PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Blue Bear (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nikola Popovic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nikola Popovic has the eye of the tiger tonight.

Bear
vs
Popovic

190 cm
18
255 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
20
255 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Powerful

Tianada's Nutrition Superstore

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Blue Bear!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Nikola Popovic!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, John Mangel and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popovic defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Bear.
Bear shoots in for a takedown but Popovic shows good takedown defense.
Popovic shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Bear sprawls well. Bear wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Popovic gets slowly back to his feet.

Popovic shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Popovic showed some decent athleticism there.
Popovic missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Bear trying to control from the bottom.
Popovic is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Popovic throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Popovic seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bear does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Bear tries to kick Popovic off but Popovic keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Popovic not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Popovic seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Bear does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Popovic might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Bear kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Popovic thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Popovic sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Bear defending well though.
Popovic working over Bear with some ground and pound. Bear looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Popovic is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Popovic sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Popovic throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Popovic connects with a nice short shot to Bear's temple.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Popovic in particular looking to stall.
Bear is staying active underneath Popovic, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popovic trying to pass the guard but Bear defending well.
Popovic takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Bear wants to get back to his feet.
Popovic takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Popovic not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Popovic lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Popovic works his way into side control.
Bear parries the strikes from Popovic easily there. Popovic is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Bear to escape.
Bear taking a bit of punishment here - Popovic scoring with strikes.
Popovic in side control, throwing shots but Bear defends.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popovic in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Popovic is looking to take a break and control but Bear is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Popovic in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Popovic misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Popovic cracks Bear with a big right hand but Bear just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Bear managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Popovic.
Popovic working away.
Bear is breathing heavily.
Bear is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Popovic is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Bear takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Bear taking a bit of punishment here - Popovic scoring with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popovic wants to control but Bear is keeping him busy.
Popovic scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Bear to see if he's OK.
Popovic is chipping away with strikes.

Popovic thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Bear dodges the ground and pound from Popovic.
Popovic scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Bear to see if he's OK.

It looks like Blue Bear has been cut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Popovic is trying to ground and pound but Bear uses the momentary lack of control by Popovic to regain half guard.
Popovic lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Bear regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Popovic.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nikola Popovic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Blue Bear's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Popovic fails with a takedown attempt.
Popovic shoots for a takedown but Bear saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Popovic looks for a takedown but Bear sprawls well.
Blue Bear has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nikola Popovic.
Bear tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Popovic tries to score a power double leg takedown but Bear sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Popovic somewhat.
Popovic shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Bear as he jumps to the side.
Popovic shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Bear defends it nicely.
Nikola Popovic seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Popovic checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Bear misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Bear is defended easily by Popovic.

Bear gets caught napping as Popovic dives in and scores a takedown. Bear manages to retain guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bear preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Popovic wants to control from the top but Bear keeps moving.
Popovic postures up in Bear's guard and throws a big left but Bear blocks it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bear is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Popovic is trying to maintain the position but Bear is very close to passing his half guard.
Popovic flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Popovic is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Bear pulls his head out easily.
Bear trying to control from half guard but Popovic is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Popovic is trying to stand up here but Bear is controlling him well.

Popovic actively working from the bottom here.
Bear thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Popovic's head.
Bear is trying to control the action in half guard but Popovic is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Popovic manages to get to full guard.
Bear preventing the sweep.
Popovic lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Bear!
Popovic lands a nice shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Popovic landing strikes from the mount and Bear is in trouble!
Popovic landing punches.
Popovic putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Blue Bear's cut is getting worse.
Popovic working the ground and pound effectively.
Popovic raining down hammerfists from mount.
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!
Popovic content just to control the position here.
Popovic lands a big shot there that rocks Bear but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Popovic is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Bear has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Popovic has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popovic wants to control the pace but Bear is squirming around nicely.
Popovic lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Bear hang on?
Popovic landing shots from mount.

Blue Bear's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Popovic lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Jeez, Blue Bear's cut is really nasty now. The referee must be thinking about getting that checked.

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Blue Bear's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:52 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Nikola Popovic!