PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jack Groper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gus Pappas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Groper
vs
Pappas

170 cm
25
145 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
153 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Arcticus University: London

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jack Groper!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gus Pappas!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Josh West and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pappas throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Groper stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Pappas throws a series of punches but Groper avoids them all with ease.
Pappas misses with a series of wild punches.
Groper tries to counter with a takedown but Pappas is quick to defend against it.

Pappas darts in and clinches Groper up against the cage.

Pappas manages to break the clinch.
Pappas lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Pappas.
Pappas throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
The fight stays on the outside here - Pappas looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Groper shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Pappas defends it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pappas throws a series of punches but Groper moves out of range.
Pappas scores with a jab.
Groper definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
The crowd cheers as Pappas lands an impressive looking overhand right. Groper doesn't seem phased though.
Groper shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Pappas as he jumps to the side.
Pappas looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Groper tries to close the distance and clinch but Pappas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Groper goes for a double leg but Pappas avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Pappas continues to drive forward.
Pappas looks like he wants to counter punch here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Groper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A punch combination from Pappas misses.
Pappas lands a nice shot to the body.
Pappas throws a right and a left that Groper avoids nicely.
Pappas scores with a decent looking hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Pappas misses.
As Pappas looks to move away, Groper throws a big counter combo bu Pappas just gets out of the way.
Pappas lands a lovely overhand right.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pappas goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Pappas scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Pappas with a jab.

Pappas moves into the clinch successfully.

Pappas breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Pappas is trying to break free.
Pappas tries to circle away but Groper has him pinned against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pappas is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Pappas is trying to push Groper away but Groper has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Pappas breaks from the clinch.
Pappas throws a nice looking combination but Groper bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Groper is looking for a counter combo.
Pappas throws a leg kick but Groper moved away.
Groper takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Pappas cracks Groper with an open hand slap.
Pappas ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Pappas looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Groper changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Pappas feints a jab promting Groper to slip. Pappas then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Groper slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pappas moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Pappas misses with a jab, cross combination.
Groper is looking for a counter combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Pappas takes a swing at Groper's ribcage but misses.
We've been informed that Pappas has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
Pappas misses with the combination.
Pappas throws a right and a left that Groper avoids nicely.
Pappas misses with a low kick.
Pappas throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Groper on the side of the head.
Pappas throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Groper changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Groper dodges the punch combination from Pappas.
Groper attempts a counter takedown but Pappas avoids it well and moves away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gus Pappas dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pappas misses with a double jab.
Groper changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Pappas scores with a jab to the head.
Pappas misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Groper.
Gus Pappas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pappas moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Pappas swinging wildly here.
Pappas misses the shot to the body.
Groper shoots in but Pappas avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pappas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Groper shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Pappas pinned against the cage. Pappas gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pappas cracks Groper with a good jab.
Pappas clobbers Groper with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Pappas has Groper up against the cage in a clinch.

Pappas's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Pappas gets a clinch.
Good body shot from Pappas.

Pappas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Pappas scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pappas lands with a nice body punch.
Groper shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Groper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pappas dips to his left and cracks Groper with an uppercut!
Pappas throws a series of punches but Groper avoids them all with ease.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Groper closes this distance looking for a takedown but Pappas circles away.
Pappas scores with a jab to the jaw.
Pappas works over Groper's head and body with a nice combination.
Groper takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Pappas connects with a nice looking jab.
Jack Groper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Groper is defended easily by Pappas.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pappas looks to land a combination but Groper avoids it well.
Pappas lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Pappas throws a shot to the body.
Gus Pappas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Pappas lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Groper takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

Groper is rocked!
Pappas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pappas scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Pappas lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Pappas goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Oh Groper is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pappas.
Pappas lands an overhand right.
Nice body punch from Pappas.
Groper walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Pappas feints a jab promting Groper to slip. Pappas then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Groper slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Pappas is breathing heavily.
A punch combination from Pappas misses.

Pappas rushes Groper and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Pappas just leaning against Groper, taking a breather.
Groper drops down looking for an ankle pick but Pappas pulls his leg out and moves away.
Pappas lands a nice looking body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gus Pappas showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pappas uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Groper has time to react.
Groper seems to have got his legs back now.
Pappas throws a shot to the body.
No luck for Groper with that takedown attempt.
Pappas throws a right and a left that both miss.
Groper will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.

Pappas forces Groper back against the cage and clinches.
Pappas tries to break free but Groper pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Groper has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Pappas avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Groper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Pappas lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Groper or not.
Groper has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Pappas after a bit of a struggle.
This is turning into a torrid day at the office for Groper. He's trying desperately to land a takedown but he's failing miserably and getting slapped silly on the feet to compound his misery.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Groper is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Pappas pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Groper is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Pappas lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Groper backs up against the cage.

Pappas fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Groper, pushing him back against the cage.
Groper is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pappas pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Groper keeps control of Pappas as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Pappas escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Pappas thuds a left hand into Groper's body.
Gus Pappas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Pappas stuffs the takedown.
A decent looking cross lands there for Pappas.
Groper avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Groper shoots in for a takedown but Pappas shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Pappas drops Groper with a beautiful combination! Groper stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Pappas is looking for the KO!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Pappas stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Pappas throws a 1-2 combo that connects squarely on Groper's jaw, knocking him onto his back! Pappas dives in looking to finish as Groper flails his arms in a desperate attempt to block Pappas's strikes! Pappas is raining down hammerfists and the ref stops it! Groper's desperate flailing just didn't constitute intelligent defence. Some people will probably question the ref's decision but Groper was definitely hurt and the ref saved him from taking unnecessary punishment. A fighter's safety is paramount in this sport.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:31 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Gus Pappas!
Gus Pappas is the new featherweight champion!