PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Michael Alexander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Whitehope (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexander's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Dirt off your Shoulers. Michael Alexander could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Mark Whitehope's chin.

Alexander
vs
Whitehope

174 cm
27
175 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

179 cm
21
184 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Alexander!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mark Whitehope!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, Daniel Franklin and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whitehope wants to clinch.
We can't be sure of the tactics at this early stage but we have heard that Whitehope has been working on his takedowns a lot in the buildup to the fight and we can only assume he's going to look to take this to the mat.
A big left from Whitehope misses.

Whitehope moves into the clinch successfully.
Whitehope lands a left hand.
A right hand to the body from Whitehope.
Alexander wants to break free but Whitehope has control.

Alexander pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Whitehope displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like Michael Alexander has been cut.
Whitehope lands with a hook. Alexander tried to avoid it but it clipped the top of his head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Alexander throws a right and a left that both miss.

Whitehope gets a clinch.
Whitehope scores with a hook to the body.

Whitehope manages to break the clinch.

Whitehope moves into range and clinches up with Alexander.

Whitehope's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Whitehope doesn't manage to clinch there - Alexander circles away.
Alexander keeps the fight on the outside.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Whitehope moves into the clinch.

Whitehope breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Whitehope fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Alexander has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.

Whitehope closes the distance and pushes Alexander back into the cage.
Alexander wants to break free but Whitehope has control.
Whitehope gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Alexander wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Whitehope has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Alexander clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Whitehope is hanging on to Alexander's back as he tries to escape.
Whitehope scores with some strikes to the side of the head there. Good, points scoring shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Whitehope is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Whitehope gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Whitehope gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Whitehope apologises and we restart here on the feet.

Michael Alexander's cut is getting worse.
Alexander throws a front kick aimed at Whitehope's knee but Whitehope avoids it well.
Whitehope moves in looking to clinch but Alexander pushes him off.
Alexander does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.

Whitehope closes the distance and clinches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice body punch from Whitehope.
Alexander is breathing heavily.
Whitehope lands a right hand that snaps the head of Alexander backwards.

Whitehope manages to break the clinch.
Alexander attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Mark Whitehope seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Whitehope clinches up with Alexander and pushes him back against the cage.

Alexander gets control of Whitehope's arms and successfully pulls guard. Alexander will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Whitehope is in close to Alexander's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Alexander keeping moving, preventing Whitehope from controlling successfully.
Whitehope works over Alexander with some ground and pound from guard.
Whitehope distracts Alexander with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Whitehope postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Whitehope lands a couple of digs.
Whitehope scoring with some ground and pound.
Whitehope is in close to Alexander's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Whitehope lands a couple of elbows.
Whitehope wants to control from the top but Alexander keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Whitehope works over Alexander with some ground and pound from guard.
Whitehope connects with a couple of short punches.

Alexander is rocked!
Whitehope with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Oh Alexander is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Whitehope preventing the sweep.
Whitehope arches his back and unloads with a massive left and a right! Alexander's eyes roll back into his head, he's out cold! The ref dives in to stop the fight - wow, they were hard shots!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:42 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Mark Whitehope!
In his post fight interview, Mark Whitehope started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.