PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Curtis York (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kostas Paparas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

York
vs
Paparas

196 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
18
175 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Curtis York!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kostas Paparas!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Yukihiro Shimada and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

York clinches up with Paparas and pushes him back against the cage.

York has hold of one of Paparas's legs. Paparas is fighting the takedown attempt but York gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Paparas is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Paparas is on top in guard.

York keeping moving, preventing Paparas from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Paparas decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on York, up you get!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Paparas gets the takedown into side control.

Paparas tries for a kimura but York is defending well.
Paparas looks winded!

Paparas thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Paparas looking to punish the body of his opponent here but York is avoiding damage well.
York is in a bad spot here and he knows it... just holding on for now.
York wants to control but Paparas postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Paparas trying to control the action but York is working from the bottom.
York really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
York struggling a bit here.
Paparas happy to just control the position for now.
York gets back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paparas wants to lay and pray for a moment but York keeps working.
York tries to get to full guard but Paparas has control of the leg.
Paparas wants to pass to mount but York is defending the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

York closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
York is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

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.

York works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
York throwing strikes from guard but Paparas blocks nicely.
York in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
York lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Paparas avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
York is looking to work some ground and pound but Paparas has wrist control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Curtis York will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

York gets caught flat footed, as Paparas shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Paparas being controlled here momentarily.
Kostas Paparas has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Paparas's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Paparas postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! York is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Paparas, into his guard.

York in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Paparas is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
York throws a big right hand that misses.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
York throws an elbow that misses. Paparas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in York's guard. Nice move by Paparas!

Paparas throws an elbow that misses. York uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Paparas's guard. Nice move by York!

York missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
York postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
York prevents Paparas from getting back to his feet.
Paparas working a defensive guard here.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells York's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Paparas trying to keep a closed guard but York is proving a slippery customer.
York is working Paparas over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
York throws a big right hand that misses.
York distracts Paparas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as York accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Paparas closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. York did well to prevent Paparas getting side control.
York is looking to control Paparas's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can York avoid being mounted?
York is positioning himself well to prevent Paparas advancing to mount.
Paparas tries to pass the half guard into mount. York knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
York pushes Paparas off looking to stand but Paparas dives back in and keeps control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paparas is trying to control the action in half guard but York is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Paparas trying to mount his opponent but York defends it.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
The fighters are battling for position here. York manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Paparas with a flurry of punches that miss.

York working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Paparas doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Paparas manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Paparas trying to control but York is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Kostas Paparas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

York lands a two punch combo.

Paparas scores with a takedown into York's guard.
Paparas in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
York not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paparas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
York is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Paparas is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paparas's corner is telling him to maintain position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Paparas stopping the sweep attempt from York.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
York lands with an uppercut that bounces Paparas off the cage and back into range.

York closes the distance and pushes Paparas back into the cage.

Paparas has York pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Paparas pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending York tumbling to the mat - Paparas dives into York's guard.
Paparas looking to sit in guard and control but York gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
York distracts Paparas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
York trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Paparas wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and York manages to pass to side control.
Paparas is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

York looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
York looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Paparas with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

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.

York is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Paparas defends it well.

York is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Paparas sees it coming and defends easily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Paparas manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Curtis York.
I think York 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:29
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Curtis York!