PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Pops (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Daley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Daley has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Joe Pops's chin.

Pops
vs
Daley

180 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
24
192 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Pops!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Paul Daley!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, David Schapiro and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pops gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Daley trying to control but Pops is working from the bottom.
Daley throws a big right hand that misses.
Daley postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Daley throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Daley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Daley pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pops is keeping the position for now.
Daley postures up in Pops's guard and throws a big left but Pops blocks it.
Pops keeping moving, preventing Daley from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Daley tries for a takedown but Pops sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daley looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pops looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Daley shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Daley rushes Pops and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Daley works on Pops's body with a couple of short punches.

Daley has clasped his hands together around Pops's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Daley throws an elbow but Pops slips to the side and avoids it well.
Daley looks gassed!
Pops is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Daley misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Pops avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Daley.
Pops is trying to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Daley working the ground and pound.

It looks like Joe Pops has been cut.
Daley throws a strike aimed at the side of Pops's head but Pops avoids it well.
Pops knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Daley on the ground.
Check out the look on Daley's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Pops managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Daley.
Daley throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Daley working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Pops is trying to buck Daley off.
Pops trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Pops on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Pops tries to get out of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daley misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Daley throws an elbow but Pops slips to the side and avoids it well.
Pops tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Pops holding both Daley 's hands and preventing any damage.
Daley is working the ground and pound. Can Pops escape?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Daley throwing sloppy strikes.
Daley scores with punches and elbows.
Daley throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Pops!
Daley lands a shot to the head.
Pops is trying to get back to his feet but Daley has full control of the position and if anything, Pops has just worked his way into a worse spot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Daley dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Pops's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pops cracks Daley with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Pops stuffs the takedown attempt from Daley. Daley gets slowly back to his feet.
Pops tries to clinch up but Daley circles away and keeps his distance.
Daley shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pops but Pops pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pops wants to clinch

and Daley counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Pops's guard now.
Daley in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pops is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Daley is looking to work some ground and pound but Pops has wrist control.
Pops avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Pops wants to stand but Daley is controlling the position.
Daley is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daley looking to pass the guard.
Pops wants to stand up but Daley is controlling him.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Daley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pops tries to clinch up.
Pops fails with an attempt to clinch.
Pops lands a jab to Daley's midsection.
Daley walks into a straight right hand from Pops.
Pops lands a jab.
Nice sprawl there from Pops as Daley shoots in.
Joe Pops has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Daley.

That's two 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.
Daley swats away the attempt to clinch by Pops.
Pops dips to his left and cracks Daley with an uppercut!
Pops is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Pops there.
Pops scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Daley closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Daley throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pops is trying to stand up here but Daley is controlling him well.
Paul Daley has got the better of the ground game so far.
Daley missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Pops is trying to stand up here but Daley is controlling him well.
Daley is looking to advance position but Pops won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pops is looking to escape.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Daley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Pops lands with a nice combination. Daley backs away looking to recover.
Pops tries to clinch up but Daley circles away and keeps his distance.
Left hook, right uppercut from Pops.
Paul Daley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pops lands with an uppercut that bounces Daley off the cage and back into rage.
Pops throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pops doesn't manage to clinch there - Daley circles away.
Pops lands an overhand right.
Pops tries to clinch up

and Daley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Daley missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Daley lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Daley thows a huge punch but Pops dodges it nicely.
Daley missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Daley stops Pops from getting back to his feet.
Daley missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Daley not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Daley prevents Pops from standing back up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pops tries to close the distance and clinch up but Daley swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Pops comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Daley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Joe Pops's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Pops looks to clinch

and Daley counters with a shoot takedown. Pops fights it but they end up in guard.
Daley throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Daley is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Daley postures up in Pops's guard and throws a big left but Pops blocks it.
Pops working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Daley.
Daley trying to control but Pops is working from the bottom.
Daley stops Pops from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daley with a flurry of punches that miss.
Daley takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pops lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Pops.
Pops scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Daley doesn't seem bothered though.
Joe Pops is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pops scores with a shot to the body.
Daley changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pops tries to avoid it but Daley manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pops to the ground. Pops escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Pops is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Pops lands a jab to Daley's midsection.
Pops tries to clinch there but Daley circles away.
Daley has a takedown stuffed.
Daley walks into a left hand.

Daley tries to keep at a distance but Pops has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pops tries to break the clinch but Daley is controlling the position.
Pops wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Daley has him pressed against the cage.

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.
Pops wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Pops tries to break free but Daley pushes him back against the cage.
Pops wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Daley has him pressed against the cage.
Pops wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pops working hard to break the clinch.
Daley blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pops is pressed up against the cage. Daley has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pops down to the mat. Pops avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Joe Pops has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Paul Daley.
Pops smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Daley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Paul Daley seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pops doesn't manage to clinch there - Daley circles away.
Daley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pops doesn't manage to clinch there - Daley circles away.
Pops scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Pops is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Daley shoots for a double leg takedown but Pops sprawls well. He's pushed Daley's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Pops looks to clinch

and Daley counters by clinching up.
Pops misses with a punch on the inside.
Pops looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A frustrated look appears on Pops's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Joe Pops has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pops pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pops stalling in the clinch but Daley improves position.
Pops tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Daley's elbow.
Pops swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Pops is trying to break the clinch but Daley has him pressed against the cage.
Pops is trying to break free.
Pops tries to break the clinch but Daley is controlling the position.
Pops wants to get back to striking at distance but Daley won't allow it.
Daley goes for a takedown in the clinch but Pops prevents it.
Pops is looking to break free of the clinch but Daley has double underhooks.
Pops struggles to land a body shot inside as Daley controls his hands.
Pops wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pops tries to break the clinch but Daley is controlling the position.
Pops tries to break the clinch but Daley is controlling the position.
Pops gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Daley.
Pops is trying to force a seperation but Daley has the dominant position.
Pops tries to break free but Daley pushes him back against the cage.
Pops stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Pops is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

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.
Pops prevents a takedown attempt there.
Pops is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Pops has a couple of punches blocked by Daley.
Daley blocks a body shot from Pops.
Pops is trying to force a seperation but Daley has the dominant position.
Daley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pops pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pops wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pops wants to break the clinch but can't.
Pops tries a body shot but Daley blocks it.
Pops is trying to break the clinch but Daley is controlling him.
Pops is trying to break the clinch but Daley has him pressed against the cage.
Pops wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Pops is trying to break the clinch but Daley is controlling him.

Daley escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Daley gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Pops.
Daley has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Pops finds it's way round the side to connect with Daley's head.
Pops lands a lovely overhand right.
Pops tries to close the distance and clinch up but Daley swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Paul Daley is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pops wants to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul Daley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Daley 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul Daley!