PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Javier Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Make Jireh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lopez comes to the cage accompanied by Music. Well, the cameraman is lingering on a pretty young lady for a bit too long there. Keep your eyes on the fighters buddy or you'll miss the fighter intros!

Lopez
vs
Jireh

192 cm
25
190 lbs
6 - 6 - 0

183 cm
23
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 6 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Javier Lopez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Make Jireh!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Nard Betker and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jireh shoots for a takedown but Lopez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lopez misses with a head kick.
Lopez tries to land a front kick but Jireh steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
A left and a right from Jireh both land. Nice combination.

Lopez clinches up with Jireh and pushes him back against the cage.
Lopez is trying to force a seperation but Jireh has the dominant position.

Lopez has hold of one of Jireh's legs. Jireh is fighting the takedown attempt but Lopez gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Lopez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Lopez throwing strikes from guard but Jireh blocks nicely.
Lopez tries to free his leg and advance position but Jireh is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Jireh looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Lopez looking to sit in guard and control but Jireh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Jireh throws a big right hand that misses.
Jireh wants to pass the guard but Lopez is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Lopez is on top in guard.

Jireh is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lopez is aware though and is defending well.
Lopez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Jireh is looking for a triangle but Lopez pushes his legs off easily.
Jireh avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Jireh keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.
Jireh looking for a sweep. Not yet Jireh, not yet.
Lopez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Jireh wants to sweep but no luck.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Jireh can do anything to dispel that myth.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Lopez scoring well with a low kick there.
Jireh pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Jireh looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A punch lands to the side of Lopez 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Horrible takedown by Lopez or perhaps it was just good defense by Jireh which made him look bad.
Jireh misses with a two punch combination.

Jireh rushes Lopez and presses him up against the cage.
Lopez blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Jireh tries to pull guard but Lopez won't allow it.
Lopez tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Jireh just stands there and leans against the cage.
Jireh drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Javier Lopez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Make Jireh.
Lopez prevents a takedown attempt there.
Jireh tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lopez's elbow.
Jireh wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lopez prevents Jireh from breaking the clinch.

Jireh manages to break the clinch.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Jireh.
Jireh looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jireh throws a head kick that misses
and Lopez counters with a good low kick that Jireh was not able to check.
Lopez pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Lopez feints and then cracks Jireh's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Jireh down.
Lopez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Jireh doesn't seem bothered though.

Lopez gets a takedown into half guard.
Lopez is nestled in close to Jireh, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

Lopez is looking for a kimura but Jireh is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Lopez to get the leverage.
Jireh is trying to stand up here but Lopez is controlling him well.
Lopez prevents Jireh from improving his position.
Lopez frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jireh is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Jireh is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Lopez scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Jireh?
Jireh takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Lopez has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Jireh is in all sorts of trouble here.

Lopez working for a guillotine from mount but Jireh is in no mood to give up.
Lopez throws some wild stikes that Jireh manages to avoid easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Jireh doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopez circles away.
Jireh misses with a wild combination.
Lopez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Jireh throws a left and a right that both miss

and Lopez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Jireh not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lopez wants to control from the top but Jireh keeps moving.
Lopez postures up in Jireh's guard and throws a big left but Jireh blocks it.
Jireh is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lopez trying to control but Jireh is working from the bottom.

Jireh is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez with a flurry of punches that miss.

Jireh is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Lopez is aware though and is defending well.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Jireh scores with a one two! Lopez had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Jireh moves into the clinch successfully.
Jireh wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lopez has him pressed against the cage.

Jireh pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jireh misses with the combination.
Lopez lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Lopez.
Jireh swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Lopez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Jireh keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.

Jireh working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Lopez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Lopez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez pushing down on Jireh's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Jireh is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lopez pulls his head out easily.
Lopez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Jireh is looking to escape.
Lopez is trying to control. Jireh wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Lopez thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Jireh wants to control but Lopez is keeping busy.
Jireh pushes Lopez off but Lopez dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lopez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Jireh has escaped the position, nice work there.
Jireh is looking to reverse the position.
Javier Lopez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Lopez is looking to take a break and control but Jireh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Jireh regains half guard, as Lopez was trying to land strikes.
Lopez is pressing down on Jireh's thigh, looking to free his foot. Jireh is holding on for now.
Jireh looks like he's trying to stand up.

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.
Jireh is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Lopez is looking to take a break and control but Jireh is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Jireh clinches up with Lopez and pushes him back against the cage.

Jireh manages to break the clinch.
Jireh lands a jab.
Lopez takes a kick to the side of the head.
Lopez misses with a body kick.
Jireh looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javier Lopez dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Jireh rushes Lopez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Jireh is trying to break the clinch but Lopez is controlling him.
Jireh stops a takedown attempt from Lopez.

Jireh breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jireh throws a nice looking combination but Lopez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lopez takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Jireh fails to land with a series of punches.
Lopez tries to move into range but Jireh moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Lopez dodges the punch combination from Jireh.
Lopez slaps away a takedown attempt from Jireh, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Lopez fails with the takedown

and Jireh counters with a single leg into guard. Lopez didn't expect that.
Jireh is in close to Lopez's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Jireh preventing the sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Jireh postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Jireh scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jireh is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Lopez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Jireh working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Jireh makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Jireh is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jireh distracts Lopez with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Lopez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Jireh throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Jireh lands a couple of elbows.

Lopez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Jireh working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

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.

Lopez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Jireh preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A cross from Jireh lands.
Javier Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jireh steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lopez.
Jireh tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopez paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Jireh drives through with a takedown into guard.

Lopez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Jireh postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Jireh accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Jireh is working Lopez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Jireh makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Lopez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Lopez is trying to control the position but Jireh postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jireh chips away with some ground and pound.
Jireh is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jireh really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lopez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Jireh is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jireh trying to stand up but can't free himself from Lopez's guard.
Lopez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Jireh working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Lopez's head.
Jireh won't allow Lopez to sweep him here.
Jireh must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Jireh swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Jireh connects with a looping right hand.
Jireh throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Lopez counters with a shoot takedown. Jireh fights it but they end up in guard.
Lopez throws and elbow that misses. Jireh uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lopez's guard. Nice move by Jireh!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Jireh got a little sloppy there for a moment and Lopez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Jireh has managed to get both his arms back between Lopez's legs - danger averted.
Jireh stopping the sweep attempt from Lopez.

Lopez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lopez keeping full guard, as Jireh tries to pass.
Jireh thows a big elbow that misses.
Lopez keeping moving, preventing Jireh from controlling successfully.
Jireh with a flurry of punches that miss.

And that's the end of the fight!
Make Jireh comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28

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