PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between James Granger (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jan Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Granger has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Granger
vs
Pope

162 cm
24
158 lbs
7 - 4 - 0

181 cm
19
161 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Heisenberg

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Granger!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jan Pope!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Luis Engracia and Seu Braga.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Granger shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pope as he avoids it easily.
Pope scores with a nice right hand.
Granger blocks a head kick by Pope.
Granger shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pope sprawls well. Pope wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Granger gets slowly back to his feet.
Pope misses with a leg kick.
Granger shoots for a takedown but Pope saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Granger has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Granger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pope displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Granger.
Granger avoids a punch combination nicely.
Pope lands with a nice body kick.
Granger takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Granger takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Granger shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
James Granger seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice takedown defense from Pope. No joy for Granger on that attempt.
Granger fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Nice sprawl there from Pope as Granger shoots in.
Jan Pope is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Granger looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Pope is fending him off so far but Granger persists. Nope, Pope circles away and we're back to standing.
A jab from Pope misses.
Pope scores with a jab to the body.
Granger shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Granger doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pope counters with a series of strikes. Granger will be more careful next time no doubt.
Granger is breathing heavily.

Granger fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Pope sprawls well initially but Granger persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Pope controlling the position for now.
Pope is trying to maintain the position but Granger is very close to passing his half guard.
Pope wants to improve his position but Granger is controlling well.
Granger performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pope is looking to control Granger's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pope avoid being mounted?

OK we're going to have a standup here. Jan Pope hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Granger closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Pope did well to prevent Granger getting side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Well, if Granger is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Granger is looking to take a break and control but Pope is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Pope is holding on to half guard well.
Pope trying to control from the bottom.
Pope is trying to get back to full guard.
Pope really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Granger. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Pope wants to control the action here but instead Granger manages to pass to full mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granger takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Pope is trying to escape the mount.
Pope is trying to stand up.

Granger is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Pope is surviving well by controlling Granger's body position as best he can.
Pope is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Granger scoring with strikes but Pope is staying in there.
Pope 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.
Granger takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Pope tries to kick Granger off but Granger keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Pope is looking to control Granger's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pope avoid being mounted?
Granger wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pope keeps working.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Pope makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Granger shoots for a double leg takedown but Pope sprawls well. He's pushed Granger's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Granger takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Pope leaves Granger with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Granger shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pope but Pope pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Pope has tried to improve his agility in the runup to this fight.
Pope uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Granger has time to react.
Granger steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Pope.
Granger misses with a takedown
and Pope cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Granger has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Pope finds it's way round the side to connect with Granger's head.
Granger shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pope sprawls well. Pope wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Granger gets slowly back to his feet.
Pope keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Jan Pope will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Pope takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Granger shoots in for a takedown but Pope shows good takedown defense.
Pope misses with a wild combination.
Pope is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Granger misses with a takedown attempt
and Pope counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Granger fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Granger. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pope pivots, looking for a leg kick but Granger is out of range and Pope settles back down.
Jab from Pope.

Granger bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Pope is looking to regain half guard here but Granger keeps moving and retains side control.
Granger working the head and body with strikes.
Pope is not content to let Granger control the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Pope can do anything to dispel that myth.
Pope tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Granger wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope struggling a bit here.
Pope takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Granger tries for a kimura but Pope is defending well.
Pope wants to control but Granger postures up.
Granger blocks the strikes from Pope.
Granger working the ground and pound.
Granger scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Pope to see if he's OK.

Granger tries for a kimura but Pope is defending well.
Granger throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Granger wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Pope, who protects the arm well.
Pope is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Pope gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Pope has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Granger is working away from the top position though.
Pope avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Granger.
Granger uses his free foot to push down on Pope's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Pope.
Pope wants to control but Granger is having none of it.
Pope is in all sorts of trouble here.
Granger wants to control the pace but Pope is squirming around nicely.
Granger prevents Pope from getting the reversal.
Pope is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granger fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Pope working to try and regain half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Granger lands a nice shot to the head.
Pope is looking to get to half guard.
BOOM! Granger connects with a massive shot to the dome!

Granger has control of Pope's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Pope regains control of the situation pretty easily.
A nice elbow there by Granger.
Granger can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Pope is looking to escape.
Pope in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Granger controlling the pace for now.
Pope really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Granger with a couple of short strikes.
Pope takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Granger prevents Pope from getting the reversal.
Granger cracks Pope with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Granger lands with some strikes.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pope regains half guard.
Granger not landing any meaningful shots this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Granger dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Pope slaps away a takedown attempt from Granger, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Granger has a takedown stuffed.
Pope connects with a crisp jab.
Granger fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Granger. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Granger throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Pope tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Granger is in Pope's guard.
Pope is trying to keep Granger in close.
Granger trying to control the position from guard on top but Pope is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pope preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
James Granger overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Pope looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Granger with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Granger content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope is adopting a defensive guard.
Granger throws a big elbow that misses.
Pope trying to keep a closed guard but Granger is proving a slippery customer.
Granger throws a big right hand that misses.
Pope keeping full guard, as Granger tries to pass.
Granger throwing strikes from guard but Pope blocks nicely.

Granger drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Pope dives on top into guard.
Pope postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope lands a couple of elbows.
Granger preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pope is looking to stand up but Granger won't let him.
Granger is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Pope works over Granger with some ground and pound from guard.
Pope forces his way into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Granger trying to control from the bottom.
Pope missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Pope missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Granger slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Pope lands a couple of decent looking shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Granger had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Pope defends it easily.
Pope must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Granger working for a triangle but Pope defends it easily.
Pope is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Pope trying to move into half guard but instead Granger has managed to sweep!
Pope controls Granger momentarily but Granger frees himself.
Pope wants to stand up but Granger is controlling him.
Granger is fighting to break Pope's control of his arms but Pope is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Granger might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Pope keeping moving, preventing Granger from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope keeping full guard, as Granger tries to pass.
Granger slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Pope struggling a bit here.

Granger is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Pope looks calm but he's in trouble here. Granger gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Pope is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Granger lets go of the hold and Pope can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:44 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). James Granger!
James Granger took to the microphone after his victory and thanked his sponsors, Heisenberg for their support in the buildup to the fight.