PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dominic Lloyd (ranked 2121 p4p, 4411 weight class) and Marcus Hughes (ranked 300 p4p, 520 weight class). 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.

Lloyd
vs
Hughes

188 cm
25
190
5 - 5 - 0

190 cm
26
199
7 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great elbows
Cardio machine

Excellent grappler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dominic Lloyd!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcus Hughes!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Steve Montenegro and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lloyd throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hughes throws a body punch but Lloyd moves out of range.
Hughes looks to land a left hand but Lloyd moved out of range nicely.
Lloyd takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Lloyd throws a right hand that Hughes ducks under and follows up with a left that Hughes also avoids with ease.
Hughes misses with a straight left.
Lloyd lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Hughes at a distance.
Lloyd throws a poor cross that misses
and Hughes counters with a stiff right hand.
A swing and a miss from Hughes.
Hughes throws a big shot that misses.
Lloyd throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
It seemed like Hughes was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Lloyd scores with a nice right hand.
Hughes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hughes uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Lloyd.
Hughes wants to counter the offense by Lloyd and move into the clinch position.
Hughes misses with a wild body shot.
Lloyd throws a hook but Hughes avoids it easily.
Hughes misses with an uppercut.
Hughes scores with a body shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lloyd throws a combination. Hughes tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Lloyd lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A jab from Lloyd misses.
Hughes has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Lloyd tries to land a leg kick but Hughes saw it coming and moves away.
Hughes missing with a left hand there. Lloyd was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hughes stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Lloyd fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Hughes has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Lloyd moves out of range as Hughes strikes.
Lloyd misses with a body shot.
Hughes now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Lloyd misses with a jab to the body
and Hughes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hughes lands with a right hand.
Lloyd connects with a crisp jab.
Hughes might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hughes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lloyd throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hughes throws out a loose jab but Lloyd uses good head movement to avoid it.
Lloyd throws a low kick but Hughes moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Lloyd has time to react.
Lloyd steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hughes.
Lloyd throws a jab when Hughes was well out of range.
Lloyd throws a body punch but Hughes moves out of range.
Hughes misses with a hook. Lloyd ducked under it nicely.
Hughes tries for a takedown but Lloyd sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hughes ducks right into an uppercut from Lloyd.
Hughes misses with a straight left.
Hughes throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Dominic Lloyd seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lloyd ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hughes moves away.
Lloyd misses with a straight right.
Hughes looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Lloyd on the wrong end of a nice jab.
A swing and a miss from Lloyd.
Lloyd thuds a left hand into Hughes's body.
Nice shot lands for Lloyd.
Lloyd jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Hughes swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Lloyd takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lloyd pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Lloyd swings widly with a right hand
and Hughes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hughes lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Lloyd uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hughes.
Hughes rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lloyd counters with a right hand to the body.
Hughes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Lloyd lands a right hook to the body.
Nice defenses there by Hughes.
Lloyd gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Lloyd scores with a hook.
Hughes misses the shot to the body.
Lloyd throwing a counter right hand but Hughes manages to avoid it.
Lloyd swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lloyd swings widly with a right hand
and Hughes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hughes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A low kick lands for Lloyd.
Hughes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Lloyd sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lloyd was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Hughes misses.
Hughes paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Hughes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Lloyd throws out the jab.
Hughes keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Lloyd.
Hughes looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Lloyd throws an overhand right that lands on Hughes's shoulder, as Hughes tries to avoid the shot.
A telegraphed right hand from Hughes misses the target.
Lloyd misses with a looping right.
Hughes uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
A swing and a miss from Hughes.
Lloyd misses the shot to the body.

Hughes gets a double leg takedown into Lloyd's guard.
Lloyd wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.
Lloyd manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hughes manages to get himself to full guard.

