PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Diego Lopes (ranked 4028 p4p, 3785 weight class) and Kai Chen (ranked 286 p4p, 274 weight class). Lopes comes into the arena with Por Mi Mexico Remix blaring out of the sound system. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Kai Chen was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Lopes
vs
Chen

180 cm
26
150
1 - 3 - 0

172 cm
17
150
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Basic striking
Good gas tank

BANZAI COMBAT NUTRITION

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diego Lopes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Kai Chen!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Yukihiro Yamamoto and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lopes takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Lopes doesn't manage to clinch there - Chen circles away.
Chen doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.

Chen shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Lopes napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lopes is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Lopes is refusing to be controlled, as Chen sits in half guard.

Chen wants to work for an arm triangle but Lopes is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Lopes is staying active underneath Chen, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Chen seems to be looking for submissions.

Lopes looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Chen looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Chen seems to be working for a kimura but Lopes defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, Chen seems content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Chen uses his free foot to push down on Lopes's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Lopes.
Lopes is trying to escape the mount but Chen keeps good control and instead manages to take Lopes's back.
Lopes prevents Chen from getting a body triangle.
Lopes looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.

Chen working for a choke but Lopes is defending well.

Chen is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Lopes has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopes prevents Chen from getting a body triangle.

Chen working for the choke.

Chen tightening his grip on Lopes, looking for the choke.

Chen is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Lopes defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes is trying to break free.

Chen has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Lopes has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Chen is not going to allow Lopes to sit and survive in this position.
Chen is trying to control but Lopes is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Chen takes Lopes's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, Lopes is in trouble.

Chen is persistently looking for the submission but Lopes is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Chen is hanging on to Lopes's back as he tries to escape.

Lopes showing good submission defense here.

Lopes defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Chen is working for a rear naked choke. Lopes is not defending it well and Chen has tightened it up quickly! This could be all over! Lopes refuses to tap and goes to sleep, forcing the referee to intervene. A little trickle of blood came out of Lopes's nose as his head slumped to the floor. That is naaaasty!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Kai Chen!
Kai Chen 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.