PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mustafa Owens (ranked 120 p4p, 316 weight class) and Mikhail Popkov (ranked 19 p4p, 50 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Owens
vs
Popkov

188 cm
26
190
13 - 1 - 0

200 cm
24
195
11 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Conquer
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

Voodoo Nutrition
PWNAGE Elite - $25 Tees

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mustafa Owens!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mikhail Popkov!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Winston Howard and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popkov misses with a lunging right hand
and Owens counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Popkov looks to land a right hand but Owens moved out of range.
Popkov with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Owens to score with a decent uppercut.
Popkov is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Owens tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Popkov paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Popkov is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Owens with a body shot.
Popkov misses with a straight right.
Owens looks to throw the jab but Popkov is out of range.
Popkov swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Popkov tries to bum rush Owens with a series of wild strikes but Owens uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Popkov moves out of range as Owens throws a body kick.
Popkov connects with a crisp jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Popkov catches Owens with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
A big right from Owens misses.
Popkov tries to move into range but Owens moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Popkov throws a poor cross that misses
and Owens counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

It looks like Mikhail Popkov has been cut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popkov avoids the head kick by Owens.
Owens cracks Popkov with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
A nice leg kick lands there from Owens.
Popkov throws a right hand that misses
and Owens counters with an inside leg kick.
Popkov swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Owens counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Owens slips under a jab.
Nice defenses there by Popkov.
Owens slips under a jab from Popkov.
Owens misses the shot to the body.
Owens misses with a kick to the body.
Popkov keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Owens.
Popkov is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Owens.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popkov moves out of range as Owens strikes.
Owens misses with an uppercut
and Popkov counters with a straight right hand.
Popkov on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Owens. Owens obviously looking to wear him down.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Owens throws a right hand that misses
and Popkov counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Owens pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Popkov throws a nice looking combination but Owens bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Owens walks into a left hand.
Owens misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Popkov.
Donk. Popkov catches Owens right on the button with a cross.
Owens lands with an overhand left.
Owens moves out of range of the strikes.
Popkov connects with a right hand. Owens shakes it off.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Owens scores with a punch to the head.
Owens connects with a leg kick.
Owens avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Owens has closed the distance and engaged Popkov in a clinch.
I was talking to Owens's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Owens doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Owens lands an elbow inside that Popkov shrugs off.
Popkov softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Owens lands a hook to the side of the head.
Popkov blocks an elbow strike from Owens.
Owens blocks a body shot from Popkov.
Popkov wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Owens keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Popkov's efforts to push away.
Owens throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Owens swings wildly with an uppercut but Popkov uses good head movement to avoid it.
Owens has Popkov pressed against the cage, preventing Popkov from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Owens misses with an elbow over the top.
Owens lands a nice elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Popkov.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A short right from Owens on the inside.

That has opened up Mikhail Popkov's cut even more.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Owens.
Owens scores with a shot to the side of Popkov's head.

Popkov is rocked!

The cut above Mikhail Popkov's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Owens misses with the head strike.
Popkov wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Owens has him pressed against the cage.
Owens working aggressively here.
Owens lands a left hand that snaps the head of Popkov backwards.
Popkov has had enough of the clinch but Owens keeps him there for the moment.
Owens throws an elbow but it misses.
Popkov takes an elbow to the forehead.
Popkov is still on wobbly legs! Can Owens finish him?
Popkov is trying to break the clinch but Owens has him pressed against the cage.
Owens dips a shoulder and cracks Popkov with a mighty uppercut! Popkov falls back against the cage and Owens unloads with a barrage of strikes! Popkov is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Owens screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:41 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mustafa Owens!
Mustafa Owens retains his middleweight title!
Mustafa Owens decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.