PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Branko Popovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Steve Rogers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Popovic's entrance music is None. A fine choice. Branko Popovic could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Steve Rogers's chin.

Popovic
vs
Rogers

193 cm
25
216 lbs
10 - 9 - 1

189 cm
23
220 lbs
8 - 8 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 - 9 - 1, fighting out of New York, Branko Popovic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Steve Rogers!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Steve Montenegro and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popovic fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Horrible takedown by Popovic or perhaps it was just good defense by Rogers which made him look bad.
Rogers avoids the head kick by Popovic.
Popovic circles away from the clinch attempt.

Rogers moves into range and clinches up with Popovic.
Popovic tries to land knees in the clinch but Rogers avoids the damage to the body.
Rogers swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Popovic blocking some punches.
Rogers lands a shoulder strike.
Rogers is leaning against Popovic and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Popovic wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Popovic scores with a shot to the side of Rogers's head.
Popovic tries a body shot but Rogers blocks it.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rogers.
Popovic throws a punch but it's blocked by Rogers.
Popovic is working for takedown but Rogers is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Branko Popovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A short right from Rogers.
Popovic blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Popovic is trying to break the clinch but Rogers has him pressed against the cage.
Rogers misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rogers lands a shot to the body.
Popovic is breathing heavily.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Rogers lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rogers pushes Popovic back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Rogers lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Rogers working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rogers misses with the head strike.
Rogers throws a head punch that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Rogers fails to land.
Rogers scores with a nice hook to the head.
Popovic blocking some punches.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Popovic's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rogers softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rogers lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rogers swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Popovic takes a shot to the head.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Popovic blocks an uppercut.
Rogers tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Popovic goes for a takedown in the clinch but Rogers prevents it.
A shot in the inside from Rogers.
Rogers lands a hook to the side of the head.
Popovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rogers pushes Popovic back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rogers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rogers lands with a short shot to the head.
Rogers lands an elbow that stopped Popovic in his tracks for a moment.
Rogers throws a head punch that misses.
Rogers working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Rogers pushes Popovic back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rogers lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Rogers gets through Popovic's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rogers lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A short uppercut from Rogers.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Rogers fails to land.
Rogers pushes Popovic back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Rogers misses with a hook from the clinch.
Rogers throws a punch but it's blocked by Popovic.
Popovic tries for a takedown. No joy.
Rogers is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Popovic is defending well for now.
Popovic blocks the elbow strike.
Rogers lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rogers lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Rogers lands with a right to the head.
Rogers scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rogers misses with a punch on the inside.
Popovic blocking some punches.
Rogers swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rogers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A short right from Rogers on the inside.
Popovic misses with an elbow over the top.
Rogers gets through Popovic's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A short left from Rogers.
Rogers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Popovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Popovic looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Popovic lands a body punch.
Popovic tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Rogers looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Rogers lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Popovic looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers presses Popovic against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Rogers working aggressively here.
Rogers lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Rogers gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Popovic's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rogers lands a nice uppercut.
Rogers lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Rogers softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rogers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rogers misses with a punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Popovic has a couple of punches blocked by Rogers.
Rogers working aggressively here.
Popovic's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rogers swings wildly with an uppercut but Popovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rogers lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rogers lands with a right to the head.

Popovic tightens his grip and picks Rogers up, before dumping him to the ground. Rogers manages to land in guard.
Rogers preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Rogers is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Popovic is controlling him.

Popovic gets to his feet. Rogers looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Rogers moves into the clinch.
Rogers lands a body shot.
Popovic tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Rogers's elbow.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Rogers lands a hook to the side of the head.
Popovic wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rogers lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Popovic tries to work over Rogers's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rogers pushes Popovic back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Popovic blocking some punches.
Popovic takes a shot to the head.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Popovic blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rogers misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rogers misses with a punch on the inside.
Rogers stops a takedown attempt from Popovic.
Popovic throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Rogerss head.
Popovic misses with a hook to the ribs.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rogers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rogers lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Rogers tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Rogers lands a left hand.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Popovic drops down looking for an ankle pick but Rogers pulls his leg out and moves away.
Popovic throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Rogers dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Rogers is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Rogers moves into the clinch.
Rogers lands a hook that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Popovic lands a shoulder strike.
Rogers works on Popovic's body with a couple of short punches.
Rogers swings wildly with an uppercut but Popovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rogers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rogers throws a punch but it's blocked by Popovic.
Rogers swings wildly with an uppercut but Popovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rogers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Steve Rogers seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Rogers lands an uppercut.
A head punch on the inside from Rogers fails to land.
Popovic pushes Rogers back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rogers.
Rogers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Popovic leaning against his opponent.
Popovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Popovic misses with a punch on the inside.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rogers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Popovic has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Popovic is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rogers.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rogers misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popovic working aggressively here.
Rogers is pressed up against the cage. Popovic has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Rogers down to the mat. Rogers avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Popovic throws an overhand right that lands on Rogers's shoulder, as Rogers tries to avoid the shot.
Rogers swinging wildly here.
Branko Popovic is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Popovic shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Popovic throws a big shot that misses.
Rogers throws a series of punches but Popovic avoids them all with ease.
Popovic shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Rogers sprawls well. Rogers wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Popovic gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Branko Popovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Rogers is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Popovic tries a head kick but it misses.
Rogers wants to clinch.
Popovic keeps the fight on the outside.
Rogers tries to clinch up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Rogers lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Popovic circles away quickly and effectively.

