PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Thoupos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sour Diesel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Thoupos comes to the cage accompanied by Opposite of Adults. Alexander Thoupos had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Thoupos
vs
Diesel

188 cm
23
192 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

182 cm
22
185 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Alexander Thoupos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sour Diesel!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Saam Ante and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Diesel takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Sour Diesel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Thoupos tries a low kick but Diesel avoids it.
Diesel blocks a jab.
Diesel lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Diesel.

Thoupos scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Diesel can do anything to dispel that myth.
Diesel wants to control but Thoupos postures up.
Diesel tries to control but Thoupos manages to take his back.
Thoupos trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Diesel doesn't escape.
Diesel prevents Thoupos from getting a body triangle.
Thoupos is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Will Thoupos go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thoupos controlling the position well here. Diesel rolled but Thoupos kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Diesel is trying to stand back up.
Diesel prevents Thoupos from getting a body triangle.
Thoupos controls the action.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Alexander Thoupos just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Thoupos throws a hook but Diesel blocks it.
Diesel scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Thoupos misses with the combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Thoupos fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Thoupos fails with a takedown attempt.
Thoupos walks into a left hand.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Diesel connects with a looping right hand.
Diesel looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Thoupos is fending him off so far but Diesel persists. Nope, Thoupos circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters circling a little - Thoupos finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Diesel closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Thoupos fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Thoupos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Thoupos is breathing heavily.
Thoupos slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Diesel drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Diesel working away.
Thoupos parries the strikes from Diesel easily there. Diesel is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Thoupos to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Diesel lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Thoupos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Thoupos can't do much from the bottom here.
Diesel lands some shots froms side control.
Diesel really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Thoupos. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Thoupos is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Diesel off and has taken his back!

Thoupos is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Diesel defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.

Diesel is staying cool under pressure, defending well against the rear naked choke attempt from his opponent.
Thoupos is looking to control Diesel but Diesel is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Thoupos is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Diesel is defending well though. Thoupos let's go of the attempt for now.
Thoupos is not going to allow Diesel to sit and survive in this position.
Diesel is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Thoupos controlling well, preventing Diesel from escaping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Sour Diesel will probably get the nod.
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.

Thoupos lands with a cross.

Thoupos clinches up with Diesel and pushes him back against the cage.
Diesel is trying to break the clinch but Thoupos is controlling him.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thoupos.

Thoupos breaks the clinch.
Diesel defending well as Thoupos loads up on a big left hand.
Thoupos swats away the attempt to clinch by Diesel.
Thoupos ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Diesel moves away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Thoupos looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Thoupos scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Thoupos misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Diesel lands a jab-cross combination.
A big left from Thoupos misses.

Thoupos moves into the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Diesel tries for a takedown but Thoupos manages to get underhooks.
Thoupos lands on the inside with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thoupos wants a takedown but no success here.

Thoupos breaks the clinch.
Thoupos misses with a two punch combination.
Thoupos needs to keep his hands up - Diesel had a free shot at his head there.
Good exchange - Diesel coming out on top.

Thoupos clinches up with Diesel and pushes him back against the cage.
Thoupos is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Diesel pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Alexander Thoupos. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diesel tries to score a body lock takedown but Thoupos shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
A short right from Thoupos.

Thoupos breaks from the clinch.
Diesel changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Thoupos tries to avoid it but Diesel manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Thoupos to the ground. Thoupos escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Thoupos throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Diesel was covering up waiting for the punch and Thoupos finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Thoupos won't allow Diesel to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diesel is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Thoupos dives into side control.
Diesel is looking to regain half guard here but Thoupos keeps moving and retains side control.
Diesel tries to control but Thoupos manages to take his back.
Diesel looking very determined here, making life difficult for Thoupos.
Diesel controlling the position well but he knows he's in a bad position.
Thoupos biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diesel is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Diesel is really stuck here.
Thoupos struggling to land strikes to the head as Diesel covers up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Diesel is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Diesel is keeping busy.
Thoupos is hanging on to Diesel's back as he tries to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Thoupos controlling the position well here. Diesel rolled but Thoupos kept the hooks locked in and stayed in the dominant position.
Thoupos throwing sloppy strikes.
Diesel trying to get back to his feet but Thoupos is in full control for now.
Diesel covering up well under a barage of strikes.

Thoupos is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
Diesel is trying to break free.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Thoupos dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Thoupos with a jab.
Thoupos motions for Diesel to come forward. Thoupos throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Thoupos connects with a looping right hand.

Diesel shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Thoupos controlling the position for now.
Thoupos blocking the ground and pound attempt from Diesel.
Thoupos gets full guard.
Thoupos trying to keep a closed guard but Diesel is proving a slippery customer.
Diesel throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Thoupos works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thoupos is trying to keep Diesel in close.
Diesel cracks Thoupos with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thoupos is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Diesel with a flurry of punches that miss.
Diesel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Thoupos keeping moving, preventing Diesel from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
A decent looking cross lands there for Thoupos.
Diesel swings for the body but Thoupos moves out of range.
Thoupos lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Thoupos takes the fight into the clinch.
Thoupos taking a breather.

Thoupos manages to break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thoupos throws a nice outside leg kick.

Thoupos has closed the distance and engaged Diesel in a clinch.
Thoupos throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Diesels head.
Thoupos works on Diesel's body with a couple of short punches.
Diesel tries to break the clinch but Thoupos is controlling the position.

Thoupos escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Thoupos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Thoupos with a hook.

Thoupos clinches up with Diesel and pushes him back against the cage.
Thoupos leaning his opponent against the cage.
Thoupos cracks Diesel with a nice body shot.
Thoupos holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Thoupos throws a punch but it's blocked by Diesel.
Thoupos drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Diesel gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Diesel wants a takedown but no success here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thoupos working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Diesel tries for a takedown but Thoupos manages to get underhooks.

Thoupos breaks from the clinch.

Diesel scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Diesel prevents Thoupos from improving his position.
Thoupos on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Thoupos avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Diesel.
Thoupos trying to control here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Diesel lands strikes from half guard.
The fighters are battling for position here. Thoupos manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Thoupos scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Diesel closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Diesel closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Thoupos wants to get back to his feet.
Diesel not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Diesel working over Thoupos with some ground and pound. Thoupos looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Nice strikes from Diesel there.
Thoupos is pressing down on Diesel's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Diesel landing some decent shots from guard.
Diesel throws and elbow that misses. Thoupos uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Diesel's guard. Nice move by Thoupos!
Thoupos trying to control the position from guard on top but Diesel is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thoupos won't allow Diesel to get back to his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Alexander Thoupos.
Well Thoupos 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Saam Ante scores the fight 29:28
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alexander Thoupos!