PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dr Dre (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shatuzidis Popovich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Shatuzidis Popovich will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Dre
vs
Popovich

155 cm
25
148 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

177 cm
25
151 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dr Dre!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Shatuzidis Popovich!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Winston Alpacca and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Dre dives in and scores a takedown into Popovich's guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Popovich is trying to control the position but Dre postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dre stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Popovich swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Dre scoring with punches to the head and body.
Popovich looking to hit a scissor sweep but Dre is one step ahead there.
Popovich keeping full guard, as Dre tries to pass.
Dre wants to control from the top but Popovich keeps moving.
Popovich seems keen to control Dre's posture.

Popovich is looking for a triangle but Dre pushes his legs off easily.
Popovich utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Popovich 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.
Dre has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Dre lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Dre is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dre drops back looking for a leg! Popovich is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Popovich manages to kick Dre off! Dre jumps back into Popovich's guard.

Dre is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Dre could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Dre wants to control from the top but Popovich keeps moving.
Dre lands a couple of digs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Popovich trying to keep a closed guard but Dre is proving a slippery customer.
Popovich 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.
Popovich keeping full guard, as Dre tries to pass.
Dre stopping the sweep attempt from Popovich.
Dre definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Dre might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Dre working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Popovich looking for a guillotine here but Dre defends easily.
Dre looking to pass the guard.
Dre sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Dre slips nicely into half guard.

Dre seems to be looking for submissions.
Popovich is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Dre's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Dre's back!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dre is trying to break free.

Popovich looking for the choke but no joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popovich wants to control but Dre is keeping busy.
Popovich is trying to stick to Dre's back but Dre is turning into Popovich. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Popovich's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Dre.
Dre lands a couple of elbows.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Popovich utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Popovich is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Popovich keeping moving, preventing Dre from controlling successfully.
Dre chips away with some ground and pound.
Dre tries to free his leg and advance position but Popovich is retaining full guard.
Dre trying to control but Popovich is working from the bottom.
Popovich looking for a sweep. Not yet Popovich, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dre works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Dre is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Dre wants to lay and pray for a moment but Popovich keeps working.

Dre is working for a submission of some sort.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Dre seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Dre controlling the pace.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Dre is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Popovich sees it coming and defends easily.
Popovich is looking to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dr Dre dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Popovich doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Dre counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Dre is pressing down on Popovich's thigh, looking to free his foot. Popovich is holding on for now.

Dre is looking for a kimura but Popovich is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Dre to get the leverage.

Dre wants to work for an arm triangle but Popovich is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Popovich keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Dre not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Popovich moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Popovich preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Dre chips away with some ground and pound.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Popovich 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.
Dre pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Popovich is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Popovich is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Dre is working Popovich over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Dre postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Dre working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Popovich keeping full guard, as Dre tries to pass.
Dre trying to control but Popovich is working from the bottom.
Dre with a nice head shot there.
Dre passes Popovich's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Dre is looking to take a break and control but Popovich is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Dre landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popovich is trying to maintain the position but Dre is very close to passing his half guard.
Popovich is not content to let Dre control the position.
Dre is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Popovich trying to hold on to Dre's head to control him but Dre postures up.
Dre with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Dre 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.
Popovich gets full guard.
Dre sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Popovich's guard.
Popovich is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Dre is looking for a kimura here.

Dre is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Popovich doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Dre.
Popovich is staying active underneath Dre, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Popovich has hold of Dre's hands but Dre slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

Dre wants to work for an arm triangle but Popovich is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Popovich is not content to let Dre control the position.
Nice strikes from Dre there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popovich trying to control here.
Popovich makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Popovich.
Dre looking to pass the guard.
Dre slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Popovich is trying to keep Dre in close.

Dre thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dre in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Popovich is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Dre tries to free his leg and advance position but Popovich is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dr Dre dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Dre manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Popovich on his heels. He'll look to pass Popovich's guard now, I'm sure.
Dre stopping the sweep attempt from Popovich.
Dre lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Popovich keeping full guard, as Dre tries to pass.
Dre trying to control but Popovich is working from the bottom.
Popovich trying to control the position.
Dre slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Dre creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Popovich sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Popovich is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Dre has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Dre working the ground and pound.
Popovich wants to control but Dre postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dre tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Dre has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Dre lands a nice forearm strike.

Dre goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Popovich has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Dre but great work by Popovich.
Dre tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Dre wants to control but Popovich postures up.
Dre is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Popovich is looking to take a break and control but Dre is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Popovich has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Dre!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popovich is looking to work his way around to Dre's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.
Dre tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Popovich fails to advance to Dre's back.
Dre reaches up to try and control the position but Popovich seems to have an arm triangle now! Uh oh! Dre rolls and tries to escape and now Popovich has his back!

Popovich looking for the choke but no joy.
Popovich takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dre tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Popovich looking to break Dre's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Dre remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Popovich will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Popovich struggling to keep hold of the position.
Popovich keeps control of the position as Dre tries to break free.
Dre trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Popovich is trying to stick to Dre's back but Dre is turning into Popovich. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Popovich's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Dre.
Dre stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Popovich swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Popovich tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Dre controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Dre trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Popovich is looking to sweep but instead, Dre has passed into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dre seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Popovich does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Dre is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Popovich taking shots to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Dre takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Popovich is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Popovich keeps trying to improve his position.
Dre lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Dre content just to control the position here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Dre trying to control but Popovich is having none of it.
Shatuzidis Popovich has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Popovich is working to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dr Dre showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Dre 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 Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Winston Alpacca scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dr Dre!
A relieved looking Dr Dre thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.