PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Alex Richter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and jason hopper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying hopper's choice of entrance music: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FnkDfzjZg. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Richter
vs
hopper

184 cm
22
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
22
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Attliction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Alex Richter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, jason hopper!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Robert Twigg and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Richter shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
hopper is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Richter controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
hopper is trying to control the position but Richter postures up.
hopper being controlled here, momentarily.
Richter trying to control the position from guard on top but hopper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richter controls from within his opponent's guard.
hopper looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richter is stalling in the full guard.
Richter has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of hopper is proving hard to escape from.
hopper looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Richteris looking to pass into half guard but hopper pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now hopper is in guard.
Richter really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Richter is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Richter controlling hopper's posture.
hopper trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
hopper trying to control the position from guard on top but Richter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Richter tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Richter lands a body shot.
hopper tries for a takedown but Richter circles away easily

and Richter counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Richter.

hopper throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Richter slips nicely into half guard.
hopper looks gassed!
hopper is trying to maintain the position but Richter is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
hopper moves into full guard.

Richter decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Richter misses with a takedown

and hopper decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Richter's guard.

Richter throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Richter tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Richter is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Richter stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Richter avoids a punch combination nicely.
Richter misses with a takedown

and hopper decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Richter's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Richter manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Richter lands with some strikes.
hopper is looking to get to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
hopper tries to hold on but Richter postures up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Richter dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Richter tries to clinch up but hopper circles away and keeps his distance.

Richter shoots in and bounces hopper off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Richter won't allow hopper to sweep him here.
hopper is trying to hold Richter in close to prevent damage but Richter has managed to pass into half guard.
hopper wants to improve his position but Richter is controlling well.
Richter passes into side control, despite hopper's attempt to control the position.
hopper wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
hopper is looking to get back to his feet here but Richter is keeping cool and he's managed to take hopper's back.
Richter is hanging on to hopper's back as he tries to escape.
hopper trying to control the hands but Richter breaks the grip.

hopper defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Richter's arms.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
hopper trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
hopper turns into Richter and is now in his guard.
Richter tries to strike from the bottom.
Richter wants to sweep here but hopper controlling him for the moment.

hopper stands up and waves to Richter to follow him.
hopper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Horrible takedown by hopper or perhaps it was just good defense by Richter which made him look bad.
Richter digs a good body shot into hopper's ribs.

Richter looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for hopper!
hopper tries to hold on but Richter pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
hopper really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Richter avoids the attempt from hopper to control.
Richter tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Richter connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
hopper manages to regain half guard. Good work.
hopper wants to control the action here but instead Richter manages to pass to full mount!
hopper is trying to escape the mount.
hopper wants to control but Richter is having none of it.
Richter controlling the pace for now.
Richter landing strikes from the mount and hopper is in trouble!
hopper is squirming around, avoiding Richter's attempts to control the action.
hopper is trying desperately to improve position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alex Richter dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Richter shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Richter was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Richter fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
hopper is trying to escape the mount.
Richter trying to control but he's not successful this time.
hopper sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
hopper is trying to control but Richter manages to pass to mount!
hopper wants to hold on but Richter pushes him away.
Richter looking to control but hopper is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Richter wants to control but hopper has made it back to half guard. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Richter trying to control the pace.
hopper is trying to maintain the position but Richter is very close to passing his half guard.
hopper is not content to let Richter control the position.
Richter is pressing down on hopper's thigh, looking to free his foot. hopper is holding on for now.
hopper is trying to maintain the position but Richter is very close to passing his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Richter is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Richter fails in his attempt to clinch.
hopper shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and hopper takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

hopper fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Richter sprawls well initially but hopper persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Richter wants to control but hopper is keeping busy and won't allow it.
hopper looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Richter with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
hopper takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
hopper throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
hopper wants to stand up but Richter is controlling the position.
hopper thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Richter's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Richter makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Richter.
hopper must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Richter has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but hopper can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Richter looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but hopper puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Richter is staying active underneath hopper, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

hopper stands up and beckons Richter to join him on the feet.
Richter misses with a kick to the body.
Richter misses with the combination.
hopper scores with a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
hopper tries to clinch there but Richter circles away.
hopper tries for a takedown but Richter circles away easily

and Richter counters with a single leg into guard. hopper didn't expect that.
hopper keeping full guard, as Richter tries to pass.
Richter won't allow hopper to sweep him here.
Richter stands and throws hopper's legs to the side, diving into side control.
hopper tries to control the position but he's not in luck - Richter easily slips into full mount!
hopper taking shots to the head.
hopper working to try and regain half guard.
jason hopper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
hopper is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Alex Richter showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Richter 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 George Francis scores the fight 30:27
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Alex Richter!