PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Shane Hopper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Smeathe (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hopper
vs
Smeathe

176 cm
22
163 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

177 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Excellent boxer
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Shane Hopper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Johnny Smeathe!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Fedor Mirinova and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Smeathe forces Hopper back against the cage and clinches.
Hopper tries to circle away but Smeathe has him pinned against the cage.
Smeathe is working for takedown but Hopper is calmly controlling the position for now.
Hopper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smeathe has him pressed against the cage.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hopper. Smeathe does a little dance to reset his feet.
Smeathe shoots in but no luck this time.
Hopper keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Shane Hopper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Smeathe.
Hopper throws a series of strikes that have Smeathe backpedaling.
Smeathe is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Smeathe has taken the fight to the clinch.

Smeathe tightens his grip and picks Hopper up, before dumping him to the ground. Hopper manages to land in guard.
Smeathe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hopper has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Hopper looking to hit a scissor sweep but Smeathe is one step ahead there.
Smeathe throwing strikes from guard but Hopper blocks nicely.
Hopper throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Smeathe has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hopper doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Hopper throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smeathe missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hopper is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Smeathe tries to grapple but his opponent circles
enabling Hopper to counter with a crisp jab.
Hopper tries to bum rush Smeathe with a series of wild strikes but Smeathe uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Smeathe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Smeathe gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Hopper regains guard.
Smeathe trying to control the position from guard on top but Hopper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hopper trying to strike off his back.
Hopper wants to sweep here but Smeathe controlling him for the moment.
Hopper controls Smeathe momentarily but Smeathe frees himself.
Hopper manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Smeathe manages to get himself to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hopper throwing strikes but missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopper landing with the ground and pound.
Hopper in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hopper throwing strikes but missing.
Hopper won't allow Smeathe to sweep him here.
Smeathe looks gassed!
Hopper is looking to work some ground and pound but Smeathe has wrist control.
Hopper has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Smeathe working a defensive guard here.
Hopper throwing strikes from guard but Smeathe blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hopper tries to clinch

and Smeathe counters by clinching up.
Smeathe tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Smeathe has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Hopper avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hopper is trying to break the clinch but Smeathe has him pressed against the cage.
Smeathe goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hopper prevents it.
Hopper is trying to break the clinch but Smeathe has him pressed against the cage.
Hopper can't break the clinch.
Hopper tries to circle away but Smeathe has him pinned against the cage.
Smeathe has had enough of the clinch but Hopper keeps him there for the moment.
Smeathe has Hopper pressed against the cage, preventing Hopper from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Smeathe has Hopper pressed against the cage, preventing Hopper from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Smeathe tries to land a knee to the head but Hopper blocks with his arms.
Hopper is trying to break the clinch but Smeathe is controlling him.
Hopper wants to break free but Smeathe has control.
Smeathe keeps control of Hopper as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hopper misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hopper wants to break free but Smeathe has control.
Hopper prevents the takedown attempt.
Hopper wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hopper is looking to break free of the clinch but Smeathe has double underhooks.
Hopper lands with a left to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hopper looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hopper can't break the clinch.
Hopper is looking to break free of the clinch but Smeathe has double underhooks.
Hopper doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hopper tries to break free but Smeathe pushes him back against the cage.

Smeathe breaks from the clinch.
Smeathe will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hopper getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Hopper ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Hopper lands a jab-cross combination.
Hopper stuffs the takedown attempt from Smeathe. Smeathe gets slowly back to his feet.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Hopper with a body punch. A glancing blow.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Smeathe.
Hopper jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hopper goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Hopper moves in looking to clinch but Smeathe pushes him off.
Hopper lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Smeathe dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hopper. That did some damage!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Shane Hopper will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hopper fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hopper lands a jab-cross combination.

Smeathe moves into the clinch successfully.
Smeathe lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hopper is trying to force a seperation but Smeathe has the dominant position.
Hopper wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Smeathe has him pressed against the cage.
Smeathe manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Hopper is trying to break the clinch but Smeathe is controlling him.
Hopper tries to stall but Smeathe uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Hopper is trying to break the clinch but Smeathe is controlling him.
Smeathe tries to pull guard but Hopper won't allow it.
Hopper is looking to break free of the clinch but Smeathe has double underhooks.

