PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Bung Popper (ranked 1483 p4p, 2149 weight class) and Abdul Rahman (ranked 226 p4p, 313 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Popper
vs
Rahman

173 cm
26
180
12 - 10 - 0

182 cm
24
184
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Bung Popper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Abdul Rahman!
The judges for this bout are Taro Takaoka, Sosuke Kotani and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Popper gets a clinch.
A short right from Rahman.
Rahman tries to land knees in the clinch but Popper avoids the damage to the body.
Rahman working aggressively here.
Rahman blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Popper has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Popper wants to break the clinch but can't.
Popper is looking to break free of the clinch but Rahman has double underhooks.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Rahman.

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

Rahman instigates a clinch.
Popper is trying to push Rahman away but Rahman has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Rahman goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Rahman throws a head punch that misses.

Popper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rahman takes a swing at Popper's ribcage but misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rahman throws a series of punches but Popper avoids them all with ease.
Popper fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rahman just manages to avoid it.
Rahman darts in looking for a takedown but Popper gets double underhooks and turns Rahman into the cage.
It looked like Popper was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Rahman has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Rahman lands the left hand.
Rahman chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Popper can pounce on him.
Rahman scores with a nice right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rahman doesn't manage to clinch there - Popper circles away.
Popper misses with an uppercut.
Popper lands with a good body shot.
Rahman has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Popper.
Rahman lands an overhand right.
Popper tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Popper has managed to clinch.
Popper tries to work over Rahman's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rahman missing with knees to the body.
Popper takes a knee to the side of the body.
Popper blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Rahman lands a shot to the body.

Popper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rahman misses the shot to the body.

Rahman moves into range and clinches up with Popper.
Rahman landing some nice looking knees to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Popper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Popper takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popper throws a jab but it's blocked by Rahman.
Rahman steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Popper.
Rahman takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Popper on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Nice uppercut there from Popper.
Rahman moves in looking to clinch but Popper pushes him off.
Popper tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Popper chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Rahman uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Popper throws a jab but it's blocked by Rahman.
Rahman tries to clinch up but Popper circles away and keeps his distance.
Rahman moves forwards but Popper connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Popper tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Popper closes the distance and clinches.
A head punch on the inside from Rahman fails to land.
Rahman landing knees to the body.

Popper breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rahman takes one on the button.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popper misses with a low kick.

Popper clinches with his opponent.
Popper is looking to break free of the clinch but Rahman has double underhooks.
A short left from Popper.

Popper manages to break the clinch.
Rahman throws a one two combo.
Popper swats away the attempt to clinch by Rahman.
Rahman throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Popper is looking to counter punch.
Popper throws a looping overhand right but Rahman ducks down to avoid it.
Rahman tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Popper paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Popper walks into a jab.
Popper's jab looks to have found its range, popping Rahman under the eye.

Rahman darts in and clinches Popper up against the cage.
Popper tries to break free but Rahman pushes him back against the cage.
A short uppercut from Rahman.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Popper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Popper moves into range and clinches up with Rahman.

Popper breaks the clinch.
The fighters circle momentarily. Rahman darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Rahman misses with a few strikes there.
Popper jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rahman swings wildly with an uppercut but Popper uses good head movement to avoid it.
Rahman throws a punch but it's blocked by Popper.
A head punch on the inside from Rahman fails to land.
Popper tries to break free but Rahman pushes him back against the cage.
Rahman keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Popper's efforts to push away.
Rahman tries to land knees in the clinch but Popper avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Rahman lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Rahman prevents Popper from breaking the clinch.
Rahman gets through Popper's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Popper can't break the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Abdul Rahman dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Popper throws a right and a left that both miss.
Rahman has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
A lazy left from Popper finds it's target.
A big left from Popper misses.

Rahman takes the fight into the clinch.
Rahman misses with the head strike.
Abdul Rahman seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Popper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rahman has him pressed against the cage.
Popper looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Rahman utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Popper can't break the clinch.
A short left from Rahman.
Popper looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Popper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Rahman darts in and clinches Popper up against the cage.
Popper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rahman has him pressed against the cage.
Rahman misses with a punch on the inside.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Popper tries to break free but Rahman pushes him back against the cage.

Popper escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Popper works Rahman's body with a nice hook.
Popper looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popper uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rahman.
Rahman tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Popper throws a big counter combination but Rahman scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Rahman is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Popper.
Bung Popper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Popper connects with a looping right hand.
Rahman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Popper manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Popper fires out a quick counter leg kick but Rahman just manages to avoid it.