The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lloyd is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marcus Hughes will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hughes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Lloyd throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughes.
Good shot there by Hughes.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lloyd as he jumps to the side.
Lloyd scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Lloyd misses with an uppercut
enabling Hughes to counter with a crisp jab.
Dominic Lloyd is winning the standup battle so far.
Lloyd throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hughes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hughes takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Lloyd lands a jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lloyd takes one on the button.
Hughes slips under a jab from Lloyd.
Hughes misses with a hook
and Lloyd counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hughes misses with a left hand
and Lloyd counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lloyd misses with a body shot.
Lloyd lands with a straight right. Hughes didn't see that one coming.
Hughes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lloyd moves away.
Lloyd misses with a shot to the body
and Hughes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hughes throws a looping overhand right but Lloyd ducks down to avoid it.
Hughes moves out of range as Lloyd strikes.
Lloyd stuns Hughes with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
No joy there for Lloyd, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hughes takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
Dominic Lloyd is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Lloyd defending well as Hughes loads up on a big left hand.
Nice shot lands for Lloyd.
A slow jab from Lloyd misses its intended target.
Hughes jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hughes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lloyd scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Hughes misses with a straight right.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lloyd.
Lloyd throws a hook to the side of Hughes's head but Hughes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hughes digs a good hook to Lloyd's body.
Hughes swings for the body but Lloyd moves out of range.
Hughes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lloyd.
Lloyd throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
A countering left hand to the body from Hughes misses.
Hughes moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Lloyd lands an overhand right.
Hughes misses with a hook. Lloyd ducked under it nicely.
Hughes ducks under a wild hook from Lloyd.
Lloyd throws a body punch but Hughes moves out of range.
Hughes checks a leg kick nicely.
Lloyd throws a jab when Hughes was well out of range.
A big left from Lloyd misses.
Hughes swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A chopping leg kick lands by Lloyd.
Hughes has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Hughes there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lloyd uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hughes.
Lloyd looks to throw the jab but Hughes is out of range.
Lloyd lands a lovely overhand right.
A nice leg kick from Lloyd, right into the meat of the thigh.
Hughes checks a leg kick.
Hughes looks to throw the jab but Lloyd is out of range.
Hughes looks to land a left hand but Lloyd moved out of range nicely.
Lloyd is looking to counter punch.
Lloyd throws an overhand right that lands on Hughes's shoulder, as Hughes tries to avoid the shot.
Hughes avoids the body shot from Lloyd.
Hughes swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
A shot to the body from Lloyd misses
and Hughes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Lloyd thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hughes defending well as Lloyd loads up on a big left hand.
Hughes scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Lloyd doesn't seem bothered though.
Hughes staying out of range there.
Lloyd swings widly with a right hand
and Hughes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Lloyd swings for the body but Hughes moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A swing and a miss from Lloyd.
Hughes misses with an uppercut.
Lloyd looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
The fighters circling - Lloyd throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hughes misses with a hook
and Lloyd counters with an outside leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Lloyd lands a head shot.
Lloyd ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Lloyd scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Lloyd misses with a left hand
and Hughes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Lloyd lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Lloyd looks to land a right hand but Hughes moved out of range.
Lloyd throws a hook to the side of Hughes's head but Hughes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

Hughes scores with a takedown into Lloyd's guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hughes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hughes preventing the sweep.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Dominic Lloyd dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Hughes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Lloyd is trying to control Hughes's posture but Hughes avoids it.
Check out the look on Hughes's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Lloyd is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Hughes wants to control but Lloyd is keeping him busy.
Hughes sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Lloyd is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Lloyd is looking to reverse the position.
Lloyd sneaks back into half guard.
Lloyd trying to control here.
Marcus Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lloyd is trying to get back to full guard.
Hughes working over Lloyd with some ground and pound. Lloyd looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hughes lands with a punch from half guard.
Lloyd tries to get to full guard but Hughes has control of the leg.
Hughes is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hughes connects with a nice short shot to Lloyd's temple.
Hughes landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hughes throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hughes winds up and cracks Lloyd with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Lloyd is trying to control but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Lloyd works his way to full guard. Good work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Lloyd not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Lloyd preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lloyd trying to keep a closed guard but Hughes is proving a slippery customer.
Hughes throwing strikes but missing.
Hughes trying to control but Lloyd is working from the bottom.
Lloyd has control of Hughes's left arm, preventing Hughes from doing any damage.
Lloyd keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Lloyd seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Hughes is working Lloyd over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Lloyd keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Lloyd is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Lloyd wants to control the position but Hughes says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
Lloyd keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Lloyd works his way to full guard. Good work.
Hughes postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hughes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hughes stopping the sweep attempt from Lloyd.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes being controlled here momentarily.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Lloyd is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hughes postures up and lands a big shot to Lloyd's brow.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Lloyd is trying to control the position but Hughes postures up.
Lloyd keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hughes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Marcus Hughes!