PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ben Funkyama (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Chris Hassel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Funkyama's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Renegade of Funk. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Funkyama
vs
Hassel

178 cm
24
183 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

170 cm
24
176 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Decent wrestler
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

[GTI] Divine Clothing (95% LAUNDRY)
Fighters First Nutrition

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 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ben Funkyama!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Chris Hassel!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paulsen Ambrosius and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Funkyama uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hassel.
Hassel looks to land a combination but Funkyama avoids it well.
Ben Funkyama seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hassel misses with a hook. Funkyama ducked under it nicely.
A swing and a miss from Hassel.
Funkyama tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hassel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hassel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Funkyama shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hassel but Hassel pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Funkyama clinches up against the cage.
Hassel misses with some punches.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hassel.
Funkyama blocking some punches.
Hassel is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Funkyama wants a takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hassel misses with a hook from the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Hassel fails to land.
Hassel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hassel doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hassel prevents a takedown attempt there.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Funkyama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Funkyama wants a takedown.
Hassel is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Funkyama is keeping busy.
Hassel works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Hassel can't find room to land a body shot as Funkyama controls the action.
Hassel softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Funkyama lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Funkyama wants a takedown but no success here.

Funkyama lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hassel is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hassel is looking to control Funkyama's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hassel avoid being mounted?
Hassel wants to improve his position but Funkyama is controlling well.
Hassel gets full guard.
Hassel looking to control.
Funkyama missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hassel avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hassel looking for a sweep. Not yet Hassel, not yet.
Funkyama has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hassel bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Funkyama's guard.
Funkyama keeping moving, preventing Hassel from controlling successfully.
Hassel slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hassel stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Funkyama swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hassel is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Chris Hassel.
A big left from Hassel misses.
Hassel jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Funkyama is looking to clinch but Hassel is avoiding it.
Funkyama shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Funkyama is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hassel looks to land a left hand but Funkyama moved out of range nicely.
Funkyama closes the distance and clinches up with Hassel, looking for a takedown. Funkyama pushes Hassel against the cage but Hassel circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hassel is really struggling to land any decent head shots against his taller opponent.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A swing and a miss from Hassel.
Funkyama fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
A jab from Hassel misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Hassel dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Hassel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hassel pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hassel wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Funkyama tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Funkyama shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Hassel sprawls well. Hassel wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Funkyama gets slowly back to his feet.
Hassel throws a poor cross that misses

and Funkyama counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Funkyama sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hassel defending well though.
Hassel is trying to maintain the position but Funkyama is very close to passing his half guard.
Funkyama thows a huge punch but Hassel dodges it nicely.
Hassel is trying to control but can't.
Hassel is looking for a sweep. Funkyama is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Funkyama throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Funkyama passes into side control, despite Hassel's attempt to control the position.
Ben Funkyama overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hassel takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Funkyama landing strikes.
Hassel is trying to get back to half guard.
Funkyama lands a few punches from side control.

It looks like Chris Hassel has been cut.
Hassel tries to improve position but can't.
Funkyama working the head with strikes.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hassel is looking for a sweep.
Hassel struggling a bit here.
The strikes coming from Funkyama are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hassel is trying to control Funkyama's posture but Funkyama avoids it.
Hassel manages to get back to half guard.
Funkyama has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Hassel tries to hold on but Funkyama postures up.
Hassel keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Funkyama lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Funkyama thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hassel 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.
Funkyama drops an elbow to the side of Hassel's head.
Funkyama thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hassel's head.
Hassel is trying to maintain the position but Funkyama is very close to passing his half guard.
Hassel has hold of Funkyama's hands but Funkyama slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hassel tries to get to full guard but Funkyama has control of the leg.
Funkyama stops Hassel from getting back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hassel can do anything to dispel that myth.
Funkyama throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hassel wants to get back to full guard.
Funkyama tries to pass to full mount but Hassel defends it.
Funkyama throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hassel pushes Funkyama off looking to stand but Funkyama dives back in and keeps control.
Hassel is trying to get back to full guard.
Hassel trying to control but Funkyama postures up.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Chris Hassel hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Funkyama with a poor takedown
and Hassel counters with a nice uppercut.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Hassel misses with an uppercut. Funkyama saw that one coming.
Funkyama tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hassel paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hassel scores with the left hand. Funkyama knows he should have avoided that one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Funkyama dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Chris Hassel's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hassel jabbing away but nothing is landing.

Hassel gets caught flat footed, as Funkyama shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hassel manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Funkyama is squirming around, avoiding Hassel's attempts to control the action.
Hassel controlling the pace for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You get the feeling that Funkyama really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Hassel controlling from the full mount.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hassel looking to control but Funkyama is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Chris Hassel.
Hassel just misses with a punch to the body.
Funkyama has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hassel finds it's way round the side to connect with Funkyama's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funkyama looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hassel is fending him off so far but Funkyama persists. Nope, Hassel circles away and we're back to standing.
Hassel throws a hook to the side of Funkyama's head but Funkyama sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hassel misses with an uppercut. Funkyama saw that one coming.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Funkyama has Hassel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hassel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Funkyama is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hassel is defending well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Funkyama. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Funkyama as Hassel tries to tie him up.
Funkyama has Hassel pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hassel manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Funkyama blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hassel stops a takedown attempt from Funkyama.
Hassel has a couple of punches blocked by Funkyama.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hassel lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hassel swings away with an uppercut that misses.
A right handed body shot lands from Hassel.
Hassel lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Funkyama backwards.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hassel.
A head punch on the inside from Hassel fails to land.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hassel can't find room to land a body shot as Funkyama controls the action.
Hassel blocking some punches.
Hassel throws a head punch that misses.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Funkyama.
Hassel misses with some punches.
Hassel lands with a short punch from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hassel misses with the head strike.

Funkyama turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Funkyama manages to end up in side control.
Funkyama lands a decent elbow from side control.
Hassel tries to buck Funkyama off but Funkyama is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Chris Hassel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hassel 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 28:29
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Hassel!
Chris Hassel seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.