Acemoglu blocks an uppercut.
Koppia lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.

Koppia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Koppia keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Acemoglu ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koppia moves away.
Koppia connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Acemoglu gets a takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Acemoglu trying to control from half guard but Koppia is working away.
Koppia keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Koppia felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Koppia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Acemoglu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koppia is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Acemoglu scores with a couple of nice shots.
Acemoglu throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Koppia avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Acemoglu.
Acemoglu working Koppia over with strikes.
Acemoglu not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Koppia can do anything to dispel that myth.
Acemoglu throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Acemoglu wants to take a breather but Koppia is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Koppia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Acemoglu.
Acemoglu not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Acemoglu throwing shots but Koppia is blocking nicely.
Nice strikes from Acemoglu there.
Koppia avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Acemoglu.
Koppia keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Acemoglu is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Koppia can do to turn this around?
Acemoglu lands strikes from half guard.
Acemoglu sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Koppia defending well though.
Acemoglu keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Acemoglu thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Acemoglu is keen to just control but Koppia is a slippery customer.
Acemoglu thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Daron Acemoglu overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Acemoglu is trying to control the action in half guard but Koppia is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Acemoglu scores with a four punch combination!
Acemoglu throws a body punch but Koppia moves out of range.
It seemed like Koppia was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Ottaa Koppia is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Acemoglu moves away from the strike by Koppia.
Daron Acemoglu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Acemoglu dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Acemoglu takes a jab right on the kisser.
Acemoglu misses with a body shot.

Koppia gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Acemoglu missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Acemoglu scoring with punches to the head and body.
Acemoglu working some strikes from top position.
Koppia utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Koppia preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Acemoglu throws a big right hand that misses.
Acemoglu is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Acemoglu trying to control but Koppia is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Acemoglu with a flurry of punches that miss.
Acemoglu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Koppia works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Acemoglu trying to control the position from guard on top but Koppia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Koppia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Acemoglu.
Acemoglu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Koppia pulls Acemoglu in close to prevent any damage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Daron Acemoglu dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Acemoglu misses with a wild combination.
Koppia moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Acemoglu looks to score with a jab to the body but Koppia is just out of range.
Acemoglu slips under a jab.
Koppia scores with a jab to the head.
Koppia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Acemoglu.
Koppia fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Acemoglu on the side of the head.
Koppia drops Acemoglu with a straight left! Oh this is bad for Acemoglu! Koppia dives in and starts dropping bombs - the referee has no choice but to step in and save him!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Ottaa Koppia!
Ottaa Koppia decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.