PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Lang (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Apachi Hopachi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lang comes to the cage accompanied by Cemetary Gates. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Lang
vs
Hopachi

195 cm
26
210 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

195 cm
23
215 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite 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 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dave Lang!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Apachi Hopachi!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Jorge Garcia and Columbo Gatti.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopachi stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hopachi wants it to stay on the feet.

Hopachi clinches up against the cage.
Hopachi avoids a wild elbow strike from Lang.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lang just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hopachi's brow.
Lang tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hopachi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hopachi tries to land a knee to the head but Lang blocks with his arms.
Hopachi with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hopachi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lang backwards.
Hopachi tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lang misses with an elbow over the top.

Hopachi jumps into guard, dragging Lang to the mat.

Lang drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Hopachi dives on top into guard.

Lang looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Lang looking for a guillotine here but Hopachi defends easily.
Hopachi sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lang keeping moving, preventing Hopachi from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopachi would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Lang throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hopachi tries to stand but Lang is controlling from the bottom.
Hopachi must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Lang had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hopachi defends it easily.

Lang is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hopachi controlling from the top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lang has his foot on Hopachi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hopachi works his way back into a safe position though.
Hopachi really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lang. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Lang pushes Hopachi off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Hopachi is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hopachi tries to clinch up but Lang circles away and keeps his distance.

Hopachi closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Lang tries a knee to the head but Hopachi blocks it.
Hopachi tries a knee to the head but Lang blocks it.
Lang throws an elbow but it misses.
Lang throws an elbow but it misses.
Hopachi misses with a knee to the head.
Lang blocks an uppercut.
Lang throws an elbow but it misses.
Hopachi blocks an elbow strike from Lang.
Lang tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopachi with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Hopachi scores with a shot to the side of Lang's head.
Lang pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Lang tries a knee to the head but Hopachi blocks it.
Lang misses with a knee strike.
Lang is breathing heavily.
Lang lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Apachi Hopachi has been cut.
Lang tries a knee to the head but Hopachi blocks it.
Hopachi with a knee to the head.

It looks like Dave Lang has been cut.
Hopachi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hopachi tries to land a knee to the head but Lang blocks with his arms.
Lang looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hopachi misses with a knee strike.
Lang lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Lang misses with a knee strike.
Lang lands an elbow inside that Hopachi shrugs off.
Hopachi looking to throw knees to the head but Lang is blocking nicely.
Lang lands an elbow inside.
Lang scores a nice knee to the body.
Hopachi lands a right hand that snaps the head of Lang backwards.
Lang tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hopachi blocks an elbow strike from Lang.
Hopachi tries a knee to the head but Lang blocks it.
Hopachi throws a knee to the head but misses.
Nice elbow from Lang.
Lang throws a knee to the head but misses.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Lang just misses with a elbow thrown towards Hopachi's brow.
Lang lands a shoulder strike.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Lang creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hopachi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lang has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hopachi has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Lang is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A short right from Lang on the inside.
Lang throws a knee to the head but misses.
Lang tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hopachi with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Lang creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hopachi's defenses.
Hopachi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lang has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hopachi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lang has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hopachi avoids a wild elbow strike from Lang.
Lang throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hopachi blocks it with crossed arms.
Hopachi tries to land a knee to the head but Lang blocks with his arms.
Lang scores with a knee to the head.
Hopachi misses with a knee strike.
Hopachi throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Lang blocks it with crossed arms.
Hopachi tries a knee to the head but Lang blocks it.
Lang throws a knee to the head but misses.
Lang lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Hopachi throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hopachi tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Hopachi takes a knee right on the jaw!
Hopachi blocks the elbow strike.
Hopachi looking to throw knees to the head but Lang is blocking nicely.
Lang working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Lang misses with a knee to the head.
Hopachi throws a knee to the head but misses.
Hopachi tries a knee to the head but Lang blocks it.
Hopachi takes a knee right on the jaw!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lang misses with a knee strike.
Hopachi using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Lang has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Lang dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Lang avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hopachi tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hopachi wants to clinch.
Hopachi has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Lang keeps the fight on the outside.
Hopachi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hopachi moves in looking to clinch but Lang pushes him off.
Lang shoots in for a takedown but Hopachi shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hopachi wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lang tries for a takedown but Hopachi sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Lang swats away the attempt to clinch by Hopachi.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Lang throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lang shoots in but Hopachi avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Lang. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hopachi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lang paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lang throws the left hand but Hopachi avoids the punch easily.
Lang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hopachi is looking to clinch but Lang is avoiding it.

Lang shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Lang was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!

Lang is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Hopachi to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hopachi shrugs it off.

Lang wants to finish this one by submission but Hopachi is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Lang.
Lang unloads with some shots from mount but Hopachi bucks and avoids them well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lang has hold of Hopachi's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Hopachi manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Hopachi is in all sorts of trouble here.

Lang is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Hopachi to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Hopachi shrugs it off.
Lang thowing shots but they're missing.
Hopachi is looking to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Lang has control of Hopachi's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Hopachi regains control of the situation pretty easily.

Lang jumps to the side looking to secure the arm triangle…. Ooooh, that looks tight… Hopachi is gargling but he's managed to escape! Nice work there by Hopachi and Lang has given up the dominant position trying to land that submission.
Hopachi can't do much from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hopachi wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Lang wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hopachi, who protects the arm well.
Hopachi tries to improve position but can't.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Lang is trying to get an arm triangle but Hopachi is defending well.
Hopachi is trying to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dave Lang dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hopachi is looking to clinch.
Lang lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Lang shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hopachi sprawls well. Hopachi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Lang gets slowly back to his feet.
A combination from Hopachi does no damage.
Hopachi tries to clinch up but Lang circles away and keeps his distance.

Lang closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hopachi did well to prevent Lang getting side control.

Lang seems to be looking for submissions.
Lang missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Lang is trying to work for a kimura but Hopachi is defending well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Lang seems to be working for a kimura but Hopachi defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopachi blocking the ground and pound attempt from Lang.

Lang is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Dave Lang overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Lang is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hopachi has managed to free his arm - good work.

Lang is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Dave Lang is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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.
Hopachi has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Lang is working away from the top position though.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hopachi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A slow jab from Hopachi misses its intended target.
Lang throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hopachi's waist but Hopachi gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lang off to one side.
Hopachi stalks Lang and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Lang's face. Lang staggers backwards, shaken.
Lang throws a hook but Hopachi avoids it easily.
Hopachi tries to clinch but Lang moves out of range.
A punch combination from Lang misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lang lands a lovely overhand right.
Apachi Hopachi seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hopachi tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lang swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hopachi wants to clinch.
Lang keeps the fight on the outside.
Lang avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hopachi tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lang paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Lang scores a takedown into full mount!
Hopachi is wriggling around trying to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopachi dodges the ground and pound from Lang.

Lang tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Lang is in a dominant position here, looking for a kimura. Hopachi looks calm but he's in trouble here. Lang gets his leg over his opponent's head and yanks on the arm. Hopachi is tapping like a morse code operator on the titanic! SOS! SOS! Lang lets go of the hold and Hopachi can pop his arm back in it's socket.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Dave Lang!