PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dustin Hopkins (ranked 6115 p4p, 5898 weight class) and Simon Poulter (ranked 461 p4p, 453 weight class). Dustin Hopkins had a look across the cage there at his opponent. He definitely means business

Hopkins
vs
Poulter

170 cm
18
150
0 - 1 - 0

194 cm
25
154
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Big heart

Good wrestler
Brawler
Heavy handed

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dustin Hopkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Simon Poulter!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Leandro Rodrigues and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopkins shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Poulter sprawls well. Poulter wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hopkins gets slowly back to his feet.
Poulter misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Horrible takedown attempt by Poulter or perhaps it was just good defense by Hopkins, which made it look bad.
Poulter has his takedown stuffed

and Hopkins counters by moving into the clinch.
Dustin Hopkins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Simon Poulter.
Hopkins is pressed up against the cage. Poulter has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hopkins down to the mat. Hopkins avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Poulter fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hopkins avoids it really well and circles away.
Hopkins shoots for a takedown but Poulter saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Poulter wants to counter with a clinch but Hopkins pushes him away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hopkins.
Poulter fails in his attempt to clinch.

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

Hopkins has Poulter pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hopkins pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Poulter tumbling to the mat - Hopkins dives into Poulter's guard.

Poulter manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Hopkins on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Poulter throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
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!
Poulter fails with a takedown attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulter keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Poulter is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Poulter is defended easily by Hopkins.
Hopkins is looking for a counter combo.
Hopkins takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
No luck for Poulter with that takedown attempt.
Hopkins is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Poulter shoots in but no luck this time.
Poulter swinging wildly here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poulter moves in looking to clinch but Hopkins pushes him off.
Poulter lands with a slapping head kick.

Hopkins shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Poulter is trying to defend but Hopkins finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.

Poulter manages to create a bit of space in order to work his way back to his feet. Hopkins keeps hold of his opponent and drives him back against the cage.
Poulter is trying to force a seperation but Hopkins has the dominant position.

Poulter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Poulter scores with the left hand. Hopkins knows he should have avoided that one.
Poulter tries to clinch there but Hopkins circles away.
Hopkins is looking to counter the offense by Poulter and move into the clinch.
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!

Hopkins closes the distance and pushes Poulter back into the cage.
Hopkins stops a takedown attempt from Poulter.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Poulter's efforts to push away.

Hopkins has picked Poulter up - he's going for a ride! Hopkins dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hopkins is looking to take a break and control but Poulter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Poulter regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Hopkins.
Hopkins would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Poulter kicks Hopkins off and gets to his feet.
Hopkins is breathing heavily.
Hopkins circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hopkins misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Poulter dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Poulter tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hopkins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Hopkins looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

Poulter kicks Hopkins off and gets back to his feet.
Poulter goes for a double leg but Hopkins avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Hopkins continues to drive forward.
Hopkins is looking to counter the offense by Poulter and move into the clinch.
Hopkins misses with a takedown attempt - Poulter sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Poulter wants to counter the offense by Hopkins and move into the clinch position.
Dustin Hopkins is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hopkins avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Poulter throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Hopkins's waist but Hopkins gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Poulter off to one side.

Hopkins shoots in and bounces Poulter off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Hopkins drops back, looking for a kneebar! Poulter looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Poulter looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Poulter!

Hopkins on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hopkins tries to get out of the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poulter is looking to take a break and control but Hopkins is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Poulter is putting a hurting on Hopkins here, landing some big shots from side control.
Hopkins definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Poulter tries to advance to mount but can't.
Hopkins might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Poulter connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Hopkins some visible discomfort.
Hopkins regains half guard.
Hopkins is trying to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulter controlling the pace.
Hopkins is not content to let Poulter control the position.
Hopkins is trying to control but can't.
Poulter lands with a punch from half guard.

Poulter escapes and gets back to his feet.
Hopkins tries for a takedown but Poulter circles away easily

and Poulter counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hopkins is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.

Poulter jumps guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poulter trying to control the position here.
Poulter lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Hopkins controls Poulter momentarily but Poulter frees himself.
Poulter is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Let's hope that Poulter has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Poulter connects with a couple of short punches.
Poulter trying to control the position from guard on top but Hopkins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hopkins trying to control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Poulter wants to control from the top but Hopkins keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Poulter 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. And we move into the final round!

Hopkins throws a low kick, looking for Poulter's leg but Poulter calmly moves out of range.
Hopkins doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Poulter cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Poulter shoots for a takedown but Hopkins saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hopkins is looking for a counter combo.

Hopkins has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hopkins wants a takedown but no success here.
Poulter has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hopkins has had enough of the clinch but Poulter keeps him there for the moment.
Hopkins prevents Poulter from breaking the clinch.
Poulter jumps guard but Hopkins turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopkins jumps guard but Poulter stands there with Hopkins around his waist. Hopkins gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dustin Hopkins. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Poulter breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Poulter is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hopkins's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Poulter connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hopkins scrambles back to his feet.
Poulter shoots in for a double leg but Hopkins sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Poulter closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hopkins did well to prevent Poulter getting side control.
Hopkins is concentrating on defense, preventing Poulter from advancing position.
Poulter content to control rather than advance.
Hopkins tries to get to full guard but Poulter has control of the leg.
Hopkins knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Poulter on the ground.
Poulter with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Hopkins is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poulter wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hopkins keeps working.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poulter slows the pace down in half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Hopkins stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hopkins wants it to stay on the feet.
Hopkins blocks a head kick by Poulter.
Hopkins looks for a takedown but Poulter sprawls well.

Poulter moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Poulter is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Hopkins drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Poulter gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hopkins wants a takedown but no success here.

Poulter breaks from the clinch.
Poulter plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Hopkins shoots in but Poulter avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Poulter has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Poulter escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Poulter shoots in and drives through. Hopkins sprawls well.
Poulter jabs Hopkins to the body, keeping him at a distance.

Hopkins shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Poulter is trying to defend but Hopkins finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Poulter moves into full guard.
Poulter has his hands on Hopkins's head, controlling the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

And that's the end of the fight!
Simon Poulter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Poulter 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Simon Poulter!