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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Skjelbred (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Denny Prokopos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Skjelbred might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Bad To The Bone. Prokopos has chosen Deep River Blues - Doc Watson as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!
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| 175 cm
30
124 lbs
20 - 9 - 0 |
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180 cm
31
144 lbs
20 - 5 - 0 |
BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin |
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Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin |
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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of
20 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Skjelbred!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
20 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Denny Prokopos!
The judges for this bout are Mauricio Rocha, Luis Engracia and Edson Gomes.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Skjelbred is looking to clinch but Prokopos is avoiding it.
Prokopos doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Skjelbred tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Skjelbred scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Skjelbred closes the distance looking to clinch
letting Prokopos counter with a right hand.
Prokopos leaves Skjelbred with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Skjelbred tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Prokopos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Prokopos punishes Skjelbred's body with a nice straight punch.
Prokopos misses with a kick to the body.
Skjelbred tries to clinch up but Prokopos circles away and keeps his distance.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Prokopos.
Skjelbred tries to close the distance and clinch up but Prokopos swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A punch combination from Prokopos misses.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Prokopos misses with a takedown attempt - Skjelbred sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Skjelbred cracks Prokopos with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Prokopos shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Skjelbred is staying active underneath Prokopos, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Prokopos is working for a kimura but Skjelbred is defending it quite comfortably.
Prokopos is pressing down on Skjelbred's thigh, looking to free his foot. Skjelbred is holding on for now.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Skjelbred manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Skjelbred bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Prokopos's guard.
Skjelbred tries to stand but Prokopos is controlling from the bottom.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Skjelbred passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Skjelbred looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Prokopos is trying to improve his position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Prokopos knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Prokopos is trying to get back to half guard.
Skjelbred is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Prokopos knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Prokopos manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Prokopos tries to get to full guard but Skjelbred has control of the leg.
Skjelbred trying to control from Prokopos's half guard. Prokopos has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Prokopos is looking for a triangle but Skjelbred pushes his legs off easily.
Skjelbred really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Prokopos working for a triangle but Skjelbred defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
That was a close round but I would say that John Skjelbred will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.
Skjelbred tries to clinch there but Prokopos circles away.
Skjelbred with a hook.
Prokopos swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Skjelbred.
Prokopos lands a head shot.
It looks like John Skjelbred has been cut.
Skjelbred tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Prokopos paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Prokopos lands a head kick!
Skjelbred has his takedown stuffed
and Prokopos counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Prokopos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Skjelbred moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Prokopos fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Skjelbred manages to avoid it.
Skjelbred dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Skjelbred tries to close the distance and clinch but Prokopos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Prokopos throws a right and a left that Skjelbred avoids nicely.
Prokopos pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Skjelbred tries to clinch up but Prokopos circles away and keeps his distance.
Skjelbred looks for a takedown but Prokopos sprawls well.
Prokopos throws a hook but Skjelbred blocks it.
Prokopos looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Skjelbred is fending him off so far but Prokopos persists. Nope, Skjelbred circles away and we're back to standing.
Skjelbred tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Prokopos counters with a one-two to the body.
Skjelbred moves into the clinch.
Prokopos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Prokopos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Prokopos bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Prokopos off and has taken his back!
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Skjelbred's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
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!
Prokopos can't escape the position.
Prokopos showing good submission defense here.
Denny Prokopos has got the better of the ground game so far.
Skjelbred is trying to stick to Prokopos's back but Prokopos is turning into Skjelbred. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Skjelbred's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Prokopos.
Skjelbred wants to sweep but no luck.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Prokopos advances position into side control!
Prokopos trying to control the position but Skjelbred is working away.
Prokopos tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Prokopos has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Skjelbred!
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Prokopos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Skjelbred keeps working.
Prokopos 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.
Prokopos wants to take a breather but Skjelbred is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Denny Prokopos showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on John Skjelbred's cut.
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!
Skjelbred moves in looking to clinch but Prokopos pushes him off.
Skjelbred moves into the clinch successfully.
Skjelbred slowing the pace effectively.
Skjelbred putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Prokopos in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Prokopos looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Prokopos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Skjelbred is working Prokopos over against the cage.
Skjelbred lands a shoulder strike.
Skjelbred breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
John Skjelbred is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Prokopos throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Prokopos dodges the punch combination from Skjelbred.
Skjelbred tries to clinch but Prokopos moves away
and Prokopos counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Prokopos avoids the body shot from Skjelbred.
Skjelbred throws a nice looking combination but Prokopos bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Skjelbred tries to close the distance and clinch but Prokopos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
John Skjelbred is winning the standup battle so far.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Skjelbred looks to clinch
and Prokopos cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Prokopos throws a series of punches but Skjelbred avoids them all with ease.
Prokopos with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Skjelbred fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Prokopos throws a series of punches but Skjelbred avoids them all with ease.
Prokopos misses with a two punch combination.
Skjelbred gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Skjelbred.
Skjelbred utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Prokopos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Skjelbred shoots in but Prokopos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Skjelbred lands with a good body shot.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Prokopos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Prokopos throws a left and a right that both miss
and Skjelbred counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Prokopos leaves Skjelbred with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Skjelbred. That's going to take a lot out of him.
The fight stays on the outside here - Skjelbred looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Prokopos dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Prokopos looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Prokopos throws a combination. Skjelbred tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Prokopos takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Skjelbred fails in his attempt to clinch.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred doesn't manage to clinch there - Prokopos circles away.
Prokopos scores with a three punch combo!
Skjelbred shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Prokopos eats them both and turns towards Skjelbred to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Prokopos will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Skjelbred lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Prokopos circles away quickly and effectively.
Skjelbred moves into range and clinches up with Prokopos.
Skjelbred keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Prokopos's efforts to push away.
Prokopos is trying to break free.
Skjelbred throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Skjelbred tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Prokopos avoids it.
Prokopos breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Prokopos throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Skjelbred tries to clinch but Prokopos moves out of range.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skjelbred closes the distance but Prokopos moves to the side
and Prokopos counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Skjelbred!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Prokopos avoids the attempt from Skjelbred to control.
Skjelbred 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.
Prokopos is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Skjelbred has managed to free his arm - good work.
Skjelbred trying to control here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Prokopos decides to stand up.
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 John Skjelbred.
I think Skjelbred has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:30
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denny Prokopos!
In his post fight interview, Denny Prokopos gave a big smile as he said 'I always thought the removal of toes with a bolt cutter was rather humane '.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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S |
C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
69% |
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