PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hessu Hopo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and optimus Prime (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hopo comes to the cage accompanied by Bodies. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hopo
vs
Prime

200 cm
25
275 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

200 cm
24
260 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

FinnFighters Nutrition
FinnFighters Nutrition

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hessu Hopo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, optimus Prime!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Ben Zyskovitsi and Johanna Lukiainen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopo throws a series of punches but Prime moves out of range.
Hopo with a hook.

Prime changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Hopo looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Prime throws a strike aimed at the side of Hopo's head but Hopo avoids it well.
Hopo is trying to control Prime's posture but Prime avoids it.
Hopo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Prime wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Hopo is not content to let Prime control the position.
Hopo can't do much from the bottom here.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Prime lands a nice forearm strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Hopo's face as Prime controls the position.
Prime wants to control but Hopo is keeping him busy.
Prime grinds an elbow into Hopo's temple.
You can see the frustration on Hopo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hopo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Prime wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Prime works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Prime wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hopo keeps working.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Prime throws a strike aimed at the side of Hopo's head but Hopo avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopo is looking to regain half guard here but Prime keeps moving and retains side control.
Prime wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hopo keeps working.
Hopo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hopo is working hard here to advance position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hopo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Prime sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hopo ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Prime moves away.
Hopo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Prime throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hopo was covering up waiting for the punch and Prime finishes the takedown easily into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prime sitting in guard here, content to control.
Prime postures up.

Hopo throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Prime postures up in Hopo's guard and throws a big left but Hopo blocks it.
Prime wants to control from the top but Hopo keeps moving.
Prime throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hopo looking to hit a scissor sweep but Prime is one step ahead there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Hopo is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Prime showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hopo.
Hopo fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hopo misses with a wild combination.
Prime with a jab.

Prime throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hopo was covering up waiting for the punch and Prime finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Prime trying to control the position from guard on top but Hopo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Prime throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

optimus Prime dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Prime uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hopo.
Hopo walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hopo leaves Prime with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Prime looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Prime is in close to Hopo's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hopo controls Prime momentarily but Prime frees himself.
Prime trying to control the position from guard on top but Hopo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hopo wants to sweep here but Prime controlling him for the moment.

Hopo working for a triangle but Prime defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Prime's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hopo keeping moving, preventing Prime from controlling successfully.
Prime stopping the sweep attempt from Hopo.
Prime looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hopo throws a right and a left that Prime avoids nicely.

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.

Prime bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Hopo is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Prime is stalling here. Hopo is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Prime seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hopo has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Hopo is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Prime is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Prime is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hopo's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Prime wants to control but Hopo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hopo works his way into side control.

Hopo is trying to get an arm triangle but Prime is defending well.

Hopo tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hopo has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Prime manages to get back to half guard.
Prime moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Hopo has gone for a leg lock! Prime slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hopo's guard.
Hopo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Hopo had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Prime defends it easily.
Prime postures up in Hopo's guard and throws a big left but Hopo blocks it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Prime distracts Hopo with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Prime throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hopo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Prime must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Prime trying to control the position from guard on top but Hopo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Prime is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Prime stopping the sweep attempt from Hopo.

Hopo is looking for a triangle but Prime pushes his legs off easily.
Prime throws a big right hand that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

optimus Prime 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! This is the final round!

Prime slips a jab and a cross from Hopo.
Hopo throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Prime scores with a three punch combo!

Prime shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Prime with shots to the head and body - Hopo looks very uncomfortable down there.
Prime tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
optimus Prime has got the better of the ground game so far.
Prime is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Prime looking to finish Hopo with some ground and pound. This is bad for Hopo!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hopo is wriggling around trying to escape.
Prime controlling the position easily from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Prime with good strikes from the mount here!

Hopo defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Prime.
Prime lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hopo can't escape the position.
Prime avoids the attempt from Hopo to control.

Prime jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Hopo is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Hopo and Prime has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Hopo is trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Prime wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hopo, who protects the arm well.

Prime is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hopo is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hopo tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Prime wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Prime wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hopo keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopo is looking for a sweep.
Hopo struggling a bit here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Prime shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hessu Hopo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hopo not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hopo lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Prime!

Hopo goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Prime turns into him and now he's in Hopo's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hopo keeping moving, preventing Prime from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hopo has his foot on Prime's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Prime works his way back into a safe position though.
Hopo working a defensive guard here.
Prime stays in close to Hopo's body and controls the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Prime drops back, looking for a kneebar! Hopo looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Hopo looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Hopo!

And that's the end of the fight!
optimus Prime comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Prime has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... optimus Prime!