PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dai Vernon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pedro Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Vernon kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Ari Gold - Let's Hug It Out, BITCH. Lopez comes into a darkened arena with his song building. South Texas Death Ride kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Pedro Lopez was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Vernon
vs
Lopez

184 cm
25
184 lbs
16 - 4 - 0

177 cm
25
172 lbs
14 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

The Borg Shop
Reaper Combatwear

Reaper Combatwear
MMA's Best Nutrition - Pit Inc

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dai Vernon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pedro Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Vernon misses with a body shot.
Vernon shoots and misses
and Lopez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A big left from Lopez misses.
Vernon takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Vernon is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lopez.
A nice inside leg kick there by Lopez. That's going to slow Vernon down.
Dai Vernon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopez misses with a hook.

Lopez shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Vernon looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Lopez misses with a head shot. Vernon uses the momentum to regain guard.
Lopez throws a big elbow that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vernon is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Vernon is looking to stand up but Lopez isn't so interested in that idea.
Lopez preventing the sweep.
Vernon avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Lopez throws a big right hand that misses.
Lopez is looking to work some ground and pound but Vernon has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lopez drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Vernon manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Lopez has Vernon in his guard.
Lopez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Vernon is looking to work some ground and pound but Lopez has wrist control.
Vernon wants to pass the guard but Lopez is keeping the position.
Lopez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Lopez has his hands on Vernon's head, controlling the position.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Lopez working a defensive guard here.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Pedro Lopez wasn't active enough on the ground.
Vernon feints and then cracks Lopez's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Lopez down.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vernon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lopez keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Lopez throws a head kick that half lands.
Vernon misses with a kick to the body.
Lopez avoids the body shot from Vernon.
Lopez connects with a body shot that sends Vernon's belly button to the back.
Vernon throws a push kick but Lopez slaps the foot to one side.
Vernon walks into a left hand.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Lopez, as that shot connected.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lopez lands with an overhand left.
Vernon scores with a nice body kick.
Lopez lands with a thumping leg kick.
Lopez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Vernon doesn't seem bothered though.
Vernon dips to his left and cracks Lopez with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vernon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Vernon throws a right and a left that both miss.
The fight stays on the outside here - Vernon looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Vernon shoots for a takedown but Lopez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Lopez is looking to chop away at Vernon's legs.
Jab by Vernon.
Vernon is looking to slow Lopez down with leg kicks.
Lopez lunges at Vernon with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Vernon's hand.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lopez tries to work over Vernon's front leg with a kick but Vernon checks it.
Vernon shoots in for a takedown but Lopez shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dai Vernon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck for Lopez with that takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Lopez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Vernon tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lopez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Vernon misses with a low kick.
Lopez looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Vernon lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Lopez cracks the inside of Vernon's front leg.
Lopez throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Vernon lands a head shot.
A head kick misses from Lopez.
Lopez lands a jab to the head.
Lopez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed right hand from Vernon misses the target.
Lopez throws a front kick aimed at Vernon's knee but Vernon avoids it well.
Vernon misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vernon dives in and grabs Lopez's left leg, looking for a takedown. Lopez pushes down on Vernon's head and hops out.
Lopez tried to score with a low kick but Vernon checks it.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Lopez.
A bone on bone clash there as Vernon blocks the leg kick.
Lopez lands a nice shot that snaps Vernon's head back.
Lopez with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Lopez lands a nice shot to the body.
Vernon throws a leg kick but Lopez moved away.
Vernon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vernon fails with the takedown
and Lopez counters with a one-two to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vernon moves out of range of the strikes.
Some bone on bone action there as Lopez checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Lopez lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Vernon at a distance.
Lopez avoids a kick to the body.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lopez moves away from the strike by Vernon.
Vernon takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Good exchange - Lopez coming out on top.
Vernon misses with a body shot.
Vernon misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dai Vernon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vernon throws a jab when Lopez was well out of range.

Vernon gets caught napping as Lopez dives in and scores a takedown. Vernon manages to retain guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throwing strikes but missing.
Lopez controlling from the top position.
Lopez trying to control the position from guard on top but Vernon is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lopez chips away with some ground and pound.
Lopez preventing the sweep.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lopez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throwing strikes from guard but Vernon blocks nicely.
Lopez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Lopez stands up over Vernon, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Lopez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lopez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lopez with a nice head shot there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
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!
Lopez is pushing down on Vernon's leg trying to pass to half guard. Vernon is fighting to maintain full guard but Lopez has managed to sneak the leg through.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lopez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Lopez is trying to control the action in half guard but Vernon is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pedro Lopez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Vernon throws a jab when Lopez was well out of range.
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lopez swings for the body but Vernon moves out of range.
Lopez gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Nice body kick there by Vernon.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Vernon.
Pedro Lopez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Vernon tries for a takedown but Lopez circles away easily
and Lopez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Lopez closes the distance and clinches up with Vernon, looking for a takedown. Lopez pushes Vernon against the cage but Vernon circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Vernon feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Lopezs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Vernon throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Jab by Lopez.
Vernon is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Lopez jabs Vernon to the body, keeping him at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Vernon misses with a hook to the body
and Lopez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Vernon tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Lopez was well out of range. Poor timing from Vernon.
Lopez misses with a shot to the body
and Vernon counters with a right hand to the body.
Vernon misses the shot to the body.
Lopez closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Lopez gets caught flat footed, as Vernon shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Lopez is trying to keep Vernon in close.
Vernon throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lopez seems keen to control Vernon's posture.

Lopez is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Vernon is aware though and is defending well.
Lopez pulls Vernon in close to prevent any damage.
Dai Vernon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Vernon manages to get himself to full guard.
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!
Lopez throwing strikes from guard but Vernon blocks nicely.
Lopez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Vernon utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Vernon isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Lopez stacks Vernon on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Lopez!
Lopez staying calm.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is looking to take a break and control but Vernon is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Lopez fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Vernon regains half guard, as Lopez was trying to land strikes.
Lopez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Vernon with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Lopez working the head and body with strikes.

Vernon is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Lopez pulls his head out easily.
Lopez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lopez trying to control the action but Vernon is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pedro Lopez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lopez 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pedro Lopez!
Pedro Lopez seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.