PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Badr Al Din (ranked 2 p4p, 7 weight class) and Giuseppe Hopkins (ranked 1 p4p, 2 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Al Din might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to RUNNING BACK. Badr Al Din is staring across the cage at his opponent, tweaking his nipples... Tweaking his own nipples that is.

Al Din
vs
Hopkins

187 cm
36
204
29 - 16 - 0

190 cm
31
207
26 - 4 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Conviction
SynCity Fightwear

Urban Fighter
SynCity Fightwear

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 29 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Badr Al Din!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 4 - 2, fighting out of Helsinki, Giuseppe Hopkins!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Shimada and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Al Din moves out of range as Hopkins throws a body kick.
Al Din throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Al Din misses the jab.
Hopkins swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Al Din fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Hopkins.
Al Din feints and then cracks Hopkins's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Hopkins down.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Din avoids the head kick by Hopkins.
Al Din seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Hopkins sizes up Al Din with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

It looks like Badr Al Din has been cut.
Hopkins lands with a slapping head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins misses with a kick to the body
and Al Din counters with a thumping low kick.
Al Din works Hopkins's body with a nice hook.
Hopkins bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Al Din's head.
Hopkins throws a lazy head kick
and Al Din counters with a right hand to the body.
Al Din lands a nice looking body kick.
Hopkins takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Hopkins looks winded!
Hopkins misses with an uppercut
and Al Din finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Al Din.
Hopkins swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Al Din is looking to slow Hopkins down with leg kicks.
Hopkins takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hopkins throws a sloppy head kick and Al Din moves out of range easily.
Hopkins misses with a looping left.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Hopkins throws a sloppy head kick
and Al Din counters with a low kick, right behind Hopkins 's knee.
Al Din scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins lands with an overhand left.
Al Din lands a glancing blow to the side of Hopkins's head.
Al Din scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Al Din throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Hopkins thinks about the counter body kick.
Al Din darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hopkins throws a lazy right hand but Al Din sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Al Din throws a right hand that misses
and Hopkins connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins throws a sloppy head kick and Al Din moves out of range easily.
Al Din thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Hopkins if he has to take too many more of those.
Hopkins tries to land a body kick
and Al Din counters with a low kick, right behind Hopkins 's knee.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Al Din lands a left and a right that send Hopkins crashing to the mat, dazed. Al Din thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!

It looks like Giuseppe Hopkins has been cut.
An inside leg kick lands from Al Din.
Hopkins takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Badr Al Din dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hopkins takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Al Din is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hopkins can do to turn this around?

Al Din drops Hopkins with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Hopkins looks back up at him and smiles so Al Din waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.

Hopkins is rocked!
Hopkins throws a body kick that misses
and Al Din counters with a good low kick that Hopkins was not able to check.
Hopkins moves out of range of the body kick from Al Din.
Hopkins's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Al Din throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Hopkins counters with a solid body kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Al Din misses with a low kick.
Hopkins follows through with a counter body kick but it doesn't land.
An inside leg kick from Al Din misses.
Hopkins replies with a solid counter kick to the body but Al Din blocks it well.
Al Din throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Hopkins throws out a counter right but Al Din avoids it with no problem.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Al Din misses with a body shot.
Hopkins avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Hopkins misses with a looping left.
Hopkins stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Al Din.
Al Din pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Hopkins is trying to counter with his kicks.
Al Din scores with a nice strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Al Din moves out of range of the body kick from Hopkins.
Al Din quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Hopkins moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Hopkins throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Badr Al Din is winning the standup battle so far.
Hopkins takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Hopkins gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Al Din counters with a straight right hand.
Hopkins throws a right hand that misses
and Al Din counters with a slapping leg kick.
Al Din lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Al Din ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hopkins moves away.
Hopkins clobbers Al Din with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

Al Din feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Hopkins sprawling to the canvas! Hopkins rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Al Din finish him?!
Hopkins is still on wobbly legs! Can Al Din finish him?
Hopkins delivers a nice body kick.
Hopkins seems to have recovered his senses.
Al Din throws a push kick but Hopkins slaps the foot to one side.
Hopkins takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hopkins! But no joy.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Al Din throws a leg kick which misses Hopkins's front leg but catches the back leg as Hopkins tries to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Al Din moves into range and connects with a jab.
Both these guys seem content to just stand up and trade with each other but Hopkins might want to think about changing up his gameplan a bit because over the course of the fight, Al Din has got the better of the exchanges.
Hopkins throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Al Din on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Hopkins defending well as Al Din loads up on a big left hand.
Al Din throws a big shot that misses.
Al Din lands with a nice body kick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Badr Al Din dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Hopkins uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Al Din.
Al Din moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Al Din looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Al Din swings for the body but Hopkins moves out of range.
Hopkins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Al Din misses with a low kick.
Al Din walks into a left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Hopkins.
A big right from Hopkins misses.
Al Din throws a half hearted mid kick.
Hopkins rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Al Din counters with a straight right hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Al Din.
Hopkins throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hopkins swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Al Din throws a hook to the side of Hopkins's head but Hopkins sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hopkins rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Al Din makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Hopkins throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Al Din looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Hopkins misses with a combination
and Al Din counters with a nice low kick that buckles Hopkins's knee momentarily.
Hopkins takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Good leg kick by Al Din.
Al Din throws a body punch but Hopkins moves out of range.

Al Din sends Hopkins crashing to the mat with a devastating uppercut! Al Din is motioning to the referee to let Hopkins up. He wants to try and finish this one on the feet!
Al Din thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Hopkins if he has to take too many more of those.
Hopkins looks to land a body kick but Al Din moved away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins ducks under a wild hook from Al Din.
Hopkins moves out of range as Al Din strikes.
A little jabbing left from Hopkins on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A telegraphed right hand from Hopkins misses the target.
Al Din went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Al Din avoids the head kick by Hopkins.
Hopkins lands with an overhand left.
Al Din moves out of range of the body kick.
Al Din bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Badr Al Din clearly takes that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hopkins lands a really nice looking cross but Al Din seems unphased.
Hopkins doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Al Din connects with a jab.
Hopkins gets off balance looking for a body kick
and Al Din counters with a nice leg kick.
Hopkins is wiping some vaseline out of his eye. Al Din doesn't give a rats ass about fair play and cracks him with a massive hook to the side of the head! Hopkins crumples to the floor out cold! The cornerman is going to be in Hopkins's bad books for that mishap!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:43 of round 4, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Badr Al Din!
Badr Al Din retains his light heavyweight title!
A very excited looking Badr Al Din made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.