PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Cudlitz (ranked 4393 p4p, 3441 weight class) and Ingo Szopa (ranked 479 p4p, 403 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Cudlitz
vs
Szopa

183 cm
23
186
5 - 2 - 0

177 cm
23
182
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Brawler
Good gas tank

HELLBENT
Conquer

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 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Michael Cudlitz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ingo Szopa!
The judges for this bout are John Roberts, Chad Campbell and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cudlitz moves out of range of the strikes.
Szopa throws a left and a right that both miss

and Cudlitz decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Szopa's guard.
We've been hearing that Cudlitz has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Szopa pulls Cudlitz in close to prevent any damage.
Cudlitz working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cudlitz stopping the sweep attempt from Szopa.
Cudlitz wants to control from the top but Szopa keeps moving.
Cudlitz stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Szopa swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Szopa has Cudlitz pulled in close to control his posture.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Szopa can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cudlitz preventing the sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cudlitz looking to sit in guard and control but Szopa gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Szopa is working Cudlitz over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Szopa throwing strikes but missing.
Szopa in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Szopa missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Szopa postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Szopa is looking to work some ground and pound but Cudlitz has wrist control.
Cudlitz pulls Szopa in to control the position.
Szopa lands a couple of elbows.
Szopa trying to move into half guard but instead Cudlitz has managed to sweep!

Cudlitz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cudlitz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Szopa works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Szopa is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Szopa has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Szopa winds up and cracks Cudlitz with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Szopa throws a strike but Cudlitz avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Cudlitz wants to control but Szopa passes easily into half guard.
Szopa throwing shots but Cudlitz is blocking nicely.
Szopa drops an elbow to the side of Cudlitz's head.
Cudlitz wants to get back to full guard.
Szopa not landing any meaningful shots this time.
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!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Szopa lands a nice short elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szopa is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Cudlitz tries to kick Szopa off but Szopa keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Szopa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Cudlitz keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Szopa thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Cudlitz's head.
Szopa lands strikes from half guard.
Cudlitz desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Szopa trying to control the action but Cudlitz is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Szopa moves into full mount! Cudlitz won't be happy about that!
Szopa with good strikes from the mount here!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Szopa cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

It looks like Michael Cudlitz has been cut.
Szopa postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Cudlitz looks a forlorn figure.

Cudlitz is rocked!

Michael Cudlitz's cut is getting worse.
Cudlitz squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Szopa with the ground and pound from mount.
Oh Cudlitz is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Michael Cudlitz's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Szopa lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Cudlitz regains half guard.
Szopa lands strikes from half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ingo Szopa dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Michael Cudlitz's cut.
That's time! Cudlitz's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Szopa drives through with a takedown into Cudlitz's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Cudlitz wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Szopa manages to pass to side control.
Cudlitz seems to have got his legs back now.

Szopa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Cudlitz defending well though.
Cudlitz has hold of Szopa's hands but Szopa slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Cudlitz is pressing down on Szopa's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Szopa scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Szopa's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Jeez, Michael Cudlitz's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Michael Cudlitz's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Ingo Szopa!
A very excited looking Ingo Szopa 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.