PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Eddie Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kazuyoshi Funaki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hughes's entrance music is Extreme Fight Music. A fine choice. The key to victory for Eddie Hughes has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hughes
vs
Funaki

185 cm
18
220 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

196 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Good in bed

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Eddie Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Kazuyoshi Funaki!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Tatsuya Matsuyama and Yukihiro Shimada.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt - Funaki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Funaki looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Funaki gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Hughes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Funaki's guard.

Funaki is working an open guard so Hughes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Hughes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Funaki did well to prevent Hughes getting side control.
Hughes tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

Hughes decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Hughes shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Funaki counters with a big head kick but Hughes shrugs it off.
Hughes dives in and grabs Funaki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Funaki pushes down on Hughes's head and hops out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Funaki gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Hughes to score an easy takedown into full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes wants to get up but he can't break Funaki's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Hughes stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Hughes looks for a takedown but Funaki sprawls well.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt - Funaki sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Funaki but Funaki pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Funaki looks to land a combination. Hughes sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hughes dives in and grabs Funaki's left leg, looking for a takedown. Funaki pushes down on Hughes's head and hops out.
Funaki with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hughes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Funaki's guard.

Funaki uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Eddie Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hughes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Funaki has a closed guard, preventing Hughes from standing up.
Hughes wants to stand and escape but instead Funaki has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Funaki stops Hughes from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hughes wriggles free and stands up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Funaki counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hughes fails with the takedown
and Funaki counters with a head kick. That will keep Hughes thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Funaki rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hughes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Funaki misses with a jab, cross combination.

Hughes decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hughes seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Hughes decides to stand and escape the position.
Hughes has his takedown stuffed

and Funaki counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hughes misses with a takedown

and Funaki counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Hughes pushes Funaki off and gets back to his feet.

Hughes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Hughes stands up from Funaki's guard - Hughes perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hughes doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Funaki finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Hughes has his takedown stuffed
and Funaki counters with a nice body shot.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hughes is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Funaki's half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
It looks like Hughes is going to stand back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Funaki uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

Hughes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hughes with a poor takedown
and Funaki counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hughes has his takedown stuffed
and Funaki counters with a three punch combo that has Hughes backing up. Hughes nods at Funaki to acknowledge the strikes.
Hughes shoots and misses
and Funaki counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Funaki pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hughes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Funaki counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Funaki.
Hughes putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Funaki in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.

Hughes lands a takedown into guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Funaki can do anything to dispel that myth.
Funaki is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Hughes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Funaki, up you get!
Hughes tries for a takedown but Funaki circles away easily
and Funaki counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt

and Funaki decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hughes's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Hughes is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki can't break the clinch.
With the fighters up against the cage, Funaki throws an elbow but misses.
Funaki prevents a takedown attempt there.
Hughes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hughes has Funaki pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Funaki manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
A frustrated look appears on Hughes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Funaki working hard to break the clinch.
Funaki tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Hughes smiles and moves away.

Funaki gets caught flat footed, as Hughes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Funaki wriggles free and stands up.
Funaki shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hughes defends it nicely.

Hughes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Funaki is trying to defend but Hughes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Funaki manages to escape and get back to his feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eddie Hughes dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hughes drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt
and Funaki counters with a straight right hand.
Funaki is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Hughes shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Funaki defends it nicely.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eddie Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Funaki tries to close the distance and clinch but Hughes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes shoots in for a double leg but Funaki sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hughes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Funaki swivels and escapes.
Eddie Hughes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Crunch! Funaki slams his shin into Hughes's torso.
Hughes with a lazy takedown attempt
and Funaki counters with a series of strikes. Hughes will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hughes misses with a takedown
and Funaki cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hughes has his takedown stuffed

and Funaki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hughes!
Funaki wants to control the pace but Hughes is squirming around nicely.
Hughes is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Funaki wants to control the pace but Hughes is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.
Funaki trying to control but Hughes is having none of it.
Hughes is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Funaki trying to control but Hughes is having none of it.
Hughes is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Funaki really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hughes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Funaki trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hughes squirming around on the bottom, looking to escape.

Funaki is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Hughes shoots and misses
and Funaki connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hughes doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Funaki counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hughes!
Funaki won't let Hughes get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Funaki controlling from the full mount.
Hughes wants to try and get back to his feet.
Eddie Hughes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Kazuyoshi Funaki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Funaki unloading with bombs!
Hughes tries to buck Funaki off but he can't manage it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kazuyoshi Funaki 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28

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