PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Finlay Hope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Xabilonso Alonso (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alonso has chosen Die Motherfker Die as his entrance music. There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Hope
vs
Alonso

180 cm
25
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
25
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Finlay Hope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Xabilonso Alonso!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Johanna Lukiainen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Alonso misses the shot to the body.

Hope moves into the clinch.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Alonso breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hope connects with a good right hand that stumbles Alonso. Alonso circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Alonso fails with a takedown attempt.
Hope fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alonso misses the shot to the body.
Hope throws a low kick but it's checked well by Alonso.

Hope closes the distance and clinches.
Hope has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Alonso after a bit of a struggle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hope has clasped his hands together around Alonso's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Hope throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Hope in side control, throwing shots but Alonso defends.
Hope working the head and body with strikes.
Hope takes a little break here. Alonso wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
Hope misses with the ground and pound.
Hope working the body and head with strikes.
Alonso is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Hope has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hope working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Check out the look on Hope's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Hope throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Alonso pushes Hope away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hope gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Hope cracks Alonso with a big elbow.
Hope landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hope staying calm.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hope working the ground and pound but Alonso is defending the strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alonso takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Alonso pushes Hope away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Hope gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Alonso is trying to escape the position but Hope is controlling the position.
Alonso is pushing Hope's head away, looking to escape. Hope manages to hold on to the position though.
Alonso is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Hope working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Alonso is trying to escape the position but Hope is controlling the position.
Hope scores with a couple of short elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hope scoring with punches from side control.
Hope works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Alonso looks winded!
Alonso on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Hope happy to just control the position for now.
Hope in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hope lands an elbow.
Hope works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Hope working the body and head with strikes.
Hope working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hope cracks Alonso with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Hope scores with punches from side control.
Hope lands a few punches from side control.
Hope controlling the position from side mount.
Hope working the head and body with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Finlay Hope dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Alonso tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hope swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Alonso looks to land a left hand but Hope moved out of range nicely.
Alonso throws an overhand right that lands on Hope's shoulder, as Hope tries to avoid the shot.

Hope closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Alonso's guard.
Hope passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hope wants to control but Alonso is keeping him busy.
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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hope trying to control the action but Alonso is working from the bottom.
Hope landing a few strikes.
Hope is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Alonso can do to turn this around?

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alonso seems a little lost for a moment, as Hope dominates the positioning.
Hope trying to control the position but Alonso is working away.
Alonso is trying to buck Hope off.
Hope wants to control but Alonso is keeping him busy.
Hope working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Alonso takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Alonso trying to remain calm as Hope controls from the top position.
Hope landing strikes.
Hope throws a strike aimed at the side of Alonso's head but Alonso avoids it well.
Alonso is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hope connects with a decent elbow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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.
Hope'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.
Alonso is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hope connects with a decent elbow.
Alonso is breathing heavily.
Hope is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Alonso's shoulder. That is not cool.
Hope scores with a couple of short elbows.
Hope looks up at the clock and then as Alonso takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Hope smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Hope in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Hope looks up at the clock and then as Alonso takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Hope smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Hope creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Alonso is letting Hope control him for a moment.
Alonso takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hope working the ground and pound.
Hope is working Alonso over with some ground and pound from side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hope working the head and body with strikes.
Hope remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Alonso is trying to buck Hope off.
Hope lands a decent elbow from side control.

Hope is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Alonso has escaped the position, nice work there.
Alonso is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hope connects with a decent elbow.
Alonso is letting Hope control him for a moment.
Alonso is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hope wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Alonso, who protects the arm well.
Hope content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Alonso is not content to let Hope control the position.
Alonso is letting Hope control him for a moment.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Finlay Hope dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Hope shoots in looking for a takedown but Alonso manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hope's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Alonso fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hope misses with a series of wild punches.
Hope scores with a jab to the jaw.
Finlay Hope is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hope darts in looking for a takedown but Alonso gets double underhooks and turns Hope into the cage.
Alonso misses with a low kick as Hope jumps back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Alonso misses with a hook.
Hope changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Alonso walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Alonso shoots in for a takedown but Hope shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hope changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Alonso takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Alonso misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hope scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Further stalling from Hope.
Hope lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Hope throwing shots but Alonso is blocking nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hope content to control rather than advance.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Hope lands a nice short elbow.
Alonso looks like he's trying to stand up.
Alonso is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hope scores with a couple of nice shots.
Hope lands strikes from half guard.
Hope content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Hope there.
Hope perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Hope is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and Alonso reverses the position - he's now on top in Hope's guard.
Alonso tries to stand but Hope is controlling from the bottom.

Hope manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.

Alonso is fighting off a takedown attempt but Hope is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Alonso to the mat. Alonso regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Alonso can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hope controls the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hope trying to control the position from guard on top but Alonso is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hope is looking to work some ground and pound but Alonso has wrist control.
Xabilonso Alonso has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hope has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hope controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
If it seems like I'm not saying a lot, it's just because Hope is stinking the place up with his stalling.
Hope is in close to Alonso's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hope looking to pass the guard.
Finlay Hope is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hope not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Alonso looking for a guillotine here but Hope defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Finlay Hope showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hope 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:26
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Finlay Hope!