PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hoelie Gan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jesus Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

Gan
vs
Pope

198 cm
27
248 lbs
13 - 10 - 0

225 cm
31
283 lbs
16 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hoelie Gan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jesus Pope!
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Roosa Järviläinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pope shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Gan napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Pope misses with the ground and pound.
Gan manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Gan working over Pope with some ground and pound. Pope looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Gan not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Gan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Pope wants to get back to full guard.
Pope is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Pope manages to get to full guard.
Gan stopping the sweep attempt from Pope.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gan landing some decent shots from guard.

It looks like Jesus Pope has been cut.
Pope looking for a sweep. Not yet Pope, not yet.
Pope is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Gan scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gan wants to control from the top but Pope keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Gan manages to get himself to full guard.
Gan is pulling down on Pope's head. It's preventing any offense from Pope, at least for the moment.
Pope must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Gan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pope is aware though and is defending well.
Pope prevents Gan from getting back to his feet.

Gan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Gan has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Pope with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Pope got a little sloppy there for a moment and Gan has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pope has managed to get both his arms back between Gan's legs - danger averted.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Gan has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Pope can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Gan controls Pope momentarily but Pope frees himself.
Pope throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gan keeping moving, preventing Pope from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope wants to pass the guard but Gan is keeping the position.
Pope working some strikes from top position.

Gan looking for a guillotine here but Pope defends easily.
Pope stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pope postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Pope stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Pope throwing strikes from guard but Gan blocks nicely.
Pope pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Gan is keeping the position for now.
Gan looking to control.

Gan looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gan looking for a guillotine here but Pope defends easily.
Pope keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gan's head.
Gan is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Pope is controlling him.
Gan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Pope passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Pope wants to lay and pray for a moment but Gan keeps working.
Pope looks up at the clock and then as Gan takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Pope smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Gan wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Gan can't do much from the bottom here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Gan sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Gan is trying to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Gan actively working from the bottom here.
Pope sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Gan defending well though.

Gan makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Pope throws a leg kick which misses Gan's front leg but catches the back leg as Gan tries to avoid it.

Pope fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Gan sprawls well initially but Pope persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pope is keen to just control but Gan is a slippery customer.
Pope might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Gan kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Pope tries to pass the half guard into mount. Gan knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Pope lands strikes from half guard.
Gan trying to control but Pope postures up.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gan won't allow Pope to pass to mount.
Pope trying to control the action but Gan is working from the bottom.
Gan is trying to stand back up but Pope is controlling him
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jesus Pope will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Jesus Pope's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Pope feints and as Gan raises his hands in defense, Pope changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Pope postures up in Gan's guard and throws a big left but Gan blocks it.
Pope keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Gan's head.

Gan looking for subs off his back but Pope has passed one foot through into half guard.
Gan punching from the bottom.
Pope not landing any meaningful shots this time.

Pope is looking for a kimura here.
Pope landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Gan scores with a few weak punches.
Gan is trying to control but Pope manages to pass to mount!
Gan might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pope prevents Gan from getting the reversal.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pope lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Jesus Pope has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Gan is squirming around, avoiding Pope's attempts to control the action.
Gan slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Pope wants to free his trapped foot but Gan is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Gan tries to get to full guard but Pope has control of the leg.
Ground and pound from Pope.
Gan wants to get back to his feet.
Pope scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Gan won't allow Pope to pass to mount.
Pope prevents Gan from standing back up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pope uses his free foot to push down on Gan's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Gan.

Pope working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Gan is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope trying to control but Gan is having none of it.
Gan is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Pope looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Gan wants to hold on but Pope pushes him away.
Gan swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Pope tries to control but Gan wriggling away.
Gan is working to get back to half guard.
Gan is squirming around, avoiding Pope's attempts to control the action.
Pope is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Gan can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gan can't escape the position.
Gan in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Pope dominating with strikes here.

Gan is rocked!
Pope postures up and lands a whopping elbow - oh that's hurt Gan bigstyle! Two more strikes land for Pope and the fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:31 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Jesus Pope!
Jesus Pope decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.