PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between James Hodges (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul Wilkins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). James Hodges could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Paul Wilkins's chin.

Hodges
vs
Wilkins

165 cm
21
146 lbs
1 - 3 - 0

175 cm
19
152 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, James Hodges!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul Wilkins!
The judges for this bout are Sam Margolis, Steven Brown and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Wilkins fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

Wilkins drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Wilkins taking a breather here.
Wilkins tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Wilkins postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Hodges can't do much from the bottom here.
Hodges stops Wilkins from passing to mount.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wilkins throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Wilkins trying to control the action but Hodges is working from the bottom.
Hodges is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Wilkins is controlling him well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Wilkins throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Wilkins moves into the clinch successfully.

Hodges breaks the clinch.
Wilkins throws a series of punches but Hodges avoids them all with ease.
Wilkins is looking to clinch.
Horrible takedown by Hodges or perhaps it was just good defense by Wilkins which made him look bad.
Wilkins looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Hodges shoots and misses

and Wilkins counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hodges won't be happy with that.
Hodges is breathing heavily.

Wilkins tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Wilkins has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Wilkins wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hodges keeps working.
Wilkins tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins controls the position from side control.
Wilkins moves into full mount!
Wilkins can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hodges is looking to escape.
Wilkins has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hodges's face.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wilkins with the ground and pound from mount.
Wilkins has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hodges is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Wilkins can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hodges is looking to escape.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins lands with some strikes.
Wilkins lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Wilkins raining down shots from the mount!

Wilkins goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Hodges is on top in guard.
Hodges wants to stand but Wilkins is controlling his posture from full guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins wants to stand up but Hodges is controlling him.
Hodges seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Hodges postures up and lands a big shot to Wilkins's brow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Wilkins dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Hodges misses with a few strikes there.
Wilkins looks to land a combination but Hodges avoids it well.

Hodges closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hodges controls the position from side control.
Wilkins is looking to reverse the position.
Wilkins throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
You can see the frustration on Wilkins's face as Hodges controls the position.
Hodges'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.
Wilkins is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Hodges is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hodges avoids the attempt from Wilkins to control.
BOOM! Hodges connects with a massive shot to the dome!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilkins manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hodges is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Wilkins!
Wilkins sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Wilkins is looking to improve his position.
Wilkins throws a strike from the bottom but Hodges passes into side control!
Wilkins throws a few strikes from the bottom but Hodges takes advantage and mounts!
Hodges sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hodges manages to capitalize on a mistake by Wilkins to take his back!
Hodges cracks Wilkins with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Wilkins from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Wilkins looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Hodges is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Wilkins grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.

Hodges is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Wilkins has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Wilkins tries to escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hodges landing with strikes.
Wilkins manages to reverse the position and now he's in Hodges's guard. Nice work there by Wilkins.
Wilkins in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Wilkins throws a strike but Hodges rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Wilkins 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.
Wilkins is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hodges keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Wilkins wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hodges keeps working.

Wilkins stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Hodges circles away from the clinch attempt.
Wilkins moves out of range as Hodges throws a body kick.
Wilkins tries to clinch but Hodges is having none of it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Wilkins is pressed up against the cage. Hodges has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Wilkins down to the mat. Wilkins avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Wilkins moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Hodges moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.

Hodges shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Wilkins's guard.
Paul Wilkins has got the better of the ground game so far.
Wilkins pulls Hodges in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Hodges dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Wilkins misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
James Hodges is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hodges takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Wilkins is looking to clinch but Hodges is avoiding it.
Nice takedown defense from Hodges. No joy for Wilkins on that attempt.
Hodges shoots in but no luck this time.
Wilkins is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Wilkins throws a right hand that Hodges ducks under and follows up with a left that Hodges also avoids with ease.
A head kick misses from Wilkins.
Wilkins connects with a high kick.

Wilkins has closed the distance and engaged Hodges in a clinch.
Wilkins tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Wilkins looking to throw knees to the head but Hodges is blocking nicely.

Hodges escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Wilkins shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Wilkins seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hodges does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Wilkins with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Wilkins decides to stand and escape the position.

Wilkins takes the fight into the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Hodges escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Paul Wilkins seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Wilkins throws a leg kick which misses Hodges's front leg but catches the back leg as Hodges tries to avoid it.
Wilkins throws a nice inside leg kick.
Hodges works over Wilkins's head and body with a nice combination.
Wilkins tries to clinch there but Hodges circles away.
Wilkins gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Hodges counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Wilkins wants to clinch

so Hodges counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hodges trying to control the position from guard on top but Wilkins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wilkins wants to sweep but no luck.
Wilkins controls Hodges momentarily but Hodges frees himself.
Wilkins looking for a sweep. Not yet Wilkins, not yet.
Wilkins being controlled here, momentarily.
Wilkins tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hodges pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Wilkins is keeping the position for now.
Wilkins keeping moving, preventing Hodges from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Wilkins.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Wilkins has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hodges feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Wilkins can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hodges controls the pace.
Wilkins throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Wilkins trying to control the position.
Wilkins wants to sweep here but Hodges controlling him for the moment.
Hodges wants to control from the top but Wilkins keeps moving.
Wilkins wants to sweep here but Hodges controlling him for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Wilkins looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Hodges keeps the fight on the outside.
Wilkins tries to clinch up.
Wilkins misses with the combination.
Wilkins tries to clinch up

and Hodges counters with a single leg into guard. Wilkins didn't expect that.
Wilkins has Hodges pulled in close to control his posture.
Hodges stopping the sweep attempt from Wilkins.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to James Hodges.
I think Hodges 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 Sam Margolis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 29:28
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Hodges!