PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Denis Opal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Terry Cheese (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Denis Opal has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Opal
vs
Cheese

156 cm
33
135 lbs
18 - 12 - 0

150 cm
31
124 lbs
19 - 20 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Golden Supplements

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 18 - 12 - 0, fighting out of London, Denis Opal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 20 - 1, fighting out of London, Terry Cheese!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, William Gold and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch lands to the side of Cheese 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Cheese tries to clinch up.
Opal shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Cheese sprawls well. Cheese wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Opal gets slowly back to his feet.
Opal throws a sloppy head kick and Cheese moves out of range easily.
Opal tries to clinch there but Cheese circles away.
Cheese shoots in but no luck this time.
Cheese keeps the fight on the outside.
Cheese fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Opal avoids it really well and circles away.
Cheese looks to score with a jab to the body but Opal is just out of range.
Cheese circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cheese fails with an attempt to clinch.
Cheese shoots for a double leg takedown but Opal sprawls well. He's pushed Cheese's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Denis Opal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Terry Cheese.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opal tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Cheese manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Cheese throws a nice outside leg kick.
Cheese fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Opal shoots in looking for a takedown. Cheese tries to sprawl out of it but Opal keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Cheese manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Cheese drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Cheese decides to stand back up.
Cheese leaves Opal with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Cheese swats away the attempt to clinch by Opal.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cheese scores with a jab to the head.
Opal misses with a series of wild punches.

Cheese forces Opal back against the cage and clinches.
Cheese is trying to break free.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Opal is trying to pull guard but Cheese turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Cheese is working for takedown but Opal is calmly controlling the position for now.
Opal has Cheese pressed against the cage, preventing Cheese from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Opal stalls.

Cheese jumps into guard, dragging Opal to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Opal works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Cheese wants to get back to full guard.
Still in half guard, Opal seems content to control.
Cheese is looking for a sweep. Opal is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Opal controlling the action here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Opal's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Cheese tries to roll over but Opal keeps him under control.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Denis Opal just wasn't active enough.

Opal darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opal uses his free foot to push down on Cheese's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Cheese.
Cheese holds on, trying desperately to control.
Cheese can't escape the position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cheese wants to control but Opal is having none of it.
Opal looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
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 Denis Opal will probably get the nod.
That's time! Opal's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Opal tries to score a power double leg takedown but Cheese sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Opal somewhat.

Opal gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Cheese to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Opal keeping moving, preventing Cheese from controlling successfully.
Cheese is looking to pass into half guard but Opal pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Opal is in guard.
Cheese not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cheese throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Opal stopping the sweep attempt from Cheese.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Opal controlling from the top position.
Cheese controls Opal momentarily but Opal frees himself.
Opal trying to control but Cheese is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Denis Opal.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Cheese.
Opal stuffs the takedown.
Opal tries for a takedown but Cheese sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Opal closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Cheese to the mat! Cheese manages to get full guard.
Cheese is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Opal trying to control but Cheese is working from the bottom.
Cheese tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Denis Opal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Opal decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cheese, up you get!
Cheese lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Opal backs up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cheese leaves Opal 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 Denis Opal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Donk. Opal catches Cheese right on the button with a cross.
Cheese fails with the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cheese shoots in and drives through. Opal sprawls well.
Cheese shoots in for a takedown but Opal shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Cheese is breathing heavily.
Opal looks for a takedown but Cheese sprawls well.

Cheese gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Opal has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Cheese avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Cheese is trying to pull guard but Opal turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
A bit of stalling here from Opal.

Cheese gets control of Opal's arms and successfully pulls guard. Cheese will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Opal's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Opal gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opal shoots in looking for a takedown but Cheese manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Opal's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Horrible takedown by Opal or perhaps it was just good defense by Cheese which made him look bad.
Cheese looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Opal looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Cheese is defending against the submission attempts here by Opal.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Cheese is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Denis Opal will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Opal shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Cheese as he jumps to the side.
Denis Opal is winning the standup battle so far.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Opal.
Cheese avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Opal closes the distance and clinches up with Cheese, looking for a takedown. Opal pushes Cheese against the cage but Cheese circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Denis Opal. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cheese looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Opal is fending him off so far but Cheese persists. Nope, Opal circles away and we're back to standing.
Cheese misses with a takedown attempt - Opal sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Opal scores with a takedown into Cheese's guard.
Cheese managing to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Opal stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cheese misses the shot to the body.
Opal displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Cheese.
Cheese misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Cheese takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Opal closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Cheese wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Opal has him pressed against the cage.
Opal drops down looking for an ankle pick but Cheese pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Opal throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Cheese's waist but Cheese gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Opal off to one side.
Opal fails with the takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Opal looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Opal moves into the clinch successfully.
Opal is looking to take this one to the mat.
Cheese drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Opal gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Cheese tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cheese is trying to pull guard but Opal turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Cheese looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Cheese connects with a knee to the head.
Opal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Cheese effectively controlling the action here.
Opal wants a takedown but no success here.
Cheese gets underhooks to prevent Opal's takedown attempt.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Cheese tries a knee to the head but Opal blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Opal prevents Cheese from breaking the clinch.
Opal lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Cheese backwards.

Opal turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Opal working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Opal moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cheese wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

And that's the end of the fight!
Denis Opal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Opal, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 30:27
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Denis Opal!
Denis Opal very nearly forgot to thank Golden Supplements amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.