PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicolas Karkamanis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Fix Popy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Karkamanis
vs
Popy

190 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
18
231 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 Tokyo, Nicolas Karkamanis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Fix Popy!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Ren Mimura and Taro Takaoka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popy misses with a head kick.
Popy fails with a takedown attempt.
Karkamanis misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Popy.

Karkamanis shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Karkamanis was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Karkamanis avoids the attempt from Popy to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Karkamanis dominating with strikes here.
Popy really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Popy sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Popy wants to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Popy has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Karkamanis is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popy wants to get back to full guard.
Karkamanis seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Popy does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Popy is looking to clinch but Karkamanis is avoiding it.
A shot to the liver by Karkamanis. Beautiful body shot.
Karkamanis tries for a takedown but Popy sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Popy gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Karkamanis to score an easy takedown into full guard.

Popy is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Popy looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popy tries to break free but Karkamanis pushes him back against the cage.
Karkamanis works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.

Popy gets control of Karkamanis's arms and successfully pulls guard. Popy will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Karkamanis wants to control from the top but Popy keeps moving.
Karkamanis distracts Popy with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Karkamanis works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Popy punching from the bottom.
Karkamanis is keen to just control but Popy is a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Karkamanis content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Karkamanis trying to control from half guard but Popy is working away.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Karkamanis looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Nicolas Karkamanis.
Karkamanis shoots and misses

and Popy counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Karkamanis tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Popy avoids it.
Karkamanis lands an elbow that stopped Popy in his tracks for a moment.
Karkamanis gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Popy.
Karkamanis is trying to break the clinch but Popy has him pressed against the cage.

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.
Popy fails to pull guard.
Nicolas Karkamanis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fix Popy.
Popy is trying to drag Karkamanis to the mat but Karkamanis just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Karkamanis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice uppercut lands for Karkamanis. That snapped Popy's head back.
Karkamanis swats away the attempt to clinch by Popy.
Karkamanis blocks a head kick by Popy.
Popy tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Karkamanis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Karkamanis goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolas Karkamanis dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Karkamanis misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nicolas Karkamanis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Popy connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Popy misses with a takedown attempt

and Karkamanis counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Karkamanis.
Karkamanis looking to sit in guard and control but Popy gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Popy won't allow Karkamanis to get back to his feet.
Popy trying to stand up but can't free himself from Karkamanis's guard.
Popy wants to control from the top but Karkamanis keeps moving.
Karkamanis knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Popy on the ground.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Karkamanis is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Popy 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.
Popy trying to control but Karkamanis is working from the bottom.
Popy is fighting to break Karkamanis's control of his arms but Karkamanis is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Popy trying to control the position from guard on top but Karkamanis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
Karkamanis looking to hit a scissor sweep but Popy is one step ahead there.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Fix Popy was stalling too much, according to the referee.
Karkamanis throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Popy's waist but Popy gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Karkamanis off to one side.
Popy swats away the attempt to clinch by Karkamanis.

Karkamanis gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Popy to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Popy gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
No luck for Karkamanis with that takedown attempt.
Popy shoots and misses

and Karkamanis counters by moving into the clinch.
Karkamanis is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Popy gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nicolas Karkamanis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Karkamanis fails to pull guard.
Karkamanis working hard to break the clinch.

Popy breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Karkamanis tries to close the distance and clinch but Popy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Karkamanis shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Popy counters with a nice double leg into side control. Karkamanis won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popy tries to move to mount but Karkamanis blocks the move with his legs.
Karkamanis tries to bench press Popy off him but Popy keeps the position.
Popy advances to mount.
Popy looking to finish Karkamanis with some ground and pound. This is bad for Karkamanis!
Karkamanis is wriggling around trying to escape.
Karkamanis is squirming around, avoiding Popy's attempts to control the action.
Popy lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fix Popy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Karkamanis fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Popy has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Popy throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Karkamanis feints and then cracks Popy's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Popy down.

Popy shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Popy can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Karkamanis is looking to escape.
Popy avoids the attempt from Karkamanis to control.

Popy goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Karkamanis turns into him and now he's in Popy's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Karkamanis won't allow Popy to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popy keeping full guard, as Karkamanis tries to pass.
Popy is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Karkamanis controls from within his opponent's guard.
Karkamanis throwing strikes from guard but Popy blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Karkamanis chips away with some ground and pound.
Karkamanis looking to sit in guard and control but Popy gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Karkamanis wants to sweep but no luck.
Popy with a flurry of punches that miss.
Karkamanis controls Popy momentarily but Popy frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popy trying to control the position from guard on top but Karkamanis is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Popy is looking to work some ground and pound but Karkamanis has wrist control.
Karkamanis tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Popy seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Fix Popy wasn't active enough on the ground.
Popy misses with a takedown attempt
and Karkamanis counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Karkamanis connects with a high kick.
Popy misses with a takedown attempt

and Karkamanis holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Karkamanis is looking to break free of the clinch but Popy has double underhooks.
Popy missing with knees to the body.

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.

Karkamanis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Karkamanis clinches with his opponent.
Karkamanis could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Karkamanis's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Popy instigates a clinch.
Popy jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Karkamanis walks away with a smile on his face. Popy gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Nicolas Karkamanis has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Fix Popy.
Karkamanis looks to clinch

and Popy counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Karkamanis!
Karkamanis is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Popy content just to control the position here.
Karkamanis wants to hold on but Popy pushes him away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Fix Popy comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Popy has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 28:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fix Popy!