Rogers moves into range and clinches up with Popovic.
Popovic misses with the head strike.
Rogers lands a right hand.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rogers.
Popovic can't get the takedown.
Rogers tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Still in the clinch, Rogers scores with a nice short uppercut.
Rogers has a couple of punches blocked by Popovic.
Popovic is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Rogers is keeping busy.
Popovic working aggressively here.
Rogers misses with a punch on the inside.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rogers.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Popovic drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Rogers gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Rogers swings wildly with an uppercut but Popovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rogers.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Rogers throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Rogers lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Popovic or not.
Rogers lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rogers misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers lands a left hand.
Rogers creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Popovic's defenses.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rogers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rogers lands with a right to the head.
Rogers working aggressively here.
Rogers lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Rogers.
Popovic blocks an uppercut.
Rogers misses with a punch on the inside.

Popovic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Rogers moves into the clinch.
Popovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Popovic swings wildly with an uppercut but Rogers uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rogers lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rogers gets through Popovic's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Rogers.
Popovic blocks an uppercut.
A short uppercut from Rogers.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rogers.
Rogers prevents the takedown attempt.
Rogers lands with a right to the head.
Popovic blocks an elbow strike.
Rogers lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Popovic blocking some punches.
A short right from Rogers.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Rogers as the two fighters clinch.
Popovic blocking some punches.
A nice left hand lands by Rogers.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Popovic takes a shot to the head.
A body shot lands from Rogers.
Rogers lands a right hand that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Rogers scores with a nice hook to the head.
A shot in the inside from Rogers.
Rogers swings wildly with an uppercut but Popovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rogers has a couple of punches blocked by Popovic.
Rogers lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Rogers working aggressively here.
Popovic has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rogers is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rogers lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Popovic blocking some punches.
Rogers lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Rogers lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rogers has a couple of punches blocked by Popovic.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Rogers throws a punch but it's blocked by Popovic.
Popovic can't find room to land a body shot as Rogers controls the action.
Popovic lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Rogers lands a nice shot to the body.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Rogers tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steve Rogers showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get 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.

Popovic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Popovic throws a hook but Rogers avoids it easily.
Popovic tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Rogers was well out of range. Poor timing from Popovic.
Rogers steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Popovic.
The fight stays on the outside here - Rogers looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Popovic throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rogers looks to land a combination. Popovic sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Popovic misses with a two punch combination.
Rogers has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Rogers closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Popovic misses with a double jab

and Rogers counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Rogers throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rogers creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rogers misses with a punch on the inside.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Rogers swings wildly with an uppercut but Popovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rogers swings wildly with an uppercut but Popovic uses good head movement to avoid it.
Popovic blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rogers prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice right hand lands inside from Rogers.
Rogers pushes Popovic back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rogers tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A short right from Rogers.
Rogers misses with the head strike.
Rogers throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Popovics head.
Rogers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Nice body punch from Rogers.
A head punch on the inside from Rogers fails to land.
A short right from Rogers on the inside.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rogers.
Rogers lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Rogers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Rogers has a couple of punches blocked by Popovic.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Rogers.
Rogers lands an elbow inside that Popovic shrugs off.
Rogers lands a nice uppercut.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popovic.
Popovic blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Popovic blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Popovic blocking some punches.
Popovic misses with a knee strike.
Rogers blocks an uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popovic has had enough of the clinch but Rogers keeps him there for the moment.
Rogers misses with the head strike.
Popovic tries to land knees in the clinch but Rogers avoids the damage to the body.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Rogers lands with a short shot to the head.
Popovic lands a body shot in the clinch.
Good body shot from Rogers.
Rogers scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Rogers blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rogers pushes Popovic back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Rogers throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Popovics head.
Popovic swings wildly with an uppercut but Rogers uses good head movement to avoid it.
Popovic works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
A short right from Rogers on the inside.
Popovic is trying to force a seperation but Rogers has the dominant position.
Rogers throws a head punch that misses.
Popovic blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Rogers lands a nice uppercut.
Rogers softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rogers scores with a nice hook to the head.
Rogers misses with a short punch on the inside.
Popovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Popovic misses with a knee strike.
Rogers swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rogers misses with a short punch on the inside.
Popovic misses with a short punch on the inside.
Popovic blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rogers softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Rogers takes an elbow to the forehead.
Rogers keeps control of Popovic as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Popovic takes a shot to the head.
Rogers lands with a short shot to the head.
Rogers throws a head punch that misses.
Popovic has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Rogers is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Rogers misses with a short punch on the inside.
Rogers has a couple of punches blocked by Popovic.
Popovic blocks an uppercut.
Rogers fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A short left from Popovic.
Popovic digs a right hand underneath Rogers's ribcage. Rogers let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Rogers scores with a shot to the side of Popovic's head.
Rogers lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Popovic backwards.
Popovic tries to throw a body punch but Rogers avoids it by throwing Popovic back against the cage.
Popovic stalling in the clinch but Rogers improves position.
Rogers misses with a hook from the clinch.
Popovic working hard to break the clinch.
Rogers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rogers gets through Popovic's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Popovic has Rogers pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rogers manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Branko Popovic. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Rogers scores with a shot to the side of Popovic's head.
Rogers doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Rogers throws a punch but it's blocked by Popovic.
Popovic wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rogers has him pressed against the cage.
Rogers misses with some punches.
Rogers cracks Popovic with a nice body shot.
Rogers lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Branko Popovic has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rogers lands with a light punch inside.
A shot in the inside from Rogers.
A short left from Rogers.
Rogers lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Rogers tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Popovic swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Popovic blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Popovic takes an elbow to the temple.
Popovic has Rogers pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Rogers manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Rogers has a couple of punches blocked by Popovic.
Popovic blocking some punches.
Popovic misses with a hook to the ribs.
A shot in the inside from Rogers.
Rogers swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Rogers lands an uppercut.
Steve Rogers is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Popovic goes for a takedown attempt but Rogers pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Steve Rogers is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Rogers darts in and clinches Popovic up against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Rogers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Rogers winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Rogers!