PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sugawara Ichirou (ranked 3778 p4p, 6266 weight class) and Rufus Hughes (ranked 493 p4p, 651 weight class). Ichirou kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is The Milky Way. Rufus Hughes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ichirou
vs
Hughes

189 cm
19
185
2 - 0 - 0

193 cm
20
185
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Big right hand

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

Nutritional Shaved Ice
New Standard

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sugawara Ichirou!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rufus Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Kenichi Hosakawa, Hirohito Nitta and Yuuki Gou.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ichirou.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Ichirou sprawls well. Ichirou wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hughes gets slowly back to his feet.

Hughes tries to keep at a distance but Ichirou has taken the fight into the clinch.

Ichirou manages to break the clinch.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Ichirou manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Ichirou avoiding damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Ichirou won't allow it.
Ichirou is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hughes is defending well for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Ichirou'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.
Ichirou lands a hook that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.

Ichirou breaks from the clinch.
Ichirou has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Gold Samurai's Gym in the buildup to the fight.

Ichirou has taken the fight to the clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ichirou takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Hughes is trying to break free.
Hughes is trying to push Ichirou away but Ichirou has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hughes fails to pull guard.
Sugawara Ichirou has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rufus Hughes.
Ichirou has Hughes pushed against the cage.
Come on Ichirou - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Ichirou is working Hughes over against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ichirou pushes Hughes back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
The referee calls for Ichirou to work.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Ichirou for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Sugawara Ichirou.

Ichirou pushes Hughes up against the cage in a clinch.
Ichirou is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Ichirou pushes off an throws an elbow but Hughes leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ichirou dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ichirou taking a breather.
Ichirou scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Hughes is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Ichirou is keeping busy.

Ichirou breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ichirou rushes Hughes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hughes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ichirou cracks Hughes with a nice body shot.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Ichirou lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A short left from Ichirou.
Ichirou lands a body punch in the clinch.
Hughes looks winded!
Ichirou is stalling here.
Ichirou lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Ichirou.
Ichirou throws an elbow that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee is keeping an eye on Ichirou - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ichirou stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Ichirou seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Ichirou dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Ichirou lands a body punch in the clinch.
Hughes on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Ichirou displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hughes up against the cage.
Hughes avoiding damage as Ichirou throws knees to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ichirou works on Hughes's body with a couple of short punches.
Ichirou throws an elbow but it misses.
Ichirou throws a big uppercut that drops Hughes! More strikes from Ichirou and the referee jumps in to stop the fight! Hughes lies dazed against the cage as Ichirou celebrates with his cornermen!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:58 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Sugawara Ichirou!