PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Weston Hopkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maciek Wozignoj (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Maciek Wozignoj has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hopkins
vs
Wozignoj

198 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Weston Hopkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Maciek Wozignoj!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Aleksandr Martynov and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wozignoj slaps away a takedown attempt from Hopkins, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Wozignoj bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here.
Hopkins is looking to reverse the position.
Hopkins seems a little lost for a moment, as Wozignoj dominates the positioning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopkins is trying to control Wozignoj's posture but Wozignoj avoids it.
Hopkins is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Wozignoj off and has taken his back!

Wozignoj is trying to shake Hopkins off. He's managed it and has hopped back to his feet! Hopkins won't be happy about giving up the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Wozignoj closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Wozignoj keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Hopkins has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Wozignoj is working away from the top position though.
Wozignoj trying to control the pace.
Hopkins wants to get back to full guard.
Hopkins is looking to control Wozignoj's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hopkins avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wozignoj takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Wozignoj's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Wozignoj is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Wozignoj is thwarting Hopkins's attempts to control the position.
Hopkins tries to get to full guard but Wozignoj has control of the leg.
Hopkins really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins wants to control but Wozignoj is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Wozignoj trying to control the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Wozignoj shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Hopkins is trying to defend but Wozignoj finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Wozignoj keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Wozignoj sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hopkins defending well though.
Hopkins is trying to maintain the position but Wozignoj is very close to passing his half guard.
Wozignoj is taking a breather. Hopkins 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wozignoj winds up and cracks Hopkins with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hopkins moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Wozignoj postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hopkins wants to sweep but no luck.
Hopkins will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Wozignoj content to stall in guard here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Wozignoj stands and throws Hopkins's legs to the side, diving into side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maciek Wozignoj 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.

Hopkins shoots in but no luck this time.

Hopkins gets caught flat footed, as Wozignoj shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Wozignoj is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Wozignoj wants to stand and escape but instead Hopkins has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Hopkins working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wozignoj wants to stand up but Hopkins is controlling him.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wozignoj avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Hopkins stands and steps away. Wozignoj gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Maciek Wozignoj seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Wozignoj feints and as Hopkins raises his hands in defense, Wozignoj changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Wozignoj lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Wozignoj content to stall in guard here.
Wozignoj has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Wozignoj postures up in Hopkins's guard and throws a big left but Hopkins blocks it.
Wozignoj's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Wozignoj pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hopkins is keeping the position for now.
Hopkins is trying to keep Wozignoj in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wozignoj stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hopkins swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Maciek Wozignoj has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hopkins is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Wozignoj throws a big right hand that misses.

Hopkins is looking for a triangle but Wozignoj pushes his legs off easily.
Wozignoj sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Weston Hopkins is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Hopkins enables Wozignoj to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Hopkins manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Hopkins wants to sweep here but Wozignoj controlling him for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wozignoj sitting in guard here, content to control.
Wozignoj advances position into side control!
Wozignoj works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Wozignoj cracks Hopkins with a big elbow.
Wozignoj staying calm.
Hopkins is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Wozignoj off and has taken his back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wozignoj is trying to get back to his feet but Hopkins has full control of the position and if anything, Wozignoj has just worked his way into a worse spot.
Wozignoj is keeping busy.
Hopkins throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Hopkins tries to keep control of the position but Wozignoj is staying busy.
Wozignoj has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Hopkins.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Hopkins has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Maciek Wozignoj showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Hopkins's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Wozignoj misses with a wild combination.

Wozignoj gets a double leg takedown into Hopkins's guard.
Wozignoj showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Hopkins looking for a sweep. Not yet Hopkins, not yet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Wozignoj makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hopkins preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hopkins looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wozignoj controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hopkins is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Wozignoj slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Wozignoj is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Hopkins will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Hopkins tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hopkins trying to remain calm as Wozignoj controls from the top position.
Hopkins dodges the ground and pound from Wozignoj.
Wozignoj moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Wozignoj working the ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins is trying to control Wozignoj's posture but Wozignoj avoids it.
Wozignoj controlling the position from side mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Hopkins gets caught flat footed, as Wozignoj shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wozignoj with a flurry of punches that miss.
Wozignoj not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hopkins wants to sweep but no luck.
Wozignoj sitting in guard here, content to control.
Wozignoj takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hopkins looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Wozignoj puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Wozignoj with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Ground and pound from Wozignoj.
Hopkins is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Still in half guard, Wozignoj seems content to control.
Wozignoj is nestled in close to Hopkins, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Weston Hopkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Maciek Wozignoj is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Well, if Wozignoj is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

And that's the end of the fight!
Maciek Wozignoj comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Wozignoj 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 26:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Maciek Wozignoj!
In his post fight interview, Maciek Wozignoj started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.