PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mabahong Tae (ranked 4492 p4p, 4009 weight class) and Lefty Lopez (ranked 468 p4p, 443 weight class). 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.

Tae
vs
Lopez

187 cm
23
195
2 - 3 - 0

180 cm
22
197
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Dangerous GnP
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Furnace Performance ðŸ”¥
Silverguard Outfitters ðŸ›¡

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 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mabahong Tae!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Lefty Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tae tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lopez throws a hook but Tae avoids it easily.

Tae darts in and clinches Lopez up against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Lopez.
A head punch on the inside from Lopez fails to land.
Tae tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Lopez is trying to push Tae away but Tae has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Lopez has a couple of punches blocked by Tae.
Tae tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lopez tries to break the clinch but Tae is controlling the position.
Lopez is trying to force a seperation but Tae has the dominant position.
Tae throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Lopez blocks it with crossed arms.
A frustrated look appears on Lopez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Lopez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Tae misses with a short punch on the inside.
Tae tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lopez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lopez bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Tae's head.

Tae clinches with his opponent.

Lopez breaks from the clinch.
Tae tries to clinch but Lopez moves out of range.
Tae tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tae misses with a few strikes there.
Lopez has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez keeps the fight on the outside.
Lefty Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopez scores with a nice strike.
Tae is looking to clinch but Lopez is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tae looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lopez digs a good body shot into Tae's ribs.
Tae ducks under a wild hook from Lopez.
Tae is looking to clinch.
Lopez throws a leg kick but Tae moved away.
Lopez swats away the attempt to clinch by Tae.
Tae tries to clinch but Lopez moves out of range.
Lopez scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Tae tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lopez lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Lopez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Tae as he jumps to the side.
Lopez wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Lopez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tae slaps away a takedown attempt from Lopez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Tae tries to counter by clinching up but Lopez breaks away and moves out of range.
Mabahong Tae is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tae takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lopez listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Tae doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.
Lopez tries to bum rush Tae with a series of wild strikes but Tae uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Tae has Lopez up against the cage in a clinch.
Our sources have told us that Tae has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Tae throws a knee to the head but misses.
Tae using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lopez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Tae misses with a knee to the head.
Tae looking to throw knees to the head but Lopez is blocking nicely.
Lopez is trying to force a seperation but Tae has the dominant position.
Tae throws a knee to the head but misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Tae.

Lopez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tae avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lopez misses with a straight left.
Tae avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Lopez moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tae takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Tae is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Tae moves into range and clinches up with Lopez.

Lopez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Lopez's corner calls for a 1-2. Lopez obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Tae tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Lopez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Tae moves in looking to clinch but Lopez pushes him off.
Tae wants to clinch.
Lopez looks for the body kick but Tae saw that one coming.
Lopez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Lopez misses with a straight left.
Tae tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Lopez keeps the fight on the outside.
Tae is looking to clinch but Lopez is avoiding it.
Tae avoids a punch combination nicely.
Tae wants to clinch up but Lopez keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Tae tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Lopez throws a jab when Tae was well out of range.
Tae appears to be looking for a big counter.
Tae moves in looking to clinch but Lopez pushes him off.
A slapping leg kick lands for Lopez.
This has been an exciting period of action!

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Tae misses with a knee to the head.
Tae with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Tae connects with a nasty looking knee right to Lopez's face.

It looks like Lefty Lopez has been cut.

Lopez successfully pulls guard.
Tae slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tae throws a big elbow that misses.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lefty Lopez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Lefty Lopez's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Tae tries to clinch but Lopez is having none of it.
Tae throws a sloppy head kick and Lopez moves out of range easily.

Tae drops Lopez with a beautiful combination! Lopez stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Tae is looking for the KO!
Tae moves in looking to clinch but Lopez pushes him off.
Lopez scores with a jab to the jaw.
Tae tries to clinch but Lopez is having none of it.
Tae is looking to clinch but Lopez is avoiding it.
Lopez throws a lazy right hand but Tae sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lopez lands a two punch combo.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lopez pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Tae slips a jab from Lopez.
Tae tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lopez misses with the combination.
Tae tries to clinch up.
Lopez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tae.
Tae slips a straight right by Lopez.
Tae tries to clinch but Lopez is having none of it.
Tae tries to clinch up.
Tae wants to clinch up but Lopez keeps it at a distance.
Lopez lands a head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tae tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lopez lands with an overhand left.
Lopez throws a lazy right hand but Tae sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lopez works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
No joy there for Lopez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
A left and a right from Tae both land. Nice combination.
Lopez misses with a straight right.
Lopez swats away the attempt to clinch by Tae.
Tae slips under a jab.
Lopez misses with an uppercut.
Lopez misses with a leg kick.
Lopez ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Tae tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Lopez misses with a looping right.

