PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Joey Cage (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Antonis Papageorgiou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Antonis Papageorgiou has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Joey Cage's chin.

Cage
vs
Papageorgiou

189 cm
21
230 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
22
210 lbs
4 - 3 - 1

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Joey Cage!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Antonis Papageorgiou!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cage lands a head kick. Papageorgiou smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Papageorgiou looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Cage tries to clinch there but Papageorgiou circles away.

Papageorgiou gets caught flat footed, as Cage shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Cage working some strikes from top position.
Cage throwing strikes from guard but Papageorgiou blocks nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Papageorgiou keeping moving, preventing Cage from controlling successfully.
Cage trying to stand up but can't free himself from Papageorgiou's guard.

Cage is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cage accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cage has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cage throws a big right hand that misses.
Papageorgiou keeping moving, preventing Cage from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Cage drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Cage throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cage wants to control from the top but Papageorgiou keeps moving.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cage accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cage thows a big elbow that misses.

Cage got a little sloppy there for a moment and Papageorgiou has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Cage has managed to get both his arms back between Papageorgiou's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Papageorgiou keeping moving, preventing Cage from controlling successfully.
Cage is really struggling to control Papageorgiou but he's trying to hold on to the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Horrible takedown by Cage or perhaps it was just good defense by Papageorgiou which made him look bad.
Cage looks to land a combination. Papageorgiou sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Cage shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Papageorgiou pinned against the cage. Papageorgiou gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Papageorgiou keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cage closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Cage controlling from side mount.
Papageorgiou is not content to let Cage control the position.
Papageorgiou manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Cage is trying to maintain the position but Papageorgiou is very close to passing his half guard.
Cage tries to get to full guard but Papageorgiou has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cage is looking to escape.
Cage knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Papageorgiou on the ground.
Cage has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Papageorgiou is working away from the top position though.
Cage missing with punches from the bottom.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cage shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Papageorgiou sprawls well. Papageorgiou wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Cage gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Cage. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Papageorgiou throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Cage counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Papageorgiou fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Horrible takedown by Cage or perhaps it was just good defense by Papageorgiou which made him look bad.
Cage tries to clinch but Papageorgiou is having none of it.
Papageorgiou walks forward, straight into a front kick from Cage.
Cage tries to clinch there but Papageorgiou circles away.
Cage looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Papageorgiou is fending him off so far but Cage persists. Nope, Papageorgiou circles away and we're back to standing.

Cage changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Papageorgiou looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

Cage decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Some wild striking there from Papageorgiou.

Papageorgiou has Cage up against the cage in a clinch.
Cage is pushing Papageorgiou up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papageorgiou changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Cage fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Cage closes this distance looking for a takedown but Papageorgiou circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Joey Cage. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Papageorgiou with a poor takedown
and Cage counters with a left to the body.
Papageorgiou takes a kick to the side of the head.
Cage blocks a head kick by Papageorgiou.

Cage shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Papageorgiou manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cage manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Papageorgiou drops back looking for a leg! Cage is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cage manages to kick Papageorgiou off! Papageorgiou jumps back into Cage's guard.

Cage looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Papageorgiou is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Papageorgiou stopping the sweep attempt from Cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cage working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Papageorgiou doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Papageorgiou manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Papageorgiou thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Papageorgiou would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Cage not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cage tries to clinch but Papageorgiou moves out of range.

Cage closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Cage drags the fight down to the ground.
Papageorgiou stopping the sweep attempt from Cage.
Cage keeping moving, preventing Papageorgiou from controlling successfully.
Papageorgiou might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Cage kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Cage dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Cage shoots in but no luck this time.
Cage displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Cage thumps Papageorgiou with a low kick.
Cage tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Cage lets loose with a powerful body kick. Papageorgiou will feel that in the morning.
Cage throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Papageorgiou's head.

Cage shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Papageorgiou napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cage controlling the position from side mount.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cage trying to control the action but Papageorgiou is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papageorgiou can't do much from the bottom here.
Cage wants to control but Papageorgiou is keeping him busy.
Cage creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Papageorgiou tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cage wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Cage is looking to take a break and control but Papageorgiou is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Papageorgiou manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cage's best efforts.

That's two 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.
Papageorgiou is not content to let Cage control the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cage lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Cage is looking to clinch.
Papageorgiou keeps the fight on the outside.
Papageorgiou stuffs the takedown.
Papageorgiou wants to clinch but Cage slips to the side

and Cage counters with a shoot takedown. Papageorgiou fights it but they end up in guard.
Papageorgiou doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Cage looking to sit in guard and control but Papageorgiou gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papageorgiou trying to control but Cage is working from the bottom.
Cage is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Cage is working hard here to advance position.
Papageorgiou trying to control but Cage is working from the bottom.
Papageorgiou works over Cage with some ground and pound from guard.

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.
Papageorgiou connects with a couple of short punches.
Cage working a defensive guard here.
Cage looking to hit a scissor sweep but Papageorgiou is one step ahead there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cage lands a head kick. Papageorgiou smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Papageorgiou misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cage lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Antonis Papageorgiou has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Papageorgiou takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Joey Cage is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Papageorgiou gets caught flat footed, as Cage shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joey Cage showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cage has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 30:27
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Joey Cage!