PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Derrick Hooper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tim Fish (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tim Fish has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hooper
vs
Fish

160 cm
24
279 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

190 cm
24
265 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Derrick Hooper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Tim Fish!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Nard Betker and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fish throws a head kick that misses.

Hooper fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Fish, pushing him back against the cage.
Hooper holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Hooper misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Fish jumps guard but Hooper stands there with Fish around his waist. Fish gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fish tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hooper's elbow.
Fish looking to slow down the pace here.
Fish tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Fish breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hooper circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fish shoots in but no luck this time.
The fight stays on the outside here - Fish looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Fish scores with a nice head shot.

Hooper drives through with a takedown into Fish's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Fish trying to control the position.
Hooper might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Fish working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hooper.
Hooper is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hooper postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hooper controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Fish wants to get back to his feet but Hooper is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hooper controlling from the top position.
Fish trying to control the position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Derrick Hooper has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Fish closes the distance and clinches.
Fish tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hooper smiles and moves away.
Derrick Hooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Fish.
Fish pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hooper blocks a head kick by Fish.
Fish wants to clinch

and Hooper counters by moving into the clinch.
Fish is looking for a takedown.

Hooper decides to pull guard.

Hooper had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Fish defends it easily.
Hooper really is a fat lump.

Hooper is looking for a triangle but Fish pushes his legs off easily.
Fish trying to control the position from guard on top but Hooper is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hooper has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hooper looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Hooper is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Fish got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hooper has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Fish has managed to get both his arms back between Hooper's legs - danger averted.

Hooper has his foot on Fish's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fish works his way back into a safe position though.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fish wants to control from the top but Hooper keeps moving.
Fish looking to pass the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Derrick Hooper dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Fish fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hooper avoids it really well and circles away.
Hooper goes for a double leg but Fish avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Fish continues to drive forward.
Hooper keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Fish's efforts to push away.
Fish is trying to break the clinch but Hooper has him pressed against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fish is working for takedown but Hooper is calmly controlling the position for now.
Fish fails to pull guard.
Derrick Hooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Fish.
Hooper's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fish is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hooper gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Fish drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hooper missing with knees to the body.
Fish prevents a body shot from Hooper.
Hooper prevents Fish from breaking the clinch.

Fish breaks from the clinch.
Fish fails with the takedown
and Hooper counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fish is looking to clinch but Hooper is avoiding it.

Hooper closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Fish wants to improve his position but Hooper is controlling well.
Hooper slows the pace down in half guard.
Hooper seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Fish for as long as he can get away with.
Fish trying to hold on to Hooper's head to control him but Hooper postures up.
Hooper keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Derrick Hooper.
Fish tries to close the distance and clinch but Hooper swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Fish drives through with a takedown into guard.

Hooper manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
A knee to the head by Fish.

It looks like Derrick Hooper has been cut.
Fish is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Hooper to keep the fight standing.
A bit of stalling here from Hooper.
Hooper misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Fish.
Fish tries to pull guard but Hooper forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Fish is trying to pull guard but Hooper has him pressed against the cage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Fish takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fish is looking to break free of the clinch but Hooper has double underhooks.
Fish changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hooper fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hooper tries to close the distance and clinch but Fish swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Horrible takedown by Fish or perhaps it was just good defense by Hooper which made him look bad.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Fish darts in trying to clinch

and Hooper counters by clinching up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Derrick Hooper will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Derrick Hooper's cut.
That's time! Hooper's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Fish misses with a two punch combination.
Fish tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hooper manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Fish.
Fish swats away the attempt to clinch by Hooper.
Fish shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hooper counters with a thumping low kick.
Fish shoots in for a takedown but Hooper shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Derrick Hooper has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Fish.
Fish doesn't succeed with the takedown
letting Hooper counter with a right hand.
Fish takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fish digs a good hook to Hooper's body.
Fish fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Hooper circles away from the clinch attempt.
Fish is looking to clinch but Hooper is avoiding it.
Tim Fish is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hooper avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Fish looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Fish tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hooper swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Fish shoots in for a takedown but Hooper shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Fish throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fish has his takedown stuffed

and Hooper counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Hooper has Fish pressed against the cage.
Fish tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Hooper stalling against the cage.
Fish is trying to break the clinch but Hooper is controlling him.
Fish drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hooper pulls his leg out and moves away.
Fish fails with a takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fish with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hooper counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Fish's guard now.
Hooper engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Hooper is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

Hooper decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Fish, up you get!
Fish shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hooper defends it nicely.

Hooper closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hooper is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Hooper working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Hooper connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Fish some visible discomfort.
Hooper is staying tight to Fish's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Hooper'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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Tim Fish has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Derrick Hooper is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Derrick Hooper overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Derrick Hooper showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hooper, 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Derrick Hooper!