PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mariano Sanchez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sanchez
vs
Hughes

183 cm
22
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mariano Sanchez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mark Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Hirohito Nitta, Taro Takaoka and Ren Mimura.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sanchez misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hughes.
Sanchez throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Hughes.

Hughes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Hughes tries to control but Sanchez wriggling away.

Hughes has hold of Sanchez's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Sanchez manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Hughes controlling the position easily from mount.
Hughes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Sanchez is looking to escape.
Hughes fails to move to back control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sanchez is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Sanchez is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Hughes stands up from mount. Strange move.

Hughes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Sanchez did well to prevent Hughes getting side control.
Sanchez is refusing to be controlled, as Hughes sits in half guard.

Hughes seems to be looking for submissions.
Hughes looks gassed!

Hughes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sanchez defends it well.
Hughes trying to control the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hughes is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Sanchez defends it well.
Sanchez is trying to stand back up but Hughes is controlling him
Sanchez is refusing to be controlled, as Hughes sits in half guard.
Sanchez knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hughes on the ground.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sanchez swinging wilding here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Sanchez jabs at Hughes's body.
Sanchez lands with a cross.
Hughes moves forwards but Sanchez connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Sanchez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Sanchez bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Sanchez throws a head kick but Hughes moves out of range.
Sanchez misses with the combination.
Hughes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Sanchez pinned against the cage. Sanchez gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Sanchez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sanchez swinging wilding here.
Hughes fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sanchez connects with a single shot there.
Hughes tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Sanchez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Hughes bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

Hughes goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Sanchez has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Hughes but great work by Sanchez.
Hughes is trying to get back to half guard.
Sanchez tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Mariano Sanchez will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hughes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Hughes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Sanchez as he avoids it easily.
Sanchez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Nice uppercut lands for Sanchez. That snapped Hughes's head back.
Sanchez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sanchez throws a right and a left that Hughes avoids nicely.
A slapping body kick lands there for Sanchez.
Hughes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hughes walks into a left hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
No joy there for Sanchez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hughes avoids the body shot from Sanchez.
Sanchez connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.

Hughes instigates a clinch.
Hughes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Sanchez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Mariano Sanchez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Hughes.
Hughes looking for a takedown.
Sanchez tries to circle away but Hughes has him pinned against the cage.
Sanchez looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sanchez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hughes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Sanchez's efforts to push away.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Hughes takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Hughes has Sanchez pressed against the cage, preventing Sanchez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Sanchez won't allow it.
Sanchez wants to get back to striking at distance but Hughes won't allow it.
Sanchez can't break the clinch.
Sanchez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Hughes has Sanchez pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Sanchez manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Sanchez tries to circle away but Hughes has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Sanchez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hughes changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Sanchez fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Sanchez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughes.
Sanchez leaves Hughes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hughes has Sanchez up against the cage in a clinch.
Sanchez gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mariano Sanchez dominated that second round.
That's time! Sanchez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Sanchez looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Sanchez throws a head kick that misses.
Sanchez scores with a punch to the head.
Mariano Sanchez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sanchez waving his hands out infront of him, looking to distract Hughes.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Sanchez as he jumps to the side.

Hughes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Sanchez is trying to defend but Hughes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Sanchez pushes Hughes off looking to stand but Hughes dives back in and keeps control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Hughes seems to be working for a kimura but Sanchez defends the submission attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes prevents Sanchez from standing back up.
Hughes looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hughes is trying to control the action in half guard but Sanchez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Sanchez wants to get back to his feet.
Hughes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sanchez, as that shot connected.
Sanchez just misses with a punch to the body.

Hughes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
The strikes coming from Hughes are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Hughes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Sanchez wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Hughes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Sanchez has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Sanchez keeps working.
Mark Hughes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hughes throws an elbow but Sanchez slips to the side and avoids it well.
Hughes trying to control the action but Sanchez is working from the bottom.
Hughes prevents Sanchez from escaping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Hughes decides to stand back up. Hughes steps back and let's Sanchez get back to his feet.
Mariano Sanchez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Nice body punch from Sanchez.
Sanchez misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hughes blocks a head kick by Sanchez.
Sanchez misses with a head kick.
Sanchez displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hughes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hughes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Sanchez 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 Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ren Mimura scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mariano Sanchez!