PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Aja Usw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kurtis Hugs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Usw
vs
Hugs

175 cm
24
175 lbs
3 - 6 - 0

180 cm
22
170 lbs
3 - 1 - 1

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 6 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Aja Usw!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Kurtis Hugs!
The judges for this bout are Vladimir Khabensky, Viktor Lagutenko and Aleksei Zolotukhin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hugs misses the jab.
Hugs throws a hook but Usw avoids it easily.
Usw steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hugs.
Usw avoids a punch combination nicely.

Hugs shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hugs prevents Usw from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hugs trying to move into half guard but instead Usw has managed to sweep!
Hugs doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Usw preventing the sweep.
Hugs throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Usw has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Hugs is proving hard to escape from.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
A slow jab from Hugs misses its intended target.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugs bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Usw's head.
Hugs misses with a two punch combination.
Hugs waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Usw.
Hugs misses with a two punch combination.
Hugs misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Usw lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hugs circles away quickly and effectively.
Usw moves out of range as Hugs strikes.
Usw throws a right and a left that Hugs avoids nicely.
Usw is breathing heavily.
Hugs misses with a double jab

and Usw counters with a single leg into guard. Hugs didn't expect that.
Usw wants to pass the guard but Hugs is keeping the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hugs looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hugs lands a decent punch to the body there.

Usw is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hugs is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hugs has escaped and now he's on top!
Usw working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hugs.
Hugs must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hugs keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Usw's head.
Usw has momentary wrist control but Hugs slips an elbow through the middle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hugs accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

Usw is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hugs lands a couple of digs.
Hugs landing with the ground and pound.
Usw keeping moving, preventing Hugs from controlling successfully.
Hugs postures up and lands a big shot to Usw's brow.
Usw has momentary wrist control but Hugs slips an elbow through the middle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hugs trying to control but Usw is working from the bottom.
Hugs throws and elbow that misses. Usw uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hugs's guard. Nice move by Usw!
Hugs has a closed guard, preventing Usw from standing up.
Hugs looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Usw is on the wrong end of a couple of strikes there.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Usw won't allow Hugs to sweep him here.
Hugs is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hugs lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hugs is trying to control the action in half guard but Usw is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurtis Hugs dominated that round.
That's time! Usw's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hugs throws a series of punches but Usw moves out of range.
Hugs misses with a hook.
Hugs tries to bum rush Usw with a series of wild strikes but Usw uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hugs tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Usw was well out of range. Poor timing from Hugs.
Usw needs to keep his hands up - Hugs had a free shot at his head there.
Kurtis Hugs seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A left and a right from Hugs both land. Nice combination.
Hugs fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Usw slips under a jab from Hugs.
Usw has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Usw checks a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Usw fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hugs avoids it really well and circles away.
Hugs throws a leg kick but Usw sees it coming and moves out of range.
Aja Usw is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hugs fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Usw manages to avoid it.

Hugs closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Usw did well to prevent Hugs getting side control.

Usw is defending against the submission attempts here by Hugs.
Usw is looking to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hugs throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Usw is trying to get back to full guard.
Hugs looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Usw with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Hugs thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Usw's head.
Usw blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hugs.
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. Hugs connects with a nice short shot to Usw's temple.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hugs fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hugs connects with a crisp jab.
Hugs throws a right and a left that Usw avoids nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hugs misses with a body shot.
Hugs is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Usw.

Hugs drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Hugs swings around for an armbar but Usw sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Hugs's guard.
Hugs trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Hugs lands with a heel strike from the guard.
Hugs striking off his back, scoring a few points.

Usw drops back looking for a leg! Hugs is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hugs manages to kick Usw off! Usw jumps back into Hugs's guard.
Usw wants to pass the guard but Hugs is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Usw stopping the sweep attempt from Hugs.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Usw thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hugs paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Hugs scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Hugs is looking to score with low kicks.
Hugs lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Usw bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kurtis Hugs showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Usw takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Usw keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Usw keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Hugs.
Usw throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hugs is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Usw.
Hugs throws a predictable looking body shot
and Usw counters with a nice body shot.
Hugs looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Hugs throws a shot from downtown. Usw moves away and avoids it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Usw stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Usw wants it to stay on the feet.
Usw steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hugs.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Usw looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hugs is fending him off so far but Usw persists. Nope, Hugs circles away and we're back to standing.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hugs closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hugs working away.
Usw is trying to get back to his feet.
Check out the look on Hugs's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Usw tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
Hugs lands a nice shot to the head.
Hugs is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Usw really wants to buck Hugs off and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hugs working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hugs working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hugs lands a big elbow.
A nice elbow there by Hugs.
Hugs pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Hugs lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Usw hang on?
Kurtis Hugs has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hugs lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Hugs lands a big elbow.
Hugs punishing his opponent with strikes.
Hugs with shots to the head and body - Usw looks very uncomfortable down there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hugs lands with some strikes.
Hugs connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hugs trying to control but Usw is having none of it.
Hugs postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Usw looks a forlorn figure.
Hugs working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hugs lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hugs raining down shots from the mount!
Hugs lands a heavy elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Hugs with good strikes from the mount here!
Usw is really trying hard to get back to his feet.
Hugs breaks from Usw's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hugs throwing strikes but Usw bucks up and reverses the position. He's now in guard on top.
Hugs throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Usw works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Aja Usw has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hugs passes Usw's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Kurtis Hugs is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hugs trying to control from Usw's half guard. Usw has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

Usw is looking for a triangle but Hugs pushes his legs off easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kurtis Hugs comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hugs has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kurtis Hugs!