PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Stuart Redman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hessu Hopo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hopo has chosen Bodies as his entrance music. Both these guys are coming into the fight with injuries so let's see if that has a bearing on the fight. This should be a great matchup!

Redman
vs
Hopo

199 cm
32
270 lbs
28 - 19 - 0

200 cm
33
275 lbs
24 - 18 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Very quick

ADCC Champion
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Revolution Fatigues
- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

- - - - - All Nutrients 160 - - - - -

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 28 - 19 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Stuart Redman!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 24 - 18 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Hessu Hopo!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Steve Smith and Yves DeLean.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopo doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Redman finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Hopo looks gassed!
Redman lands a lovely overhand right.
Redman misses with a hook.
Redman throws an off balance right hand
and Redman takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hopo misses with a body shot.
Hopo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hopo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Redman was well out of range. Poor timing from Hopo.
Redman throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Hopo stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Hopo fails to land with a series of punches.
Redman lands a slapping body shot.
Redman scores with a kick to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopo is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Redman drives through and clinches with Hopo against the cage.
Hopo wants to take the fight to the mat but Redman manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Redman lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Redman tries to throw a body punch but Hopo avoids it by throwing Redman back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Redman.
Redman tries a body shot but Hopo blocks it.

Redman escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Redman clinches with his opponent.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Redman.
Redman gets through Hopo's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hopo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Stuart Redman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hessu Hopo.
Hopo is trying to pull guard but Redman turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hopo.
Redman tries to throw a body punch but Hopo avoids it by throwing Redman back against the cage.
Redman lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Hopo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Redman struggles to land a body shot inside as Hopo controls his hands.
Hopo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Redman takes a shot to the head.
A head punch on the inside from Hopo fails to land.

Hopo gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Redman lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hopo!
Hopo is looking to get to half guard.
Redman looking to control but Hopo is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopo really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Redman wants to take Hopo's back here but Hopo is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Redman content just to control the position here.
Redman has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Redman tries to control but Hopo wriggling away.
Hopo manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hopo is trying to control but can't.

Stuart Redman has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Hopo misses with a body shot.
Hopo checks a leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Redman uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hopo.
Stuart Redman is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Redman lands a head kick. Hopo smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Hopo swings for the body but Redman moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Stuart Redman dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Redman lands with a shot to the body.

Redman clinches up with Hopo and pushes him back against the cage.
Hopo tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Redman just stands there and leans against the cage.
Redman tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Redman prevents the takedown attempt.
Redman tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Redman softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
A short left from Redman.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Redman.
Redman can't find room to land a body shot as Hopo controls the action.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Redman struggles to land a body shot inside as Hopo controls his hands.
Hopo tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Redman just stands there and leans against the cage.
Stuart Redman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hessu Hopo.
Redman tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopo prevents a body shot from Redman.
Hopo's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Redman lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hopo backwards.
Hopo misses with the head strike.
Hopo tries to pull guard but Redman forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Redman lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Hopo.
Redman is pressed up against the cage. Hopo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Redman down to the mat. Redman avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Redman displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Redman lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Hopo darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hopo avoids the head kick by Redman.
Hopo throws a nice inside leg kick.
Hopo lands a nice hook to Redman's body. Redman takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Redman cracks the inside of Hopo's front leg.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Redman moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Hopo swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hopo is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Redman rather than just go for the knockout.
Redman is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hopo.
Redman misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Hopo closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Redman quickly recovers to half guard.
Hopo trying to control the action but Redman is working from the bottom.
Hopo throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Redman trying to control from the bottom.
Redman tries to get to full guard but Hopo has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Redman has hold of Hopo's hands but Hopo slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hopo passes into side control, despite Redman's attempt to control the position.
Hopo working the ground and pound from side control.
Hopo cracks Redman with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Redman is trying to get back to half guard.
Hopo happy to just control the position for now.
Hessu Hopo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Redman regains half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopo moves into full mount! Redman won't be happy about that!
Hopo lands a big shot there that rocks Redman but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hopo working for a submission but Redman is keeping him at bay.
Redman gets back to half guard.
Hopo throws a strike but Redman avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Hopo throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Redman keeping moving, preventing Hopo from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Stuart Redman will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Redman throws the left hand but Hopo avoids the punch easily.
Redman checks a low kick from Hopo.
Redman throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Redman lands a high kick!
Redman takes one to the side of the head.

Hopo gets a takedown into half guard.
Hopo is keen to just control but Redman is a slippery customer.

Hopo seems to be looking for submissions.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Redman is refusing to be controlled, as Hopo sits in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopo not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Hopo has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Redman moves into full guard.
Redman keeping full guard, as Hopo tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Redman looking to control.

Hopo 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.
Redman is trying to control the position but Hopo postures up.
Hessu Hopo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Redman keeping moving, preventing Hopo from controlling successfully.

Redman looking for a guillotine here but Hopo defends easily.
Hopo slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Redman keeping full guard, as Hopo tries to pass.
Redman looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopo stopping the sweep attempt from Redman.
Hopo wants to control from the top but Redman keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hopo scores with a leg kick.
Hopo is trying hard to land a takedown here. Redman sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Redman throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hopo lands with an uppercut that bounces Redman off the cage and back into range.
Redman misses with a body punch

and Hopo counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Redman!
Hopo landing strikes from the mount and Redman is in trouble!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Redman wants to control but Hopo is having none of it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hopo in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Hopo unloading with bombs!
Hopo lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Hopo prevents Redman from getting the reversal.
Hopo breaks from Redman's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hopo scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hopo lands a nice shot to the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopo with the ground and pound from mount.
Redman keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hessu Hopo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Redman 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Stuart Redman!
Stuart Redman retains his heavyweight title!
After winning the bout, Stuart Redman thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.