PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Pedro Lopes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mirko Filipovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Filipovic comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Duran Duran - Wild Boys kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Lopes
vs
Filipovic

178 cm
18
250 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

188 cm
19
227 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Pedro Lopes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mirko Filipovic!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Yamamoto, Shigeki Sano and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lopes looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Filipovic wants to stand and escape but Lopes is having none of it.
Filipovic avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lopes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Lopes cracks Filipovic with a solid left hand.
Lopes throws a big right hand that misses.
Lopes throws a big right hand that misses.
Lopes prevents Filipovic from getting back to his feet.
Lopes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Lopes throws a big right hand that misses.
Lopes is breathing heavily.
Filipovic is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Lopes is controlling him.
Lopes throwing strikes but missing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Filipovic clinches up against the cage.
Lopes wants a takedown.
Lopes keeps control of Filipovic as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Filipovic breaks from the clinch.
Filipovic misses with a few strikes there.
Filipovic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Filipovic scores with a push kick.
Lopes takes a kick to the side of the head.
Filipovic scores with a decent looking hook.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Filipovic jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopes keeps the fight on the outside.
Filipovic fails to land with a series of punches.
Filipovic lands with a slapping head kick.
Lopes avoids the head kick by Filipovic.
Lopes avoids the head kick by Filipovic.
Filipovic scores with a head kick.
Filipovic misses with a body kick.

Lopes shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Filipovic napping and manages to drive through into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lopes lands a few punches from side control.
Lopes lands a decent elbow from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes working the ground and pound from side control.
Filipovic pushes Lopes away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Lopes gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Lopes.
Lopes working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Filipovic is trying to get back to his feet.
Sloppy strikes there by Lopes.
Lopes connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Filipovic some visible discomfort.
Lopes lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Filipovic pushes Lopes away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Lopes gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Filipovic delivers a nice body kick.

That's four 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.
Filipovic throws a looping overhand right but Lopes ducks down to avoid it.
Filipovic throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Lopes steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Filipovic. That one must have hurt.
Lopes blocks a head kick by Filipovic.
Filipovic looks to land a combination but Lopes avoids it well.

Filipovic gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Lopes to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Lopes throws a big right hand that misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lopes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Filipovic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Pedro Lopes's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Filipovic will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Filipovic doesn't manage to clinch there - Lopes circles away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Lopes.
Filipovic lands with an overhand left.
Filipovic throws a nice head kick!
Filipovic tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopes paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Filipovic closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lopes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Filipovic's efforts to push away.
Filipovic is trying to break the clinch but Lopes has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Filipovic wants to break free but Lopes has control.
Filipovic tries to break free but Lopes pushes him back against the cage.
Lopes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Filipovic has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Filipovic is trying to force a seperation but Lopes has the dominant position.

Filipovic's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Pedro Lopes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Filipovic throws a sloppy head kick and Lopes moves out of range easily.
Filipovic looks to land a left hand but Lopes moved out of range nicely.
Filipovic misses with a head kick.
Filipovic looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Lopes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Lopes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Filipovic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Filipovic throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lopes.
The fight stays on the outside here - Filipovic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Lopes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Filipovic wants to get back to his feet but Lopes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Lopes 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.
Lopes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopes throws a big right hand that misses.
Lopes throws a strike but Filipovic rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Lopes wants to sweep here but Filipovic controlling him for the moment.
Lopes throws a couple of heel strikes.
Lopes throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Lopes will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Filipovic tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four 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.
Lopes fails with the takedown.
Filipovic throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Nice sprawl there from Filipovic as Lopes shoots in.
Filipovic pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lopes takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Filipovic looks to land a combination but Lopes avoids it well.
The fight stays on the outside here - Filipovic looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Lopes slips a jab and a cross from Filipovic.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mirko Filipovic showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Pedro Lopes's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! 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.

Lopes blocks a jab.
Filipovic tries to clinch but Lopes is having none of it.
Mirko Filipovic seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Filipovic tries to clinch up.
Filipovic pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Filipovic misses with a head kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lopes is defended easily by Filipovic.
Filipovic throws a sloppy head kick and Lopes moves out of range easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Filipovic fails to land with a series of punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lopes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Lopes throwing strikes but missing.
Lopes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Filipovic preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Filipovic wants to stand up but Lopes is controlling him.
Lopes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Filipovic is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Lopes works over Filipovic with some ground and pound from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopes with a flurry of punches that miss.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lopes shoots in for a takedown but Filipovic shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Filipovic throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Lopes stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Filipovic misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lopes shoots in for a double leg but Filipovic sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Pedro Lopes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Lopes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Lopes circles away from the clinch attempt.

Lopes shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Lopes was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Lopes scores with a couple of good head shots there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A nice elbow there by Lopes.
Filipovic squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Lopes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Filipovic can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Lopes punishing his opponent with strikes.
A nice elbow there by Lopes.
Lopes throwing strikes here but Filipovic is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Lopes cracks Filipovic with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Lopes misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Lopes is in the full mount, landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Lopes with shots to the head and body - Filipovic looks very uncomfortable down there.
Lopes with a couple of short strikes.
Filipovic is bucking up trying to escape but Lopes cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Lopes throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Lopes cracks Filipovic with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Lopes with good strikes from the mount here!
Lopes with good strikes from the mount here!
A nice elbow there by Lopes.
Lopes working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Pedro Lopes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lopes fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Mirko Filipovic is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lopes working away from the top, dropping strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pedro Lopes showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Filipovic 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 Yukihiro Yamamoto scores the fight 28:29
Judge Shigeki Sano scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yuuki Gou scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mirko Filipovic!