PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Brian Maples (ranked 6060 p4p, 520 weight class) and Nick Tropper (ranked 5659 p4p, 511 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Maples
vs
Tropper

180 cm
18
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
18
188 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

The Juice

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Brian Maples!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nick Tropper!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Lou da Vinci and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maples shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tropper as he avoids it easily.
Tropper scores with a jab to the jaw.
Tropper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Tropper throws out a counter right but Maples avoids it with no problem.

Tropper has taken the fight to the clinch.
Maples is trying to break the clinch but Tropper has him pressed against the cage.
Maples is working for takedown but Tropper is calmly controlling the position for now.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Maples. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Tropper has Maples pressed against the cage, preventing Maples from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Maples tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tropper's elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maples is trying to pull guard but Tropper turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Tropper breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Tropper lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Maples tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Tropper defends well and Maples ends up having to push Tropper into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Tropper misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maples.
Maples tries to counter with a takedown but Tropper is quick to defend against it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tropper closes the distance and pushes Maples back into the cage.

Maples pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Maples wants to clinch up but Tropper keeps it at a distance.
Tropper swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Maples with a lazy takedown attempt
and Maples takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Tropper forces Maples back against the cage and clinches.
Maples tries to pull guard but Tropper forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Maples is trying to force a seperation but Tropper has the dominant position.
Tropper using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Maples has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Maples is trying to break the clinch but Tropper is controlling him.

Tropper manages to break the clinch.
Maples pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Nick Tropper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Tropper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

Maples closes the distance and pushes Tropper back into the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Maples wants to take the fight to the mat but Tropper manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Tropper blocks an elbow strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Maples tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Tropper's elbow.
Maples doesn't land with the attempted body shot.

Tropper breaks the clinch.

Tropper pushes Maples up against the cage in a clinch.
Maples tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Tropper avoids it.

Tropper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maples closes this distance looking for a takedown but Tropper circles away.

Tropper closes the distance and clinches.
Tropper tries to throw a body punch but Maples avoids it by throwing Tropper back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maples is pushing Tropper up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Tropper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Tropper misses the shot to the body.
Maples's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Maples duly obliges.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Maples.
Tropper misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A counter left hand to the body from Maples misses its target.
Tropper connects with the punch.
Maples shoots and misses
and Tropper counters with a left to the body.
Tropper lands a right hook to the body.
Tropper dips to his left and cracks Maples with an uppercut!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maples lands with a nice combination. Tropper backs away looking to recover.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Tropper lands a glancing blow to the side of Maples's head.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maples looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Maples darts in and clinches Tropper up against the cage.

Tropper's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Maples dives in for a single leg takedown but Tropper sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Maples fails to land the takedown.

Maples rushes Tropper and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Maples has had enough of the clinch but Tropper keeps him there for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Tropper dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Sloppy strikes from Maples. Those never looked like landing.
Maples scores with a nice strike.

Tropper clinches.
Maples working hard to break the clinch.
Maples can't find room to land a body shot as Tropper controls the action.
Tropper stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Tropper stalling.
Tropper receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Maples is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Tropper to keep the fight standing.
Maples trying to stall but Tropper improves his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Tropper breaks the clinch.
Horrible takedown attempt by Maples or perhaps it was just good defense by Tropper, which made it look bad.
Tropper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tropper has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tropper throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tropper looks to land a combination but Maples avoids it well.
Maples thuds a left hand into Tropper's body.
Tropper connects with a body shot.
Tropper goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Maples shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Tropper as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Maples. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Maples is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Tropper.

It looks like Brian Maples has been cut.
Maples showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Tropper.
Maples fails with an attempt to clinch.
Nick Tropper seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Tropper throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maples shoots in looking for a takedown but Tropper manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Maples's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Tropper walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tropper moves into the clinch.
Maples jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Tropper walks away with a smile on his face. Maples gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Maples is looking to clinch.

Tropper drives through and clinches with Maples against the cage.
Nick Tropper seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Tropper.
Maples tries to pull guard but Tropper forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Maples tries to score a body lock takedown but Tropper shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

Tropper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Maples tries to clinch but Tropper is having none of it.
Maples slips a jab and a cross from Tropper.
Tropper checks the leg kick.
Maples is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tropper sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Maples shoots in for a takedown but Tropper shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maples shoots for a takedown but Tropper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Tropper moves into the clinch successfully.
Maples takes an elbow to the temple.

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

Tropper moves into the clinch.
Tropper prevents Maples from breaking the clinch.

Tropper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Maples looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Tropper is fending him off so far but Maples persists. Nope, Tropper circles away and we're back to standing.
Maples shoots in for a takedown but Tropper shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Maples throws a head kick that misses
and Tropper counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Maples blocks a head kick by Tropper.
Maples shoots for a takedown but Tropper saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
No joy there for Tropper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Maples swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tropper getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Maples wants to clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Maples checks the leg kick.
Maples throws a lazy head kick
and Tropper makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Maples fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Tropper avoids it really well and circles away.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.

Tropper clinches up with Maples and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Tropper showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Brian Maples's cut.
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. 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.

Maples fails with an attempt to clinch.
Tropper shapes to counter with a head kick.

Tropper moves into range and clinches up with Maples.
Maples is looking for a takedown.
Maples fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Tropper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Tropper will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Tropper tries to land a front kick but Maples steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Maples shoots in looking for a takedown but Tropper manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Maples's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian Maples. That's going to take a lot out of him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tropper swats away the attempt to clinch by Maples.

Tropper gets a clinch.

Tropper breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Tropper pushes Maples up against the cage in a clinch.
Maples misses with a hook to the ribs.
Tropper has Maples pressed against the cage, preventing Maples from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tropper has Maples pressed against the cage, preventing Maples from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Tropper misses with some punches.
Maples wants to break free but Tropper has control.

Tropper breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Maples gets the takedown into side control.

Tropper throws Maples to one side and escapes!

Tropper forces Maples back against the cage and clinches.
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!
Maples wants to take the fight to the mat but Tropper manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

Tropper manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lazy left from Tropper finds it's target.
Tropper throws a body punch but Maples moves out of range.
Maples shoots in and drives through. Tropper sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Maples dives in for a single leg takedown but Tropper sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Maples fails with the takedown
and Tropper counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Tropper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Tropper let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.

Tropper fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Maples, pushing him back against the cage.
Tropper tries a knee to the head but Maples blocks it.

Tropper manages to break the clinch.
No luck for Maples with that takedown attempt.
Tropper misses with a wild combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tropper forces Maples back against the cage and clinches.

Tropper's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Tropper slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Maples tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Tropper manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Tropper throws a series of punches but Maples avoids them all with ease.
Maples tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Tropper manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Maples shoots for a double leg takedown but Tropper sprawls well. He's pushed Maples's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Tropper is looking for the big counter here.
Nice takedown defense from Tropper. No joy for Maples on that attempt.
Tropper avoids the head kick by Maples.
Tropper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Brian Maples is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Tropper closes the distance and pushes Maples back into the cage.

Tropper breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Tropper has managed to clinch.
Maples looking to stall.
The referee calls for Tropper to work.
The referee calls for Maples to work.
Tropper tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Tropper slows down the pace here.
Maples jumps guard but Tropper stands there with Maples around his waist. Maples gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nick Tropper comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Tropper 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Tropper!