PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Juan Tamad (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Malcolm Hopkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tamad comes to the cage accompanied by The Joker. Hopkins is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Mobb Deep - Shook Ones Part II. On his way into the cage it seems that Juan Tamad has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Juan Tamad seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Tamad
vs
Hopkins

184 cm
28
200 lbs
11 - 7 - 0

180 cm
34
190 lbs
25 - 21 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Tokyo United Fightwear (end of month sale $9 shirt
Alpha-Male Nutritional Supplements (q160)

Perkele!

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Juan Tamad!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 25 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Malcolm Hopkins!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some bone on bone action there as Hopkins checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Tamad tries to land a leg kick but Hopkins saw it coming and moves away.
Tamad throws a nice inside leg kick.
Tamad tests Hopkins's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hopkins fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Tamad on the side of the head.
Hopkins looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Hopkins lands a really nice looking cross but Tamad seems unphased.
Hopkins takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Tamad missing with a left hand there. Hopkins was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hopkins scores with a spinning back kick!
Juan Tamad seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Tamad bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Hopkins's head backwards.
Tamad avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Hopkins avoids a punch combination nicely.
A solid leg kick lands there for Tamad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins loads up on a big right hand but Tamad slips the punch.
Hopkins takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Nice defenses there by Tamad.
Tamad looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Hopkins ducks under a wild hook from Tamad.
Tamad with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Hopkins misses with an uppercut.
Tamad scores with a jab.
Tamad lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Tamad scores with a jab.
Tamad throws out a leg kick but Hopkins moves out of range and Tamad only half commits.
Nice body punch from Tamad.
Tamad changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A looping hook to the body misses from Tamad. Hopkins does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamad misses with a hook
and Hopkins counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Tamad fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hopkins manages to avoid it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hopkins blocks the body kick.
Hopkins throws a nice inside leg kick.
Hopkins takes one on the button.
Tamad avoids the body shot from Hopkins.
Tamad attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Tamad throws an overhand right that lands on Hopkins's shoulder, as Hopkins tries to avoid the shot.
Hopkins ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Nice defenses there by Hopkins.
Hopkins misses with a low kick as Tamad jumps back.
Tamad tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A big right from Tamad misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamad displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hopkins throws out the jab.
Tamad is looking to chop away at Hopkins's legs.
Hopkins moves away from the strike by Tamad.
Hopkins stuns Tamad with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Tamad swings away with a body shot that misses
letting Hopkins counter with a right hand.
Hopkins throws a good cross that connects.
Tamad keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hopkins.
Nice body kick there by Tamad.
Tamad throws a jab when Hopkins was well out of range.
Tamad misses with a hook

and Hopkins counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tamad's guard now.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Hopkins trying to control but Tamad is working from the bottom.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Tamad avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tamad is keeping the position for now.
Tamad preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hopkins has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Tamad looking for a sweep. Not yet Tamad, not yet.
Tamad pulls Hopkins in close to prevent any damage.
Hopkins is looking to work some ground and pound but Tamad has wrist control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopkins pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Tamad is keeping the position for now.
Hopkins controls from within his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Tamad dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

A decent looking cross lands there for Tamad.
Hopkins walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Tamad misses with a hook. Hopkins ducked under it nicely.
A leg kick checked by Hopkins.
Tamad tests Hopkins's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Tamad misses with the combination.
Tamad buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Tamad throws a low kick but Hopkins moves out of range easily.
Juan Tamad is winning the standup battle so far.
An inside leg kick lands from Tamad.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins misses with a wild body shot.
Tamad looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hopkins gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Hopkins misses the jab.
Tamad misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hopkins.
Hopkins tries to land a front kick but Tamad steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Tamad misses with a hook
and Hopkins cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Tamad shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hopkins defends it nicely.
Tamad throws a hook but Hopkins avoids it easily.
Good standup being displayed there by Tamad as he connects with a hook.
Tamad fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Hopkins checks it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins scoring well with a low kick there.
Tamad throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Tamad throws a right hand that Hopkins ducks under and follows up with a left that Hopkins also avoids with ease.
Nice sprawl there from Tamad as Hopkins shoots in.
Tamad tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Tamad rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Hopkins counters with a nice double leg into side control. Tamad won't be happy with that.
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!

Hopkins looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Tamad is looking to regain half guard here but Hopkins keeps moving and retains side control.
Hopkins taking a break here but Tamad is having none of it and regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins tries to pass to full mount but Tamad defends it.
Tamad wants to control but Hopkins is keeping busy.
Hopkins trying to advance position but Tamad counters by regaining guard.
Hopkins trying to control but Tamad is working from the bottom.
Hopkins content to stall in guard here.
Tamad manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hopkins manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins looking to hit a scissor sweep but Tamad is one step ahead there.
Tamad throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Tamad scoring with punches to the head and body.

Hopkins throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Tamad pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hopkins is keeping the position for now.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopkins seems keen to control Tamad's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Juan Tamad dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hopkins blocks a jab.
Hopkins misses with a body shot.
A punch lands to the side of Hopkins 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Hopkins explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Hopkins checks the leg kick.
Tamad shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hopkins but Hopkins pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Tamad ducks under a wild hook from Hopkins.
Tamad throws a body punch but Hopkins moves out of range.
Hopkins gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Hopkins shoots in for a takedown but Tamad shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hopkins keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Tamad staying out of range there.
Tamad throws a jab but it's blocked by Hopkins.
Tamad walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Tamad scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Tamad misses with a low kick.
Tamad will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Hopkins uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Tamad.
Hopkins turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Tamad looks to land a right hand but Hopkins moved out of range.
Tamad scoring well with a low kick there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Tamad throws a lazy uppercut
and Hopkins counters with a nice uppercut.
Tamad swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Tamad will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Tamad scores with a jab to the jaw.
Tamad throws the left hand but Hopkins avoids the punch easily.
A head kick from Tamad lands but Hopkins takes it in his stride.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Tamad just misses with a punch to the body.
Tamad will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Tamad rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Hopkins counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Tamad's guard now.
Hopkins trying to control but Tamad is working from the bottom.
Hopkins looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Tamad keeping moving, preventing Hopkins from controlling successfully.
Tamad is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Tamad is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Hopkins dives into side control.

Hopkins is trying to get an arm triangle but Tamad is defending well.
Malcolm Hopkins has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hopkins wants to control but Tamad is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Malcolm Hopkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tamad tries to buck Hopkins off but Hopkins is having none of it.
Juan Tamad is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Tamad stuck in half guard on the bottom here.
Tamad sneaks back into half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tamad makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Tamad.

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 Juan Tamad.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Tamad, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Juan Tamad!
A relieved looking Juan Tamad thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.