PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hessu Hopo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and sika molo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). sika molo is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hopo
vs
molo

185 cm
18
275 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

160 cm
26
262 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 St Petersburg, Hessu Hopo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, sika molo!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopo gets cracked there but stands up to it.

It looks like Hessu Hopo has been cut.
Hopo avoids a punch combination nicely.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hopo.
Hopo looking to punish the body of his opponent here but molo is avoiding damage well.
molo avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Hopo.
An elbow from Hopo crashes against the mat.
You can see the frustration on molo's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The strikes coming from Hopo are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Hopo lands a decent elbow from side control.
molo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hopo misses with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
molo is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
molo wants to control but Hopo postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
molo sneaks back into half guard.
molo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
molo is trying to stand.
molo blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hopo.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
molo throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hopo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. molo tries to avoid it but Hopo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag molo to the ground. molo escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Hopo shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Hopo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hopo wants to control but molo is keeping him busy.
molo pushes Hopo off looking to stand but Hopo dives back in and keeps control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
molo is trying to control but can't.
Hopo is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
molo on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
molo trying to control but Hopo postures up.
Hopo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
molo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hopo working over molo with some ground and pound. molo looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hopo working molo over with strikes.
Hopo controlling the pace.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hopo connects with a nice short shot to molo's temple.
molo keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
molo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hopo seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but molo does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hopo is really struggling to control molo but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Hopo stalling.
molo wants to control but Hopo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hopo perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Hopo's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
molo looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hopo scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hopo scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
molo tries to roll over but Hopo keeps him under control.
molo is refusing to be controlled, as Hopo sits in half guard.
Hopo not doing much here.
molo is looking for a sweep. Hopo is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hopo is trying to control. molo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
molo tries to roll over but Hopo keeps him under control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hessu Hopo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hessu Hopo's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nice sprawl there from molo as Hopo shoots in.
Hopo misses with a takedown attempt - molo sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
molo swings and misses with a hook to the body.
molo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Hopo counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hopo controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hopo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for molo on the ground.
Hopo stopping the sweep attempt from molo.
Hopo trying to control but molo is working from the bottom.
Hopo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hopo looking to sit in guard and control but molo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Hessu Hopo just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

Hopo scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
molo wants to control but Hopo is keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopo takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hopo stops molo from getting back to his feet.
molo is looking to improve his position.
Hopo will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
molo is breathing heavily.
Nice strikes from Hopo there.
molo keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hopo missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
molo wants to control but Hopo is keeping busy.
Hopo is taking a breather. molo says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
molo is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopo working over molo with some ground and pound. molo looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hopo stops molo from getting back to his feet.
Hopo controlling the action here.
molo is trying to stand back up but Hopo is controlling him
Hopo wants to take a breather but molo is having none of it.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hopo lands a nice short elbow.
Hopo lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hopo controlling the pace.
molo wants to control but Hopo is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hopo looks to land a strike but molo avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopo is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
molo wants to sweep but no luck.
Hopo wants to control from the top but molo keeps moving.
Hopo stays in close to molo's body and controls the position.
Hopo throwing strikes but missing.
molo wants to get back to his feet but Hopo is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
molo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hopo manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
molo wanted to stand there but Hopo had control of the position.
Hopo has his hands on molo's head, controlling the position.
molo is looking to stand up but Hopo won't let him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hessu Hopo dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Hessu Hopo's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

Hopo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and molo counters with a two punch combo.
No joy there for molo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hopo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but molo manages to avoid it.
molo throws the left hand but Hopo avoids the punch easily.
molo throws an overhand right that lands on Hopo's shoulder, as Hopo tries to avoid the shot.
Hopo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and molo counters with a good low kick that Hopo was not able to check.
Hopo fails with the takedown
enabling molo to counter with a crisp jab.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hessu Hopo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
molo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hopo doesn't succeed with the takedown

and molo moves into the clinch.
molo lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

molo jumps into guard, dragging Hopo to the mat.
molo pulls Hopo in close to prevent any damage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hopo wants to control from the top but molo keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hopo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hopo pushing down on molo's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
molo is looking to escape.
Hopo is thwarting molo's attempts to control the position.
Hopo is looking to take a break and control but molo is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Hopo.
Hopo lands with a punch from half guard.
Hopo controlling the action here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
molo tries to roll over but Hopo keeps him under control.
Hopo is trying to control. molo wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Hopo working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Hopo prevents molo from improving his position.
Hopo looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Hopo sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. molo defending well though.
Hopo wants to lay and pray for a moment but molo keeps working.

molo has one foot on Hopo's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hopo closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hopo lands in his opponent's guard.
Hopo won't allow molo to get back to his feet.
Hessu Hopo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hopo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

molo has his feet on Hopo's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Hopo tries for a takedown but molo circles away easily

and molo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
molo tries to stand but Hopo is controlling from the bottom.
sika molo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
molo trying to control but Hopo is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopo looking for a sweep. Not yet Hopo, not yet.
Hopo is adopting a defensive guard.
molo wants to stand and escape but instead Hopo has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

molo is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hopo passes molo's left leg - he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
sika molo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hopo has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hessu Hopo!