PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pavel Lopes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Troy Midnight (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lopes
vs
Midnight

190 cm
20
202 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

180 cm
21
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pavel Lopes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Troy Midnight!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Kenichi Hosakawa and Sosuke Kotani.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Midnight misses with a low kick.
Midnight defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Lopes.

Lopes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Lopes showed some decent athleticism there.
Midnight slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Lopes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Lopes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Midnight works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lopes chips away with some ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Midnight working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lopes.
Lopes won't allow Midnight to sweep him here.
Midnight bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lopes's guard.
Lopes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Midnight is controlling him.
Midnight tries to free his leg and advance position but Lopes is retaining full guard.
Midnight works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Midnight trying to mount his opponent but Lopes defends it.

Lopes kicks off Midnight and gets to his feet.
Lopes avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Midnight misses with a low kick as Lopes jumps back.
Lopes will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Lopes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Midnight swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pavel Lopes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopes has a takedown stuffed.
Midnight finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

Midnight shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Midnight wants to pass the guard but Lopes is defending well.
Midnight is trying to control. Lopes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Midnight is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Midnight is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Lopes doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Midnight.
Midnight looks gassed!
Midnight is looking to pass Lopes's guard but actually Lopes recovers to full guard.
Midnight wants to pass the guard but Lopes is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes wants to stand and escape but Midnight is having none of it.

Lopes pushes Midnight off and gets back to his feet.
Midnight circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lopes tries for a takedown but Midnight circles away easily
and Midnight counters with a series of strikes. Lopes will be more careful next time no doubt.
Lopes shoots and misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

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.
Midnight moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Lopes wants to clinch but Midnight slips to the side

and Midnight counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Midnight should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Lopes has his feet on Midnight's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Midnight attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Midnight throws a leg kick but Lopes sees it coming and moves out of range.
Lopes with a poor takedown
and Midnight makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Midnight scores with a leg kick.
Lopes fails with the takedown
and Midnight counters with a nice low kick that buckles Lopes's knee momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Midnight dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Lopes shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Midnight napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Lopes scores with a couple of short elbows.
Midnight is trying to get back to half guard.
Midnight gets back to half guard.
Midnight is pressing down on Lopes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Lopes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Lopes landing with the ground and pound.
Midnight looking for a sweep. Not yet Midnight, not yet.

Midnight is looking for a triangle but Lopes pushes his legs off easily.
Midnight is breathing heavily.

Midnight is looking for a triangle but Lopes pushes his legs off easily.
Lopes won't allow Midnight to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lopes chips away with some ground and pound.
Lopes scoring with punches to the head and body.
Midnight avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lopes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Lopes tries to free his leg and advance position but Midnight is retaining full guard.
Midnight looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lopes is one step ahead there.

Lopes got a little sloppy there for a moment and Midnight has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lopes has managed to get both his arms back between Midnight's legs - danger averted.
Lopes scoring with punches to the head and body.
Lopes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Troy Midnight has got the better of the ground game so far.
Lopes is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Midnight bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Lopes's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lopes pushes Midnight off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Lopes shoots and misses

and Midnight counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Midnight won't allow Lopes to get back to his feet.

Midnight drops back looking for a leg! Lopes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Lopes manages to kick Midnight off! Midnight jumps back into Lopes's guard.
Midnight prevents Lopes from getting back to his feet.
Midnight trying to control the position from guard on top but Lopes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Midnight wants to stand and escape but instead Lopes has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Midnight looking for a sweep. Not yet Midnight, not yet.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lopes.
Lopes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Midnight's waist but Midnight gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lopes off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pavel Lopes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopes shoots in looking for a takedown. Midnight tries to sprawl out of it but Lopes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Midnight manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Midnight closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Lopes did well to prevent Midnight getting side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Midnight works his way into full mount!
Midnight controlling the pace for now.
Midnight with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Lopes wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.

Lopes defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Midnight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Troy Midnight showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Lopes with a poor takedown
and Midnight counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Lopes with a poor takedown
and Midnight counters with a three punch combo that has Lopes backing up. Lopes nods at Midnight to acknowledge the strikes.
Pavel Lopes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lopes tries for a takedown but Midnight circles away easily
and Midnight connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pavel Lopes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopes misses with a double jab
and Midnight counters with a good low kick that Lopes was not able to check.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A clash of legs there as Lopes blocks the low kick.
Midnight scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopes fails with the takedown

and Midnight counters with a nice double leg into side control. Lopes won't be happy with that.
Midnight passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Lopes!
Lopes has given up his back.
Midnight is trying to control but Lopes is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Midnight is trying to take his opponent's back.
Midnight tries to control but Lopes wriggling away.
Lopes is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Lopes stops Midnight from taking his back. Still, being mounted isn't any better.
Midnight moves to the back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopes is trying to get back to his feet but Midnight has full control of the position and if anything, Lopes has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Lopes defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

Midnight is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Lopes knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Lopes for a finish.
Midnight struggling to keep hold of the position.
Midnight is controlling the position but Lopes somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
Midnight is looking to advance position but Lopes won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Midnight is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Lopes tries to kick Midnight off but Midnight keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Midnight works his way into side control.
Midnight has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Midnight wants to control the pace but Lopes is squirming around nicely.
Lopes is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Midnight moves to the back position.
Midnight trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Lopes controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Will Midnight go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

Midnight has his opponent's back but Lopes is looking to stand. He manages to get to his feet and shakes off Midnight.
Lopes is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Lopes doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Midnight counters with a nice leg kick.
Pavel Lopes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lopes shoots and misses
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Troy Midnight is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Midnight misses with a combination
and Lopes counters with a one-two to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Troy Midnight comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Midnight has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 27:30
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Troy Midnight!