PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Acelino Popo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Edgar Trajillo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Trajillo has chosen Sniper as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Popo
vs
Trajillo

170 cm
20
140 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

175 cm
21
144 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Acelino Popo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Edgar Trajillo!
The judges for this bout are Alexandre Firmino, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Trajillo throws a left and a right that both miss

and Popo counters with a shoot takedown. Trajillo fights it but they end up in guard.
Trajillo wants to sweep here but Popo controlling him for the moment.
Popo throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Trajillo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Popo throwing strikes but missing.
Popo trying to control the position from guard on top but Trajillo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Trajillo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Trajillo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Trajillo can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Popo is looking to escape.
Trajillo misses with a head shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popo tries to hold on but Trajillo pushes him away.
Popo is working to get back to half guard.
Trajillo tries to control but Popo wriggling away.
Trajillo unloads with some shots from mount but Popo bucks and avoids them well.
Popo is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Trajillo swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Popo is now in Trajillo's guard. A big mistake from Trajillo there, giving up the dominant position!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Trajillo is trying to keep Popo in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Popo works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Popo trying to mount his opponent but Trajillo defends it.
Trajillo throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

Popo is looking for a kimura but Trajillo is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Popo to get the leverage.
Popo trying to pass the guard but Trajillo defending well.
Trajillo wants to control but Popo is keeping busy.
Popo is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Popo has gone for a leg lock! Trajillo slips out almost immediately though and dives into Popo's guard.
Trajillo throwing strikes but missing.
Trajillo passes Popo's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Popo wants to control the action here but instead Trajillo manages to pass to full mount!
Trajillo landing strikes from the mount and Popo is in trouble!
Trajillo lands a nice shot to the head.
Trajillo throws some wild stikes that Popo manages to avoid easily.
Popo is looking to get to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Trajillo has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Popo's face.

Trajillo goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Popo turns into him and now he's in Trajillo's guard.
Popo throws a big right hand that misses.
Popo looking to sit in guard and control but Trajillo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Popo looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Trajillo puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Trajillo moves into side control, avoiding the strikes from Popo.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Edgar Trajillo will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Popo showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Trajillo.
Popo connects with a looping right hand.
Trajillo throws a left and a right that both miss
enabling Popo to counter with a crisp jab.
Trajillo throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Trajillo bobs and weaves and then throws a good body kick.
Trajillo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Popo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Good shot there by Popo.
Trajillo throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Popo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Popo.

Trajillo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popo works over Trajillo with some ground and pound from guard.
Popo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Trajillo manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Popo has given up his back. Will we see Trajillo going for some submissions?
Trajillo is breathing heavily.
Trajillo is hanging on to Popo's back as he tries to escape.
Popo turns into Trajillo and is now in his guard.
Popo throwing strikes from guard but Trajillo blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popo throws and elbow that misses. Trajillo uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Popo's guard. Nice move by Trajillo!
Popo 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.
Trajillo looking to sit in guard and control but Popo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Trajillo keeping moving, preventing Popo from controlling successfully.

Popo postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Trajillo is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Popo, into his guard.
Popo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Popo working for a triangle but Trajillo defends it easily.

Trajillo decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Popo, up you get!
Trajillo shoots in looking for a takedown. Popo tries to sprawl out of it but Trajillo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Popo manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Trajillo shoots in and bounces Popo off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Popo looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Trajillo looking to sit in guard and control but Popo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Trajillo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Trajillo keeping moving, preventing Popo from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Trajillo looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Popo looking to sit in guard and control but Trajillo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Popo controls Trajillo momentarily but Trajillo frees himself.
Popo wants to stand and escape but Trajillo is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Acelino Popo will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Popo moves in looking to clinch but Trajillo pushes him off.
Popo shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Trajillo as he avoids it easily.
Popo slaps away a takedown attempt from Trajillo, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Trajillo feints and then cracks Popo's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Popo down.

Trajillo rushes Popo and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Trajillo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Popo tries for a takedown but Trajillo circles away easily
and Trajillo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Popo misses the jab.
Popo avoids a punch combination nicely.
Trajillo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Popo decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Trajillo's guard.
Trajillo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Popo trying to control but Trajillo is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Popo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Trajillo is keeping the position for now.
Trajillo working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Popo.

Popo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Trajillo manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Popo has Trajillo in his guard.
Popo throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Popo trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Popo is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Trajillo looking to pass the guard.
Popo trying to keep a closed guard but Trajillo is proving a slippery customer.
Popo tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Trajillo's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Trajillo advances position into side control!
Trajillo trying to control the position but Popo is working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Trajillo decides to stand back up. Trajillo steps back and let's Popo get back to his feet.
Trajillo looks for a takedown but Popo sprawls well.
Acelino Popo has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Edgar Trajillo.
Popo wants to clinch but Trajillo slips to the side

and Trajillo counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Popo trying to control from the bottom.
Popo manages to get to full guard.

Trajillo stands up and waves to Popo to follow him.
Popo connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Trajillo looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

Trajillo clinches.

Trajillo escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Popo misses with a left hand

and Trajillo counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Trajillo.
Popo is trying to force a seperation but Trajillo has the dominant position.
Trajillo avoiding damage.
Popo can't break the clinch.
Trajillo manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edgar Trajillo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Trajillo has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:30
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edgar Trajillo!