PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Cesar Goodknight (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Blake Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Goodknight
vs
Hughes

188 cm
19
180 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
169 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Cesar Goodknight!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Blake Hughes!
The judges for this bout are , and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Goodknight will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hughes with a lazy takedown attempt
and Goodknight counters with a flying knee. Nice.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Goodknight.
Goodknight will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hughes wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes taking punishment in the form of punches.
Goodknight cracks Hughes with a big right hand but Hughes just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Hughes managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Goodknight.

Hughes sneaks out the side door and pushes Goodknight away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Goodknight doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Hughes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hughes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Goodknight defending well though.
Hughes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Goodknight trying to control from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes tries to pass to full mount but Goodknight defends it.
Hughes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hughes is looking to pass Goodknight's guard but actually Goodknight recovers to full guard.
Hughes chips away with some ground and pound.
Hughes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Goodknight avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hughes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hughes loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hughes postures up in Goodknight's guard and throws a big left but Goodknight blocks it.
Hughes throws a big right hand that misses.
Goodknight looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Goodknight works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Goodknight closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hughes to the mat! Hughes manages to get full guard.
Goodknightis looking to pass into half guard but Hughes pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Hughes is in guard.
Hughes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hughes throws a strike but Goodknight rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Goodknight chips away with some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goodknight scoring with some ground and pound.
Goodknight has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Hughes looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Goodknight has picked Hughes up and slammed him! Hughes can't keep hold of the triangle and Goodknight manages to pass to side control!
Hughes sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Hughes is trying to get back to full guard.
Hughes looks gassed!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Goodknight lands a nice short elbow.
Goodknight scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hughes won't allow Goodknight to pass to mount.
Goodknight not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Goodknight prevents Hughes from improving his position.
Goodknight stops Hughes from getting back to his feet.

Hughes looking for submissions off his back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Goodknight stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Goodknight wants it to stay on the feet.
Goodknight with a lazy takedown attempt

so Hughes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cesar Goodknight. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Goodknight wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.
Goodknight manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hughes manages to get himself to full guard.
Goodknight won't allow Hughes to sweep him here.
Goodknight stops Hughes from standing up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Goodknight scoring with punches to the head and body.
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 Cesar Goodknight will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Goodknight misses with a takedown

and Hughes counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Goodknight's guard now.
Hughes is looking to advance position but Goodknight has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Hughes is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Goodknight with good strikes from the mount here!
BOOM! Goodknight connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hughes keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Goodknight lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Hughes is working to get back to half guard.
Goodknight working Hughes over with strikes here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Goodknight landing strikes from the mount and Hughes is in trouble!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Goodknight lands a heavy elbow.
Hughes is trying to stand up.
Goodknight lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Hughes hang on?
Goodknight lands a heavy elbow.
Hughes is in all sorts of trouble here.
Goodknight avoids the attempt from Hughes to control.
Goodknight lands a nice shot to the head.
Goodknight scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hughes is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.
Goodknight looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Goodknight lands a big elbow.
Hughes is looking to improve his position but Goodknight isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goodknight has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Hughes's face.
Goodknight fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Hughes tries to reverse the position but Goodknight maintains control.
Goodknight fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Goodknight postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hughes looks a forlorn figure.
Hughes is trying desperately to improve position.
Goodknight looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
BOOM! Goodknight connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hughes taking shots to the head.
Hughes is trying desperately to improve position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goodknight lands with some strikes.
Hughes gets back to half guard.
Hughes avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Goodknight.
Goodknight scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hughes regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hughes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hughes 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.
Hughes is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Goodknight with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Goodknight throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Goodknight throws a right and a left that Hughes avoids nicely.
Goodknight fails with the takedown

and Hughes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hughes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hughes throwing shots but Goodknight is blocking nicely.
Hughes working Goodknight over with strikes.
Hughes looks to land a strike but Goodknight avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Hughes throwing strikes from guard but Goodknight blocks nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hughes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Cesar Goodknight will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Goodknight waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hughes.
Nice body kick there by Goodknight.
Goodknight slaps away a takedown attempt from Hughes, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Goodknight as he jumps to the side.
Hughes fails with a takedown attempt.
Cesar Goodknight has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Blake Hughes.
Hughes misses with a takedown

and Goodknight holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Goodknight manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Goodknight has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Cesar Goodknight overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hughes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but Goodknight is keeping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hughes throws a big right hand that misses.
Goodknight manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hughes manages to get himself to full guard.
Hughes has momentary wrist control but Goodknight slips an elbow through the middle.

Hughes manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Goodknight fails with the takedown

and Hughes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Goodknight avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hughes.
Hughes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Goodknight defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Goodknight regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Hughes.
Goodknight utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Goodknight avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hughes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hughes throws a strike but Goodknight rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Goodknight won't allow Hughes to sweep him here.
Hughes wants to stand up but Goodknight is controlling him.
Goodknight pushing down on Hughes's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Goodknight trying to mount his opponent but Hughes defends it.
Goodknight working over Hughes with some ground and pound. Hughes looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
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. Goodknight connects with a nice short shot to Hughes's temple.

Hughes looking for submissions off his back.
Hughes taking some punishment here, with Goodknight in his half guard.
Goodknight winds up and cracks Hughes with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hughes gets back to full guard.
Goodknight missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Hughes working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Goodknight doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Goodknight manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Goodknight in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cesar Goodknight is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hughes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Goodknight scoring with some ground and pound.
Hughes is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Goodknight is controlling him.
Goodknight passes Hughes's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Goodknight is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Hughes kicks Goodknight off and gets back to his feet.
Blake Hughes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Goodknight fails to land the takedown.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Blake Hughes.
I think Goodknight 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 Suge Night scores the fight 28:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Blake Hughes!