PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Badr Hari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rak Popek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Badr Hari has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Hari
vs
Popek

197 cm
22
230 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

177 cm
22
234 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good knees
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Badr Hari!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rak Popek!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hari tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Popek gets a clinch.
Popek working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Popek stops a takedown attempt from Hari.
Popek on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hari with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Rak Popek has been cut.
Hari misses with a knee strike.
Hari tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Popek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Popek fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hari, pushing him back against the cage.
Popek changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hari fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hari darts in trying to clinch

and Popek counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hari wants to get back to his feet.
Popek tries to stand and escape but Hari actually recovers to full guard.
Popek passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hari parries the strikes from Popek easily there. Popek is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hari to escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popek throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Hari works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Popek is looking to advance position but Hari won't allow it.

Popek wants to work for an arm triangle but Hari is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hari tries to kick Popek off but Popek keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Popek content to control rather than advance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Popek sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hari defending well though.
Popek wants to control but Hari is keeping him busy.
Popek keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Hari moves into full guard.
Hari is breathing heavily.
Popek trying to control but Hari is working from the bottom.
Popek stops Hari from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popek landing some decent shots from guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Popek is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Popek passes easily into side control. Nice work.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Hari struggling a bit here.
Hari is pushing Popek's head away, looking to escape. Popek manages to hold on to the position though.
Popek content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Popek decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Hari throws a head kick that misses.

Popek takes the fight into the clinch.
Popek has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hari avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Popek breaks from the clinch.
Popek throws a sloppy head kick and Hari moves out of range easily.
Popek moves into range and lands a nice body kick.

Popek scores a takedown into full mount!
Hari is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Popek shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Popek showed some decent athleticism there.
Popek is controlling the pace.
Hari is trying to stand back up but Popek is controlling him

Popek is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Popek escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hari tries to clinch but Popek moves away

and Popek counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Popek wants to get back to striking at distance but Hari won't allow it.
Hari letting Popek take a breather here.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hari.
Popek can't break the clinch.
Popek lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hari backwards.
Popek tries for a takedown but Hari manages to get underhooks.

Hari breaks from the clinch.
Hari tries to clinch but Popek moves out of range.
Hari throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Popek.
Hari tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Popek counters by clinching up.
Hari lands a hook to the side of the head.
Popek is looking to break free of the clinch but Hari has double underhooks.
Hari lands a nice knee to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Popek breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Popek stuffs the takedown attempt from Hari. Hari gets slowly back to his feet.
Hari has his takedown stuffed

and Popek decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hari's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Popek trying to control the position from guard on top but Hari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Popek working some strikes from top position.
Popek controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Popek trying to control the position from guard on top but Hari is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Popek gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Popek fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hari sprawls well initially but Popek persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Popek scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Hari trying to control but Popek postures up.
Hari wants to improve his position but Popek is controlling well.
Popek keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Popek wants to pass the guard but Hari is defending well.
Hari wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popek working Hari over with strikes.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Popek lands a nice short elbow.
Popek trying to control from half guard but Hari is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hari clinches but Popek breaks the clinch

and Popek counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hari's guard now.
Hari preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Popek prevents Hari from getting back to his feet.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Popek is in close to Hari's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Popek looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rak Popek showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Rak Popek's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hari wants to clinch.

Popek scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Hari tries to kick Popek off but Popek keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Popek has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Popek is trying to work for a kimura but Hari is defending well.
Still in half guard, Popek seems content to control.
Hari trying to hold on to Popek's head to control him but Popek postures up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hari is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Popek's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Popek's back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Hari is controlling the position but Popek somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Popek controlling the position well.
Popek moves into full guard.

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.
Popek is adopting a defensive guard.
Popek is trying to control the position but Hari postures up.
Hari is looking to stand up but Popek won't let him.
Popek throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Hari would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Popek controls Hari momentarily but Hari frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hari gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Popek scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hari parries the strikes from Popek easily there. Popek is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hari to escape.

Popek stands up and beckons Hari to his feet.
Badr Hari has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hari tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Badr Hari is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Popek looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Popek is controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hari trying to control from the bottom.

Hari is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but Popek pulls his head out easily.

Popek decides to stand up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rak Popek comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Popek 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rak Popek!