PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between John Popper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Selem (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thiago Selem will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Popper
vs
Selem

170 cm
23
130 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

185 cm
19
134 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Knockout power

CROWN

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 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, John Popper!
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, Thiago Selem!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popper looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Popper looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Popper scores a takedown into full mount!
Popper controlling his opponent.
Popper cracks Selem with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Popper controlling the position easily from mount.
Selem is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popper thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Popper takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Popper is landing with some decent strikes but Selem is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Popper takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

The referee stands the fighters back up. John Popper just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Selem throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Popper shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Popper showed some decent athleticism there.
Popper seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Selem does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popper is looking to pass Selem's guard but actually Selem recovers to full guard.
Selem tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Popper slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Popper trying to control the position from guard on top but Selem is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Popper dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Popper feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Popper controlling from the top position.

The referee stands the fighters back up. John Popper just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Popper changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Selem looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Selem parries the strikes from Popper easily there. Popper is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Selem to escape.
Selem dodges the ground and pound from Popper.
Popper staying calm.
Popper throws an elbow but Selem slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Popper tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Popper taking a breather here.

Popper swings around for an armbar but Selem sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Popper's guard.

That's two 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.
Popper throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Selem is breathing heavily.
Popper controlling the position.
Popper looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Popper has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Selem is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Popper.
Popper is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popper regains half guard.
Popper is doing well to control the position and prevent Selem from advancing to side control.
Popper gets full guard.
Popper controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

The referee stands the fighters back up. John Popper just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Popper drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Popper might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Popper pushing down on Selem's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Popper is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Popper dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Popper shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Selem but Selem pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Popper shoots in for a double leg but Selem sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Popper has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Popper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Popper misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Popper shoots in looking for a takedown. Selem tries to sprawl out of it but Popper keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Selem manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

Selem gets caught flat footed, as Popper shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Selem avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Popper stays in close to Selem's body and controls the position.
Popper trying to control the position from guard on top but Selem is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Popper in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Selem avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Popper scoring with punches to the head and body.
John Popper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Popper slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Popper with a flurry of punches that miss.
Popper sitting in guard here, content to control.
Popper tries to free his leg and advance position but Selem is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popper is working hard here to advance position.
Selem avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Popper is looking to work some ground and pound but Selem has wrist control.
Popper seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Popper slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Popper remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Popper cracks Selem with a big right hand but Selem just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Popper is staying tight to Selem's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Thiago Selem has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Popper seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Selem for as long as he can get away with.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Popper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Popper, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Popper!