PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Rashad Jackson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Malcolm Hopkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Jackson comes to the cage accompanied by Pants On tha Ground. Malcolm Hopkins acknowledges the crowd's support as he enters the cage.

Jackson
vs
Hopkins

186 cm
22
199 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

180 cm
24
190 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Very strong

Powerful takedowns
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Rashad Jackson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of London, Malcolm Hopkins!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Sam Margolis and Steven Brown.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jackson misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hopkins.
Hopkins misses with a right hand
and Jackson counters with a nice uppercut.
Jackson misses with a double jab
and Hopkins counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Jackson throws a hook but Hopkins blocks it.
Hopkins scores with a jab to the jaw.
Jackson throws a right and a left that Hopkins avoids nicely.
Hopkins swings widly with a right hand
and Jackson counters with a straight right hand.
Hopkins tries to work over Jackson's front leg with a kick but Jackson checks it.
Jackson tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hopkins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hopkins shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Jackson as he jumps to the side.
Jackson misses with a straight left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson stalks Hopkins and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hopkins's face. Hopkins staggers backwards, shaken.
Hopkins swings away with a body shot that misses
and Jackson counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Hopkins thinking.
Jackson throws a nice looking combination but Hopkins bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hopkins misses with a right hand
letting Jackson counter with a right hand.
Hopkins misses with a lunging right hand
and Jackson counters with a nice body shot.
Nice jab there from Jackson.
Hopkins takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Rashad Jackson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hopkins lands with an overhand left.
Hopkins misses with a low kick.
Malcolm Hopkins seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jackson gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins misses with a hook.
Jackson uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hopkins.
Hopkins changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Hopkins misses with a right hand
and Jackson counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Jackson lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Jackson doesn't manage to clinch there - Hopkins circles away.
Jackson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hopkins paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hopkins looks to land a left hand but Jackson moved out of range nicely.
Hopkins walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Jackson checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.

Hopkins shoots in and bounces Jackson off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson tries to land a sweep but no joy.

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

Hopkins is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Hopkins trying to control the position from guard on top but Jackson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hopkins stopping the sweep attempt from Jackson.

Hopkins drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Hopkins jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hopkins won't allow Jackson to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hopkins preventing the sweep.
Jackson is looking to stand up but Hopkins isn't so interested in that idea.
Hopkins is pushing down on Jackson's leg trying to pass to half guard. Jackson is fighting to maintain full guard but Hopkins has managed to sneak the leg through.
Hopkins wants to free his trapped foot but Jackson is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hopkins passes to full mount!
Jackson wants to control but Hopkins is having none of it.
Hopkins looking to control but Jackson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Jackson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Jackson tests Hopkins's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Hopkins misses with a low kick.
Jackson slips a jab and a cross from Hopkins.
Hopkins throws a good cross that connects.
Jackson misses with a double jab
and Hopkins counters with a lovely shot to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Jackson swinging wildly here.
Hopkins falls off balance throwing a combination
and Jackson counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jackson misses with a body shot.
Hopkins throws a leg kick that misses.
A nice combination there by Hopkins.
Jackson is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Hopkins throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Jackson misses with a body shot.
Hopkins swings widly with a right hand
and Jackson counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hopkins throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Jackson counters with a three punch combo that has Hopkins backing up. Hopkins nods at Jackson to acknowledge the strikes.
Hopkins misses with a straight left.
Hopkins misses with a double jab
and Jackson cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins scores with a kick to the body.
Hopkins thuds a left hand into Jackson's body.
Hopkins slips a straight right by Jackson.
Hopkins throws a shot to the body.
Hopkins misses with a hook. Jackson ducked under it nicely.
Jackson swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Jackson's jab looks to have found its range, popping Hopkins under the eye.
Hopkins will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hopkins throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins scores with a decent looking hook.
Jackson throws a combination that misses
and Hopkins counters with a straight right hand.
Jackson bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Jackson works the jab nicely.
Horrible takedown by Hopkins or perhaps it was just good defense by Jackson which made him look bad.
Hopkins misses with a combination
and Jackson counters with a right hand to the body.
Jackson stuns Hopkins with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Jackson tries to clinch but Hopkins is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jackson moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Hopkins misses with a left hand
enabling Jackson to counter with a crisp jab.
Hopkins misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.

Hopkins drives through with a takedown into Jackson's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Jackson keeping moving, preventing Hopkins from controlling successfully.
Jackson wants to get back to his feet but Hopkins passes into half guard.

Hopkins is trying to work for a kimura but Jackson is defending well.

Hopkins is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Jackson doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Hopkins.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rashad Jackson dominated that second round.
That's time! Jackson's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Jackson lands a jab-cross combination.
Jackson swings for the body but Hopkins moves out of range.
Jackson uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hopkins.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopkins slips a jab from Jackson.
Jackson ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hopkins moves away.
Hopkins scores with a jab to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins misses with a lunging right hand
and Jackson counters with a three punch combo that has Hopkins backing up. Hopkins nods at Jackson to acknowledge the strikes.
Hopkins misses with a combination
and Jackson counters with a nice body shot.
Hopkins connects with a good right hand that stumbles Jackson. Jackson circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Hopkins throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hopkins lands a really nice looking cross but Jackson seems unphased.
Hopkins swings widly with a right hand
and Jackson counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hopkins throws a hook to the side of Jackson's head but Jackson sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Jackson ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Jackson checks a low kick from Hopkins.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins walks into a straight right hand from Jackson.
Hopkins throws an off balance right hand
and Jackson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hopkins takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Hopkins tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hopkins manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Jackson on his heels. He'll look to pass Jackson's guard now, I'm sure.
Hopkins showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Jackson working a defensive guard but Hopkins passes into half guard.
Jackson is trying to control but can't.
Jackson tries to roll over but Hopkins keeps him under control.
Jackson is trying to stand up here but Hopkins is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jackson is looking to improve his position.
Hopkins moves nicely into side control.
Jackson is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Hopkins is controlling him well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Hopkins looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hopkins trying to control the action but Jackson is working from the bottom.

Hopkins tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Hopkins working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Malcolm Hopkins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hopkins goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Jackson rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Hopkins's guard! Nice work there by Jackson!
Rashad Jackson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Jackson tries to free his leg and advance position but Hopkins is retaining full guard.
Hopkins working a defensive guard here.
Jackson wants to control from the top but Hopkins keeps moving.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Rashad Jackson.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Jackson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 30:27
Judge Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rashad Jackson!