PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jan Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mr Charcoal (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.

Pope
vs
Charcoal

181 cm
31
153 lbs
16 - 14 - 0

182 cm
45
155 lbs
33 - 19 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Lethal high kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Jan Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 33 - 19 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mr Charcoal!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pope clinches with his opponent.
Charcoal tries to throw a body punch but Pope avoids it by throwing Charcoal back against the cage.
Charcoal blocks an uppercut.
Pope lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Pope lands with a light punch inside.
Charcoal tries for a takedown. No joy.

Charcoal gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.

Pope has his foot on Charcoal's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Charcoal works his way back into a safe position though.
Charcoal with a nice head shot there.
Charcoal with a flurry of punches that miss.

Pope had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Charcoal defends it easily.
Charcoal has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Pope avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Pope looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pope has momentary wrist control but Charcoal slips an elbow through the middle.
Charcoal postures up and lands a big shot to Pope's brow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charcoal working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Pope's head.
Charcoal with a nice head shot there.
Charcoal with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Pope is rocked!
Charcoal stopping the sweep attempt from Pope.
Oh Pope is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Charcoal connects with a couple of short punches.
Charcoal scoring with punches to the head and body.
Charcoal won't allow Pope to sweep him here.
Charcoal scoring with punches to the head and body.
Charcoal in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Pope is trying to control the position but Charcoal postures up.
Charcoal working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Pope's head.
Charcoal prevents Pope from getting back to his feet.
Charcoal missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Charcoal working some strikes from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pope looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Charcoal is stalling in the full guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Charcoal scoring with some ground and pound.
Charcoal throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Pope seems to have got his legs back now.
Pope is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

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!
Charcoal regains full guard. Nicely done.
Pope stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Charcoal swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Charcoal is trying to keep Pope in close.
Pope pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Charcoal is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Charcoal looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Pope puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Charcoal flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Pope trying to control the action but Charcoal is working from the bottom.
Charcoal regains full guard. Nicely done.
Charcoal is trying to keep Pope in close.
Charcoal trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pope trying to control the position from guard on top but Charcoal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Pope trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Charcoal is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Pope wants to get back to full guard but Charcoal has passed into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope is working to avoid the ground and pound but Charcoal connects with a decent elbow.
Pope struggling a bit here.
Pope tries to bench press Charcoal off him but Charcoal keeps the position.
Pope takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Charcoal working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Charcoal lands some shots froms side control.
Charcoal trying to control the position but Pope is working away.
Charcoal working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mr Charcoal dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Pope scores with a one two! Charcoal had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Charcoal has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Pope misses with an uppercut.
A nice side step and Charcoal releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Pope pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Charcoal is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Pope throws a lazy uppercut
and Charcoal counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jab, jab by Pope - just one landing.
Pope wants to clinch but Charcoal slips to the side
and Charcoal counters with a right hand to the body.
Charcoal dodges the punch combination from Pope.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pope clinches up with Charcoal and pushes him back against the cage.
Pope lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Charcoal avoiding damage as Pope throws knees to the body.
Charcoal has Pope pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pope manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Charcoal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Charcoal tries to score a body lock takedown but Pope shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Charcoal misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nice body punch from Charcoal.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Pope.
Charcoal is looking for a takedown.
Jan Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mr Charcoal.
Pope tries to land a knee to the head but Charcoal blocks with his arms.
Pope landing knees to the body.
Pope is pressed up against the cage. Charcoal has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pope down to the mat. Pope avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Charcoal uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Pope.
Despite the aggression on Charcoal's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.

Pope clinches with his opponent.

