PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between George Hampton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnnie Walker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hampton comes to the cage accompanied by What A Job. George Hampton could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Johnnie Walker's chin.

Hampton
vs
Walker

165 cm
25
145 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

170 cm
23
145 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, George Hampton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Johnnie Walker!
The judges for this bout are Fedor Mirinova, Vladimir Khabensky and Dmitry Maklakov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Walker throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Walker fails with a takedown attempt.
Hampton misses with an uppercut. Walker saw that one coming.
Walker swings for the body but Hampton moves out of range.
Hampton is looking to clinch but Walker is avoiding it.
Hampton thuds a left hand into Walker's body.
Hampton tries to clinch there but Walker circles away.
Hampton tries to clinch but Walker is having none of it.
Hampton misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Walker decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hampton's guard.
Walker wants to control from the top but Hampton keeps moving.
Walker tries to free his leg and advance position but Hampton is retaining full guard.
Hampton keeping moving, preventing Walker from controlling successfully.
Walker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Walker accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Walker being controlled here momentarily.
Hampton is looking to stand up but Walker isn't so interested in that idea.
Hampton on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hampton tries to get out of the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Hampton tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Walker was well out of range. Poor timing from Hampton.
Walker misses the shot to the body.
Hampton ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Walker moves away.
Hampton scores with a crisp jab that stopped Walker in his tracks.

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 wants to clinch.
Hampton swings for the body but Walker moves out of range.
Hampton tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Walker counters with a stiff right hand.
Hampton doesn't manage to clinch there - Walker circles away.
Hampton scores with a sloppy right hand. Walker should have avoided that one.
Hampton connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Walker shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Walker trying to control but Hampton is working from the bottom.
Hampton is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hampton preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hampton will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Walker with a flurry of punches that miss.
Walker throws a big right hand that misses.
Walker missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Walker pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hampton is keeping the position for now.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Walker swings for the body but Hampton moves out of range.
Jab, jab by Hampton - just one landing.
Hampton bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Walker fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

Walker shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Walker trying to control but Hampton is having none of it.
The referee warns Hampton that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hampton tries to lock up and control but Walker gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Walker wants to control the pace but Hampton is squirming around nicely.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hampton holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Walker tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Walker landing shots from mount.

Walker swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Hampton is now in Walker's guard. A big mistake from Walker there, giving up the dominant position!

Walker looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnnie Walker dominated that round.
That's time! Hampton's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Walker ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hampton tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Walker paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hampton wants to clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hampton looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Hampton rushes Walker and presses him up against the cage.
Hampton is trying to stall.
Hampton misses with a hook from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hampton fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Walker tries to pull guard but Hampton won't allow it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hampton.
Walker jumps guard but Hampton stands there with Walker around his waist. Walker gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hampton throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Walkers head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Walker blocking some punches.
Walker tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
George Hampton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnnie Walker.

Walker jumps guard and drags Hampton to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Walker is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Walker is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Hampton lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Walker has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Walker has momentary wrist control but Hampton slips an elbow through the middle.

Walker throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Walker looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hampton is one step ahead there.
Hampton is looking to work some ground and pound but Walker has wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Walker working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Hampton has passed into half guard!
Walker tries to get to full guard but Hampton has control of the leg.
Walker is breathing heavily.
Hampton working over Walker with some ground and pound. Walker looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Walker is trying to get back to full guard.
Walker moves into full guard.
Hampton loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hampton with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hampton has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Walker is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hampton keeping moving, preventing Walker from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Walker accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Walker trying to control the position from guard on top but Hampton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hampton keeping full guard, as Walker tries to pass.
Walker scoring with some ground and pound.

That's four 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.
Walker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Walker in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hampton throws a right and a left that Walker avoids nicely.
George Hampton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hampton gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Hampton displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Walker.
Walker slips under a jab from Hampton.
Hampton swings for the body but Walker moves out of range.
Hampton tries to clinch up.
Hampton scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Walker doesn't seem bothered though.
Walker is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hampton rather than just go for the knockout.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hampton is looking to clinch.

Hampton closes the distance and clinches.
A short uppercut from Hampton.
Hampton misses with a short punch on the inside.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that George Hampton will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Walker lands with a shot to the body.
Hampton swings for the body but Walker moves out of range.
A jab from Walker misses.
Walker lands with a nice body punch.
Walker fails with the takedown.
Hampton bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Walker throws a big shot that misses.
Walker takes a swing at Hampton's ribcage but misses.
Walker tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hampton was well out of range. Poor timing from Walker.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hampton swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hampton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Walker scores with a jab. Hampton acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Hampton darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Hampton throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Walker stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hampton tries to clinch but Walker is having none of it.
Hampton tries to close the distance and clinch up but Walker swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Walker misses with a wild body shot.
Hampton jabs at Walker's body.
Walker waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hampton.
Walker circles away from the clinch attempt.
Walker uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hampton.
Hampton slaps away a takedown attempt from Walker, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hampton throws a body punch but Walker moves out of range.
Hampton takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Hampton is looking to clinch.
Hampton uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Walker.
Walker changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hampton tries to avoid it but Walker manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hampton to the ground. Hampton escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
George Hampton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Johnnie Walker.

That's two 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 tries to clinch
and Walker counters with a right hand to the body.
Hampton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hampton keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Walker misses with a body punch
and Hampton counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hampton takes a swing at Walker's ribcage but misses.

Hampton closes the distance and clinches.
Hampton lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Nice body punch from Hampton - that landed with a thud.
Hampton misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hampton lands with a left to the head.
Hampton lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Walker is working for takedown but Hampton is calmly controlling the position for now.
Walker takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hampton lands with a left to the head.
Walker fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Walker jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Hampton walks away with a smile on his face. Walker gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Walker slips a jab and a cross from Hampton.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hampton wants to clinch.
Hampton darts in trying to clinch
letting Walker counter with a right hand.

Hampton pushes Walker up against the cage in a clinch.

Walker successfully pulls guard.
Walker 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.
Hampton throwing strikes from guard but Walker blocks nicely.
Walker is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Walker utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hampton chips away with some ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Walker tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Walker is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hampton trying to control but Walker is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Walker shoots in and bounces Hampton off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Walker trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Walker tries to free his leg and advance position but Hampton is retaining full guard.
Hampton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Walker on the ground.

Walker is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hampton is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hampton has escaped and now he's on top!

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 George Hampton.
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 Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 29:28
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 29:28
Judge Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 29:28

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