PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ricardo Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mats Lindgraf (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Lopez
vs
Lindgraf

175 cm
21
146 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

225 cm
24
130 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Self confident

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ricardo Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mats Lindgraf!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Albert Achterberg and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The fighters circling - Lopez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Lindgraf closes the distance looking to clinch
and Lopez counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Lindgraf thinking.
A big right from Lopez misses.
Lindgraf feints the counter takedown.
Lopez swings widly with a right hand

and Lindgraf counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Lindgraf.
Lopez has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Lindgraf pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
Lopez seems keen to control Lindgraf's posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lindgraf pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Lopez is keeping the position for now.
Lindgraf postures up in Lopez's guard and throws a big left but Lopez blocks it.
Lopez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lindgraf passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Lindgraf trying to control the position but Lopez is working away.
Lindgraf controlling the position from side mount.
Lindgraf is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Lindgraf thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Lindgraf is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Lopez will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Lindgraf is trying to get an arm triangle but Lopez is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lopez regains half guard there - taking advantage of Lindgraf's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Lindgraf in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is trying to get back to full guard.
Lindgraf trying to mount his opponent but Lopez defends it.
Lindgraf throwing shots but Lopez is blocking nicely.
Lindgraf trying to pass the guard but Lopez defending well.
Lindgraf works his foot free and advances to mount.
Lindgraf misses with a head shot.

Lindgraf is working for a guillotine from mount but Lopez frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lindgraf controlling from the full mount.

Lindgraf working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Lindgraf can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lopez is looking to escape.
Lindgraf scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Lopez?
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lopez can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mats Lindgraf dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lopez fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Lopez lands with a shot to the body.
Lopez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Lindgraf.

Lindgraf manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Lopez on his heels. He'll look to pass Lopez's guard now, I'm sure.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Lindgraf wants to control from the top but Lopez keeps moving.
Lindgraf has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lindgraf passes Lopez's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lindgraf is trying to control the action in half guard but Lopez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Lopez is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lopez is pressing down on Lindgraf's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lindgraf advances position into side control!
Lopez managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Lindgraf.

Lindgraf is trying to get an arm triangle but Lopez is defending well.
Lindgraf passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Lopez!
Lopez is looking to get to half guard.
Lindgraf can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Lopez is looking to escape.

Lopez defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Lindgraf.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lindgraf trying to control but Lopez is having none of it.
Lindgraf might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Lopez haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Lopez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Lindgraf on the ground.
Lopez wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Lindgraf.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lindgraf trying to control but Lopez is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lindgraf fails to take his opponent's back.
Lopez tries to hold on but Lindgraf pushes him away.
Lindgraf misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Lindgraf content just to control the position here.
Lindgraf looking to control but Lopez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lindgraf pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.

Lindgraf wants to finish this one by submission but Lopez is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Lindgraf.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lopez has given up his back. Will we see Lindgraf going for some submissions?
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mats Lindgraf showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Lindgraf shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Lindgraf was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Lindgraf tries for a kimura but Lopez is defending well.
Lopez parries the strikes from Lindgraf easily there. Lindgraf is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Lopez to escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lindgraf wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Lopez, who protects the arm well.

Lindgraf goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Lopez has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Lindgraf but great work by Lopez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lindgraf wants to control but Lopez postures up.
Lopez tries to move to mount but Lindgraf blocks the move with his legs.
Lopez working away.
Lindgraf being controlled for a moment.
Lindgraf gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lindgraf trying to control but Lopez postures up.
Lindgraf works his way to full guard. Good work.

Lindgraf is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Lopez defends well.

Lindgraf has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Lopez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Lindgraf trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lindgraf wants to sweep but no luck.

Lindgraf had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lopez defends it easily.
Lindgraf is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Lindgraf is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Lopez wants to control from the top but Lindgraf keeps moving.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Mats Lindgraf is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Lopez gets caught napping as Lindgraf dives in and scores a takedown. Lopez manages to retain guard.
Lindgraf trying to control the position from guard on top but Lopez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lindgraf is pushing down on Lopez's leg trying to pass to half guard. Lopez is fighting to maintain full guard but Lindgraf has managed to sneak the leg through.
Ricardo Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mats Lindgraf is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lopez tries to get to full guard but Lindgraf has control of the leg.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mats Lindgraf comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Lindgraf winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 27:30
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mats Lindgraf!
Our winner, Mats Lindgraf, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.