PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Hampton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ali Issa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hampton
vs
Issa

170 cm
19
220 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

185 cm
23
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Morale Booster : All clothing under $8 + laundry

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, James Hampton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Ali Issa!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Daniel Bishop and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hampton decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Issa has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hampton is working away from the top position though.
Issa gets back to full guard.
Hampton sitting in guard here, content to control.
Hampton scoring with punches to the head and body.
Issa controls Hampton momentarily but Hampton frees himself.
Hampton's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Issa trying to control the position.
Hampton might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Issa is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hampton is aware though and is defending well.
Hampton sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Issa is trying to control the position but Hampton postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hampton avoids the head kick by Issa.
Issa shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

so Hampton counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hampton content to stall in guard here.
Issa is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hampton is controlling him.
Hampton looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hampton would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hampton knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Issa on the ground.
Issa trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up because James Hampton just wasn't active enough.

Hampton shoots in and bounces Issa off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Issa looking to control.
Issa is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Hampton sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Issa trying to keep a closed guard but Hampton is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hampton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Issa fails to land with a series of punches.

Hampton feints and as Issa raises his hands in defense, Hampton changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Issa wants to get back to his feet but Hampton is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hampton lands a couple of elbows.
Hampton throwing strikes from guard but Issa blocks nicely.

Issa looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Issa looks gassed!
Hampton seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Issa wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Issa being controlled here, momentarily.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

James Hampton has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Hampton tries to sprawl but Issa drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Issa frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hampton can't escape the position.
Issa throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Hampton dominated that round.
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.

Hampton looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Hampton thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hampton is thwarting Issa's attempts to control the position.
Hampton sitting and controlling from the half guard.
James Hampton overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Issa trying to control but Hampton postures up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Ali Issa wasn't active enough on the ground.
Hampton wants to clinch up but Issa keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Issa gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hampton decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Issa's guard.
Issa is breathing heavily.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hampton accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Issa preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Issa controls Hampton momentarily but Hampton frees himself.
Hampton lands a couple of elbows.
Hampton has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Issa is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hampton slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Hampton stands up from Issa's guard - Hampton perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Issa fails with the takedown

and Hampton counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Well, if Hampton is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Issa looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hampton thows a huge punch but Issa dodges it nicely.
Hampton controlling the pace.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of James Hampton.

Hampton shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Issa's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hampton works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Issa is trying to get back to full guard.
Hampton missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Still in half guard, Hampton seems content to control.
Hampton working Issa over with strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hampton is controlling the pace.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

James Hampton has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Issa on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Issa shoots and misses

and Hampton counters with a nice double leg into guard.
James Hampton has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ali Issa.
Issa trying to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hampton stays in close to Issa's body and controls the position.
Hampton working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Hampton dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Issa gets caught flat footed, as Hampton shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hampton wants to stand but Issa is controlling his posture from full guard.
Hampton is stalling in the full guard.

Issa looking for a guillotine here but Hampton defends easily.
Hampton connects with a couple of short punches.
Issa looking to control.
Issa takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hampton's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Issa working a defensive guard here.
Hampton 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.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Issa misses with a telegraphed body shot

and Hampton counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Issa working a defensive guard here.
Hampton wants to get up but he can't break Issa's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Issa is trying to control the position but Hampton postures up.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hampton is working Issa over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hampton stays in close to Issa's body and controls the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hampton keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Issa's head.
Hampton is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Issa gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hampton counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hampton not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hampton missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

Issa working for a triangle but Hampton defends it easily.
Hampton looking to pass the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Issa controls Hampton momentarily but Hampton frees himself.
Hampton is stalling in the full guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Issa has his foot on Hampton's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hampton works his way back into a safe position though.
Issa being controlled here, momentarily.

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.

James Hampton has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Hampton gets the takedown into side control.
Issa is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Hampton asserts his dominance and retains side control.
A lull in the action here.
Hampton cracks Issa with a big right hand but Issa just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hampton decides to stand back up. Hampton steps back and let's Issa get back to his feet.
Ali Issa has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James Hampton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hampton pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Issa back to the cage. Hampton follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Hampton showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hampton has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 30:26
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:26

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