PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Phil Sprintin (ranked 2746 p4p, 2653 weight class) and Jesse-James Hopson (ranked 160 p4p, 154 weight class). Sprintin comes into the arena with Disturbed - Bad Man blaring out of the sound system. Hopson has chosen Home among the gumtrees. as his entrance music. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Sprintin
vs
Hopson

168 cm
19
135
2 - 0 - 0

182 cm
19
145
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Bondi MMA 🏝️
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Shadow Realm Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Phil Sprintin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jesse-James Hopson!
The judges for this bout are Trevor Gratis, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sprintin misses with an uppercut.
Sprintin throws a right hand that misses

and Hopson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sprintin controlling Hopson's posture.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hopson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hopson preventing the sweep.
Hopson trying to control but Sprintin is working from the bottom.
Sprintin working a defensive guard here.
Sprintin looking for a sweep. Not yet Sprintin, not yet.
Sprintin is adopting a defensive guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sprintin's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
Sprintin keeping moving, preventing Hopson from controlling successfully.
Hopson throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Sprintin works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sprintin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hopson trying to control the position from guard on top but Sprintin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Sprintin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hopson trying to control but Sprintin is working from the bottom.
Sprintin is controlling Hopson's posture.
Hopson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sprintin is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Hopson felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Sprintin not doing much here.
Hopson tries to roll over but Sprintin keeps him under control.
Hopson moves into full guard.
Sprintin wants to control from the top but Hopson keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopson pulls Sprintin in to control the position.
Hopson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Sprintin advances position into side control!
Hopson is looking for a sweep.
Sprintin in the domination position with Hopson hanging on.
Hopson can't do much from the bottom here.
Sprintin remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
Sprintin tries to move into full mount but can't pass Hopson's legs.
Hopson is looking for a sweep.
A lull in the action here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopson prevents Sprintin from improving position.
Sprintin looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Sprintin content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Sprintin continues to stall.
Hopson tries to buck Sprintin off but Sprintin is having none of it.
Sprintin working away.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Hopson prevents Sprintin from improving position.
Sprintin wants to control but Hopson is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Sprintin tries to advance position but instead Hopson slips a leg back in to half guard.
Sprintin prevents Hopson from improving his position.
Hopson is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Sprintin is trying to control the action in half guard but Hopson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sprintin stalling.
Sprintin prevents Hopson from improving his position.
Hopson has his hands clasped together around Sprintin's back. He's all about the action.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sprintin wants to free his trapped foot but Hopson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Sprintin looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Phil Sprintin will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sprintin misses with a hook

and Hopson counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Sprintin is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Sprintin is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Sprintin is on top in guard.

Sprintin wants to control from the top but Hopson keeps moving.
Jesse-James Hopson has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hopson is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hopson has Sprintin pulled in close to control his posture.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Sprintin trying to control but Hopson is working from the bottom.
Sprintin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hopson is keeping the position for now.
Sprintin is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sprintin stands and throws Hopson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Sprintin trying to control the position but Hopson is working away.
Hopson can't do much from the bottom here.
A bit of a lull in the action here.
Sprintin trying to control the position but Hopson is working away.
Hopson is looking for a sweep.
Hopson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin tries to pass to full mount but Hopson defends it.
Hopson is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
Hopson gets back to full guard.
Hopson being controlled here, momentarily.
Hopson manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Sprintin manages to get himself to full guard.

Sprintin controlling Hopson's posture.
Sprintin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hopson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopson won't allow Sprintin to sweep him here.
Hopson is working Sprintin over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hopson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sprintin is controlling Hopson's posture.
Hopson won't allow Sprintin to sweep him here.
Hopson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hopson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hopson working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Sprintin's head.
Sprintin trying to keep a closed guard but Hopson is proving a slippery customer.
Hopson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hopson stands up over Sprintin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hopson content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hopson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Sprintin bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hopson's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopson trying to control the position here.
Hopson keeping full guard, as Sprintin tries to pass.
Hopson wants to sweep here but Sprintin controlling him for the moment.
Sprintin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sprintin wants to control from the top but Hopson keeps moving.
Sprintin looking to pass the guard.
Hopson wants to sweep here but Sprintin controlling him for the moment.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Sprintin looking to pass the guard.
Hopson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Hopson not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jesse-James Hopson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Sprintin throws a lazy uppercut

so Hopson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hopson scoring with punches to the head and body.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hopson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Sprintin wants to sweep here but Hopson controlling him for the moment.
Hopson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Sprintin is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Sprintin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hopson is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Hopson scoring with punches to the head and body.
Sprintin pulls Hopson in to control the position.
Hopson postures up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopson controlling from the top position.
Hopson postures up and lands a big shot to Sprintin's brow.
Hopson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Sprintin looking for a sweep. Not yet Sprintin, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sprintin pulls Hopson in close to prevent any damage.
Hopson throwing strikes but missing.
Hopson landing with the ground and pound.
Hopson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hopson scoring with some ground and pound.
Sprintin is trying to keep Hopson in close.
Sprintin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hopson is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Hopson has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Sprintin pulls Hopson in close to prevent any damage.
Sprintin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hopson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hopson won't allow Sprintin to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin trying to keep a closed guard but Hopson is proving a slippery customer.
Sprintin seems keen to control Hopson's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sprintin throws a looping overhand right but Hopson ducks down to avoid it.
Hopson tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Hopson ducks under a wild hook from Sprintin.
Hopson ducks under a wild hook from Sprintin.
Hopson changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Sprintin is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Hopson's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Sprintin misses with a looping left.
Hopson changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Sprintin throws a hook but Hopson blocks it.
Phil Sprintin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sprintin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Hopson throws a solid leg kick but Sprintin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Hopson.
A bone on bone clash there as Sprintin blocks the leg kick.
Sprintin is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Sprintin misses with a looping right.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Sprintin checks a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin misses with a wild body shot.
Hopson staying out of range there.
Hopson feints the counter takedown.
Sprintin looks to land a right hand but Hopson moved out of range.
Sprintin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hopson sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Phil Sprintin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sprintin throws an ugly left hook that misses

and Hopson counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hopson working Sprintin over with strikes.
Sprintin tries to get to full guard but Hopson has control of the leg.
Hopson throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hopson is nestled in close to Sprintin, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Hopson working the head and body with strikes.
Hopson lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Sprintin is controlling Hopson's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Sprintin has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hopson is working away from the top position though.
Hopson winds up and cracks Sprintin with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sprintin wants to get back to full guard.
Sprintin has hold of Hopson's hands but Hopson slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hopson wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sprintin keeps working.
Hopson winds up and cracks Sprintin with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hopson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sprintin trying to control here.
Sprintin on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Sprintin keeping control of the position.
Hopson working over Sprintin with some ground and pound. Sprintin looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Sprintin avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hopson.
Sprintin trying to control here.
Hopson is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jesse-James Hopson comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hopson 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 Trevor Gratis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jesse-James Hopson!
A relieved looking Jesse-James Hopson thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.