PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Terry Hopper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jimmy Altieri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Terry Hopper has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Hopper
vs
Altieri

201 cm
18
177 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

182 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Terry Hopper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jimmy Altieri!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Bruno Lombardi and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Altieri throws a series of punches but Hopper moves out of range.
Altieri throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hopper.

Altieri fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hopper, pushing him back against the cage.

Altieri breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Altieri misses with a two punch combination.
Hopper half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Altieri moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.

Altieri has Hopper up against the cage in a clinch.

Altieri's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Altieri misses with a double jab.
Hopper seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
A punch combination from Altieri misses.
Hopper shoots for a takedown but Altieri saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
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!
Altieri throws a combination that misses

and Hopper holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Altieri working hard to break the clinch.
Altieri is trying to break the clinch but Hopper is controlling him.
Altieri has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Altieri breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Altieri lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Altieri will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Altieri misses with a double jab

and Hopper counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hopper changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Altieri fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hopper fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Terry Hopper. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Altieri rushes Hopper and presses him up against the cage.
Hopper really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Altieri is trying to push Hopper away but Hopper has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Altieri wants to get back to striking at distance but Hopper won't allow it.
Altieri tries to break the clinch but Hopper is controlling the position.
Hopper keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Altieri's efforts to push away.

Altieri's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Danga de danga de dang - Altieri scores with a four punch combination!
Altieri looks to land a combination but Hopper avoids it well.
Altieri misses with a series of wild punches.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Altieri misses with a double jab.

Hopper scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Hopper slows the pace down in half guard.
Hopper seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Altieri is looking for a sweep. Hopper is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hopper slows the pace down in half guard.
Altieri is looking to improve his position.
Altieri looks like he's trying to stand up.

Hopper is working for a submission of some sort.

Hopper wants to work for an arm triangle but Altieri is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Altieri is looking for a sweep. Hopper is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Altieri looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hopper slows the pace down in half guard.
Hopper wants to get back to his feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Altieri looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Altieri closes the distance and pushes Hopper back into the cage.
Altieri wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hopper has him pressed against the cage.
Altieri wants to get back to striking at distance but Hopper won't allow it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Altieri lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hopper circles away quickly and effectively.
Hopper is looking to counter punch.
Hopper avoids a punch combination nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Altieri as Hopper shoots in.
Altieri misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Altieri throws a combination that misses
and Hopper makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Altieri really felt that one!
Altieri misses with a jab, cross combination.
Altieri lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Terry Hopper is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Altieri throws a series of punches but Hopper moves out of range.
Hopper throws a big counter combination but Altieri scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

Hopper tries to keep at a distance but Altieri has taken the fight into the clinch.
Altieri wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hopper has him pressed against the cage.
Hopper fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Hopper looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Terry Hopper. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Altieri working hard to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Altieri wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hopper has him pressed against the cage.

Altieri's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Altieri misses with a series of wild punches.

Hopper shoots in and bounces Altieri off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Altieri looking for a sweep. Not yet Altieri, not yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Altieri is breathing heavily.
Hopper has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Altieri is proving hard to escape from.

Altieri is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hopper defends well.
Hopper will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Altieri can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hopper controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Altieri has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Altieri misses with a combination

and Hopper counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Hopper.
Altieri has had enough of the clinch but Hopper keeps him there for the moment.
Hopper tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hopper can't get the takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Altieri breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Altieri swinging wildly here.
Hopper tries to counter with a takedown but Altieri is quick to defend against it.
Altieri misses with the combination.
Hopper changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Altieri throws a series of punches but Hopper avoids them all with ease.
Altieri displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hopper throws out the jab.
Danga de danga de dang - Altieri scores with a four punch combination!

Altieri moves into the clinch.
Altieri tries to break free but Hopper pushes him back against the cage.

Altieri pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Altieri swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Altieri throws a combination that misses

and Hopper moves into the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Altieri's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Altieri's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Altieri tries to break free but Hopper pushes him back against the cage.
Altieri can't break the clinch.
Altieri wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Altieri is looking to break free of the clinch but Hopper has double underhooks.
Altieri is trying to break free.
Altieri can't break the clinch.

Hopper decides to pull guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Altieri wants to stand but Hopper has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hopper wants to get back to his feet but Altieri passes into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Altieri tries to stand and escape but Hopper actually recovers to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jimmy Altieri showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. 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.

Altieri has taken the fight to the clinch.

Altieri pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Altieri swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Hopper counters by clinching up.
Altieri tries to break free but Hopper pushes him back against the cage.
Altieri is looking to break free of the clinch but Hopper has double underhooks.
Altieri can't break the clinch.
Altieri wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hopper has him pressed against the cage.

Altieri breaks from the clinch.

Altieri takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Altieri's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Some wild striking there from Altieri.
Hopper looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Jimmy Altieri is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Altieri instigates a clinch.
Altieri looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Altieri tries to break free but Hopper pushes him back against the cage.

Hopper tightens his grip and picks Altieri up, before dumping him to the ground. Altieri manages to land in guard.
Altieri is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hopper lands a couple of digs.
Altieri trying to control the position.
Hopper working some strikes from top position.
Altieri looking to control.
Altieri takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Altieri looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopper is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hopper is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Terry Hopper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hopper controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Hopper scoring with some ground and pound.
Hopper is looking to work some ground and pound but Altieri has wrist control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Altieri has Hopper up against the cage in a clinch.

Altieri breaks the clinch.

Altieri tries to keep at a distance but Hopper has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Altieri is looking to break free of the clinch but Hopper has double underhooks.
Altieri tries to circle away but Hopper has him pinned against the cage.
Hopper is looking to take this one to the mat.

Altieri is fighting off a takedown attempt but Hopper is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Altieri to the mat. Altieri regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Altieri will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Hopper gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Altieri clinches with his opponent.

Altieri pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Altieri works over Hopper's head and body with a nice combination.
Altieri throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

Altieri has managed to clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hopper is trying to pull guard but Altieri turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Terry Hopper. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopper prevents Altieri from breaking the clinch.
Hopper is trying to drag Altieri to the mat but Altieri just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Altieri is trying to push Hopper away but Hopper has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Altieri escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Altieri moves into range and clinches up with Hopper.

Altieri's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Altieri moves into the clinch.

Altieri breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Altieri throws a series of punches but Hopper avoids them all with ease.

Hopper tries to keep at a distance but Altieri has taken the fight into the clinch.
Terry Hopper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jimmy Altieri is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Hopper unloads a knee to the mid-section.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jimmy Altieri comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Altieri winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jimmy Altieri!