PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jake colby (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Jake colby has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

colby
vs
Hughes

169 cm
27
173 lbs
7 - 11 - 0

175 cm
21
170 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Experienced

Good wrestler
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 7 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jake colby!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Matt Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Arvi Lind.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes has a takedown stuffed.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt - colby sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

colby shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Hughes's guard.
colby wants to stand but Hughes is controlling his posture from full guard.

colby decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hughes, up you get!
colby could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Hughes shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. colby manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hughes content to stall in guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
colby trying to strike off his back.
colby trying to control the position.
Hughes controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Hughes 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.

colby escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hughes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
colby is breathing heavily.
Hughes scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's two 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.
Hughes is working colby over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Hughes cracks colby with a solid left hand.
Hughes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with colby. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hughes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hughes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
colby looking to hit a scissor sweep but Hughes is one step ahead there.
Hughes advances to half guard.
Hughes is keen to just control but colby is a slippery customer.
Hughes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
I looks like Hughes might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.
Hughes drops an elbow to the side of colby's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
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. Hughes connects with a nice short shot to colby's temple.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes working the head and body with strikes.
Hughes winds up and cracks colby with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hughes sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Hughes's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
colby is looking for a sweep. Hughes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Hughes frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Hughes lands a big shot there that rocks colby but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hughes looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Hughes looking to control but colby is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes working colby over with strikes here.
Hughes dominating with strikes here.
Hughes with a couple of short strikes.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hughes cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Hughes landing punches.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Hughes prevents colby from getting the reversal.
Hughes lands with some vicious ground and pound - can colby hang on?

colby is rocked!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes breaks from colby's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Oh colby is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hughes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Hughes with the ground and pound from mount.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hughes content just to control the position here.
colby seems to have got his legs back now.
colby working to try and regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes dominated that round.
That's time! colby's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hughes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. colby sprawls well initially but Hughes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Hughes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
colby is trying to stand back up but Hughes is controlling him
Hughes content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
colby has hold of Hughes's hands but Hughes slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

colby looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hughes controlling the action here.
Hughes passes to side control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
colby is letting Hughes control him for a moment.
Hughes grinds an elbow into colby's temple.
colby is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hughes connects with a decent elbow.
Hughes working the ground and pound from side control.
Hughes scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at colby to see if he's OK.
colby gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
Hughes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
A nice elbow there by Hughes.
colby is trying to escape the mount.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Hughes cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
BOOM! Hughes connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hughes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. colby can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Hughes looking to control and managing it successfully.

Hughes with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Hughes working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Hughes working the ground and pound effectively.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Hughes wants to finish this one by submission but colby is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Hughes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
colby taking shots to the head.
Hughes lands a nice shot to the head.
Hughes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hughes scoring with strikes but colby is staying in there.
Hughes dominating with strikes here.
Hughes in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.

Hughes looking to secure an arm triangle but colby defends it well.
Hughes cracks colby with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
colby really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Hughes scores with a couple of good head shots there.
colby is in all sorts of trouble here.
Hughes content just to control the position here.
Matt Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hughes cracks colby with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Hughes connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hughes lands a heavy elbow.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hughes takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hughes has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of colby's face.
colby is squirming around, avoiding Hughes's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Hughes closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Hughes lands in his opponent's guard.
colby wants to improve his position but instead Hughes has moved into half guard.
Hughes scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Hughes takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hughes is controlling the pace.
Hughes drops an elbow to the side of colby's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes working over colby with some ground and pound. colby looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hughes landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hughes drops an elbow to the side of colby's head.
Hughes controlling the pace.
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. Hughes connects with a nice short shot to colby's temple.
Hughes seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
colby tries to get to full guard but Hughes has control of the leg.
Hughes seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
colby on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Hughes landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
colby has hold of Hughes's hands but Hughes slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hughes slips a nice elbow through colby's hands, connecting with colby's forehead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
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. Hughes connects with a nice short shot to colby's temple.
Hughes scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
colby wants to get back to his feet.
Hughes is trying to control the action in half guard but colby is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Hughes is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
colby taking some punishment here, with Hughes in his half guard.
Hughes controlling the action here.
Hughes looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
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. Hughes connects with a nice short shot to colby's temple.
Hughes winds up and cracks colby with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hughes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes lands strikes from half guard.
colby is trying to stand up here but Hughes is controlling him well.
colby on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Hughes prevents colby from standing back up.
Hughes controlling the action here.
Matt Hughes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hughes wants to free his trapped foot but colby is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hughes seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hughes lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

colby is defending against the submission attempts here by Hughes.
Hughes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
colby tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Hughes is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Let's hope that Hughes has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hughes 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Arvi Lind scores the fight 25:30

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