PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matt Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Daigle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Daigle is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by The State of Massachusetts -- Dropkick Murphys. 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.

Hughes
vs
Daigle

175 cm
22
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
24
170 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Matt Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Daigle!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hughes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Daigle looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Daigle looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Hughes fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Hughes in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.

Hughes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hughes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Hughes fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes scoring with punches and elbows.
Hughes lands an elbow.
Hughes working the ground and pound from side control.

Hughes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Daigle, who protects the arm well.

Hughes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Daigle has escaped the position, nice work there.
Hughes lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Daigle down.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Daigle, who protects the arm well.
Hughes lands a decent elbow from side control.
Hughes working away.
Daigle is looking for a sweep.
Hughes working the ground and pound from side control.

Hughes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

Hughes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Daigle is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Daigle tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hughes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Hughes.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Daigle with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hughes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Daigle's guard.
Hughes slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Hughes knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Daigle on the ground.
Daigle wants to control but Hughes postures up.
Daigle regains half guard.
Hughes looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Daigle gets full guard.
Hughes throws a big right hand that misses.

Daigle throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hughes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Daigle throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Hughes throws and elbow that misses. Daigle uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hughes's guard. Nice move by Daigle!

Hughes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Daigle trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hughes is looking for a triangle here but Daigle uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Hughes is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes dominated that round.
That's time! Hughes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hughes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Daigle sprawls well initially but Hughes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Daigle tries to get to full guard but Hughes has control of the leg.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but Daigle is defending well.

Hughes seems to be looking for submissions.
Daigle slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Daigle avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hughes cracks Daigle with a solid left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Daigle is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hughes sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Daigle's guard.
Daigle trying to control from the bottom.
Hughes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Daigle defending well though.

Hughes is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Daigle slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Hughes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hughes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hughes throws and elbow that misses. Daigle uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hughes's guard. Nice move by Daigle!
Daigle pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hughes is keeping the position for now.

Hughes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Daigle gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Daigle pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hughes is keeping the position for now.

Hughes pushes Daigle off and gets back to his feet.
Daigle keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Daigle sprawls well initially but Hughes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Daigle looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hughes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Daigle's head.
Hughes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Daigle's head.

Hughes is trying to work for a kimura but Daigle is defending well.
Daigle gets back to full guard.
Hughes wants to get up but he can't break Daigle's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Matt Hughes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Daigle throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Daigle bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hughes's guard.

Hughes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hughes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Daigle is one step ahead there.
Daigle trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Daigle gets the takedown into side control.
Hughes regains half guard.
Daigle wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hughes keeps working.
Hughes moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Daigle trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hughes scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Hughes tries for a takedown but Daigle circles away easily
and Daigle counters with a big head kick but Hughes shrugs it off.
Hughes fails with the takedown

and Daigle decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hughes's guard.
Hughes on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hughes tries to get out of the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Daigle drops back looking for a leg! Hughes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hughes manages to kick Daigle off! Daigle jumps back into Hughes's guard.

Daigle thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hughes looking for a sweep. Not yet Hughes, not yet.
Daigle trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Daigle trying to control but Hughes is working from the bottom.

Hughes working for a triangle but Daigle defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hughes keeping full guard, as Daigle tries to pass.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A combination from Daigle does no damage.
Daigle misses with the combination.
Hughes fails with the takedown

and Daigle counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Daigle.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Daigle trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes looking to hit a scissor sweep but Daigle is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes is looking for a triangle here but Daigle uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.

Daigle is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hughes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Hughes tries to improve position but can't.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hughes is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Daigle is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Hughes tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Daigle with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Hughes is working to get back to half guard.

Daigle working for a submission but Hughes is keeping him at bay.

Daigle is working for a guillotine from mount but Hughes frees his head quite easily.
Josh Daigle has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matt Hughes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hughes tries to get back to half guard but can't.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh Daigle comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hughes has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Hughes!