PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Drago Jokic (ranked 4751 p4p, 2026 weight class) and Juanma Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Jokic
vs
Lopez

182 cm
18
175
0 - 0 - 0

182 cm
25
178
4 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Drago Jokic!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Juanma Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Bart Greer, Peter Branson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jokic slips a straight right by Lopez.
Lopez throws an off balance right hand
and Jokic counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lopez throws a hook but Jokic avoids it easily.
Lopez throws a big shot that misses.
Jokic tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Lopez manages to circle out of the way.
Jokic connects with a jab.
Lopez fails to land with a series of punches.
Jokic is looking to counter punch.
A punch lands to the side of Lopez 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Lopez scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez throws a low kick, looking for Jokic's leg but Jokic calmly moves out of range.
Jokic changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Lopez throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Jokic works the jab nicely.
Jokic lands a glancing blow to the side of Lopez's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jokic connects with a good right hand that stumbles Lopez. Lopez circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
A shot to the body from Jokic misses
and Lopez counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Lopez lands a nice looking body shot.
Decent striking displayed by Lopez there.
Lopez lands with an uppercut that bounces Jokic off the cage and back into range.
Lopez thuds his right hand into Jokic's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Lopez moves out of range of the strikes.

Lopez moves into the clinch successfully.
Lopez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jokic blocks it with crossed arms.
Jokic tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Lopez's elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez slowing the pace effectively.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Jokic looking to slow down the pace here.
Lopez stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Lopez stalling the fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez goes for a takedown attempt but Jokic pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Lopez throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Lopez connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Jokic lands a body shot.
Jokic throws a body punch but Lopez moves out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jokic lands a nice shot to the body.
Jokic scores with a jab to the body.
Lopez moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
A swing and a miss from Lopez.
Lopez looks to land a left hand but Jokic moved out of range nicely.
Jokic attempts a counter takedown but Lopez avoids it well and moves away.
Lopez misses with a leg kick
enabling Jokic to counter with a crisp jab.
Lopez with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Juanma Lopez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lopez lands a jab to the nose.
Jokic takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Lopez does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Jokic is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Lopez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Lopez forces Jokic back against the cage and clinches.
Lopez is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Jokic gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Jokic displaying some good clinch control by pressing Lopez up against the cage.
Lopez with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Lopez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The referee calls for Lopez to work.
Jokic blocks an uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juanma Lopez dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Jokic takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Juanma Lopez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Lopez fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice shot by Lopez.
Jokic ducks under a wild hook from Lopez.
Lopez turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

Lopez has managed to clinch.
Jokic is trying to force a seperation but Lopez has the dominant position.
Lopez is looking to take this one to the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A shot in the inside from Lopez.
Lopez scores with a knee to the head.
Lopez makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Jokic takes a shot to the head.

Jokic is rocked!
Lopez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Jokic is defending well for now.
Oh Jokic is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Jokic is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Jokic seems to have got his legs back now.
Lopez stalling in the clinch.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Lopez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Lopez tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Lopez drops down looking for an ankle pick but Jokic pulls his leg out and moves away.

Lopez has closed the distance and engaged Jokic in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez wants a takedown.
Drago Jokic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juanma Lopez.
Lopez has Jokic pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Jokic manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Lopez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lopez prevents a body shot from Jokic.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Jokic holds him up against the cage and eventually Lopez drops back down to his feet.
Lopez lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Jokic takes a knee to the side of the body.
Lopez throws a head punch that misses.
Jokic is looking to control Lopez's arms but Lopez gets an underhook and turns him. Now Jokic has his back to the cage.
Lopez lands a nice uppercut.
Juanma Lopez seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Lopez pressing his opponent against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Lopez content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Lopez throws an elbow but it misses.
Lopez stalls.
Jokic tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Jokic trying to control the position but instead, Lopez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Jokic into the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Lopez is stalling here.
Lopez displaying some good clinch control by pressing Jokic up against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Juanma Lopez.
Lopez misses with a low kick.
Lopez drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Jokic uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Lopez.
Lopez throws a right and a left that Jokic avoids nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lopez displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Jokic throws out the jab.

Lopez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Juanma Lopez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A nice leg kick from Lopez, right into the meat of the thigh.
Jokic throws a nice looking combination but Lopez bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Lopez steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Jokic.
Jokic lands a nice shot to the body.
Jokic tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Jokic keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Jokic throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Jokic sets himself, and Lopez steps forward looking for the clinch! Jokic avoids it this time.
A looping hook to the body misses from Lopez. Jokic does a little dance to reset his feet.
Jokic swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lopez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Jokic.
Jokic works the jab nicely.
Jokic fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Lopez looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez throws a nice outside leg kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Lopez lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Jokic has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Jokic and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Lopez scores with a jab.
Lopez misses with an uppercut.
Jokic changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Jokic misses with a few strikes there.
Lopez throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Lopez throws a leg kick that misses.
Lopez misses with an attempted mid kick.
Jokic dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez throws a leg kick which misses Jokic's front leg but catches the back leg as Jokic tries to avoid it.
Jokic looks to score with a jab to the body but Lopez is just out of range.

Lopez clinches up with Jokic and pushes him back against the cage.
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!
Jokic blocks the elbow strike.
Lopez is looking for a takedown.
Lopez taking a breather.
The referee calls for Lopez to work.
Jokic stops a takedown attempt from Lopez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez lands a nice uppercut.
Lopez lands an elbow inside that Jokic shrugs off.
Lopez tries to land a knee to the head but Jokic blocks with his arms.
Lopez pushes Jokic back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Lopez wants to take the fight to the mat but Jokic manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Drago Jokic has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Juanma Lopez.
Lopez goes for a takedown in the clinch but Jokic prevents it.
Lopez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Jokic avoiding damage as Lopez throws knees to the body.
Come on Lopez - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Lopez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Lopez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Juanma Lopez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Jokic is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jokic gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Lopez.
Lopez misses with the head strike.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
A short right from Lopez.
Lopez stalling against the cage.
Lopez makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

And that's the end of the fight!
Juanma Lopez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lopez 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 Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juanma Lopez!
Juanma Lopez was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.