Round 1 A left high kick from Kurt keeps Abad at bay. Kurt Hopkins connects with a hard punch making Abad bring him in to a tight clinch. Taj Abad drops down and thrusts forward with a textbook double leg takedown. Hopkins backs out of the guard after some unsuccessful motions and both fighters are standing. Kurt is met with a strong kick to the ribs. Taj moves in to press the action, but Hopkins lands a heavy back kick. Abad connects with a strong body shot combo. Round 1 is finished.
Round 2 A left high kick from Abad keeps Kurt Hopkins at bay. Kurt connects with a hard punch making Taj Abad bring him in to a tight clinch. Taj works the clinch to his advantage, carefully connecting with precise strikes. A stiff elbow looks to have Kurt Hopkins dazed. Abad escapes the clinch and creates some distance. Abad circles Kurt, mixing jabs and leg kicks. Both fighters trade shots and back away looking for the next opening. Hopkins is struck by some looping punches and kicks and goes for the clinch to shorten the distance. Taj Abad welcomes the clinch landing a lead knee and a powerful elbow. Then pushes Hopkins back to striking distance. Taj Abad connects with a combination and backs away from the counter combo of Hopkins. Round 2 is over.
Round 3 Taj Abad connects with a hard punch making Kurt Hopkins bring him in to a tight clinch. Abad lands a powerful uppercut in the clinch. Taj Abad escapes the clinch and creates some distance. A welt begins to form under Kurt Hopkinss eye after a strong cross-hook landed from Abad. Taj connects with jab cross combination. Abad takes a punch and goes to the mat, Hopkins pounces into side control. Abad recovers quickly. The bell signals the end of round 3.
Round 4 Hopkins throws a few jabs at Abad that miss the mark. Abad throws a kick to the midsection of Kurt Hopkins. A welt begins to form under Taj Abads eye after a strong cross-hook landed from Kurt. Taj Abad circles Kurt, landing a front snap kick that stuns him. Taj Abad rushes forward landing a quick succession of leg, body and head kicks sends Hopkins back into the cage dizzied. The fighters circle one another hopping in and out trying to find their range. Taj is cornered by Kurt who tries to press the action. Taj is able to block well and circles away from Kurt, delivering a chopping leg kick and a grazing cross as he does so. Round 4 comes to a close.
Round 5 Abad parries a right jab and lands a beautiful crescent kick, striking the ribs. Kurt Hopkins attempts to press in on Taj but is met with powerful inside-leg kicks. Hopkins misses with an axe kick that has Taj back up. Abad lands a strong outside leg kick and follows it up with a jab-cross combo. Hopkins hits a hook to the body and follows with a power straight that misses. The round comes to an end.
