PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Levi Koppel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Halfdead (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Koppel
vs
Halfdead

200 cm
22
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

155 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Levi Koppel!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Eli Halfdead!
The judges for this bout are Dillan Fox, Alec Ball and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Halfdead thows a body shot but no joy.
Halfdead throws a series of strikes that have Koppel backpedaling.

Koppel scores with a takedown into Halfdead's guard.
Halfdead avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Halfdead manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Koppel manages to get himself to full guard.

Halfdead drops back looking for a leg! Koppel is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Koppel manages to kick Halfdead off! Halfdead jumps back into Koppel's guard.
Koppel looking for a sweep. Not yet Koppel, not yet.
Koppel will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Koppel throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Koppel throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Koppel keeping full guard, as Halfdead tries to pass.
Halfdead wanted to stand there but Koppel had control of the position.
Koppel bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Halfdead's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koppel thows a big elbow that misses.
Koppel with a nice head shot there.
Koppel with a nice head shot there.
Halfdead should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Koppel postures up in Halfdead's guard and throws a big left but Halfdead blocks it.
Koppel throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Koppel won't allow Halfdead to sweep him here.
Koppel trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Halfdead preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Koppel thows a big elbow that misses.
Koppel working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
We're hearing some news coming in from back stage. It's official - Halfdead has eaten all the pies!
Halfdead utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Koppel stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Koppel wants it to stay on the feet.
Koppel changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Halfdead tries to avoid it but Koppel manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Halfdead to the ground. Halfdead escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Halfdead fails to land with a series of punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halfdead closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Koppel shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Koppel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Halfdead looks like he's trying to stand up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Halfdead has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Koppel is working away from the top position though.
Koppel scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Koppel is pressing down on Halfdead's thigh, looking to free his foot. Halfdead is holding on for now.
Halfdead blocking the ground and pound attempt from Koppel.
Halfdead trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Koppel slaps away a takedown attempt from Halfdead, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Halfdead looks gassed!
Koppel has his takedown stuffed

and Halfdead counters with a shoot takedown. Koppel fights it but they end up in guard.
Koppel lands a decent shot there.
Halfdead stopping the sweep attempt from Koppel.

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

Koppel has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Halfdead can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Halfdead is looking to stand up but Koppel won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halfdead postures up in Koppel's guard and throws a big left but Koppel blocks it.

Koppel looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Halfdead has picked Koppel up and slammed him! Koppel can't keep hold of the triangle and Halfdead manages to pass to side control!
Halfdead in side control lands a decent elbow.
Koppel takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Koppel wings away with a couple of strikes but they don't land.
Halfdead wants to lay and pray for a moment but Koppel keeps working.

Halfdead stands up and beckons Koppel to his feet.
Koppel lands a jab to Halfdead's midsection.
Koppel shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Halfdead counters with a takedown into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eli Halfdead dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Halfdead looks for a takedown but Koppel sprawls well.
Koppel shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Koppel looks to land a combination but Halfdead avoids it well.
Koppel has his takedown stuffed

and Halfdead counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Koppel!
Koppel is squirming around, avoiding Halfdead's attempts to control the action.
Halfdead controlling the pace for now.
Halfdead scoring with strikes but Koppel is staying in there.
Koppel really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Halfdead in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koppel bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Koppel is looking to work some ground and pound but Halfdead has wrist control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Koppel scoring with punches to the head and body.
Halfdead not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Koppel landing with the ground and pound.
Halfdead preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Koppel is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Halfdead looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Halfdead is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Halfdead preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Eli Halfdead has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halfdead wants to stand and escape but Koppel is having none of it.
Koppel is working Halfdead over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Halfdead had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Koppel defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halfdead looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Koppel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koppel landing some decent shots from guard.
Halfdead is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Koppel is controlling him.
Halfdead looking to hit a scissor sweep but Koppel is one step ahead there.
Koppel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koppel scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Koppel throws a big right hand that misses.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Halfdead will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Koppel looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Koppel working the head and body with strikes.
Halfdead wants to control but Koppel is keeping busy.
Koppel throwing shots but Halfdead is blocking nicely.
Halfdead controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.
Koppel throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koppel thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Halfdead's head.
Halfdead taking some punishment here, with Koppel in his half guard.
Koppel landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Koppel thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Halfdead keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Koppel working Halfdead over with strikes.
Halfdead moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Koppel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Halfdead is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Koppel is controlling him.
Koppel stands up over Halfdead, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
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 Levi Koppel 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!

Koppel has a takedown stuffed.
Halfdead keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Koppel showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Halfdead.
Halfdead tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Koppel swivels and escapes.
Halfdead misses with a series of wild punches.
Halfdead misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Halfdead tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Koppel swivels and escapes.
Koppel really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Halfdead fails in his attempt to clinch.
Halfdead takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halfdead shoots in and drives through. Koppel sprawls well.
Levi Koppel has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Eli Halfdead.
Koppel fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Koppel.
Halfdead ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Koppel moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halfdead is trying hard to land a takedown here. Koppel sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Eli Halfdead is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Koppel darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Koppel thows a huge punch but Halfdead dodges it nicely.
Koppel lands strikes from half guard.
Koppel winds up and cracks Halfdead with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Koppel scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Halfdead wants to control but Koppel is keeping busy.
Halfdead is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Koppel scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Koppel lands strikes from half guard.
Halfdead keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Koppel is thwarting Halfdead's attempts to control the position.
Koppel missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Koppel thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Halfdead gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Koppel counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Koppel lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Koppel missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Koppel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Koppel makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Koppel won't allow Halfdead to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koppel keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Halfdead's head.
Koppel is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Halfdead manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Koppel tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Halfdead is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Koppel can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Koppel flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Halfdead wants to control the pace but Koppel is squirming around nicely.

Halfdead is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Koppel to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Koppel shrugs it off.
Koppel swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Halfdead dominating with strikes here.
Koppel is in all sorts of trouble here.
Halfdead with good strikes from the mount here!
Koppel slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Koppel is not content to let Halfdead control the position.

Koppel looking for submissions off his back.
Koppel flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Levi Koppel showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Koppel has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Dillan Fox scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Levi Koppel!