PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alex Pato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apollo Popadopalous (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Popadopalous has chosen Theme from Rocky as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pato
vs
Popadopalous

189 cm
26
211 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

185 cm
21
213 lbs
5 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Alex Pato!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Apollo Popadopalous!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Seu Braga and Edson Gomes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popadopalous waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Pato.
Popadopalous throws a hook to the side of Pato's head but Pato sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Pato takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Pato slips under a jab.

Pato closes the distance and clinches.

Pato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pato throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Popadopalous tries to keep at a distance but Pato has taken the fight into the clinch.
Pato wants to break the clinch but can't.

Pato's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Popadopalous thows a left - swing and a miss!
Popadopalous swats away the attempt to clinch by Pato.
Popadopalous misses with an uppercut.
Popadopalous looks to score with a jab to the body but Pato is just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popadopalous throws a nice looking combination but Pato bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Pato.
Popadopalous misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pato slips under a jab.
Pato dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Popadopalous. That did some damage!
Popadopalous rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pato moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Decent striking displayed by Popadopalous there.
Pato cracks Popadopalous with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Pato keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Pato defending well as Popadopalous loads up on a big left hand.
Pato is looking to clinch.
Pato tries to move into range but Popadopalous moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Popadopalous tries to bum rush Pato with a series of wild strikes but Pato uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popadopalous rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pato moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A punch combination from Popadopalous misses.
Pato lands with an overhand left.
Pato plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Popadopalous will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Popadopalous takes one to the chin there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Popadopalous swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Popadopalous with a jab.
Pato scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Pato wants to clinch.
Pato fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Popadopalous.
Popadopalous misses with a looping right.
Popadopalous avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pato scores with the left hand. Popadopalous knows he should have avoided that one.
Pato avoids the body shot from Popadopalous.
Pato is looking to clinch but Popadopalous is avoiding it.
Pato throws a sloppy head kick and Popadopalous moves out of range easily.
Popadopalous thows a body shot but no joy.

Pato clinches.

Pato pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

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.
Popadopalous avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Pato lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Popadopalous circles away quickly and effectively.
Pato jabs Popadopalous right on the nose. Popadopalous blinks but takes it well.
Pato is looking to clinch.
Popadopalous throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pato counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Popadopalous throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pato counters with a head kick. That will keep Popadopalous thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Popadopalous swings for the body but Pato moves out of range.
Pato lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Popadopalous throws a jab but it's blocked by Pato.
Pato is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Pato takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Pato tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Apollo Popadopalous will probably get the nod.
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.

Popadopalous's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Popadopalous duly obliges.
Pato wants to clinch up but Popadopalous keeps it at a distance.
Popadopalous with a lazy takedown attempt

and Pato holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Popadopalous wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Pato breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pato is looking to clinch but Popadopalous is avoiding it.
Popadopalous missing with a left hand there. Pato was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Pato jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Pato throws a head kick that Popadopalous semi-blocks.
Popadopalous walks into a stiff left hand from Pato.
Pato punishes Popadopalous's body with a nice straight punch.
Pato connects with a solid leg kick.
A big right from Popadopalous misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pato tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Popadopalous falls off balance throwing a combination
and Popadopalous takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Pato goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Popadopalous misses with a jab to the body
and Pato counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Popadopalous throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pato counters with a nice uppercut.
Popadopalous lands the left hand.
Donk. Pato catches Popadopalous right on the button with a cross.
A looping hook to the body misses from Popadopalous. Pato does a little dance to reset his feet.
Popadopalous swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pato counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Pato wants to clinch up but Popadopalous keeps it at a distance.
Apollo Popadopalous is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pato swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Popadopalous counters with a nice body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pato looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Pato connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Popadopalous throws a sloppy body shot
and Pato counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Popadopalous throws a combination that misses
and Pato counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pato is looking to clinch but Popadopalous is avoiding it.
Popadopalous misses with a combination
and Pato counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Popadopalous throws an overhand right that lands on Pato's shoulder, as Pato tries to avoid the shot.
A punch combination from Popadopalous misses.
Popadopalous has his takedown stuffed
and Pato counters with a head kick. That will keep Popadopalous thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Popadopalous is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pato tries to close the distance and clinch but Popadopalous swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Pato gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Popadopalous with a flurry of punches that miss.
Pato wants to stand and escape but Popadopalous is having none of it.
Popadopalous throwing strikes from guard but Pato blocks nicely.
Pato working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Popadopalous.
Pato keeping full guard, as Popadopalous tries to pass.

Pato uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Pato tries to clinch up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pato lands a head kick!
Pato is looking to clinch but Popadopalous is avoiding it.
Pato lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Pato connects with a nice looking jab.
Popadopalous misses the body punch
and Pato counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Popadopalous misses the jab.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A left and a right from Popadopalous both land. Nice combination.
Pato avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Popadopalous scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Apollo Popadopalous will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Popadopalous misses with a combination
letting Pato counter with a right hand.
Popadopalous looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.
Nice uppercut lands for Pato. That snapped Popadopalous's head back.
Pato uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Popadopalous.
Pato pushes Popadopalous away with a front kick.
Pato catches Popadopalous with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Popadopalous throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pato counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Pato will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Popadopalous swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pato counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pato wants to clinch up but Popadopalous keeps it at a distance.
A shot to the body from Popadopalous misses
and Pato counters with a left and a right that stings Popadopalous.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pato tries to clinch up.
Popadopalous fails with the takedown
and Pato counters with a one-two to the body.
Popadopalous takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Popadopalous takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Popadopalous takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Popadopalous takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Popadopalous walks into a jab.
Pato throws a one two combo.
Popadopalous misses with a takedown

and Pato counters by moving into the clinch.

Pato manages to break the clinch.
No joy there for Pato, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popadopalous with a poor takedown
and Pato counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Alex Pato has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Apollo Popadopalous.
Popadopalous shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Pato counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pato tries to clinch but Popadopalous is having none of it.
Pato throws a nice outside leg kick.
Alex Pato is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Nice body punch from Pato.
Pato looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Popadopalous on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

Pato rushes Popadopalous and presses him up against the cage.

Pato escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Pato gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Pato breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popadopalous throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pato counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Pato tries to clinch but Popadopalous moves out of range.

Pato forces Popadopalous back against the cage and clinches.

Pato breaks from the clinch.
Popadopalous falls off balance throwing a combination
and Pato counters with a good low kick that Popadopalous was not able to check.
Nice shot by Pato.
Popadopalous swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pato counters with a body kick that stops Popadopalous in his tracks momentarily.
Popadopalous takes a jab right on the kisser.
Popadopalous throws a combination that misses
and Pato counters with a nice low kick that buckles Popadopalous's knee momentarily.
Popadopalous takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Pato. Popadopalous shrugs it off though.
Apollo Popadopalous is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pato scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Popadopalous needs to keep his hands up - Pato had a free shot at his head there.
Popadopalous loads up on a big right hand but Pato slips the punch.
Popadopalous keeps the fight on the outside.
Pato is looking to clinch but Popadopalous is avoiding it.
Popadopalous takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Popadopalous throws a left and a right that both miss
and Pato counters with a body kick that stops Popadopalous in his tracks momentarily.
Popadopalous keeps the fight on the outside.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Pato moves into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Pato manages to break the clinch.
Alex Pato has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pato cracks Popadopalous with an open hand slap.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Pato showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Popadopalous has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 29:28
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!