PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Justin Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sean Tooma (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tooma has chosen Blood simple- Straight Hate as his entrance music. Justin Pope looks tired to me. Hopefully he has got enough gas left in the tank to put in a good performance.

Pope
vs
Tooma

220 cm
21
210 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

190 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Justin Pope!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sean Tooma!
The judges for this bout are Saam Ante, Radbod Blank and Wagner Zegers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Tooma throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pope looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Tooma throws a right and a left that Pope avoids nicely.

Tooma shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tooma showed some decent athleticism there.
Still in half guard, Tooma seems content to control.

Tooma decides to stand and escape the position.
A punch combination from Tooma misses.
Pope tries to counter by clinching up but Tooma breaks away and moves out of range.
Tooma throws an overhand right that lands on Pope's shoulder, as Pope tries to avoid the shot.
We've been told by Pope's head coaches at Men of Mayhem that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tooma. Pope does a little dance to reset his feet.
Tooma throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Tooma takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Pope scores with a nice body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Tooma.
Tooma scores with a jab to the body.
Tooma looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pope shoots in and drives through. Tooma sprawls well.
Tooma rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pope moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Tooma works the jab nicely.
Tooma fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pope manages to avoid it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Tooma.
Pope on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Tooma misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Pope.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Tooma to score with a decent uppercut.
A left and a right from Tooma both land. Nice combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Pope gets a clinch.
Pope lands a nice knee to the body.
Pope can't find room to land a body shot as Tooma controls the action.
Pope pressing his opponent against the cage.

Pope breaks from the clinch.
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.
Tooma lands a lovely overhand right.
Pope looks for a takedown but Tooma sprawls well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Tooma shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Tooma showed some decent athleticism there.
Tooma controlling the pace.
Tooma really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Pope. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Tooma decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.
Tooma bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Nice uppercut lands for Tooma. That snapped Pope's head back.
No joy there for Tooma, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Tooma lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A combination from Tooma does no damage.
Pope seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Tooma takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Nice defenses there by Tooma.
Pope takes one on the chin but seems OK.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tooma lands a jab-cross combination.
Tooma swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Pope.
Tooma looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Pope seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Tooma throws a one two combo.
Tooma swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Pope.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Tooma dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Sloppy strikes from Tooma. Those never looked like landing.
Tooma with a nice cross.
Sean Tooma seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tooma lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Tooma throws a jab but it's blocked by Pope.
Tooma misses with a few strikes there.
Pope tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Tooma manages to circle out of the way.
Pope tries to score a power double leg takedown but Tooma sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Pope somewhat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tooma fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Pope manages to avoid it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Pope slips a jab and a cross from Tooma.
Tooma misses with a body shot.
Tooma clobbers Pope with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Tooma throws a series of punches but Pope avoids them all with ease.
Pope tries a head kick but it misses.
Pope fails with a takedown attempt.

Tooma closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Tooma lands in his opponent's guard.
Tooma controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Tooma gets to his feet. Pope looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Justin Pope is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tooma stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Tooma jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Tooma moves into range and connects with a jab.
Tooma goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Tooma lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pope circles away quickly and effectively.
Tooma misses with a body shot.
Pope is looking for a counter combo.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for Tooma. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
Tooma fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pope is looking to clinch.
Despite the aggression on Tooma's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Pope shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tooma makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Justin Pope. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope takes one on the button.
Tooma scores with a jab. Pope acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Pope takes one to the chin there.
Tooma throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Pope is trying hard to land a takedown here. Tooma sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Tooma lands a body shot.
Tooma's corner calls for a 1-2. Tooma obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Nice takedown defense from Tooma. No joy for Pope on that attempt.
Tooma swats away the attempt to clinch by Pope.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Pope moves into the clinch successfully.
Tooma goes for a takedown in the clinch but Pope prevents it.
Pope gets underhooks to prevent Tooma's takedown attempt.

Pope pulls guard successfully.
Tooma's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Tooma postures up.
Tooma stopping the sweep attempt from Pope.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sean Tooma showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Tooma with a jab.
Pope shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Tooma counters with a stiff right hand.
Tooma has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Tooma misses with a wild combination.
Pope gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Pope has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Pope there as he acknowledges the shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Tooma will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Pope is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Tooma.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Tooma misses with a double jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Tooma connects with a crisp jab.
No luck for Pope with that takedown attempt.
Pope looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Tooma cracks Pope with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.

Tooma feints and as Pope raises his hands in defense, Tooma changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Tooma pushes down on Pope's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Pope won't allow Tooma to pass to mount.

Pope has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Tooma is on him like a limpet, forcing Pope back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Tooma lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Tooma looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Pope wants to control the action here but instead Tooma manages to pass to full mount!
Tooma trying to control but Pope is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tooma controlling from the full mount.
Sean Tooma has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four 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.
Tooma scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Tooma working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Tooma with good strikes from the mount here!
Tooma prevents Pope from getting the reversal.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Tooma with shots to the head and body - Pope looks very uncomfortable down there.

Pope is rocked!
Tooma controlling the position easily from mount.
Oh Pope is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tooma lands a couple of good shots and Pope has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Tooma is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Tooma cracks Pope with a big right hand from the back mount! Pope immediately covers up and the referee dives in to save him under a barrage of more strikes! Tooma takes this one by TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sean Tooma!
Sean Tooma is the new light heavyweight champion!
Sean Tooma seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.