PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Henry Poppy IV (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eks Man (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man has chosen The Prodigy 'Invaders Must Die' as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Poppy IV
vs
Man

190 cm
23
210 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

181 cm
23
217 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very strong

ADCC Champion
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Henry Poppy IV!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Eks Man!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Gwen Towbar and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Man tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Poppy IV was well out of range. Poor timing from Man.
Poppy IV misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Man.

Man drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Poppy IV is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Man's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Man frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Man throws some wild stikes that Poppy IV manages to avoid easily.
Man landing strikes from the mount and Poppy IV is in trouble!
Man lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Poppy IV hang on?
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Poppy IV tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Poppy IV tries to lock up and control but Man gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Man controlling the pace for now.
Man putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Man controlling from the full mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Eks Man.
Poppy IV throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poppy IV tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Man was well out of range. Poor timing from Poppy IV.
Poppy IV misses with a body shot

and Man counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Man.
Man slips nicely into half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Man performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Man missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Poppy IV is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Man is looking to take a break and control but Poppy IV is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Poppy IV is trying to get back to full guard.
Man keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poppy IV is looking for a sweep. Man is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Eks Man wasn't active enough on the ground.
Man uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Poppy IV.
Man catches Poppy IV with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Poppy IV looks to land a left hand but Man moved out of range nicely.
Man shoots in for a double leg but Poppy IV sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Man looks to land a left hand but Poppy IV moved out of range nicely.
Man ducks under a wild hook from Poppy IV.
Man misses with a hook. Poppy IV ducked under it nicely.
Poppy IV throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Poppy IV throws a right and a left that Man avoids nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Poppy IV thows a body shot but no joy.
Poppy IV scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
A jab from Man misses.
Man with a nice cross.
Poppy IV takes one on the button.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Man gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Henry Poppy IV is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Poppy IV misses with a two punch combination.
Poppy IV lands with an uppercut that bounces Man off the cage and back into range.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Poppy IV throws a body punch but Man moves out of range.
Man thows a body shot but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eks Man dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Poppy IV throws a looping overhand right but Man ducks down to avoid it.
Man ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Poppy IV moves away.
Man shoots in and drives through. Poppy IV sprawls well.
Man jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Poppy IV looks to throw the jab but Man is out of range.
Poppy IV looks to land a right hand but Man moved out of range.
Poppy IV misses with a looping left.
Man fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Poppy IV manages to avoid it.
Poppy IV staying out of range there.
Man keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Man tries to land a front kick but Poppy IV steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Man throws an overhand right that lands on Poppy IV's shoulder, as Poppy IV tries to avoid the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poppy IV lands with a cross.
Poppy IV is looking to wear down Man with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Poppy IV throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Man sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Man showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Poppy IV.
Man jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Man is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Poppy IV.
Poppy IV looks to throw the jab but Man is out of range.
Man looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Man closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Man lands in his opponent's guard.
Man has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Man wants to control from the top but Poppy IV keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poppy IV looking to hit a scissor sweep but Man is one step ahead there.
Man is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Man loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Man pushing down on Poppy IV's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Man wants to pass to mount but Poppy IV is defending the position.
Man takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Poppy IV wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Man controlling the action here.
Poppy IV regains full guard. Nicely done.
Man sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Poppy IV's guard.
Man wants to control but Poppy IV is keeping him busy.
Man controlling the pace.
Man looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Man frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Man content just to control the position here.

Man is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Poppy IV has managed to escape the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Man controlling from mount.
Man can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Poppy IV is looking to escape.
Poppy IV is desperately trying to improve his position but Man has a good base and remains in mount.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Man tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Man connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Man lands with some strikes.
Man can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Poppy IV is looking to escape.
Man controlling from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eks Man showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Left hook, right uppercut from Poppy IV.
Poppy IV throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Man stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Poppy IV ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Man moves away.
Man staying out of range there.
A swing and a miss from Poppy IV.
Poppy IV thows a body shot but no joy.
Man shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Poppy IV as he jumps to the side.
Poppy IV ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Man moves away.
Man falls off balance throwing a combination
and Poppy IV counters with a series of strikes. Man will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Man connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Man misses with an uppercut.
Poppy IV wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Poppy IV ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Man moves away.

Man shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Poppy IV is trying to defend but Man finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Man wants to control but Poppy IV is keeping him busy.
Man takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Man looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Man trying to control the action but Poppy IV is working from the bottom.
Poppy IV manages to get to full guard.
Poppy IV wants to sweep here but Man controlling him for the moment.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Poppy IV is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Man defends well.
Poppy IV has Man pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Man pushing down on Poppy IV's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Poppy IV is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Eks Man has got the better of the ground game so far.
Man perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Man working Poppy IV over with strikes.
Man is trying to control. Poppy IV wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Man prevents Poppy IV from improving his position.
Poppy IV knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Man on the ground.
Man is taking a breather. Poppy IV says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

Poppy IV actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Man trying to control the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Eks Man wasn't active enough on the ground.
Poppy IV throws a shot from downtown. Man moves away and avoids it.
Eks Man is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Man will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Man keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Poppy IV misses the shot to the body.
Poppy IV swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Henry Poppy IV has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Henry Poppy IV seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Man shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Poppy IV's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Eks Man.
I've got Man 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eks Man!