PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Jimmy Hopkins (ranked 4646 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexander Rhodes (ranked 4600 p4p, 0 weight class). Hopkins's entrance music is Hero. A fine choice. 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
Rhodes

190 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

172 cm
25
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jimmy Hopkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Alexander Rhodes!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rhodes thows a left - swing and a miss!
Rhodes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
No joy there for Hopkins, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Rhodes throws a hook to the side of Hopkins's head but Hopkins sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Rhodes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hopkins did well to prevent Rhodes getting side control.
Rhodes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hopkins defending well though.
Rhodes is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hopkins won't allow Rhodes to pass to mount.
Rhodes moves into full mount! Hopkins won't be happy about that!
Rhodes throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Rhodes trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hopkins's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Hopkins really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Rhodes looking to control but Hopkins is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Rhodes lands a couple of good shots and Hopkins has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Hopkins covering up well under a series of strikes from Rhodes.
Hopkins is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Rhodes is punishing Hopkins with strikes - can he finish him?!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Rhodes softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Rhodes connects with a big shot to the side of Hopkins's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Hopkins staying busy and making it hard for Rhodes to control.
Rhodes is working the ground and pound. Can Hopkins escape?
Hopkins is breathing heavily.
Rhodes tries to get the hooks in deep but Hopkins pushed the leg off.
Hopkins covers up after that shot from Rhodes.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hopkins takes a big shot to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes scores with punches and elbows.
Hopkins is trying to remain composed but Rhodes is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Hopkins is taking damage to the body and head.
Rhodes trying to control.
Rhodes misses with an elbow to the head.
Rhodes biding his time, controlling Hopkins.
Hopkins is taking damage to the body and head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Rhodes.
Rhodes lands shots from the back.
Rhodes lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Rhodes's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
Rhodes lands a shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Rhodes trying to control.
Rhodes is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Hopkins up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Alexander Rhodes dominated that round.
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.

Rhodes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Hopkins sprawls well initially but Rhodes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Rhodes throwing shots but Hopkins is blocking nicely.
Hopkins taking some punishment here, with Rhodes in his half guard.
Rhodes is keen to just control but Hopkins is a slippery customer.
Rhodes not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rhodes throwing shots but Hopkins is blocking nicely.
Rhodes working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Rhodes lands a nice short elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rhodes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rhodes is trying to control the action in half guard but Hopkins is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hopkins is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Rhodes scores with a couple of nice shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rhodes trying to control the action but Hopkins is working from the bottom.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Rhodes connects with a nice short shot to Hopkins's temple.
Hopkins on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Rhodes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Rhodes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Rhodes works his foot free and advances to mount.
Rhodes landing strikes from the mount and Hopkins is in trouble!
Hopkins is bucking up trying to escape but Rhodes cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rhodes lands a heavy elbow.
A nice elbow there by Rhodes.
Rhodes cracks Hopkins with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Hopkins is rocked!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Rhodes trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Oh Hopkins is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Rhodes lands a big shot to the head and Hopkins winces in pain. He's tapped out due to strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Alexander Rhodes!
The defeated Jimmy Hopkins had this to say: 'Is disgusting'.