PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Hampton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Earl Vespa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ivan Hampton could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Earl Vespa's chin.

Hampton
vs
Vespa

178 cm
20
190 lbs
5 - 7 - 0

185 cm
24
185 lbs
5 - 13 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

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 5 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ivan Hampton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Earl Vespa!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Stewart Dunkirk and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hampton closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Vespa to the mat! Vespa manages to get full guard.
Vespa is looking to stand up but Hampton isn't so interested in that idea.

Vespa scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Vespa misses with a head kick.
Earl Vespa seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hampton blocks a head kick by Vespa.
Hampton scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

It looks like Earl Vespa has been cut.

Hampton closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Vespa did well to prevent Hampton getting side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Vespa is trying to stand up here but Hampton is controlling him well.
Vespa looks gassed!
Hampton controlling the pace.
Hampton prevents Vespa from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hampton looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Vespa trying to hold on to Hampton's head to control him but Hampton postures up.

Hampton is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Vespa doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Hampton.
Vespa pushes Hampton off looking to stand but Hampton dives back in and keeps control.
Hampton passes the guard and advances to mount!
A nice elbow there by Hampton.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hampton lands a heavy elbow.
Vespa tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hampton controlling from the full mount.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
You get the feeling that Vespa really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Vespa is working to get back to half guard.
Hampton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Vespa is looking to escape.

Hampton looking for a guillotine from mount but Vespa is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hampton looking to control and managing it successfully.
Vespa is trying to escape the mount.
Vespa is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hampton looking to control but Vespa is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Vespa is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Vespa tries to lock up and control but Hampton gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Vespa is in all sorts of trouble here.
Vespa is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Hampton controlling from the full mount.
Hampton's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Hampton dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Earl Vespa's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Vespa connects with a high kick.
No luck for Hampton with that takedown attempt.
Vespa looks to land a right hand but Hampton moved out of range.
Hampton throws a low kick but Vespa avoids it.
Hampton blocks a head kick by Vespa.
Hampton looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Vespa is fending him off so far but Hampton persists. Nope, Vespa circles away and we're back to standing.
Vespa throws a head kick that Hampton semi-blocks.
Hampton looks for a takedown but Vespa sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Hampton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Vespa tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hampton sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Vespa somewhat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hampton.
Hampton has his takedown stuffed

and Vespa counters by moving into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Vespa throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Hampton successfully pulls guard.
Hampton controls Vespa momentarily but Vespa frees himself.
Hampton keeping full guard, as Vespa tries to pass.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Vespa forces his way into half guard.
Vespa with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Vespa gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vespa throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Hampton.
Vespa fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Vespa throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Vespa shoots in but Hampton avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Hampton shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Vespa manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Vespa keeping moving, preventing Hampton from controlling successfully.
Vespa is looking to stand up but Hampton isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vespa keeping full guard, as Hampton tries to pass.
Vespa wants to get back to his feet but Hampton is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hampton preventing the sweep.
Vespa is looking to stand up but Hampton isn't so interested in that idea.
Vespa is trying to control the position but Hampton postures up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hampton shoots for a takedown but Vespa saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Vespa misses with a head kick.
Vespa slips a straight right by Hampton.

Vespa closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hampton did well to prevent Vespa getting side control.
Hampton is pressing down on Vespa's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Vespa would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Vespa gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Hampton throws a one two combo.

Hampton tries to keep at a distance but Vespa has taken the fight into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Vespa as Hampton tries to tie him up.
Hampton stalling the fight.
Vespa lands with a right to the head.

Vespa gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Hampton regains guard.
Vespa wants to get up but he can't break Hampton's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Hampton manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hampton landing strikes, looking to finish!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Earl Vespa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Earl Vespa's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Vespa gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

so Hampton counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Vespa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hampton is controlling him.
Vespa utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Vespa wants to sweep but no luck.
Vespa is looking to stand up but Hampton isn't so interested in that idea.
Hampton stopping the sweep attempt from Vespa.
Hampton trying to control but Vespa is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hampton trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hampton won't allow Vespa to sweep him here.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Vespa throws a sloppy head kick and Hampton moves out of range easily.
Vespa throws a lazy head kick

and Hampton counters with a single leg into guard. Vespa didn't expect that.
Vespa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hampton passes into half guard.
Vespa is refusing to be controlled, as Hampton sits in half guard.

Vespa manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Vespa throws a head kick but Hampton moves out of range.
Hampton has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Vespa.
A head kick misses from Vespa.
Vespa avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hampton shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Vespa pinned against the cage. Vespa gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Vespa throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Vespa is looking to land body kicks.
Vespa stuffs the takedown.
Hampton shoots and misses

and Vespa counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ivan Hampton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hampton is working for takedown but Vespa is calmly controlling the position for now.
Vespa effectively controlling the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Vespa wants a takedown but no success here.
Hampton tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Vespa drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hampton pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hampton shoots in and drives through. Vespa sprawls well.
Vespa moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Hampton shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Vespa sprawls well. Vespa wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hampton gets slowly back to his feet.
Hampton shoots in for a takedown but Vespa shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ivan Hampton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Vespa misses with a double jab.
Vespa throws a wild body kick that Hampton sees coming a mile off.
Vespa swinging wilding here.
Hampton is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Vespa.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Vespa throws a sloppy head kick and Hampton moves out of range easily.

Vespa shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Vespa was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Vespa trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Vespa is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Hampton tries to hold on but Vespa postures up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ivan Hampton showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Hampton has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ivan Hampton!