PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Pope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hayder Hassan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Pope
vs
Hassan

219 cm
19
177 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

178 cm
25
170 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid 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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Ricky Pope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Hayder Hassan !
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Tarja Halkonen and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hassan misses with a combination
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Hassan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Pope really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hassan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Pope cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hassan tries to score with a low kick but Pope moves his leg out of the way.
Hassan misses the jab.
Sloppy strikes from Hassan . Those never looked like landing.
Hassan throws a combination that misses
letting Pope counter with a right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hassan fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pope fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hassan swings widly with a right hand
enabling Pope to counter with a crisp jab.
Hassan misses with a double jab
and Pope counters with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hassan swings widly with a right hand
and Pope counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hassan thinking.
Hassan swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hassan looks winded!
Hassan throws a looping overhand right but Pope ducks down to avoid it.
Pope fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hassan throws a counter combo.
Hassan misses with a lunging right hand
and Pope connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A swing and a miss from Hassan .
Pope swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hassan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Pope.
Pope is looking to clinch but Hassan is avoiding it.
Hassan throws a right and a left that Pope avoids nicely.
Pope throws a quick counter head kick but Hassan was just out of range.
Hassan displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Pope.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hassan ! But no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pope tries to land a leg kick but Hassan saw it coming and moves away.
Hassan thows a leg kick but Pope checks it
and Pope counters with a slapping leg kick.
Pope takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Pope fails with a takedown attempt.
Hassan lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Pope is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Hassan darts in and clinches Pope up against the cage.
Hassan wants to break free but Pope has control.
Hassan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
This has been an exciting period of action!

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pope is looking to clinch.
Hassan misses with a double jab
and Pope counters with a stiff right hand.
Pope shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Pope. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hassan misses with a jab, cross combination.
Pope fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Pope clinches with his opponent.
Hassan looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope tries for a takedown. No joy.

Pope breaks from the clinch.

Hassan drives through and clinches with Pope against the cage.
Pope lands a knee to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Hassan 's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hassan wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hassan is trying to push Pope away but Pope has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Hassan breaks from the clinch.
Pope fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hayder Hassan will probably get the nod.
That's time! Pope's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Pope displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hassan throws out the jab.
Pope was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Hassan tries to work over Pope's front leg with a kick but Pope checks it.
Pope tries to counter by clinching up but Hassan breaks away and moves out of range.
Hassan misses with a double jab
and Pope counters with a straight right hand.
Hassan uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Pope has time to react.
Hassan connects with a jab.
Hassan wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Hayder Hassan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Hassan clinches up with Pope and pushes him back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Pope is trying to drag Hassan to the mat but Hassan just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Pope trying to land knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Hassan .

Hassan 's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hassan tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Pope is able to avoid easily.
It looked like Pope was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.
Hassan throws a leg kick
and Pope counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Pope shoots in for a takedown but Hassan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Hassan rushes Pope and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Hassan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Some wild striking there from Hassan .
Hayder Hassan seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hassan misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hassan is breathing heavily.
Hassan throws a combination that misses
and Hassan takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hassan misses with the combination.
The crowd cheers as Pope lands an impressive looking overhand right. Hassan doesn't seem phased though.
Pope has his takedown stuffed
and Hassan counters with a series of strikes. Pope will be more careful next time no doubt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Pope. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Pope takes the fight into the clinch.
Hassan is looking to break free of the clinch but Pope has double underhooks.
Pope managing to block the knees to the body from Hassan .
Pope jumps guard but Hassan turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Hassan is trying to force a seperation but Pope has the dominant position.

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

Hassan forces Pope back against the cage and clinches.

Hassan breaks from the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pope avoids a punch combination nicely.
A little feinted left hand from Pope on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Hassan lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pope circles away quickly and effectively.
Hassan throws a combination that misses
and Pope makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Pope scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Pope taking a breather here.
Pope wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hassan keeps working.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hayder Hassan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Hassan shoots in looking for a takedown but Pope manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Hassan 's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Hassan has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hassan lands a jab-cross combination.
Hassan misses with a low kick.
Hassan throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
Pope checks a leg kick.
Pope lands with a thumping leg kick.
Some wild striking there from Hassan .
Hassan takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hassan throws a lazy uppercut
and Pope counters with a straight right hand.
Hassan falls off balance throwing a combination
and Pope connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pope lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Hassan misses with a double jab
and Pope cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Pope moves into range and clinches up with Hassan .
Hassan tries to circle away but Pope has him pinned against the cage.
Pope is trying to break the clinch but Hassan is controlling him.
Hassan is trying to push Pope away but Pope has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hassan tries to circle away but Pope has him pinned against the cage.
Pope drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hassan pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hassan throws a poor cross that misses
and Pope counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Crunch! Hassan slams his shin into Pope's torso.
Hassan throws a leg kick
and Pope counters with a straight right hand.
Pope tries to close the distance and clinch but Hassan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hassan swings for the body but Pope moves out of range.
Hassan swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Pope makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hassan misses with a hook
and Pope counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Pope swings for the body but Hassan moves out of range.

Pope shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pope throwing shots but Hassan is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hassan is trying to stand up here but Pope is controlling him well.
Hassan pushes Pope off but Pope dives into side control.
Hassan is not content to let Pope control the position.

Pope decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Pope tries to close the distance and clinch but Hassan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hassan throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pope connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hassan with a poor takedown
and Pope cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hassan is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
Nice sprawl there from Hassan as Pope shoots in.
A combination from Hassan does no damage.
Hassan is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Hassan has Pope up against the cage in a clinch.
Pope has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hassan is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricky Pope showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hassan has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hayder Hassan !
A victorious Hayder Hassan thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.