PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Hopkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Waldo Short (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.

Hopkins
vs
Short

210 cm
22
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

200 cm
22
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

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, Jimmy Hopkins!
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, Waldo Short!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, David Schapiro and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Short keeps the fight on the outside.

Hopkins scores with a takedown into Short's guard.
Short utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Short utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hopkins throwing strikes but missing.
Hopkins content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hopkins in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hopkins throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Short is adopting a defensive guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Short is on top in guard.
Short is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Short distracts Hopkins with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hopkins keeping moving, preventing Short from controlling successfully.
Hopkins trying to control the position.

Hopkins working for a triangle but Short defends it easily.
Short throwing strikes from guard but Hopkins blocks nicely.
Hopkins working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Short.
Hopkins wants to stand but Short is controlling the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hopkins looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Hopkins shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Short is trying to defend but Hopkins finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Hopkins is breathing heavily.
Short makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Short.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Short can do anything to dispel that myth.
Short pulls Hopkins in to control the position.
Short looking for a sweep. Not yet Short, not yet.
Short bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hopkins's guard.
Hopkins has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hopkins is trying to keep Short in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Short scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hopkins avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hopkins really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Hopkins is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Hopkins has his foot on Short's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Short works his way back into a safe position though.
Short forces his way into half guard.
Short looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Short tries to pass to full mount but Hopkins defends it.
Short moves nicely into side control.
Short scores with a couple of short elbows.
Short lands a nice forearm strike.
Short landing a few strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins is trying to control Short's posture but Short avoids it.
Short working the body and head with strikes.
Short creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Short working the ground and pound from side control.
Short lands an elbow.
Hopkins taking a bit of punishment here - Short scoring with strikes.
Hopkins is working to avoid the ground and pound but Short connects with a decent elbow.
Short landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Hopkins takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Hopkins takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Short lands some shots froms side control.
Short throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Short fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The strikes coming from Short are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Waldo Short dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hopkins tries to clinch but Short moves out of range.
Short swats away the attempt to clinch by Hopkins.
Hopkins shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Short as he avoids it easily.

Short drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Short pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hopkins is keeping the position for now.
Hopkins wants to stand and escape but Short is having none of it.
Short passes Hopkins's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Hopkins has hold of Short's hands but Short slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hopkins is trying to control but can't.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hopkins has hold of Short's hands but Short slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Short takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Short works his foot free and advances to mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Short landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hopkins tries to lock up and control but Short gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Short is landing with some decent strikes but Hopkins is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
A nice elbow there by Short.
Hopkins wants to hold on but Short pushes him away.
Short landing punches.
Short avoids the attempt from Hopkins to control.
Short postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hopkins looks a forlorn figure.
Hopkins is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Short landing strikes, looking to finish!
Short cracks Hopkins with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Short raining down shots from the mount!
Hopkins is in all sorts of trouble here.
Short with shots to the head and body - Hopkins looks very uncomfortable down there.
Short dominating with strikes here.
Short raining down shots from the mount!
Hopkins's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Waldo Short has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hopkins tries to hold on but Short postures up.
Hopkins is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Short cracks Hopkins with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins tries to hold on but Short pushes him away.
Short with good strikes from the mount here!
Short landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hopkins wants to hold on but Short pushes him away.
Hopkins taking shots to the head.
Short has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hopkins's face.
Short in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Short fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Short with a couple of short strikes.
Short is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Hopkins can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Short landing strikes, looking to finish!
Short putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Short unloading with bombs!
Hopkins tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Short scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hopkins keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Short cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Short scoring with strikes but Hopkins is staying in there.
Short avoids the attempt from Hopkins to control.
Hopkins's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Short lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Hopkins hang on?
Hopkins tries to hold on but Short pushes him away.
Short landing strikes from the mount.
Hopkins is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hopkins wants to hold on but Short pushes him away.
Short with the ground and pound from mount.
Hopkins is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Waldo Short showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Hopkins fails with the takedown

and Short counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hopkins won't be happy with that.
Short lands some shots froms side control.
Short lands a few punches from side control.
Hopkins is not content to let Short control the position.
Hopkins is working to avoid the ground and pound but Short connects with a decent elbow.
Short creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Hopkins wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Short working the head with strikes.
Hopkins taking punishment in the form of punches.
Short in side control lands a decent elbow.
Hopkins is pushing Short's head away, looking to escape. Short manages to hold on to the position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins tries to bench press Short off him but Short keeps the position.
Short in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Short working the ground and pound.
Hopkins manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Hopkins thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Short is controlling Hopkins's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Short is looking to improve his position.
Hopkins throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hopkins trying to control from Short's half guard. Short has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Short pulls Hopkins in to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hopkins with a nice head shot there.
Hopkins won't allow Short to sweep him here.
Hopkins postures up and lands a big shot to Short's brow.
Short is trying to control the position but Hopkins postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hopkins throwing strikes from guard but Short blocks nicely.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hopkins closes the distance looking to clinch

and Short counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hopkins's guard now.
Hopkins controls Short momentarily but Short frees himself.
Short trying to control but Hopkins is working from the bottom.
Hopkins is trying to control the position but Short postures up.
Short postures up and lands a big shot to Hopkins's brow.
Short is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Short postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins is really struggling to control Short but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Short must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Short wants to control from the top but Hopkins keeps moving.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hopkins looks to land a right hand but Short moved out of range.
Short shoots for a takedown but Hopkins saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hopkins scores with a leg kick.
Hopkins fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Short checks it well.
Jimmy Hopkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hopkins lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Short circles away quickly and effectively.
Hopkins looks to land a left hand but Short moved out of range nicely.
Short bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Waldo Short is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Short blocks a head kick by Hopkins.

And that's the end of the fight!
Waldo Short comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Short winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 27:30
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 27:30
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Waldo Short!