PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Alejanrdo Cordoba (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apachi Hopachi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Cordoba
vs
Hopachi

183 cm
25
200 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

195 cm
22
215 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Alejanrdo Cordoba!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Apachi Hopachi!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Lou da Vinci and Joseph Jones.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Cordoba shoots in and bounces Hopachi off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cordoba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hopachi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cordoba. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Cordoba drops back looking for a leg! Hopachi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hopachi manages to kick Cordoba off! Cordoba jumps back into Hopachi's guard.
Cordoba trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hopachi is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Cordoba stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hopachi swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cordoba drops back looking for a leg! Hopachi is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hopachi manages to kick Cordoba off! Cordoba jumps back into Hopachi's guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hopachi is looking to clinch.
Cordoba looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Cordoba shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Cordoba is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Hopachi defends it well.

Cordoba stands up out of the half guard.
Hopachi cracks Cordoba with an open hand slap.

It looks like Alejanrdo Cordoba has been cut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopachi misses with a two punch combination.
Hopachi swinging wilding here.
Cordoba throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Cordoba throws a hook to the side of Hopachi's head but Hopachi sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cordoba moves out of range of the strikes.
Cordoba fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Cordoba is breathing heavily.
Hopachi misses with a jab, cross combination.
Cordoba takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hopachi pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hopachi misses with a series of wild punches.
Alejanrdo Cordoba seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hopachi defending well as Cordoba loads up on a big left hand.
Hopachi misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Cordoba scores a takedown into full mount!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hopachi can do anything to dispel that myth.

Cordoba looking for a guillotine from mount but Hopachi is having none of it.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hopachi is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cordoba looking to secure an arm triangle but Hopachi defends it well.

Cordoba is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Hopachi has managed to escape the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hopachi really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Cordoba looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Cordoba prevents Hopachi from getting the reversal.
Cordoba misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Hopachi is trying desperately to improve position.

Cordoba wants to finish this one by submission but Hopachi is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Cordoba.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Alejanrdo Cordoba will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Alejanrdo Cordoba's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Cordoba dodges the punch combination from Hopachi.
Cordoba slips a jab from Hopachi.
Cordoba avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hopachi tries to clinch up but Cordoba circles away and keeps his distance.
Cordoba fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Hopachi on the side of the head.
Cordoba scores with a jab. Hopachi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Cordoba's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Cordoba duly obliges.

It looks like Apachi Hopachi has been cut.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Hopachi just misses with a punch to the body.
Hopachi checks a leg kick nicely.
Cordoba digs a good body shot into Hopachi's ribs.

Cordoba drives through with a takedown into guard.

Cordoba is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Cordoba looking to pass the guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cordoba trying to control the position from guard on top but Hopachi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cordoba advances to half guard.
Cordoba wants to take a breather but Hopachi is having none of it.

Cordoba wants to work for an arm triangle but Hopachi is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Cordoba tries to pass to full mount but Hopachi defends it.

That's two 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.
Cordoba is working hard here to advance position.

Cordoba is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Cordoba stops Hopachi from getting back to his feet.
Hopachi is trying to maintain the position but Cordoba is very close to passing his half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Cordoba misses with a straight right.
Hopachi tries to bum rush Cordoba with a series of wild strikes but Cordoba uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cordoba uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hopachi.
Hopachi thows a body shot but no joy.
Cordoba throws a good cross that connects.
Hopachi misses with a few strikes there.
Cordoba uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hopachi.
Cordoba connects with a body shot.
Hopachi takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Cordoba tries to bum rush Hopachi with a series of wild strikes but Hopachi uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hopachi showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Cordoba.
Hopachi on the wrong end of a nice jab.

Cordoba drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cordoba passes Hopachi's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Cordoba passes to full mount!

Cordoba is working for a guillotine from mount but Hopachi frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cordoba is going olschool here, as he tries to force Hopachi to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hopachi shrugs it off.

Cordoba working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Cordoba looking to control but Hopachi is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

Cordoba goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Hopachi turns into him and now he's in Cordoba's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alejanrdo Cordoba dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Nice cross by Hopachi.
Hopachi throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hopachi takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Cordoba slips a jab and a cross from Hopachi.
A big left from Hopachi misses.
Hopachi on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Hopachi takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Alejanrdo Cordoba is winning the standup battle so far.
Hopachi is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Cordoba.
A jab from Cordoba does it's job there.

Cordoba drives through with a takedown into guard.

Cordoba thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Cordoba passes Hopachi's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Hopachi is refusing to be controlled, as Cordoba sits in half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cordoba tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hopachi knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Hopachi is trying to maintain the position but Cordoba is very close to passing his half guard.
Cordoba wants to pass to mount but Hopachi is defending the position.
Cordoba trying to control from half guard but Hopachi is working away.
Hopachi is trying to stand up here but Cordoba is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cordoba is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Cordoba is working for a guillotine from mount but Hopachi frees his head quite easily.
Hopachi prevents Cordoba from taking his back.
Hopachi tries to hold on but Cordoba pushes him away.
Cordoba forces the positional change into back control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cordoba is looking for the choke from the back position but Hopachi is controlling his hands well.
Hopachi is trying to stand back up.

Cordoba has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Hopachi covering up well under a series of strikes from Cordoba.

Cordoba is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Hopachi is defending well though. Cordoba let's go of the attempt for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cordoba is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Hopachi has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.

Cordoba looking for the RNC.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hopachi tries to roll but Cordoba sticks to his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alejanrdo Cordoba showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Cordoba 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:26
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alejanrdo Cordoba!