PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight kickboxing rules bout between Gaizka Elizondo (ranked 4741 p4p, 1634 weight class) and Jacob Hopson (ranked 487 p4p, 208 weight class). Elizondo's entrance music is Peewee Longway & Money Man - Ooowwweee. A fine choice. Hopson has chosen Down Under as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Elizondo
vs
Hopson

187 cm
38
186
37 - 25 - 3

190 cm
26
185
12 - 7 - 0

World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conquer

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 37 - 25 - 3, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Gaizka Elizondo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jacob Hopson!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, Ben Watson and Francis DeMontford.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hopson misses with a body shot.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Hopson lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Elizondo has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Elizondo and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Jacob Hopson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hopson misses with a straight right.
Elizondo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hopson.
Hopson does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Elizondo uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hopson.
Elizondo throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Hopson on the side of the head.
Elizondo has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Alpha Brasil in the buildup to the fight.
Elizondo uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hopson.
Elizondo slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Elizondo buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hopson throws a body shot but no joy.
Elizondo tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hopson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Elizondo.
Elizondo chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Hopson throws an off balance right hand
and Elizondo makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Elizondo throws a body shot but no joy.
Hopson throws a shot from downtown. Elizondo moves away and avoids it.
Hopson tests Elizondo's chin there with a solid looking shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Elizondo avoids the body shot from Hopson.
Hopson checks a low kick from Elizondo.
Elizondo scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crunch! Hopson slams his shin into Elizondo's torso.
Hopson ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Elizondo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Elizondo connects with a crisp jab.
Hopson looks to throw a body kick
and Elizondo connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Elizondo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Elizondo wants to slow Hopson down by chopping away at his legs.
Hopson scores with a jab to the head.
Hopson blocks the body kick.
Hopson tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Elizondo was well out of range. Poor timing from Hopson.
Elizondo is looking to counter punch.
Hopson looks to land a left hand but Elizondo moved out of range nicely.
Elizondo punishes Hopson's body with a nice straight punch.
Elizondo checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Hopson swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Elizondo looks to score with a jab to the body but Hopson is just out of range.
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!
Hopson fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Elizondo checks it well.
Elizondo steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Hopson. That one must have hurt.
A nice leg kick lands there from Elizondo.
Hopson throws the left hand but Elizondo avoids the punch easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopson throws an overhand right that lands on Elizondo's shoulder, as Elizondo tries to avoid the shot.
Hopson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Elizondo.
Hopson stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Elizondo.
Elizondo slips a straight right by Hopson.
Hopson takes one to the side of the head.
Hopson checks the leg kick.
Hopson lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Elizondo at a distance.
Elizondo moves out of range of the leg kick from Hopson.
Elizondo misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hopson.
Hopson closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Hopson ducks under a wild hook from Elizondo.
Hopson misses with a looping right.
Elizondo is looking for a counter combo.
Hopson lands the left hand.
Elizondo shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Elizondo walks into a straight right hand from Hopson.
Elizondo fails to land with a series of punches.
A big left from Hopson misses.
Elizondo keeps Hopson at a distance using the push kick.
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 Gaizka Elizondo will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Elizondo is looking to chop away at Hopson's legs.
Hopson looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Hopson misses with a low kick.
Hopson is looking to chop away at Elizondo's legs.
Hopson throws the kick towards the body but Elizondo avoids it.
Hopson throws a leg kick but Elizondo sees it coming and moves out of range.
Elizondo scores with a kick to the body.
The fighters circle momentarily. Elizondo darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Elizondo missing with a left hand there. Hopson was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Elizondo fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Hopson is out of range.
Elizondo lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hopson's sensitive parts.
Elizondo connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Hopson momentarily.
Hopson misses with a low kick.
Elizondo throws a chopping leg kick but Hopson manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Elizondo moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hopson throws a low kick but Elizondo moves out of range easily.
Elizondo throwing a counter right hand but Hopson manages to avoid it.
Hopson thumps Elizondo with a low kick.
Hopson avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The fighters circling - Hopson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hopson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Elizondo moves away.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hopson dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Elizondo. That did some damage!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elizondo keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hopson.
