PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Anton Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joseph Pimentel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Joseph Pimentel has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Pope
vs
Pimentel

206 cm
22
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

168 cm
23
135 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Anton Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Joseph Pimentel!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Yves DeLean and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pimentel misses with an uppercut.
Pimentel shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Pope but Pope pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Joseph Pimentel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pimentel shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pope defends it nicely.
Pimentel shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Pope sprawls well. Pope wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Pimentel gets slowly back to his feet.
Anton Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Pimentel.
Pimentel misses with a kick to the body
and Pope counters with a nice uppercut.
Pimentel misses with a takedown
enabling Pope to counter with a crisp jab.
Pope scores with a three punch combo!
Pimentel shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pope pinned against the cage. Pope gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Pimentel walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Pope tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Pimentel swivels and escapes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pimentel has taken the fight to the clinch.
Pope's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Pimentel throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Pope blocks it with crossed arms.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Pimentel lands a good knee to the midsection. Pope won't want to take too many of those.
Pope trying to stall but Pimentel improves his position.
Pope misses with a short punch on the inside.

Pope turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Pope wants to control but Pimentel is keeping him busy.

Pope stands up and we're back to a striking position.

Pimentel clinches up against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pope is defending well against a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Pimentel walks away with a smile on his face. Pope gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A low kick from Pimentel misses
and Pope counters with a one-two to the body.
Pimentel is trying hard to land a takedown here. Pope sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Pimentel instigates a clinch.

Pope ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Pope no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Pope can't keep his opponent in guard - Pimentel advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Pimentel is looking for a kimura here.
Pope really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Pimentel looks winded!
The fighters are battling for position here. Pope manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Pimentel wanted to stand there but Pope had control of the position.
Pimentel trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Pope not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope is pulling down on Pimentel's head. It's preventing any offense from Pimentel, at least for the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pope looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Pimentel throws a big right hand that misses.
Pimentel throws a big right hand that misses.
Pimentel works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Pope is trying to get back to full guard.
Pope avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Pimentel.
Pope keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Pope tries to get to full guard but Pimentel has control of the leg.

Pimentel seems to be looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pimentel trying to mount his opponent but Pope defends it.
Pope is looking to control Pimentel's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Pope avoid being mounted?
Pimentel wants to pass to mount but Pope is defending the position.
Pimentel thows a huge punch but Pope dodges it nicely.
Pope wants to improve his position but Pimentel is controlling well.
Pope keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pope looks like he's trying to stand up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Pimentel is looking for a kimura but Pope is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Pimentel to get the leverage.
Pimentel is thwarting Pope's attempts to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Joseph Pimentel will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Pope tries to clinch but Pimentel moves away
and Pimentel counters with a leg kick.
Pimentel swinging wildly here.
Pope uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Pimentel has time to react.
Pope tries to clinch up but Pimentel circles away and keeps his distance.

Pope instigates a clinch.
A shot in the inside from Pimentel.

Pimentel pulls guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Pope wants to control from the top but Pimentel keeps moving.

Pope avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Pimentel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope trying to control but Pimentel is working from the bottom.

Pope decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Pimentel shoots in for a takedown but Pope shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Pimentel is breathing heavily.
Pimentel throws a head kick that misses.
Pimentel looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Pimentel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pope thuds a left hand into Pimentel's body.
Pimentel tries for a takedown but Pope sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Anton Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Pimentel.
Pimentel fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Pope shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Pimentel as he avoids it easily.
Pimentel fails with a takedown attempt.

Pope shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Pimentel manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pope scoring with some ground and pound.
Pope has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Pimentel is proving hard to escape from.
Anton Pope overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pimentel is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Pope is aware though and is defending well.

Pimentel escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Pope gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Pope postures up.

Pope gets to his feet - Pimentel follows without any prompting.
Pimentel doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Pope cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Pimentel ducks right into an uppercut from Pope.
Pope has a takedown stuffed.

Pimentel closes the distance and clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pimentel doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Pimentel using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.

Pope manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Pope throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Pimentel controls from within his opponent's guard.
Pimentel wants to pass the guard but Pope is keeping the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pope utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Pope working a defensive guard here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pimentel is looking to work some ground and pound but Pope has wrist control.
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 Anton Pope will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Pimentel looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pimentel tries for a takedown but Pope sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

Pimentel moves into the clinch.
Pimentel cracks Pope with a nice body shot.
Pimentel is pressed up against the cage. Pope has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Pimentel down to the mat. Pimentel avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

Pimentel pushes Pope up against the cage in a clinch.
Pope tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Pimentel smiles and moves away.
Pimentel shoots and misses
and Pope connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Anton Pope has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Joseph Pimentel.
Pope fails with a takedown attempt.
Pimentel misses with a left hand
and Pope counters with a left to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Pimentel misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Pope to counter with a crisp jab.
Pimentel goes for a double leg but Pope avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pope continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope is pushing Pimentel up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Pimentel gets underhooks to prevent Pope's takedown attempt.
Pimentel jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Pope walks away with a smile on his face. Pimentel gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Pope scores with a three punch combo!
Joseph Pimentel seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Pimentel gets a clinch.
Pope looking to slow down the pace here.
A body shot lands from Pimentel.
Pimentel wants a takedown.
Pimentel with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Pope is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope is trying to pull guard but Pimentel has him pressed against the cage.
Pimentel avoids a wild elbow strike from Pope.
Pope is looking to control Pimentel's arms but Pimentel gets an underhook and turns him. Now Pope has his back to the cage.
Pope can't seem to implement his control oriented gameplan at the moment. That's no bad thing of course, for those of us who want to see a good fight.
Pimentel has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pope is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Pope is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Pimentel is defending well.
Pimentel is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pope pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Pope jumps guard but Pimentel stands there with Pope around his waist. Pope gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Pope stops a takedown attempt from Pimentel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pope pulls Pimentel into guard.
Pope has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Pimentel passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Pope tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Pimentel wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Pimentel looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

Pimentel thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Pimentel is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Pope knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pimentel wants to control but Pope is keeping him busy.
Pope tries to bench press Pimentel off him but Pimentel keeps the position.
Pimentel wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pope keeps working.

Pimentel is trying to get an arm triangle but Pope is defending well.

Pimentel is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pope is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The ground and pound from Pimentel seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Pope avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Pimentel.

And that's the end of the fight!
Joseph Pimentel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Pimentel has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 William Peck scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Joseph Pimentel!