PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dwayne Hopkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ronald Gracie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hopkins
vs
Gracie

182 cm
25
184 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dwayne Hopkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ronald Gracie!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopkins scores with a body shot.
Hopkins swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hopkins throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hopkins throws a series of punches but Gracie moves out of range.
Hopkins with a nice cross.

Gracie closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Gracie lands in his opponent's guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Hopkins has an active guard here but Gracie has managed to pass into half guard.

Gracie decides to stand and escape the position.

Gracie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Gracie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hopkins struggling a bit here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Hopkins tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Gracie wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

Gracie working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Gracie controlling the position.
Hopkins is trying to control Gracie's posture but Gracie avoids it.
Gracie advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Hopkins tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
Hopkins is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Gracie lands with some strikes.
Gracie sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hopkins is trying to stand up.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Gracie can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hopkins is looking to escape.

Gracie working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins is trying desperately to improve position.
Gracie landing strikes from the mount.
Hopkins is looking to get to half guard.
Gracie lands a nice shot to the head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gracie trying to control but Hopkins is having none of it.
Hopkins is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins wants to control but Gracie is having none of it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Gracie looking to control but Hopkins is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hopkins regains half guard.
Hopkins tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Gracie has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Hopkins tries to reverse the position but Gracie maintains control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ronald Gracie dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A left and a right from Hopkins both land. Nice combination.
Hopkins displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.

It looks like Ronald Gracie has been cut.
Hopkins tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Dwayne Hopkins is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hopkins throws a body punch but Gracie moves out of range.
Gracie looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hopkins is fending him off so far but Gracie persists. Nope, Hopkins circles away and we're back to standing.
Hopkins tries to bum rush Gracie with a series of wild strikes but Gracie uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hopkins lands the left hand.
Hopkins looks to score with a jab to the body but Gracie is just out of range.
Hopkins throws a right hand that Gracie ducks under and follows up with a left that Gracie also avoids with ease.
Hopkins on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.

Gracie moves into range and clinches up with Hopkins.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Gracie drags the fight down to the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie wants to control the position but Hopkins says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Hopkins trying to control from Gracie's half guard. Gracie has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Gracie not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Gracie is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.

Gracie is looking for a triangle but Hopkins pushes his legs off easily.
Gracie is breathing heavily.
Hopkins stands and throws Gracie's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Hopkins trying to control the action but Gracie is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hopkins decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Some wild striking there from Hopkins.
A shot to the liver by Hopkins. Beautiful body shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gracie avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sloppy strikes from Hopkins. Those never looked like landing.

Gracie closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Gracie breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A left and a right from Hopkins both land. Nice combination.

Gracie closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hopkins quickly recovers to half guard.
Hopkins wants to get back to his feet.
Hopkins has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Gracie is working away from the top position though.
Hopkins slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hopkins is trying to control the position but Gracie postures up.
Hopkins will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hopkins wants to stand but Gracie is controlling the position.

Hopkins working for submissions but it's allowed Gracie to get to half guard.
Hopkins is looking for a sweep. Gracie is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Gracie takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Hopkins looking for submissions off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopkins pushes Gracie off looking to stand but Gracie dives back in and keeps control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dwayne Hopkins dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Ronald Gracie's cut.
That's time! Hopkins's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Gracie shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Gracie was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Hopkins tries to bench press Gracie off him but Gracie keeps the position.
Hopkins is trying to buck Gracie off.

Gracie is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hopkins is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hopkins is looking for a sweep.
Hopkins pushes Gracie away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Gracie gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Hopkins is not content to let Gracie control the position.
Hopkins wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gracie lands a nice forearm strike.
Gracie taking a breather here.
Hopkins can't do much from the bottom here.
Hopkins is trying to improve his position.
Gracie tries to move into full mount but can't pass Hopkins's legs.
Hopkins wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gracie lands some shots froms side control.
Gracie wants to control but Hopkins is keeping him busy.
Hopkins wants to get back to his feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Gracie trying to control the action but Hopkins is working from the bottom.

Gracie decides to stand back up.
Gracie gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Hopkins.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gracie decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hopkins won't allow Gracie to pass to mount.
Hopkins wants to get back to full guard.
Hopkins is looking to escape.
Hopkins tries to get to full guard but Gracie has control of the leg.
Gracie wants to pass the guard but Hopkins is defending well.
Hopkins is trying to maintain the position but Gracie is very close to passing his half guard.
Hopkins wants to get back to his feet.
Hopkins is trying to control but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Dwayne Hopkins wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Gracie shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hopkins but Hopkins pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Hopkins fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Gracie misses with a head kick.
Gracie is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A right-left combo lands from Hopkins.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopkins avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hopkins looks to land a combination but Gracie avoids it well.
Hopkins lands a nice hook to Gracie's body. Gracie takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ronald Gracie.
I think Gracie 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 29:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 29:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a majority draw!