PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jake Sully (ranked 2314 p4p, 3364 weight class) and Ingo Szopa (ranked 298 p4p, 406 weight class). Ingo Szopa has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Sully
vs
Szopa

185 cm
26
175
9 - 3 - 0

177 cm
27
182
5 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent MT
Very strong

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

NARCOS

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jake Sully!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ingo Szopa!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Dmitry Maklakov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sully loads up on a big right hand but Szopa slips the punch.
Sully takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Szopa throws an overhand right that lands on Sully's shoulder, as Sully tries to avoid the shot.
Sully misses with a wild body shot.
Sully keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Sully blocks a jab.
Sully misses with an uppercut. Szopa saw that one coming.
Szopa shoots in and drives through. Sully sprawls well.
Szopa scores with a nice head shot.
Szopa takes a swing at Sully's ribcage but misses.
Sully is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Szopa throws a big shot that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Szopa shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Sully sprawls well. Sully wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Szopa gets slowly back to his feet.
Szopa throws the left hand but Sully avoids the punch easily.
Sully takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Szopa's jab looks to have found its range, popping Sully under the eye.
Szopa ducks under a wild hook from Sully.
Szopa feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Sullys jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Sully takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Szopa punishes Sully's body with a nice straight punch.
Nice uppercut there from Szopa.
Sully scores with a hook.
Szopa fails with the takedown.
Jake Sully has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ingo Szopa.
Sully uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Szopa.
Szopa shoots in and drives through. Sully sprawls well.
Szopa shoots for a double leg takedown but Sully sprawls well. He's pushed Szopa's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
It looked like Sully was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Szopa.

Szopa fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Sully to the ground. Szopa is now in Sully's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Szopa with a flurry of punches that miss.
Sully working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Szopa.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sully working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Szopa.
Szopa looking to sit in guard and control but Sully gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Sully slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Szopa is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sully showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Szopa wants to control the position but Sully says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szopa keeping hold of Sully's head, controlling as best he can.
Szopa wants to get back to full guard.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Szopa gets back to full guard.
Szopa is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Sully controls from within his opponent's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sully won't allow Szopa to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Szopa pulls Sully in close to prevent any damage.
Szopa looking to control but Sully passes into half guard.
Szopa is trying to get back to full guard.
Szopa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sully keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ingo Szopa dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Szopa misses with a double jab.
Szopa connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ingo Szopa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Szopa misses the shot to the body.
Szopa scores with a jab. Sully acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Szopa missing with a left hand there. Sully was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Szopa connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Szopa will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Szopa just misses with a punch to the body.
Szopa throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Sully sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Sully on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Szopa closes this distance looking for a takedown but Sully circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Szopa scores with a punch to the head.
Szopa looks to score with a jab to the body but Sully is just out of range.
Szopa missing with a left hand there. Sully was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Szopa misses with a wild body shot.
Szopa lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sully throws out a loose jab but Szopa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Szopa waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Sully.
A little feinted left hand from Sully on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Szopa has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Szopa shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sully as he avoids it easily.
Sully throws a series of punches but Szopa avoids them all with ease.
Szopa feints the counter takedown.

Szopa gets the takedown into side control.
Sully dodges the ground and pound from Szopa.
Sully is looking for a sweep.
An elbow from Szopa crashes against the mat.
Szopa throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Sully regains half guard, as Szopa was trying to land strikes.
Szopa is keen to just control but Sully is a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szopa throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Sully to regain full guard.
Ingo Szopa has got the better of the ground game so far.
Sully not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Sully keeping moving, preventing Szopa from controlling successfully.
Sully seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Szopa wants to pass the guard but Sully is keeping the position.
Szopa throws a strike but Sully rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Szopa wants to improve his position but instead Sully has moved into half guard.
Szopa felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Szopa tries to roll over but Sully keeps him under control.

Szopa looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Szopa wants to get back to full guard but Sully has mounted him!
Szopa is working to get back to half guard.
Szopa is still trying to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Szopa tries to lock up and control but Sully gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Szopa is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Sully wants to control the pace but Szopa is squirming around nicely.
Szopa is looking to improve his position but Sully isn't that keen on the idea.
Szopa regains half guard.
Szopa wants to get back to full guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ingo Szopa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! 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.

Szopa rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Sully connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Sully ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sully, as that shot connected.
Szopa tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Sully defends well and Szopa ends up having to push Sully into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Szopa fails with the takedown
and Sully counters with a right hand to the body.
Szopa misses with a lunging right hand
and Sully counters with a three punch combo that has Szopa backing up. Szopa nods at Sully to acknowledge the strikes.
Szopa lands a nice shot to the body.
Szopa tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Sully was well out of range. Poor timing from Szopa.
Szopa paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Szopa misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Sully.
Szopa throws an off balance right hand
and Sully counters with a straight right hand.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Szopa fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Sully fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Szopa manages to avoid it.
Szopa connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big left from Szopa misses.
Sully throws out a loose jab but Szopa uses good head movement to avoid it.
Szopa misses with a left hand
and Sully counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Szopa thinking.
Sully defending well as Szopa loads up on a big left hand.
It looked like Sully was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Szopa.
Sully rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Szopa moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Szopa fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Sully manages to avoid it.
Szopa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Sully counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jake Sully has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ingo Szopa.
Sully connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Szopa lands an overhand right.
Szopa fails with a takedown attempt.
Jake Sully has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Szopa avoids the body shot from Sully.
Sully connects with a crisp jab.
Szopa misses with a looping left.
Szopa cracks Sully with an open hand slap.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Szopa closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Sully parries the strikes from Szopa easily there. Szopa is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Sully to escape.
Szopa throwing strikes but Sully manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Szopa is looking to reverse the position.
You can see the frustration on Szopa's face as Sully controls the position.
Szopa is looking to reverse the position.
Ingo Szopa is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sully misses with the ground and pound.
Szopa wants to control but Sully postures up.
Sully taking a breather here.
Szopa tries to buck Sully off but Sully is having none of it.
The ground and pound from Sully seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Szopa is looking for a sweep.

That's four 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.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Sully trying to control the position but Szopa is working away.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A swing and a miss from Szopa.
Good standup being displayed there by Szopa as he connects with a hook.
Sully throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Sully tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Szopa was well out of range. Poor timing from Sully.

Szopa feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Jake Sully.
Well Szopa has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 28:30
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ingo Szopa!
Ingo Szopa seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.
In defeat, Jake Sully stepped up to the mic, saying 'In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself.'.