Pope breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Pope fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Charcoal on the side of the head.
Pope misses with a hook. Charcoal ducked under it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Pope.
Pope tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Charcoal was well out of range. Poor timing from Pope.
Charcoal is looking for the big counter here.
Pope misses with a kick to the body.
Charcoal feints the counter takedown.
Pope misses with a straight right.
Charcoal feints the counter takedown.
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!
Danga de danga de dang - Pope scores with a four punch combination!
Pope scores with a one two! Charcoal had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Pope moves into the clinch successfully.
Charcoal lands a nice shot to the body.
Charcoal lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Pope fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Charcoal blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pope tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope blocks a body shot from Charcoal.
Charcoal has a couple of punches blocked by Pope.
Pope gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Charcoal.
Pope misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pope's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Charcoal blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Pope gets underhooks to prevent Charcoal's takedown attempt.
A left hand lands to the body for Charcoal.
Charcoal misses with a hook from the clinch.
I was talking to Pope's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Charcoal doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Pope misses with a knee to the head.
Pope looking to throw knees to the head but Charcoal is blocking nicely.
Pope tries to throw a body punch but Charcoal avoids it by throwing Pope back against the cage.
Charcoal goes for a takedown attempt but Pope pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Pope throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Charcoal.
Pope misses with a right hand
and Charcoal counters with a straight right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Charcoal manages to avoid it.
Pope throws the left hand but Charcoal avoids the punch easily.
Charcoal feints the counter takedown.
Pope works over Charcoal's head and body with a nice combination.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The fighters circling - Pope throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Pope throws a big shot that misses.
Pope throws a lazy right hand but Charcoal sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Charcoal with the counter takedown but Pope avoids it easily.
Pope closes this distance looking for a takedown but Charcoal circles away.
Pope throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Charcoal unleashes a big counter combination but Pope bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Pope misses with a straight left.
Charcoal with the counter takedown but Pope avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jan Pope dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Pope throws a right hand that misses
and Pope takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Charcoal takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Pope throws a lazy uppercut
and Charcoal counters with a slapping leg kick.
Charcoal moves out of range as Pope strikes.
Charcoal drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Pope defends it well.
Pope stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Mr Charcoal is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Pope tries to clinch but Charcoal moves out of range.
Charcoal drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Pope defends it well.
A big left from Pope misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pope feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Charcoals jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Charcoal takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Pope just misses with a punch to the body.
Charcoal feints the counter takedown.
Pope is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Pope tries to clinch there but Charcoal circles away.
And Charcoal tries to counter it with a takedown but Pope pushes his down on his head and steps out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Charcoal changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Pope tries a head kick but it misses.
Charcoal swats away the attempt to clinch by Pope.
Charcoal avoids a punch combination nicely.
Charcoal feints the counter takedown.
Pope throws a low kick but Charcoal moves out of range easily.
Pope misses with an uppercut
and Charcoal counters with a straight right hand.
A cross from Pope lands.
Pope motions for Charcoal to come forward. Pope throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Charcoal uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Pope.
A nice inside leg kick there by Pope. That's going to slow Charcoal down.
Pope tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Pope throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Despite the aggression on Charcoal's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Charcoal has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Pope.
Pope throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Charcoal counters with a nice leg kick.
Pope shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Charcoal counters with a leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pope throws a lazy uppercut
and Charcoal counters with a nice uppercut.

It looks like Jan Pope has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope swings away with a body shot that misses

and Charcoal counters with a series of strikes that sends Pope to the canvas! Charcoal follows down into guard, looking to finish the fight!
Pope looking to hit a scissor sweep but Charcoal is one step ahead there.
Charcoal is pushing down on Pope's leg trying to pass to half guard. Pope is fighting to maintain full guard but Charcoal has managed to sneak the leg through.
Pope wants to get back to full guard.
Charcoal is looking to take a break and control but Pope is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Charcoal working the head and body with strikes.
Charcoal landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Charcoal lands a massive shot from half guard that has rocked Pope! More strikes land and this one is all over! Charcoal jumps to his feet and is applauded loudly by the crowd!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mr Charcoal!
An out of breath and clearly excited Mr Charcoal thanked ONI for their help and support (and free stuff they sent him).