PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Latka Gravas (ranked 206 p4p, 32 weight class) and Avraam Papadopoulos (ranked 312 p4p, 46 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Gravas
vs
Papadopoulos

184 cm
32
180 lbs
15 - 8 - 0

187 cm
30
181 lbs
24 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing
Perkele!

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 15 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Latka Gravas !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 8 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Avraam Papadopoulos!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Phil Schofield and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nice defenses there by Gravas .
Gravas throws a body shot but no joy.
Papadopoulos takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Gravas misses with a straight left.
Papadopoulos steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Gravas .
Papadopoulos misses with a lunging right hand
and Gravas counters with a lovely straight right hand!

Papadopoulos fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Gravas , pushing him back against the cage.
Gravas misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short uppercut from Gravas .
Gravas lands with a left to the head.
A short left from Gravas .
Papadopoulos doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gravas misses with the head strike.
Papadopoulos doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Gravas blocks a body shot from Papadopoulos.
Gravas scores with a hook to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papadopoulos lands a body shot in the clinch.
Papadopoulos tries to throw a body punch but Gravas avoids it by throwing Papadopoulos back against the cage.
Papadopoulos tries a body shot but Gravas blocks it.
Gravas misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Gravas working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Gravas has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Gravas .
Papadopoulos doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Papadopoulos swings wildly with an uppercut but Gravas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Gravas lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Gravas tries a knee to the head but Papadopoulos blocks it.
Papadopoulos lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Papadopoulos can't find room to land a body shot as Gravas controls the action.

Gravas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Decent striking displayed by Gravas there.
Papadopoulos misses with a jab to the body
and Gravas counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Avraam Papadopoulos has been cut.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Papadopoulos uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gravas .
Gravas misses with an attempted mid kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gravas misses with a body punch
and Papadopoulos counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gravas misses with a looping left.
Gravas is looking to score with low kicks.
Gravas slips under a jab.
Gravas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Gravas lands a lovely overhand right.
Gravas throws a body shot but no joy.
Papadopoulos throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papadopoulos swings for the body but Gravas moves out of range.
Gravas 's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Papadopoulos connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gravas scrambles back to his feet.
Papadopoulos avoids a kick to the body.
Latka Gravas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A cross from Papadopoulos lands.
Gravas buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Papadopoulos ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gravas moves away.
Papadopoulos lands a jab to the nose.
Gravas throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gravas lands a front kick.
Gravas connects with a leg kick. Papadopoulos looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Papadopoulos scores with a shot to the body.
Gravas throws a nice outside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Papadopoulos drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Gravas throws a body kick that misses.
Papadopoulos on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Papadopoulos lands with a good body shot.
Gravas catches Papadopoulos with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Latka Gravas dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Avraam Papadopoulos's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Papadopoulos fails in his attempt to clinch.
As Papadopoulos backs away, Gravas returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Gravas misses with an uppercut.
A left lands for Gravas .
Gravas blocks a head kick by Papadopoulos.
Gravas went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Gravas lands a leg kick that knocks Papadopoulos off balance momentarily.
Gravas getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Papadopoulos rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gravas moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Gravas dips to his left and cracks Papadopoulos with an uppercut!
Gravas defending well as Papadopoulos loads up on a big left hand.
Gravas is looking to counter with a shot to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gravas looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Jab from Papadopoulos.
Gravas tries to land a front kick but Papadopoulos steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Papadopoulos avoids the body shot from Gravas .
A nice inside leg kick there by Gravas . That's going to slow Papadopoulos down.
Papadopoulos swings widly with a right hand
and Gravas counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Papadopoulos throws a body punch but Gravas moves out of range.
Gravas gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Papadopoulos counters with a right hand to the body.
Gravas is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Papadopoulos can do to turn this around?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Papadopoulos blocks a head kick by Gravas .
Papadopoulos doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Gravas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Papadopoulos.
Gravas jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Papadopoulos uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Gravas has time to react.
Papadopoulos jabs Gravas to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Gravas slips a straight right by Papadopoulos.
As Papadopoulos backs away, Gravas returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A head kick misses from Papadopoulos.
Papadopoulos uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Gravas .
Papadopoulos looks to score with a jab to the body but Gravas is just out of range.
Latka Gravas is winning the standup battle so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Gravas . Papadopoulos does a little dance to reset his feet.
A chopping leg kick lands by Gravas .
Gravas misses with a hook to the body
and Papadopoulos cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Gravas throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Gravas moves out of the way of the counter high kick fromPapadopoulos.
Papadopoulos staying out of range there.
Papadopoulos doesn't fully commit to the body shot counter.
Gravas misses with a low kick.
Papadopoulos's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Gravas connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Papadopoulos scrambles back to his feet.
Gravas looks to score with a jab to the body but Papadopoulos is just out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gravas slips a straight right by Papadopoulos.
It looked like Gravas was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Papadopoulos throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Gravas feints and then cracks Papadopoulos's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Papadopoulos down.

Gravas drops Papadopoulos with a beautiful combination! Papadopoulos stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Gravas is looking for the KO!
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!
Donk. Gravas catches Papadopoulos right on the button with a cross.
Papadopoulos looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gravas avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gravas throws a quick counter kick to the body but Papadopoulos avoids it.
Gravas keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Papadopoulos.
Gravas was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Papadopoulos throws a jab but it's blocked by Gravas .
It appears Gravas was looking to counter with a kick there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Latka Gravas dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Avraam Papadopoulos's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Gravas throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
A big left from Gravas misses.
Gravas lands a high kick!
Gravas lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Gravas misses with an uppercut
and Papadopoulos counters with a right hand to the body.
Gravas slips a jab from Papadopoulos.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gravas misses with a body kick.
Papadopoulos drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Papadopoulos connects with a crisp jab.
Papadopoulos lands with a hook. Gravas tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Jab from Papadopoulos.
Papadopoulos misses with a looping right.
Gravas is looking for a counter combo.
Gravas misses with an attempted mid kick.
Papadopoulos tries a head kick but it misses.
Gravas scores with a shot to the body.
Papadopoulos cracks Gravas with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Papadopoulos fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Gravas on the side of the head.
Gravas lands with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Gravas scores with a leg kick.
Gravas rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Papadopoulos counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Gravas thinking.
Gravas misses with a body kick.
A swing and a miss from Gravas .
Gravas uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Papadopoulos.
A jab from Gravas does it's job there.

That has opened up Avraam Papadopoulos's cut even more.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Papadopoulos moves into range and connects with a jab.
Gravas tries to move into range but Papadopoulos moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Gravas goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
A solid leg kick lands there for Gravas .
Papadopoulos jabs Gravas to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Papadopoulos fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gravas manages to avoid it.
Gravas on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Gravas looking to land some kicks to the body here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gravas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Papadopoulos wants to counter with a clinch but Gravas pushes him away.
Papadopoulos cracks Gravas with a good jab.
Papadopoulos scores with a punch to the head.
Gravas looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Papadopoulos is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Gravas with a body shot.
Latka Gravas is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Papadopoulos throws a big shot that misses.
Papadopoulos misses with a looping right.
Papadopoulos looks to land a left hand but Gravas moved out of range nicely.
Avraam Papadopoulos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Papadopoulos pulls out of a head kick attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Avraam Papadopoulos comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Gravas 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Latka Gravas !
A very excited looking Latka Gravas made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.