PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Hope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and The Legend (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The Legend has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hope
vs
Legend

193 cm
18
239 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

192 cm
25
240 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Matthew Hope!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, The Legend!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Aleksandr Martynov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hope shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Legend defends it nicely.
Hope has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Legend finds it's way round the side to connect with Hope's head.
Hope will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hope tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Legend swivels and escapes.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matthew Hope. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hope on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Legend fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Legend tries to sprawl but Hope drives through with a takedown into half guard.
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!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Legend holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.

Hope is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Legend has managed to free his arm - good work.
Legend blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hope.
Legend really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hope. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Hope is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Legend defends it well.
Hope is thwarting Legend's attempts to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hope is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!

Hope jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Legend manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Hope wants to control but Legend is keeping him busy.
Legend is looking for a sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hope postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Hope advances to full mount.

Hope is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Legend is surviving well by controlling Hope's body position as best he can.

Hope looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Legend holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Hope tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Hope throws some wild stikes that Legend manages to avoid easily.
Hope thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hope cracks Legend with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Legend is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Hope is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Legend can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Hope landing punches.
Legend is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hope lands a big elbow.

It looks like The Legend has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Legend defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Hope.
Legend has given up his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hope is cranking Legend's head sideways - that looks painful. He's managed to get his other arm under the chin and this looks bad for Legend! He's tightened the choke and Legend is tapping out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:26 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Matthew Hope!