Smeathe drags the fight down to the ground.
Smeathe manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hopper swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Smeathe unloads with some shots from mount but Hopper bucks and avoids them well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopper is looking to improve his position but Smeathe isn't that keen on the idea.
Hopper throwing hammer fists to the chest of Smeathe. What's that going to do exactly?
Hopper throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hopper throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.
Hopper swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Hopper tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hopper wants to control but Smeathe is having none of it.
Smeathe throws some wild stikes that Hopper manages to avoid easily.
BOOM! Smeathe connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hopper is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hopper tries to reverse the position but Smeathe maintains control.
Smeathe with good strikes from the mount here!
Hopper is looking to improve his position but Smeathe isn't that keen on the idea.

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.
Smeathe lands with some strikes.
Smeathe putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Hopper is looking to improve his position but Smeathe isn't that keen on the idea.
Smeathe thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Hopper is bucking up trying to escape but Smeathe cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Smeathe scoring with strikes but Hopper is staying in there.
Hopper trying to punch from the bottom. They're landing but they're really not going to hurt Smeathe.
Hopper sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
Hopper makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Hopper.
Smeathe loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Smeathe in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Smeathe throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hopper works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopper is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hopper lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Hopper looking for a sweep. Not yet Hopper, not yet.
Smeathe throwing strikes but missing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Smeathe feints and as Hopper raises his hands in defense, Smeathe changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hopper tries to strike from the bottom.
Hopper trying to strike off his back.
Smeathe scoring with some ground and pound.
Hopper trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Hopper working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Smeathe.
Smeathe throws a big right hand that misses.
Smeathe throws a big right hand that misses.
Hopper throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Smeathe takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Smeathe keeps the fight on the outside.
Shane Hopper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Smeathe fails with the takedown
enabling Hopper to counter with a crisp jab.
Smeathe throws a leg kick that misses.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Smeathe.
Shane Hopper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnny Smeathe.
Hopper connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hopper connects with a crisp jab.
Hopper fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hopper misses with an uppercut.
Smeathe tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hopper swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Smeathe shoots in for a double leg but Hopper sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Smeathe closes the distance and clinches.
Hopper wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Smeathe lands a knee to the body.
Hopper is trying to force a seperation but Smeathe has the dominant position.
Hopper is trying to break free.
Hopper goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Smeathe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Smeathe closes the distance and clinches.

Smeathe manages to pull guard.
Hopper scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Smeathe utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Smeathe working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hopper.
Hopper trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Smeathe being controlled here, momentarily.
Hopper with a flurry of punches that miss.
Smeathe controls Hopper momentarily but Hopper frees himself.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smeathe preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smeathe shoots in and drives through. Hopper sprawls well.
Hopper sizes up Smeathe with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Hopper wants to clinch up but Smeathe keeps it at a distance.
Hopper displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Hopper wants to clinch but Smeathe slips to the side

and Smeathe counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hopper is looking to control Smeathe's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hopper avoid being mounted?
Hopper is trying to get back to full guard.
Hopper is trying to control but Smeathe passes into side control!
Smeathe blocks the strikes from Hopper.
Hopper parries the strikes from Smeathe easily there. Smeathe is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Hopper to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopper is not content to let Smeathe control the position.
Hopper sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hopper wants to get back to full guard.
Smeathe is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Hopper punching from the bottom.
Hopper works his way to full guard. Good work.
Smeathe wants to control from the top but Hopper keeps moving.
Smeathe throwing strikes from guard but Hopper blocks nicely.
Hopper will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smeathe with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hopper wants to sweep but no luck.
Hopper trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Smeathe shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hopper defends it nicely.

Smeathe closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hopper is looking to regain half guard here but Smeathe keeps moving and retains side control.
Smeathe wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hopper keeps working.
Smeathe sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Hopper is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Smeathe throws an elbow but Hopper slips to the side and avoids it well.
An elbow from Smeathe crashes against the mat.
Hopper gets back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopper tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Hopper punching from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Smeathe tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hopper paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hopper connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Smeathe's hands.
Hopper lands with a straight right. Smeathe didn't see that one coming.

Smeathe closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hopper is looking to reverse the position.
Hopper throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Smeathe throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Hopper sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Smeathe throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Smeathe passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Hopper!
Hopper wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Smeathe.

And that's the end of the fight!
Johnny Smeathe comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Smeathe has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 28:29
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Smeathe!