PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Walter Hartwell White (ranked 1492 p4p, 209 weight class) and Nikos Giannopoulos (ranked 2179 p4p, 288 weight class). Hartwell White's entrance music is TV On The Radio - DLZ. A fine choice. Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Hartwell White
vs
Giannopoulos

190 cm
22
208 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
207 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Decent wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Powerful takedowns
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Urban Fighter

BuriedAlive// Fight Gear
Aspire Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Walter Hartwell White!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nikos Giannopoulos!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Stewart Dunkirk and Tiny Johnson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Giannopoulos keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hartwell White.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos defending well as Hartwell White loads up on a big left hand.
Hartwell White looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Giannopoulos looks to throw a body kick
and Hartwell White counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hartwell White misses with a straight left.
Hartwell White scores with a body shot.
Hartwell White tries to clinch but Giannopoulos is having none of it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Giannopoulos fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hartwell White dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Oooooh!!! Hartwell White has knocked Giannopoulos down with a huge combo! Hartwell White steps away and waves a wobbly Giannopoulos back to his feet! This one might not go much longer!

It looks like Nikos Giannopoulos has been cut.
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!

Hartwell White pushes Giannopoulos up against the cage in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Giannopoulos misses with the head strike.
I was talking to Hartwell White's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Giannopoulos tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Giannopoulos stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hartwell White is looking to control Giannopoulos's arms but Giannopoulos gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hartwell White has his back to the cage.
Hartwell White stalling against the cage.
Giannopoulos pushes Hartwell White back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Giannopoulos drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hartwell White pulls his leg out and moves away.
Giannopoulos digs a good hook to Hartwell White's body.
Hartwell White misses with a wild body shot.
Giannopoulos misses with a straight right.
Nikos Giannopoulos seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hartwell White misses with a shot to the body
and Giannopoulos counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hartwell White thinking.
Giannopoulos looks to score with a jab to the body but Hartwell White is just out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Hartwell White lands but Giannopoulos takes it in his stride.
Giannopoulos scores with a leg kick.
Hartwell White is looking to land body kicks.

Giannopoulos forces Hartwell White back against the cage and clinches.
Giannopoulos misses with some punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hartwell White lands with a left to the head.
A right handed body shot lands from Giannopoulos.
Hartwell White throws a head punch that misses.
Hartwell White blocks a body shot from Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Hartwell White just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hartwell White has a couple of punches blocked by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Giannopoulos tries to pull guard but Hartwell White forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Walter Hartwell White has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nikos Giannopoulos.
Hartwell White throws a head punch that misses.
Giannopoulos makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Hartwell White blocks a body shot from Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hartwell White takes a shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Giannopoulos is looking for a takedown.
A right hook to the body lands for Hartwell White.
Giannopoulos swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hartwell White misses with a punch on the inside.
Giannopoulos is working Hartwell White over against the cage.
Giannopoulos lands with a short shot to the head.
Giannopoulos swings away with an uppercut that misses.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hartwell White.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hartwell White.
Hartwell White lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Hartwell White scores with a shoulder strike.
Hartwell White fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Giannopoulos struggles to land a body shot inside as Hartwell White controls his hands.
Hartwell White swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Giannopoulos tries to throw a body punch but Hartwell White avoids it by throwing Giannopoulos back against the cage.

Giannopoulos ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Giannopoulos no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Our spies down at at Top Dawg inform us that Giannopoulos has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Giannopoulos is trying to keep Hartwell White in close.

Giannopoulos looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Giannopoulos working a defensive guard here.

Giannopoulos looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Giannopoulos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hartwell White slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Giannopoulos is trying to keep Hartwell White in close.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Walter Hartwell White will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Nikos Giannopoulos's cut.
That's time! Hartwell White's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Giannopoulos throws a sloppy body shot
and Hartwell White counters with a leg kick.
Hartwell White circles away from the clinch attempt.
A leg kick checked by Giannopoulos.
A countering left hand to the body from Giannopoulos misses.
Giannopoulos misses with an uppercut. Hartwell White saw that one coming.
Giannopoulos throws a body shot but no joy.
Giannopoulos swings and misses with a hook to the body.
It looked like Hartwell White was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Giannopoulos.
Hartwell White buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hartwell White stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Giannopoulos.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fighters circle momentarily. Hartwell White darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Giannopoulos throws a lazy right hand but Hartwell White sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hartwell White walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Giannopoulos checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Giannopoulos fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Hartwell White looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Walter Hartwell White is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hartwell White scores with a leg kick.
Hartwell White throws a body shot but no joy.
Giannopoulos throws a front kick aimed at Hartwell White's knee but Hartwell White avoids it well.
Giannopoulos scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Giannopoulos waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hartwell White.
A slow jab from Hartwell White misses its intended target.
Giannopoulos with the counter takedown but Hartwell White avoids it easily.
Giannopoulos tries to bum rush Hartwell White with a series of wild strikes but Hartwell White uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Giannopoulos is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Hartwell White rather than just go for the knockout.
Giannopoulos misses with a looping right.
Hartwell White wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
A swing and a miss from Hartwell White.
A shot to the body from Giannopoulos misses
and Hartwell White counters with a thumping low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Giannopoulos moves in looking to clinch but Hartwell White pushes him off.
Giannopoulos is looking to score with low kicks.
Hartwell White slips a straight right by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromHartwell White.
Giannopoulos throws an overhand right that lands on Hartwell White's shoulder, as Hartwell White tries to avoid the shot.
Hartwell White swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Giannopoulos blocks a jab.
Giannopoulos scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Giannopoulos fails with a takedown attempt.
Giannopoulos sizes up Hartwell White with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hartwell White moves into range and connects with a jab.
Giannopoulos takes one to the side of the head.
Hartwell White misses with a low kick.
Hartwell White keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Giannopoulos.
Giannopoulos swings widly with a right hand
and Hartwell White counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Giannopoulos misses with a body punch
and Hartwell White scores with a counter punch that sends Giannopoulos to the canvas! Hartwell White smells blood - he's punishing Giannopoulos with more strikes and the ref has stopped it! Giannopoulos has no idea where he is - he's tackled the ref... oh dear, poor guy, the crowd is in hysterics!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:48 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Walter Hartwell White!
A relieved looking Walter Hartwell White thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.