PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jose Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hella Alapaa (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.

Lopez
vs
Alapaa

182 cm
24
185 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

186 cm
25
195 lbs
10 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Jose Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 5 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Hella Alapaa!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A nice leg kick lands there from Lopez.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alapaa attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Lopez misses with a takedown attempt - Alapaa sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Lopez darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Lopez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Alapaa defends it well.

Lopez is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Alapaa slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Lopez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lopez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Lopez drops back looking for a leg! Alapaa is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Alapaa manages to kick Lopez off! Lopez jumps back into Alapaa's guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Alapaa holds on and takes a little breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alapaa looking to hit a scissor sweep but Lopez is one step ahead there.
Alapaa wants to stand but Lopez is controlling the position.
Lopez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Alapaa is looking for a sweep.

Lopez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Alapaa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Alapaa tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Lopez wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Lopez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Alapaa sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two 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.
Alapaa wants to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Lopez is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Alapaa doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Lopez.

Lopez is looking for a kimura but Alapaa is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lopez to get the leverage.
Lopez is breathing heavily.
Alapaa tries to get to full guard but Lopez has control of the leg.

Lopez is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Alapaa defends it well.

Lopez 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.
Alapaa wants to control but Lopez is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Lopez blocks a head kick by Alapaa.

Alapaa clinches up with Lopez and pushes him back against the cage.
Alapaa lands a good knee to the midsection. Lopez won't want to take too many of those.
Lopez takes a knee to the side of the body.
Alapaa pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Alapaa misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Lopez.
Alapaa is looking to break free of the clinch but Lopez has double underhooks.
Alapaa is trying to break the clinch but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
Alapaa landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Alapaa just misses with a elbow thrown towards Lopez's brow.
Lopez takes an elbow to the temple.
Alapaa prevents the takedown attempt.
Alapaa misses with an elbow strike.
Lopez has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Alapaa avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alapaa tries to break free but Lopez pushes him back against the cage.
Alapaa throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alapaa is looking to break free of the clinch but Lopez has double underhooks.
Alapaa prevents a takedown attempt there.
Lopez prevents Alapaa from breaking the clinch.

Alapaa manages to break the clinch.

Lopez throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Alapaa was covering up waiting for the punch and Lopez finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Lopez looking to pass the guard.
Lopez being controlled here momentarily.
Lopez preventing the sweep.
Alapaa managing to control the position.

Lopez postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Alapaa is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Lopez, into his guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Jose Lopez will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Alapaa tries to clinch but Lopez is having none of it.
Alapaa tries to clinch there but Lopez circles away.
Lopez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Alapaa sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Alapaa finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Alapaa scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

It looks like Jose Lopez has been cut.
Lopez blocks a head kick by Alapaa.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Jab by Alapaa.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Jose Lopez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Lopez shoots for a takedown but Alapaa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lopez chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Alapaa can pounce on him.
Alapaa throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lopez.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alapaa is looking to clinch but Lopez is avoiding it.
Lopez swats away the attempt to clinch by Alapaa.

Lopez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopez is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Alapaa knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Alapaa is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

Lopez is trying to get an arm triangle but Alapaa is defending well.

Lopez looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Alapaa can't do much from the bottom here.
Alapaa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Alapaa gets back to half guard.

That's two 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 is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Alapaa trying to control but Lopez postures up.
Alapaa is trying to stand up here but Lopez is controlling him well.
Alapaa gets back to full guard.
Alapaa managing to control the position.

Lopez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Lopez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Lopez postures up.
Alapaa wants to sweep here but Lopez controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Alapaa manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Lopez has Alapaa in his guard.

Lopez throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Alapaa escapes and throws Lopez's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Lopez tries to bench press Alapaa off him but Alapaa keeps the position.
Alapaa gets to mount! Lopez was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Alapaa trying to control but Lopez is having none of it.
Alapaa controlling from the full mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alapaa tries to control but Lopez wriggling away.
Alapaa prevents Lopez from getting the reversal.
Alapaa trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Lopez is trying to escape the mount.
Alapaa wants to control the pace but Lopez is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hella Alapaa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Jose Lopez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

A left lands for Lopez.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lopez shoots in and drives through. Alapaa sprawls well.
Alapaa misses with an attempted mid kick.
Alapaa tries to clinch there but Lopez circles away.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Lopez shoots in for a takedown but Alapaa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Alapaa tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Alapaa tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Alapaa misses with a jab, cross combination.

Alapaa clinches up against the cage.
Alapaa misses with an elbow over the top.
Alapaa wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.
Alapaa gets underhooks to prevent Lopez's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Lopez. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Alapaa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lopez avoids it.
Lopez avoids the elbow strike from Alapaa, against the cage.
Alapaa misses with an elbow strike.
Lopez dodges an elbow strike from Alapaa.
Alapaa tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Lopez avoids it.

Lopez ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Lopez no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez keeping moving, preventing Alapaa from controlling successfully.
Alapaa slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

Lopez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Alapaa gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Lopez wants to sweep here but Alapaa controlling him for the moment.

Lopez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Alapaa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's two 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.

Lopez looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Alapaa has picked Lopez up and slammed him! Lopez can't keep hold of the triangle and Alapaa manages to pass to side control!
Alapaa takes a little break here. Lopez wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.

Alapaa has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Alapaa moves in looking to clinch but Lopez pushes him off.
Hella Alapaa is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Alapaa tries to clinch up but Lopez circles away and keeps his distance.
Alapaa tries to clinch up.
Alapaa doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alapaa doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Alapaa tries to close the distance and clinch but Lopez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Alapaa misses with a low kick.
Lopez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Lopez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Alapaa misses with a hook.

Lopez drives through with a takedown into guard.
Alapaa trying to control the position.
Lopez preventing the sweep.
Jose Lopez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Lopez has gone for a leg lock! Alapaa slips out almost immediately though and dives into Lopez's guard.

Alapaa avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Lopez is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Alapaa has managed to free his arm - good work.
Alapaa regains full guard. Nicely done.

Lopez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Alapaa is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Alapaa wants to stand but Lopez is controlling the 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 Jose Lopez.
I think Lopez 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Lopez!