Hopson looks to throw the jab but Elizondo is out of range.
Elizondo avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gaizka Elizondo is winning the standup battle so far.
Hopson lands a nice looking kick to the body. Elizondo takes a step back to recover.
Hopson takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hopson throws a shot from downtown. Elizondo moves away and avoids it.
Elizondo feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Elizondo walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hopson throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Hopson takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Hopson throws a hook but Elizondo blocks it.
Elizondo attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Elizondo throws the left hand but Hopson avoids the punch easily.
Elizondo scores with a three punch combo!
Elizondo scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hopson staying out of range there.
Hopson motions for Elizondo to come forward. Hopson throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hopson tries a head kick but it misses.
An attempted straight right counter from Elizondo misses the target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hopson throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hopson. Elizondo does a little dance to reset his feet.
Elizondo fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hopson manages to avoid it.
Elizondo throws a head kick that misses.
Elizondo throws a big shot that misses.
Elizondo is pinned up against the ropes taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Elizondo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hopson.
Elizondo on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hopson. Elizondo does a little dance to reset his feet.
A looping hook to the body misses from Elizondo. Hopson does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hopson connects with a right hand. Elizondo shakes it off.
Elizondo throws a shot from downtown. Hopson moves away and avoids it.
Elizondo lands a leg kick that knocks Hopson off balance momentarily.
Elizondo misses with a head kick.
Hopson's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Elizondo blocks the body kick.
Hopson turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hopson throws a body shot but no joy.
Elizondo was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Elizondo misses with an uppercut
and Hopson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gaizka Elizondo will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Elizondo checks a leg kick nicely.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Elizondo checks a leg kick.
Hopson throws out a loose jab but Elizondo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Elizondo swings for the body but Hopson moves out of range.
Elizondo moves out of range as Hopson throws a body kick.
Hopson connects with an inside leg kick.
Hopson scores with a jab to the head.
Hopson lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Elizondo darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Elizondo throws a shot from downtown. Hopson moves away and avoids it.
Elizondo misses with a head kick.
Hopson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Hopson takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Hopson throws a leg kick but Elizondo sees it coming and moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopson connects with an inside leg kick.
Good standup being displayed there by Elizondo as he connects with a hook.
Elizondo throws a hook but Hopson avoids it easily.
Hopson takes one to the chin there.
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!
Hopson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Elizondo.
Hopson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Elizondo moves away.
Elizondo looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Elizondo checks a leg kick.
Jacob Hopson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hopson waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Elizondo.
Hopson on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Hopson takes a swing at Elizondo's ribcage but misses.
Elizondo tried to counter with a leg kick but Hopson avoided it.
A jab from Elizondo misses.
Elizondo blocks a jab.
Elizondo bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
A slapping leg kick lands for Elizondo.
Hopson gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Elizondo.
Hopson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Elizondo stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Hopson connects with an inside leg kick.
Elizondo pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Elizondo lands with a slapping head kick.
Some bone on bone action there as Elizondo checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hopson throws an off balance right hand
and Elizondo counters with a nice uppercut.

Hopson is rocked!
Elizondo scores with a jab. Hopson acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Hopson is still on wobbly legs! Can Elizondo finish him?
A head kick misses from Elizondo.
Hopson seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Elizondo cracks Hopson with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the ropes.
Hopson connects with a crisp jab.
Hopson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Elizondo.
Hopson drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Elizondo tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hopson was well out of range. Poor timing from Elizondo.
Elizondo lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hopson at a distance.
Elizondo lands with a right hand.
Elizondo wants to slow Hopson down by chopping away at his legs.
Elizondo displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hopson throws out the jab.
A shot to the body from Hopson misses
and Elizondo counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hopson lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Hopson walks into a straight right hand from Elizondo.
Hopson scores with a shot to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hopson just misses with a punch to the body.
Hopson lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Elizondo takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Elizondo takes a jab right on the kisser.
Hopson misses with a straight left.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gaizka Elizondo showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Elizondo has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Francis DeMontford scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gaizka Elizondo!
An out of breath Gaizka Elizondo thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.