Rahman clinches up against the cage.
Rahman misses with some punches.
Rahman has a couple of punches blocked by Popper.
Rahman working aggressively here.
Rahman lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Popper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Rahman has him pressed against the cage.
Rahman trying to land knees to the body.

Popper's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Rahman defending well as Popper loads up on a big left hand.
Rahman checks a leg kick.
Popper uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Rahman.
Popper seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Popper lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popper looks to land a combination but Rahman avoids it well.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Popper slips under a jab from Rahman.
Popper throws a big counter combination but Rahman scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Popper tries to close the distance and clinch but Rahman swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rahman tries to counter with a clinch but Popper shakes him off and moves away.
Rahman takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Rahman is looking to clinch.
Popper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Popper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Popper rushes Rahman and presses him up against the cage.

Popper's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Popper lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Rahman misses with a series of wild punches.
Popper turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Popper tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rahman manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rahman tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Popper manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Rahman fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Popper, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Popper manages to break the clinch.
Popper tries to clinch but Rahman moves out of range.
Popper takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Rahman misses with an uppercut.
Rahman throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Popper counters with a straight right hand.
Rahman is looking to clinch.
Rahman lands a head shot.

Popper closes the distance and clinches.

Popper breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Rahman tries to clinch there but Popper circles away.
Rahman looks to score with a jab to the body but Popper is just out of range.
Rahman scores with a sloppy right hand. Popper should have avoided that one.
Popper changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rahman thuds a left hand into Popper's body.
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!
Popper doesn't manage to clinch there - Rahman circles away.

Popper gets a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Popper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rahman looks to clinch
and Popper counters with a straight right hand.
Nice defenses there by Rahman.
Popper is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Rahman.
Popper throws a lazy right hand but Rahman sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Rahman swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Popper looks to land a left hand but Rahman moved out of range nicely.
Rahman showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Popper.
Popper missing with a left hand there. Rahman was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rahman wants to counter with a clinch but Popper pushes him away.

Rahman closes the distance and clinches.
A body shot lands from Popper.
Rahman tries to throw a body punch but Popper avoids it by throwing Rahman back against the cage.
Rahman keeps control of Popper as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Popper is trying to break the clinch but Rahman has him pressed against the cage.
Popper is trying to force a seperation but Rahman has the dominant position.
Rahman unloads a knee to the mid-section. Popper lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Bung Popper will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

The fight stays on the outside here - Rahman looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A combination from Popper does no damage.

Rahman fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Popper, pushing him back against the cage.
Popper blocks a body shot from Rahman.
Popper tries to circle away but Rahman has him pinned against the cage.

Popper manages to break the clinch.
Rahman tries to clinch up.
Rahman avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Rahman tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

Rahman moves into range and clinches up with Popper.

Popper breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Nice defenses there by Popper.

Rahman moves into the clinch.
Popper pushes Rahman back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Popper has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Popper is trying to break the clinch but Rahman is controlling him.
Rahman keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Popper's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Rahman creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Rahman working aggressively here.
Rahman missing with knees to the body.
Rahman has Popper pressed against the cage, preventing Popper from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Rahman tries to work over Popper's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Rahman misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Popper.
Popper is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Popper has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Popper.

Popper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rahman connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Rahman tries to clinch but Popper is having none of it.

Rahman has closed the distance and engaged Popper in a clinch.
Popper lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Popper wants to break the clinch but can't.

Popper breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Popper gets tackled into the cage by Rahman. Rahman maintains the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Popper breaks the clinch.
Rahman scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.

Popper gets tackled into the cage by Rahman. Rahman maintains the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rahman prevents Popper from breaking the clinch.
Rahman misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Popper.
Rahman lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
A head punch on the inside from Rahman fails to land.
Rahman lands with a short shot to the head.

Popper is rocked!
Popper wants to get back to striking at distance but Rahman won't allow it.
Oh Popper is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rahman blocks a body shot from Popper.
Popper's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Rahman crunches a lovely knee into Popper's ribcage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Popper tries to break free but Rahman pushes him back against the cage.

Popper pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Rahman circles and sees the opportunity to plant his feet and throw a really nice straight left hand that drops Popper to the canvas! Popper doesn't know where he is but he's trying to survive - Rahman keeps piling on the pressure and forces the referee to step in! This one is aaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Abdul Rahman!