PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mauricio Allen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Paul Lopez will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Allen
vs
Lopez

160 cm
23
178 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

177 cm
21
173 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple 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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Allen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Paul Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Seu Braga and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Allen clinches up against the cage.

Lopez lands a takedown into guard.
Allen seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Allen has a closed guard, preventing Lopez from standing up.
Allen pulls Lopez in close to prevent any damage.
Allen is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Allen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Allen is pulling down on Lopez's head to control his posture.
Lopez wants to pass the guard but Allen is keeping the position.
Allen keeping moving, preventing Lopez from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Lopez tries to keep at a distance but Allen has taken the fight into the clinch.

Lopez successfully pulls guard.

Allen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Allen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Allen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Allen might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Allen throwing strikes from guard but Lopez blocks nicely.
Allen won't allow Lopez to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Allen postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

Lopez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Lopez seems keen to control Allen's posture.
Allen with a flurry of punches that miss.
Allen controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Allen postures up and lands a big shot to Lopez's brow.
Allen's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Allen seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Lopez for as long as he can get away with.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Allen working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lopez looking to control.
Lopez working a defensive guard but Allen manages to pass into side control anyway.
Allen is looking to take a break and control but Lopez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Allen is staying tight to Lopez's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Lopez is looking for a sweep.

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.
Lopez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Lopez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Allen circles away quickly and effectively.
Allen misses with an attempted mid kick.
Paul Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Lopez closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Allen quickly recovers to half guard.

Allen manages to escape and get back to his feet!
Lopez looks winded!
Allen really is a fat lump.

Lopez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Allen manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

Allen manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Allen is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
A hook to the body from Allen.

Lopez has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Allen uses from the top position.
Allen is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Allen dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lopez decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Allen kicks off Lopez and gets to his feet.

Allen instigates a clinch.
Allen is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Lopez can do to turn this around?

Lopez has clasped his hands together around Allen's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Allen is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Allen connects with an elbow from the bottom.
Allen is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Lopez is controlling him well.
You can see the frustration on Allen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez is looking to take a break and control but Allen is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.
Allen manages to get back to half guard.
Allen is concentrating on defense, preventing Lopez from advancing position.
Lopez prevents Allen from improving his position.
Allen keeping control of the position.
Allen wants to control but Lopez is keeping busy.

That's two 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.
Lopez trying to control from half guard but Allen is working away.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Lopez shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Lopez is breathing heavily.
Lopez trying to control the action but Allen is working from the bottom.
Allen is trying to stand.
Allen is trying to maintain the position but Lopez is very close to passing his half guard.
Mauricio Allen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Allen wants to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Allen makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Lopez is looking to clinch but Allen is avoiding it.

Lopez rushes Allen and presses him up against the cage.
Lopez is leaning against Allen and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Allen tries to pull guard but Lopez forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Allen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lopez just stands there and leans against the cage.

Allen's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Lopez scores with a takedown into Allen's guard.
Lopez wants to control from the top but Allen keeps moving.

Allen escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Lopez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Allen looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Lopez trying to control but Allen is working from the bottom.
Allen is trying to control the position but Lopez postures up.
Allen is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

This has been an exciting period of action!
Lopez has a hand on Allen's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Allen takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Allen lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mauricio Allen dominated that second round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Lopez looking to score a takedown here. Allen is defending well but Lopez drives through and ends up in Allen's guard.

Allen has his foot on Lopez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Lopez works his way back into a safe position though.
Lopez wants to stand but Allen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Lopez prevents Allen from getting back to his feet.

Allen throws his legs up looking for a submission but Lopez uses it to pass to side control.
Allen is not content to let Lopez control the position.
Lopez tries to advance to mount but can't.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Allen takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Lopez scores with punches from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Allen tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Allen wants to control but Lopez postures up.
Lopez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Allen is looking to reverse the position.
You can see the frustration on Allen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Lopez working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
You can see the frustration on Allen's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Lopez wants to stand but Allen is controlling his arm.
Allen can't do much from the bottom here.
Allen is not content to let Lopez control the position.
Allen holding on.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Allen trying to control but Lopez flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Allen avoids the strikes from Lopez.

Lopez looking for the choke from the back.
Allen trying to control the action but Lopez just sinks the hooks in.
Allen is trying to break free.
Allen wants to control his opponent's hands but Lopez gets his hands free.

Lopez is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Allen tries to escape but Lopez has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Allen wants to control his opponent's hands but Lopez gets his hands free.

Allen is looking to stand back up. He's having to work hard to escape but eventually he manages it.
Allen keeps the fight on the outside.
Allen throws a quick counter head kick but Lopez was just out of range.

Allen gets a clinch.

Allen lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Lopez scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Allen manages to mount him!
Lopez taking shots to the head.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lopez wants to control but Allen is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Lopez that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Allen cracks Lopez with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Allen lands a couple of good shots and Lopez has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Allen is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Allen gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Allen gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Allen apologises and we restart here on the feet.
Lopez throws a body kick that misses

and Allen holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Allen jumps guard but Lopez turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Allen tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Lopez just stands there and leans against the cage.

Allen manages to break the clinch.
Paul Lopez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mauricio Allen is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Lopez tries a head kick but it misses.

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 Mauricio Allen.
Well Allen has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 30:28
Judge Seu Braga scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mauricio Allen!