PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Malcolm Hopkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Justin Meredith (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Meredith's choice of entrance music: The Rolling Stones - Paint it, Black. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hopkins
vs
Meredith

180 cm
26
190 lbs
13 - 11 - 0

175 cm
23
200 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Good kicks
Good gas tank

GTI - 1337 sponsors VERSUS

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 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Malcolm Hopkins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Justin Meredith!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Chris Edwards and Daniel Bishop.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Meredith misses with a lunging right hand
and Hopkins counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Hopkins lands with a good body shot.
Meredith bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hopkins lands with an uppercut that bounces Meredith off the cage and back into range.
Meredith walks into a left hand.
Hopkins looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Hopkins manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Meredith on his heels. He'll look to pass Meredith's guard now, I'm sure.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Meredith thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Meredith working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hopkins.
Hopkins wants to pass the guard but Meredith is keeping the position.
Hopkins working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

Hopkins thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hopkins advances to half guard.

Hopkins is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Meredith is defending against the submission attempts here by Hopkins.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins winds up and cracks Meredith with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Meredith gets back to full guard.
Hopkins trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Meredith manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Hopkins tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hopkins controls Meredith momentarily but Meredith frees himself.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Meredith stands and throws Hopkins's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Hopkins is looking for a sweep. Meredith is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hopkins is working hard here to advance position.
Hopkins slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Meredith throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hopkins works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Hopkins is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Meredith defends well.
Hopkins can't keep his opponent in guard - Meredith advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meredith is looking to advance position but Hopkins won't allow it.
Hopkins regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hopkins wants to improve his position but instead Meredith has moved into half guard.
Hopkins wants to get back to full guard but Meredith has mounted him!
Hopkins really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Meredith landing punches.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hopkins is desperately trying to improve his position but Meredith has a good base and remains in mount.
Meredith postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hopkins looks a forlorn figure.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malcolm Hopkins dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hopkins connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Meredith takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Hopkins changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Meredith tries to avoid it but Hopkins manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Meredith to the ground. Meredith escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Nice takedown defense from Meredith. No joy for Hopkins on that attempt.
Hopkins misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Meredith counters with an inside leg kick.
Meredith uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hopkins.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Meredith's waist but Meredith gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hopkins off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Malcolm Hopkins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Meredith defending well as Hopkins loads up on a big left hand.
Hopkins thows a left - swing and a miss!
Meredith throws a low kick but it's checked well by Hopkins.
Meredith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hopkins swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hopkins misses with a two punch combination.
Hopkins tries to land a leg kick but Meredith saw it coming and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hopkins shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Hopkins was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hopkins is working for a guillotine from mount but Meredith frees his head quite easily.
Meredith is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hopkins trying to control but Meredith is having none of it.
Hopkins sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins punishing his opponent with strikes.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hopkins cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hopkins breaks from Meredith's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Meredith manages to regain half guard. Good work.

Meredith looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Hopkins is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Meredith defends it well.
Hopkins is keen to just control but Meredith is a slippery customer.
Meredith is looking to improve his position.
Hopkins missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Meredith!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hopkins wants to control the pace but Meredith is squirming around nicely.

Hopkins working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Hopkins landing strikes, looking to finish!
Hopkins has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Meredith's face.
Malcolm Hopkins overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Meredith tries to get back to half guard but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hopkins moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Meredith has worked his arm free - good work by Meredith!
Meredith gets back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Malcolm Hopkins dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Meredith throws a leg kick that is checked
and Hopkins counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hopkins ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Meredith moves away.
Meredith dodges the punch combination from Hopkins.
Hopkins shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Meredith as he avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hopkins misses with a wild combination.
Hopkins misses the body punch
letting Meredith counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hopkins throws out a powerful jab.
Meredith lands the left hand.
Hopkins shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Meredith defends it nicely.
Hopkins throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Meredith misses with a low kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins closes this distance looking for a takedown but Meredith circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Malcolm Hopkins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice defenses there by Hopkins.
Meredith misses with a low kick.
Hopkins misses with a wild combination.
A solid leg kick lands there for Meredith.
Meredith moves away from the strike by Hopkins.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hopkins changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Meredith tries to avoid it but Hopkins manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Meredith to the ground. Meredith escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Malcolm Hopkins is winning the standup battle so far.
Meredith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Meredith lands with a thumping leg kick.

Meredith manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hopkins on his heels. He'll look to pass Hopkins's guard now, I'm sure.
Malcolm Hopkins is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hopkins looking for a sweep. Not yet Hopkins, not yet.
Meredith wants to pass the guard but Hopkins is keeping the position.
Justin Meredith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Meredith throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Meredith got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hopkins has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Meredith has managed to get both his arms back between Hopkins's legs - danger averted.
Meredith won't allow Hopkins to sweep him here.
Hopkins keeping full guard, as Meredith tries to pass.
Meredith wants to control from the top but Hopkins keeps moving.
Hopkins is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Meredith wants to get back to full guard but Hopkins has passed into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Justin Meredith.
Well Hopkins 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Malcolm Hopkins!
A very excited looking Malcolm Hopkins made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.