PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Masa Hattori (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Derek Pappalardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hattori
vs
Pappalardo

175 cm
27
155 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

175 cm
27
167 lbs
9 - 3 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Masa Hattori!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Derek Pappalardo!
The judges for this bout are Michael Johnstone, Peter Branson and Dirk Anderson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hattori throws a big shot that misses.
Hattori lands a nice hook to Pappalardo's body. Pappalardo takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Pappalardo tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hattori paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hattori was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Hattori throws a hook but Pappalardo blocks it.
Hattori uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Pappalardo.
A little feinted left hand from Hattori on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Pappalardo jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Nice shot by Hattori.
Hattori moves out of range of the strikes.
Derek Pappalardo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pappalardo takes the fight into the clinch.

Hattori's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hattori takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Hattori connects with a body shot that sends Pappalardo's belly button to the back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pappalardo doesn't manage to clinch there - Hattori circles away.
Hattori swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Pappalardo moves away from the strike by Hattori.
Pappalardo misses the jab.
It looked like Hattori wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.

Pappalardo clinches.
Pappalardo prevents Hattori from breaking the clinch.
We've been informed that Pappalardo has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Pappalardo.

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

Pappalardo clinches up with Hattori and pushes him back against the cage.

Hattori breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A big left from Pappalardo misses.
A little feinted left hand from Hattori on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

Pappalardo has closed the distance and engaged Hattori in a clinch.
Pappalardo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hattori's efforts to push away.

Hattori manages to break the clinch.
Hattori connects with a good right hand that stumbles Pappalardo. Pappalardo circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pappalardo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hattori looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Pappalardo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hattori blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hattori tries to circle away but Pappalardo has him pinned against the cage.
Hattori blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Pappalardo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hattori's efforts to push away.

Hattori manages to break the clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pappalardo sizes up Hattori with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Pappalardo takes the fight into the clinch.

Hattori escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hattori misses the shot to the body.
Pappalardo throws a shot from downtown. Hattori moves away and avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Pappalardo misses.
A little feinted left hand from Hattori on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Pappalardo throws a hook to the side of Hattori's head but Hattori sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
It looked like Hattori wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Hattori lands a nice shot to the body.
Hattori throws a sloppy body shot
and Pappalardo counters with a nice uppercut.
Pappalardo lands a jab to the head.
Pappalardo tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hattori manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hattori was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

Pappalardo gets a clinch.

Hattori breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hattori throws a right and a left that Pappalardo avoids nicely.

Pappalardo rushes Hattori and presses him up against the cage.
Hattori wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Hattori's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Hattori's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pappalardo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hattori.
Pappalardo tries to clinch but Hattori is having none of it.
Hattori swings widly with a right hand
and Pappalardo cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pappalardo throws a lazy right hand but Hattori sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Jab from Pappalardo.
Pappalardo on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Pappalardo moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Hattori goes down! Can Pappalardo finish him!?

Hattori is rocked!
Pappalardo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Oh Hattori is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Pappalardo controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Pappalardo stands up from Hattori's guard - Pappalardo perhaps looking for a knockout.
Pappalardo steps in with a hook that catches Hattori right on the chin and knocks him to the floor! Pappalardo follows him down with more strikes and that's all she wrote! Hattori looks absolutely devastated.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Derek Pappalardo!
Derek Pappalardo is the new lightweight champion!
Derek Pappalardo bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.