PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ariel Martinez Jr (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apachi Hopachi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Martinez Jr
vs
Hopachi

175 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ariel Martinez Jr!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Apachi Hopachi!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, John Kavanagh and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopachi fails with an attempt to clinch.
Martinez Jr swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Martinez Jr shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hopachi sprawls well. Hopachi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Martinez Jr gets slowly back to his feet.
Martinez Jr shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hopachi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Martinez Jr clinches.

Hopachi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Martinez Jr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hopachi tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Martinez Jr counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Martinez Jr tries to pull guard but Hopachi holds him up against the cage and eventually Martinez Jr drops back down to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ariel Martinez Jr. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hopachi working Martinez Jr over with knees to the body.

Hopachi breaks the clinch.
Hopachi looks to clinch

and Martinez Jr counters by moving into the clinch.

Hopachi manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopachi misses with a body kick.
Martinez Jr tries to clinch
and Hopachi counters with a series of strikes. Martinez Jr will be more careful next time no doubt.

Hopachi moves into range and clinches up with Martinez Jr.
Hopachi gets underhooks to prevent Martinez Jr's takedown attempt.

Hopachi manages to break the clinch.
Hopachi tries to grapple but his opponent circles

Hopachi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hopachi clinches but Martinez Jr breaks the clinch

so Martinez Jr counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Martinez Jr is breathing heavily.
Hopachi is trying to control the position but Martinez Jr postures up.
Martinez Jr throwing strikes but missing.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez Jr wants to control from the top but Hopachi keeps moving.
Martinez Jr is really struggling to control Hopachi but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Hopachi trying to keep a closed guard but Martinez Jr is proving a slippery customer.
Hopachi is looking to stand up but Martinez Jr isn't so interested in that idea.
Martinez Jr stopping the sweep attempt from Hopachi.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez Jr wants to control from the top but Hopachi keeps moving.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Martinez Jr looks for a takedown but Hopachi sprawls well.
Hopachi throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hopachi tries to clinch but Martinez Jr moves away

and Martinez Jr counters by clinching up.

Hopachi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Martinez Jr shoots in looking for a takedown. Hopachi tries to sprawl out of it but Martinez Jr keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Hopachi manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Martinez Jr drops his hands momentarily and Hopachi takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hopachi has managed to clinch.
Martinez Jr drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hopachi pulls his leg out and moves away.
Apachi Hopachi is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hopachi wants to clinch.
Hopachi lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Martinez Jr at a distance.
Hopachi fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hopachi is looking to clinch but Martinez Jr is avoiding it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Martinez Jr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hopachi clinches but Martinez Jr breaks the clinch

and Martinez Jr counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hopachi gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Hopachi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Apachi Hopachi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hopachi darts in trying to clinch

and Martinez Jr counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Martinez Jr.
Martinez Jr tries to free his leg and advance position but Hopachi is retaining full guard.
Hopachi looking to hit a scissor sweep but Martinez Jr is one step ahead there.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Martinez Jr is fighting to break Hopachi's control of his arms but Hopachi is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez Jr prevents Hopachi from getting back to his feet.
Hopachi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Martinez Jr. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Martinez Jr trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Martinez Jr won't allow Hopachi to sweep him here.
Martinez Jr sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hopachi throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Hopachi keeping moving, preventing Martinez Jr from controlling successfully.
Martinez Jr tries to free his leg and advance position but Hopachi is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

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

It looks like Ariel Martinez Jr has been cut.

Hopachi takes the fight into the clinch.

Hopachi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Hopachi clinches up against the cage.
Martinez Jr is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Hopachi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Hopachi rushes Martinez Jr and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hopachi lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Hopachi breaks the clinch.
Martinez Jr swats away the attempt to clinch by Hopachi.

Hopachi clinches up with Martinez Jr and pushes him back against the cage.

Hopachi breaks the clinch.
Hopachi closes the distance looking to clinch

and Martinez Jr counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopachi wants to sweep but no luck.
Martinez Jr has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hopachi is proving hard to escape from.
Hopachi avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Martinez Jr trying to control the position from guard on top but Hopachi is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martinez Jr looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hopachi looking to control.
Martinez Jr tries to stand but Hopachi is controlling from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Martinez Jr circles away from the clinch attempt.
Apachi Hopachi seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hopachi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hopachi tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Martinez Jr counters with a takedown into side control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopachi tries to bench press Martinez Jr off him but Martinez Jr keeps the position.
Martinez Jr wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hopachi keeps working.
Hopachi struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Apachi Hopachi will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Ariel Martinez Jr's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Hopachi gets a clinch.
Hopachi with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Hopachi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Hopachi forces Martinez Jr back against the cage and clinches.
Martinez Jr takes a knee right on the jaw!
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Martinez Jr tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hopachi just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hopachi avoiding damage as Martinez Jr throws knees to the body.

Hopachi breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hopachi wants to clinch but Martinez Jr slips to the side

and Martinez Jr counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hopachi's guard now.
Hopachi keeping moving, preventing Martinez Jr from controlling successfully.
Ariel Martinez Jr overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hopachi wants to stand up but Martinez Jr is controlling him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Martinez Jr won't allow Hopachi to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martinez Jr is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hopachi pushes Martinez Jr off and scrambles back to his feet.
Hopachi closes the distance looking to clinch

and Martinez Jr counters with a shoot takedown. Hopachi fights it but they end up in guard.
Martinez Jr throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hopachi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopachi is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Martinez Jr is controlling him.
Martinez Jr thows a big elbow that misses.
Martinez Jr stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hopachi swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Martinez Jr stopping the sweep attempt from Hopachi.
Martinez Jr throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hopachi works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez Jr thows a big elbow that misses.
Martinez Jr preventing the sweep.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Martinez Jr throws a combination that misses
letting Hopachi counter with a right hand.
Hopachi tries to clinch there but Martinez Jr circles away.

Hopachi has closed the distance and engaged Martinez Jr in a clinch.

Hopachi breaks the clinch.
Hopachi tries to clinch but Martinez Jr moves out of range.
Hopachi with a hook.
Hopachi works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Hopachi tries to clinch but Martinez Jr moves out of range.
Hopachi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez Jr shoots in but no luck this time.
Hopachi tries to clinch there but Martinez Jr circles away.
Hopachi wants to clinch up but Martinez Jr keeps it at a distance.
Hopachi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hopachi pulls out of a head kick attempt.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hopachi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ariel Martinez Jr is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hopachi moves in looking to clinch but Martinez Jr pushes him off.
Martinez Jr on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Hopachi gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ariel Martinez Jr has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Apachi Hopachi is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Hopachi pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ariel Martinez Jr.
I think Hopachi 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Apachi Hopachi!