PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between mat hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Freddie James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

hughes
vs
James

160 cm
22
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
25
240 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Tri Light Clothing
FNF Energy & Stamina - Sale!

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, mat hughes!
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, Freddie James!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
James uses good head movement to avoid the hook from hughes.
hughes slaps away a takedown attempt from James, before circling back to the center of the mat.

hughes rushes James and pushes him back against the ropes in a clinch.
hughes jumps guard but James stands there with hughes around his waist. hughes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

hughes successfully pulls guard.
James is looking to stand up but hughes won't let him.
hughes keeping full guard, as James tries to pass.
James wants to get up but he can't break hughes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

hughes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
hughes is breathing heavily.

James thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
James is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James wants to get up but he can't break hughes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
James stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. hughes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

hughes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. James gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
James wants to stand but hughes is controlling his posture from full guard.
James stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. hughes swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
James sitting in guard here, content to control.
hughes might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Freddie James hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
James drives through with a takedown into guard.

hughes working for a triangle but James defends it easily.
James tries to free his leg and advance position but hughes is retaining full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
hughes keeping moving, preventing James from controlling successfully.
James wanted to stand there but hughes had control of the position.

James thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
James wants to stand but hughes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

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.
hughes can't keep his opponent in guard - James advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
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.
James passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for hughes!
James punishing his opponent with strikes.
James prevents hughes from getting the reversal.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
James lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
James connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

James lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
James throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
James scores with a nice head shot.
James looks for a takedown but hughes sprawls well.
hughes keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
James lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as hughes backs up against the ropes.
James jabs hughes to the body, keeping him at a distance.
James lands a nice hook to hughes's body. hughes takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
hughes really is a fat lump.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
James shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts hughes as he jumps to the side.
mat hughes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Freddie James.
Nice takedown defense from hughes. No joy for James on that attempt.

hughes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. James sprawls well initially but hughes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

hughes is working for a submission of some sort.
hughes throwing shots but James is blocking nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
hughes wants to pass to mount but James is defending the position.
James makes his way to full guard. A much better position for James.

James is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
hughes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. James is keeping the position for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

James looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
hughes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. James is keeping the position for now.
hughes trying to control but James is working from the bottom.
hughes is looking to work some ground and pound but James has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

hughes drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but James manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now hughes has James in his guard.

James drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and James jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

James is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
hughes looking to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
hughes has a closed guard, preventing James from standing up.
James slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
James passes to full mount! That's big trouble for hughes!
James looking to control but hughes is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
James lands a nice shot to the head.
hughes is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Freddie James showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

James tries for a takedown but hughes circles away easily

and hughes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
James moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
hughes wants to stand and escape but instead James has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

James drops back looking for a leg! hughes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and hughes manages to kick James off! James jumps back into hughes's guard.

hughes looking for submissions from the bottom but instead James passes into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
James working the ground and pound.
Freddie James has got the better of the ground game so far.
hughes takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

James is trying to get an arm triangle but hughes is defending well.

James working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James taking a break here but hughes is having none of it and regains half guard.
hughes moves into full guard.
James trying to stand up but can't free himself from hughes's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

hughes escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. James gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
James would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
hughes is trying to keep James in close.

James drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and James jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Freddie James is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
James trying to control the position from guard on top but hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

hughes looking for submissions from the bottom but instead James passes into side control.
James wants to stand but hughes is controlling his arm.
hughes tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but James wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

James tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no James has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
James creates some space and throws a big elbow, but hughes sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.

And that's the end of the fight!
Freddie James comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got James winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Frank Antenori scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Suge Night scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Freddie James!