PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Sarah Northcote (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Sarah Northcote has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Northcote
vs
Hughes

165 cm
25
138 lbs
8 - 7 - 0

174 cm
19
133 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Determined

Cage Wars Nutrition
Cage Wars Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Sarah Northcote!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mark Hughes!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

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

Northcote tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Hughes is looking to regain half guard here but Northcote keeps moving and retains side control.

Northcote wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Hughes, who protects the arm well.

Northcote is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Hughes is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Northcote is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Hughes knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sloppy strikes there by Northcote.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Northcote lands a heavy elbow.

Northcote goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Hughes is on top in guard.
Hughes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hughes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hughes tries to free his leg and advance position but Northcote is retaining full guard.
Hughes wants to control from the top but Northcote keeps moving.
Hughes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Northcote. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Northcote looking for a guillotine here but Hughes defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Northcote is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hughes is aware though and is defending well.

Hughes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Hughes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hughes with a flurry of punches that miss.
Northcote keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.

Hughes stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Northcote looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hughes!
Northcote is breathing heavily.
Hughes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Northcote lands a heavy elbow.
Northcote tries to control but Hughes wriggling away.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Northcote swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Hughes is now in Northcote's guard. A big mistake from Northcote there, giving up the dominant position!
Northcote striking from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes looking to pass the guard.
Hughes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Northcote looking to control but Hughes passes into half guard.
Northcote slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

Northcote looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hughes tries to free his leg and advance position but Northcote is retaining full guard.
Northcote is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hughes is in close to Northcote's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hughes trying to control but Northcote is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sarah Northcote dominated that round.
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.

Northcote is looking to clinch.

Northcote scores a takedown into full mount!

Northcote looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Northcote throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Hughes because Northcote loaded up on that one.
Hughes avoids a series of strikes thrown by Northcote.
Northcote tries to take his opponent's back but Hughes turns with him and manages to move into guard on the top. Nice work.

Northcote is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Northcote looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Northcote looking for a guillotine here but Hughes defends easily.
Hughes lands a couple of digs.
Hughes looking to pass the guard.

Northcote had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hughes defends it easily.
Hughes with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hughes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Northcote swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Northcote has his foot on Hughes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hughes works his way back into a safe position though.

Northcote working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Hughes doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Hughes manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hughes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Northcote keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Hughes chips away with some ground and pound.
Hughes is looking to stand up but Northcote won't let him.
Hughes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hughes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is looking to stand up but Northcote won't let him.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hughes swats away the attempt to clinch by Northcote.
Hughes misses with a takedown

and Northcote counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Northcote drops an elbow to the side of Hughes's head.

Northcote is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Hughes is just riding it out for now. Northcote eventually gives up the hold.

Hughes is defending against the submission attempts here by Northcote.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is looking for a sweep. Northcote is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Northcote wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hughes keeps working.
Northcote looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sarah Northcote dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Northcote clinches up with Hughes and pushes him back against the ropes.

Northcote jumps into guard, dragging Hughes to the mat.

Northcote has managed to work for a loose triangle. I think Hughes should be able to defend this one pretty easily though. Oh, Northcote has tightened it up now! Hughes should have reacted faster there - he's in big trouble and yes, he's tapped out! This one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:36 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Sarah Northcote!