PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tito Khabib (ranked 4177 p4p, 4349 weight class) and Hannes Valpio (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.

Khabib
vs
Valpio

196 cm
18
185
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Powerful

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tito Khabib!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Hannes Valpio!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Peter Branson and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valpio circles away from the clinch attempt

so Valpio counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Valpio postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Valpio scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Khabib is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Valpio working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Khabib will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Khabib working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Valpio doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Valpio manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Khabib wants to sweep here but Valpio controlling him for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valpio stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Khabib swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Valpio trying to control the position from guard on top but Khabib is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Khabib looking to control.

Khabib had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Valpio defends it easily.

Khabib has his foot on Valpio's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Valpio works his way back into a safe position though.
Valpio postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Khabib really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valpio trying to control but Khabib is working from the bottom.
Valpio advances position into side control!
Valpio scoring with punches and elbows.
Valpio creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.
Khabib wants to control but Valpio postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Valpio has control of an arm but Khabib manages to advance to Valpio's back!
Khabib is breathing heavily.
Valpio tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valpio is looking to get to half guard.
Valpio wants to hold on but Khabib pushes him away.
Valpio is in all sorts of trouble here.
Khabib looking to finish Valpio with some ground and pound. This is bad for Valpio!
Khabib trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Valpio regains half guard.
Valpio wants to control but Khabib is keeping busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valpio slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Khabib tries to free his leg and advance position but Valpio is retaining full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Khabib stopping the sweep attempt from Valpio.
Khabib stands up out of Valpio's guard for a moment - Valpio manages to land a nice upkick.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Hannes Valpio will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Valpio closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Valpio working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Valpio lands with a punch from half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Valpio lands a nice short elbow.
Khabib is not content to let Valpio control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khabib is trying to get back to full guard.
Valpio wants to lay and pray for a moment but Khabib keeps working.
Valpio is thwarting Khabib's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Khabib looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Khabib is staying active underneath Valpio, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Nice strikes from Valpio there.
Khabib wants to get back to full guard but Valpio has passed into side control.
Valpio in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Valpio working the ground and pound from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khabib takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Khabib takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Khabib on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Khabib is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Valpio lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Khabib down.
Valpio has control of an arm but Khabib manages to advance to Valpio's back!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Valpio tries to roll but Khabib sticks to his back.
Khabib throwing sloppy strikes.
You can see the frustration on Valpio's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Will Khabib go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
I really don't envy Valpio right now.
Khabib is trying to stick to Valpio's back but Valpio is turning into Khabib. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Khabib's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Valpio.
Valpio postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Valpio stopping the sweep attempt from Khabib.
Valpio trying to control the position from guard on top but Khabib is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Khabib working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Valpio has passed into half guard!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khabib trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Valpio looking to control but Khabib is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Valpio landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Hannes Valpio 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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Khabib gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Khabib has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Valpio off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Hannes Valpio is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Tito Khabib seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Valpio circles away from the clinch attempt.
Khabib tries to clinch but Valpio moves out of range.
Tito Khabib is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Khabib goes for a double leg but Valpio avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Valpio continues to drive forward.

Valpio pulls guard effortlessly.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Valpio can do anything to dispel that myth.
Valpio controls Khabib momentarily but Khabib frees himself.
Valpio has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Khabib pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Valpio is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valpio wants to sweep here but Khabib controlling him for the moment.
Valpio working a defensive guard here.
Valpio wants to improve his position but instead Khabib has moved into half guard.
Valpio trying to control here.

Khabib is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Valpio defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Valpio wants to control but Khabib is keeping busy.
Khabib throwing shots but Valpio is blocking nicely.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Valpio wants to improve his position but Khabib is controlling well.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Valpio closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Khabib's guard.
Khabib bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Valpio's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khabib is pushing down on Valpio's leg trying to pass to half guard. Valpio is fighting to maintain full guard but Khabib has managed to sneak the leg through.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valpio trying to control from the bottom.
Hannes Valpio has got the better of the ground game so far.
Valpio is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Khabib is staying active.
Valpio tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Valpio is trying to get back to full guard.
Khabib is pressing down on Valpio's thigh, looking to free his foot. Valpio is holding on for now.
Valpio is trying to maintain the position but Khabib is very close to passing his half 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.

Khabib is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Valpio defends it well.
Valpio trying to control here.
Khabib is trying to control. Valpio wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Khabib has decided to stand back up but his arm is trapped. Whilst he's worrying about his arm, Valpio works to full guard.
Tito Khabib has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Valpio not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tito Khabib showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Valpio has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Hoff scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Hannes Valpio!