Tae drives through and clinches with Lopez against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Lopez wants to break free but Tae has control.
Tae keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lopez's efforts to push away.
Lopez softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is trying to break free.
Tae blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Tae using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lopez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Lopez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Tae defending well as Lopez loads up on a big left hand.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tae looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Tae ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Lopez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Tae is looking to clinch but Lopez is avoiding it.

Tae has managed to clinch.
Tae keeps control of Lopez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lopez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Still in the clinch, Tae scores with a nice short uppercut.
Tae lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lopez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
A head punch on the inside from Tae fails to land.
Tae has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Lopez is trying to break free.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Tae.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez tries to break free but Tae pushes him back against the cage.
Tae effectively controlling the action here.
Tae lands with a right to the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Lopez.
Tae using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lopez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Lopez manages to break the clinch.
Lopez throws a lazy right hand but Tae sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Lopez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Lopez looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Lopez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Tae manages to avoid it.
Tae blocks a low kick nicely.
Lopez swats away the attempt to clinch by Tae.
Lefty Lopez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A jab from Lopez misses.
Lopez misses with a two punch combination.
Lopez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tae fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lopez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Tae tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Tae checks the leg kick nicely there.
Lopez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Tae.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez keeps the fight on the outside.
Lopez is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Tae.
Lopez fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Tae closes the distance and clinches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez blocks a body shot from Tae.
Lopez is trying to break the clinch but Tae has him pressed against the cage.
Lopez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Tae with a knee to the head.

Lopez manages to break the clinch.
Tae tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Tae slips under a jab.
Tae tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Lopez manages to circle out of the way.
Lopez swings for the body but Tae moves out of range.
Tae steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lopez.
Tae is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lopez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tae is looking to counter punch.
Mabahong Tae is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Tae is looking to clinch.
Lopez keeps the fight on the outside.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Lefty Lopez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Lefty Lopez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

A jab from Lopez finds it's way through Tae's defenses.
Tae tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Tae is looking to clinch.
Lopez keeps the fight on the outside.

Tae moves into the clinch.
Lopez is trying to push Tae away but Tae has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Tae trying to land knees to the body.
Tae with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Tae lands with a short shot to the head.
Tae scores a nice knee to the body.
Lopez lands a right hand.
Lopez working hard to break the clinch.
Lopez has had enough of the clinch but Tae keeps him there for the moment.
Tae pushes Lopez back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tae tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lopez is trying to break the clinch but Tae is controlling him.
Lopez is looking to break free of the clinch but Tae has double underhooks.

Lopez manages to pull guard.
Tae won't allow Lopez to get back to his feet.
Tae trying to control but Lopez is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tae controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Lopez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Tae is controlling him.
Lopez can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Tae controls the pace.
Tae pushes down on Lopez's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Tae wants to free his trapped foot but Lopez is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Tae stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Lopez to get to his feet.
Tae tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lopez moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
A swing and a miss from Lopez.
Lopez lands a slapping body shot.
Lopez throws out a loose jab but Tae uses good head movement to avoid it.
Tae tries to clinch up.
Tae moves out of range as Lopez strikes.
Sloppy strikes from Tae. Those never looked like landing.

Lopez tries to keep at a distance but Tae has taken the fight into the clinch.
Lopez tries to break free but Tae pushes him back against the cage.
Tae keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Lopez's efforts to push away.
Tae throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Lopez blocks it with crossed arms.
Tae tries a knee to the head but Lopez blocks it.
Lopez can't break the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Tae tries to stall but Lopez uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

Lopez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tae swings for the body but Lopez moves out of range.
Tae fails in his attempt to clinch.
Lopez throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Lopez.

Lopez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Tae manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Tae has his feet on Lopez's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Tae wants to clinch up but Lopez keeps it at a distance.
Lopez looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Tae misses with a kick to the body.
Lopez connects with a jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tae takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Lopez throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
An attempted straight right counter from Tae misses the target.
Lopez throws a hook but Tae avoids it easily.
Tae throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Nice sprawl there from Tae as Lopez shoots in.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tae tries to clinch but Lopez moves out of range.
Lopez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lopez lands a nice hook to Tae's body. Tae takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Lopez throws a big shot that misses.
Tae takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Lopez takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Tae is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Tae throws a hook to the side of Lopez's head but Lopez sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Lopez keeps the fight on the outside.
Tae is looking to clinch.
Tae gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Tae looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
It seemed like Lopez was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Tae misses with a double jab.
Tae is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Mabahong Tae has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lefty Lopez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tae takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lefty Lopez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lopez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lefty Lopez!
Lefty Lopez tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.