PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Giuseppe Hopkins (ranked 28 p4p, 27 weight class) and Ko Van Den Born (ranked 6 p4p, 5 weight class). I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Hopkins
vs
Van Den Born

190 cm
31
207
24 - 4 - 2

190 cm
28
205
15 - 4 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

SynCity Fightwear
Urban Fighter

Conquer
Carnage Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 4 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Giuseppe Hopkins!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ko Van Den Born!
The judges for this bout are Yuuki Gou, Shigeki Fujiwara and Yasuomi Hirokawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Van Den Born scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hopkins doesn't seem bothered though.
Hopkins jabs Van Den Born right on the nose. Van Den Born blinks but takes it well.

It looks like Ko Van Den Born has been cut.
Ko Van Den Born seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Van Den Born throws a shot from downtown. Hopkins moves away and avoids it.
Hopkins swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hopkins throws a lazy right hand but Van Den Born sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Den Born slips under a jab from Hopkins.
Van Den Born throws a right hand that Hopkins ducks under and follows up with a left that Hopkins also avoids with ease.

Hopkins drops Van Den Born with a beautiful combination! Van Den Born stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Hopkins is looking for the KO!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Van Den Born misses with a head kick.
Hopkins throwing a counter right hand but Van Den Born manages to avoid it.
Hopkins misses with a body kick.
Van Den Born avoids a kick to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Van Den Born has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hopkins finds it's way round the side to connect with Van Den Born's head.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Hopkins takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Hopkins listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That has opened up Ko Van Den Born's cut even more.
Hopkins throws the kick towards the body but Van Den Born avoids it.
Van Den Born appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Van Den Born ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hopkins moves forwards but Van Den Born connects with a nice, crisp jab.
A head kick misses from Van Den Born.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Van Den Born throws a lazy right hand but Hopkins sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Van Den Born avoids a kick to the body.
Hopkins looks to land a body kick but Van Den Born moved away.
Hopkins throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Van Den Born.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Van Den Born ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hopkins moves away.
Van Den Born lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hopkins throws a head kick that misses
and Van Den Born counters with a nice body shot.
Van Den Born scoring well with a low kick there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins misses with a lunging right hand
and Van Den Born counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Van Den Born swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hopkins swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Van Den Born is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hopkins rather than just go for the knockout.
Van Den Born misses with a hook. Hopkins ducked under it nicely.
It looked like Hopkins wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Hopkins on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Van Den Born fails to land with a series of punches.
A left lands for Van Den Born.
Van Den Born throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Van Den Born defending well as Hopkins loads up on a big left hand.
Van Den Born misses with a low kick.
And Hopkins counters with a quick kick to the body but Van Den Born blocks it.
Hopkins throws a half hearted mid kick.
Van Den Born throws a shot from downtown. Hopkins moves away and avoids it.
Van Den Born scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Hopkins cracks Van Den Born with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

The cut above Ko Van Den Born's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Van Den Born avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Both fighters circling a little - Hopkins finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Giuseppe Hopkins will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Ko Van Den Born's cut.
That's time! Hopkins's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hopkins throws out a loose jab but Van Den Born uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hopkins misses with an uppercut.
Hopkins slips a jab from Van Den Born.
Hopkins throws the kick towards the body but Van Den Born avoids it.
A little jabbing left from Van Den Born on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Hopkins slips a straight right by Van Den Born.
Hopkins throws out a loose jab but Van Den Born uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopkins uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Van Den Born.
Hopkins goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
It seemed like Van Den Born was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Van Den Born.
Van Den Born misses with a shot to the body
and Hopkins counters with a stiff right hand.

Hopkins cracks Van Den Born with a big right hand that sends him crashing to the floor. Hopkins has the opportunity to follow him to the ground but instead he's beckoning Van Den Born to stand back up!
Hopkins throws a monster overhand right that drops Van Den Born! Hopkins follows up with more strikes from mount and the fight is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:30 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Giuseppe Hopkins!
Giuseppe Hopkins retains his light heavyweight title!
Giuseppe Hopkins was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.