PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcin Jopek (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Carlin (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.

Jopek
vs
Carlin

174 cm
22
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
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 Helsinki, Marcin Jopek!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jason Carlin!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Matti Vanhoillinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jopek fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Jopek closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Jopek goes for a takedown in the clinch but Carlin prevents it.
Carlin is trying to pull guard but Jopek has him pressed against the cage.

Jopek turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Jopek manages to end up in side control.
Jopek 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.
Carlin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Jopek wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Jopek stands up and we're back to a striking position.
A head kick misses from Carlin.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Jopek.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcin Jopek. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carlin explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Jopek clinches up with Carlin and pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jopek wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Jopek can't get the takedown.
Jopek is looking to take this one to the mat.
Jopek drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Carlin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carlin fails to land the takedown.
A head kick misses from Carlin.

Carlin forces Jopek back against the cage and clinches.
Jopek tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Carlin smiles and moves away.
Jopek shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Carlin sprawls well. Carlin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Jopek gets slowly back to his feet.
Jopek is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carlin blocks a head kick by Jopek.
Jopek could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Carlin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Jopek avoids it really well and circles away.

Carlin pushes Jopek up against the cage in a clinch.
Carlin is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Jopek is defending well.
Jopek prevents the takedown attempt.
Jopek is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Carlin gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Carlin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Carlin slaps away a takedown attempt from Jopek, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Jopek keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Jopek gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Jopek fails to pull guard.
Carlin tries for a takedown. No joy.
Carlin is looking to break free of the clinch but Jopek has double underhooks.
Carlin tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Carlin taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Jopek - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.

Jopek jumps guard and drags Carlin to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Jopek has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

Jopek looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jopek is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Carlin misses with a two punch combination.
Marcin Jopek is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jopek throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Carlin misses with a wild combination.
Jopek looks for a takedown but Carlin sprawls well.
Jopek tries to score a power double leg takedown but Carlin sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jopek somewhat.
Carlin shoots in for a double leg but Jopek sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Carlin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jopek.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcin Jopek. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carlin shoots in for a takedown but Jopek shows good takedown defense.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jopek shoots in for a takedown but Carlin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Jopek stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Jopek wants it to stay on the feet.

Jopek moves into the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Jopek is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Jopek is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Carlin is defending well.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Carlin ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Carlin no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jopek wants to control from the top but Carlin keeps moving.
Jopek looking to pass the guard.
Jopek postures up.
Jopek trying to control but Carlin is working from the bottom.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Jopek postures up in Carlin's guard and throws a big left but Carlin blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Jopek stands up and waves to Carlin to follow him.
Jopek shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Carlin pinned against the cage. Carlin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Jopek tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Carlin counters with a slapping leg kick.
Carlin throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Jopek.
Jopek shoots in but no luck this time.
Carlin tries to score a power double leg takedown but Jopek sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Carlin somewhat.
Jopek closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carlin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Jopek avoids it really well and circles away.

Jopek takes the fight into the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Jopek.
Jopek drops down looking for an ankle pick but Carlin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Jopek shoots for a double leg takedown but Carlin sprawls well. He's pushed Jopek's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Carlin shoots for a takedown but Jopek saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcin Jopek dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! And we move into the final round!

Jopek fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
No luck for Carlin with that takedown attempt.
Carlin throws a head kick but Jopek moves out of range.
Jopek wants to clinch up but Carlin keeps it at a distance.
Carlin displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Jopek.
Jopek fails with an attempt to clinch.
Jopek throws a head kick that misses
and Carlin finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jopek tries to clinch up but Carlin circles away and keeps his distance.
Jopek jabs at Carlin's body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horrible takedown by Carlin or perhaps it was just good defense by Jopek which made him look bad.

Carlin darts in and clinches Jopek up against the cage.
Jopek throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Carlins head.
A frustrated look appears on Jopek's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Carlin breaks from the clinch.
Nice shot lands for Jopek.
Carlin tries to close the distance and clinch but Jopek swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Jopek instigates a clinch.

Carlin breaks from the clinch.
Jopek misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcin Jopek. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jopek fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Carlin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Jopek sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Jopek shoots in looking for a takedown. Carlin tries to sprawl out of it but Jopek keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Carlin manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Carlin fails with a takedown attempt.
Jopek changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Carlin tries to avoid it but Jopek manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Carlin to the ground. Carlin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jopek tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Carlin has a takedown stuffed.
Jopek fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Carlin shoots in and drives through. Jopek sprawls well.
Jopek takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Jopek shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Carlin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jopek as he jumps to the side.

Jopek drives through and clinches with Carlin against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Carlin drags the fight down to the ground.
Jopek slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Carlin is looking for a sweep.

Jopek decides to stand back up.
Carlin swinging wildly here.
Jopek defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Carlin.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jopek shoots in looking for a takedown but Carlin manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Jopek's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Marcin Jopek.
Well Jopek 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcin Jopek!