PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Hulk Hogan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Malham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malham has chosen Amorphis - House of Sleep as his entrance music. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Hogan
vs
Malham

185 cm
26
216 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

195 cm
21
222 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful

►Q150 Schwarzenegger Nutrition
►Q150 Schwarzenegger Nutrition

Control Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Hulk Hogan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, John Malham!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Chris Edwards and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hogan closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hogan lands in his opponent's guard.
Hogan is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Malham controlling Hogan's posture.
Hogan trying to control but Malham is working from the bottom.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

Malham looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hogan wants to control from the top but Malham keeps moving.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Malham is on top in guard.
Malham thows a big elbow that misses.
Malham wants to pass the guard but Hogan is keeping the position.
Hogan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Malham.
Malham throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hogan works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

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.
Hogan trying to keep a closed guard but Malham is proving a slippery customer.
Hogan 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.
Hogan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hogan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Malham stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Malham wants it to stay on the feet.
No luck for Malham with that takedown attempt.
Malham ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hogan moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malham lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Malham displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hogan.
Malham lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hogan circles away quickly and effectively.
Malham fails with an attempt to clinch.
Malham lands with a good body shot.
Malham throws a hook to the side of Hogan's head but Hogan sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hogan ducks under a wild hook from Malham.
Hogan misses with a combination

so Malham counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Malham trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Malham trying to control the position from guard on top but Hogan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Malham content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Malham dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Malham misses with a few strikes there.
Hogan slips under a jab from Malham.

Malham shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Hogan is trying to defend but Malham finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hogan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hogan on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hogan tries to get out of the position.
Malham is trying to control the action in half guard but Hogan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hogan tries to get to full guard but Malham has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Malham throwing shots but Hogan is blocking nicely.
Hogan tries to get to full guard but Malham has control of the leg.
Malham passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Hogan!
Malham trying to control but Hogan is having none of it.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Hogan tries to lock up and control but Malham gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's two 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.
Malham postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hogan looks a forlorn figure.
Hogan can't escape the position.
Malham throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Malham trying to control but Hogan is having none of it.
Hogan avoids a series of strikes thrown by Malham.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Malham avoids the attempt from Hogan to control.
Hogan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Malham has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Malham throws some wild stikes that Hogan manages to avoid easily.

Malham working for a guillotine from mount but Hogan is in no mood to give up.
Hogan tries to hold on but Malham postures up.

That's four 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.
Malham looking to finish with strikes here!
Hogan tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hogan is working hard here to advance position.
Malham can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hogan is looking to escape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hogan can't escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Malham showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hogan looks to score with a jab to the body but Malham is just out of range.

Hogan shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hogan showed some decent athleticism there.
Malham gets back to full guard.
Hogan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Malham keeping moving, preventing Hogan from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Malham is looking for a triangle but Hogan pushes his legs off easily.
Malham wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Malham trying to keep a closed guard but Hogan is proving a slippery customer.
Malham being controlled here, momentarily.
Malham is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hogan trying to control but Malham is working from the bottom.
Hogan postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Malham lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hogan!
Hogan is looking to improve his position but Malham isn't that keen on the idea.
John Malham is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hogan slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
John Malham has got the better of the ground game so far.
Malham missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Malham sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hogan defending well though.
Malham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Malham is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Malham throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

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.
Malham wants to control but Hogan is keeping him busy.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hogan manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Malham postures up in Hogan's guard and throws a big left but Hogan blocks it.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Hogan throws a combination that misses
and Malham counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hulk Hogan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hogan misses with a takedown attempt - Malham sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hogan throws a combination that misses
and Malham connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Malham misses with a straight left.

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 Hulk Hogan.
Well Malham 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 William Gold scores the fight 28:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... John Malham!