PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Hughers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafeal Djocovito (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Djocovito comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Rose - A Perfect Circle kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Matthew Hughers could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rafeal Djocovito's chin.

Hughers
vs
Djocovito

175 cm
25
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
25
170 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Matthew Hughers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rafeal Djocovito!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Winston Howard and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Djocovito will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sloppy strikes from Djocovito. Those never looked like landing.
Djocovito tries to clinch but Hughers moves away
and Hughers cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Djocovito misses with a jab, cross combination.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Djocovito.

Djocovito throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Hughers was covering up waiting for the punch and Djocovito finishes the takedown easily into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Djocovito distracts Hughers with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hughers tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Djocovito looking to pass the guard.
Hughers trying to keep a closed guard but Djocovito is proving a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Djocovito stops Hughers from standing up.
Hughers keeping moving, preventing Djocovito from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Djocovito misses with a few strikes there.

Djocovito looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Hughers!
Djocovito misses with a head shot.
Djocovito trying to control but Hughers is having none of it.
Hughers sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughers trying to control here.
Hughers moves into full guard.
Hughers lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Djocovito!
Djocovito is squirming around, avoiding Hughers's attempts to control the action.
Hughers thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Hughers tries to control but Djocovito wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Djocovito wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Hughers.

Hughers moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Djocovito has worked his arm free - good work by Djocovito!
Djocovito tries to control but Hughers manages to take his back.

Hughers is looking for the choke from the back position but Djocovito is controlling his hands well.
Djocovito trying to control but not successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Djocovito tries to escape but Hughers has the hooks in and won't let him break free.

Hughers looking to break Djocovito's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Djocovito remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Hughers will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!

Hughers tightening his grip on Djocovito, looking for the choke.
Djocovito looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.
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 Matthew Hughers will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Djocovito misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A combination from Djocovito does no damage.
The fighters circle momentarily. Djocovito darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Hughers takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hughers throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hughers shoots and misses
and Hughers takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Djocovito tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Djocovito will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Djocovito missing with a left hand there. Hughers was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Rafeal Djocovito is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughers dodges the punch combination from Djocovito.
Djocovito throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A telegraphed right hand from Hughers misses the target.
Djocovito throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughers.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Djocovito.
Hughers gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Djocovito connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Djocovito tries to close the distance and clinch but Hughers swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Djocovito tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Djocovito throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hughers dodges the punch combination from Djocovito.
Some wild striking there from Djocovito.
Djocovito looks to land a combination. Hughers sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughers misses with a takedown attempt

and Djocovito counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matthew Hughers. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hughers has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Djocovito is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Djocovito breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Djocovito misses with a few strikes there.
Hughers misses with a takedown
and Djocovito connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A punch combination from Djocovito misses.
Djocovito throws a right and a left that Hughers avoids nicely.

Hughers gets caught flat footed, as Djocovito shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Djocovito postures up.
Djocovito prevents Hughers from getting back to his feet.
Djocovito in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Djocovito is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Djocovito in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hughers pulls Djocovito in close to prevent any damage.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Djocovito won't allow Hughers to sweep him here.
Djocovito is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Rafeal Djocovito has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Djocovito tries to bum rush Hughers with a series of wild strikes but Hughers uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Djocovito dips to his left and cracks Hughers with an uppercut!
Djocovito pivots, looking for a leg kick but Hughers is out of range and Djocovito settles back down.
Djocovito feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hughers's calf.
Rafeal Djocovito seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four 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.
Djocovito wants to clinch but Hughers slips to the side

and Hughers counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Djocovito can't keep his opponent in guard - Hughers advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Djocovito wants to control but Hughers is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Hughers is working for a kimura but Djocovito is defending it quite comfortably.
Djocovito is trying to stand.
Djocovito is not content to let Hughers control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafeal Djocovito showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hughers throws out a loose jab but Djocovito uses good head movement to avoid it.
A leg kick checked by Hughers.
Djocovito lands a slapping body shot.
Djocovito fails to land with a series of punches.
Hughers moves out of range as Djocovito throws a body kick.
Djocovito throws a head kick but Hughers moves out of range.
Djocovito throws a series of punches but Hughers moves out of range.
Hughers showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Djocovito.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Djocovito lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hughers circles away quickly and effectively.
Djocovito looks to land a combination. Hughers sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Good leg kick by Djocovito there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Djocovito throws a series of punches but Hughers avoids them all with ease.
Djocovito throws a right hand that Hughers ducks under and follows up with a left that Hughers also avoids with ease.
Djocovito throws a right and a left that both miss.
Djocovito shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hughers defends it nicely.
Djocovito misses with a double jab.
Hughers dodges the punch combination from Djocovito.
Djocovito rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hughers moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Djocovito lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hughers circles away quickly and effectively.
Hughers shoots and misses

and Djocovito counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hughers won't be happy with that.
Hughers dodges the ground and pound from Djocovito.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Djocovito working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Djocovito in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Hughers is trying to get back to his feet.
Djocovito cracks Hughers with a big elbow.
Djocovito throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Hughers is looking to slip a leg under and get half guard but Djocovito is one step ahead and moves to full mount!
Hughers wants to hold on but Djocovito pushes him away.
Djocovito controlling from the full mount.
Djocovito wants to control the pace but Hughers is squirming around nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Djocovito avoids the attempt from Hughers to control.
Hughers wants to try and get back to his feet.
Hughers avoids a series of strikes thrown by Djocovito.
Hughers is squirming around, avoiding Djocovito's attempts to control the action.
Djocovito scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Hughers?
Hughers is wriggling around trying to escape.

Djocovito with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Djocovito is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Hughers can't stay in a position like this for much longer.

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.
Djocovito raining down shots from the mount!
Hughers is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Djocovito prevents Hughers from getting the reversal.

Djocovito is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Hughers is surviving well by controlling Djocovito's body position as best he can.
Hughers tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Djocovito trying to control but Hughers is having none of it.
Djocovito misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafeal Djocovito comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Djocovito 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:30
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafeal Djocovito!