PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Keith Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Anthony Graffeo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hughes comes to the cage accompanied by tvs air wolf. Anthony Graffeo looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Hughes
vs
Graffeo

188 cm
19
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
145 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Keith Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Anthony Graffeo!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Bruno Lombardi and Anthony Taglia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes throws a combination that misses

and Graffeo counters with a shoot takedown. Hughes fights it but they end up in guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Graffeo looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Graffeo throws a strike but Hughes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hughes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hughes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hughes throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Hughes swings away with a body shot that misses

and Graffeo counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hughes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hughes is looking to stand up but Graffeo isn't so interested in that idea.

Hughes is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Hughes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes connects with a single shot there.

It looks like Anthony Graffeo has been cut.
Hughes misses with a hook

and Graffeo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hughes won't be happy with that.
Graffeo misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Hughes is trying to buck Graffeo off.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Graffeo working the ground and pound but Hughes is defending the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graffeo throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Hughes works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.

Hughes kicks Graffeo off and gets back to his feet.
Keith Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hughes throws a body kick that misses.
Keith Hughes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hughes throws a hook but Graffeo blocks it.
Graffeo ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Hughes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Graffeo sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hughes tries to bum rush Graffeo with a series of wild strikes but Graffeo uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes misses with a leg kick

and Graffeo counters with a nice double leg into side control. Hughes won't be happy with that.
Hughes is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Sloppy strikes there by Graffeo.
Hughes is pushing Graffeo's head away, looking to escape. Graffeo manages to hold on to the position though.
Hughes trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Graffeo cracks Hughes with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Hughes bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Graffeo takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Graffeo counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hughes!
Hughes is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Graffeo punching from mount but Hughes doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Graffeo unloads with some shots from mount but Hughes bucks and avoids them well.
Hughes is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Hughes wants to get back to his feet.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Graffeo throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hughes wants to get back to his feet.
The referee warns Hughes that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Graffeo dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Anthony Graffeo's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hughes throws a sloppy head kick

and Graffeo counters with a takedown into side control.
Anthony Graffeo has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hughes tries to escape but Graffeo is in control.
Hughes managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Graffeo.

Hughes throws Graffeo to one side and escapes!
Hughes throws out a loose jab but Graffeo uses good head movement to avoid it.
Graffeo slips a jab from Hughes.
Hughes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hughes displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Hughes takes a swing at Graffeo's ribcage but misses.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hughes lands an overhand right.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes throws a quick inside leg kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Graffeo checks a leg kick.
Graffeo looks for a takedown but Hughes sprawls well.
Hughes thows a body shot but no joy.
A telegraphed right hand from Hughes misses the target.
Hughes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Hughes throws a leg kick but Graffeo moved away.
Hughes throws a hook to the side of Graffeo's head but Graffeo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.

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.
Graffeo slips a jab and a cross from Hughes.
Hughes misses with a combination

and Graffeo counters with a single leg into guard. Hughes didn't expect that.
Graffeo throws and elbow that misses. Hughes uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Graffeo's guard. Nice move by Hughes!

Graffeo is working an open guard so Hughes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses.
Hughes scores with a jab to the head.
Hughes swings widly with a right hand

and Graffeo counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graffeo is nestled in close to Hughes, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Graffeo looks to land a strike but Hughes avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Graffeo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Graffeo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Graffeo throws a big right hand that misses.
Graffeo prevents Hughes from getting back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hughes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Graffeo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Graffeo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Graffeo working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Graffeo with a flurry of punches that miss.
Graffeo is looking to work some ground and pound but Hughes has wrist control.
Graffeo in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Graffeo loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Graffeo won't allow Hughes to get back to his feet.
Graffeo landing some decent shots from guard.
Graffeo thows a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Anthony Graffeo showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Anthony Graffeo's cut.
That's time! Hughes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. And we move into the final round!

Hughes misses with an uppercut

and Graffeo counters with a single leg into guard. Hughes didn't expect that.

Hughes has his feet on Graffeo's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Some wild striking there from Hughes.
A swing and a miss from Hughes.
Hughes looks to throw the jab but Graffeo is out of range.
Keith Hughes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hughes throws a shot from downtown. Graffeo moves away and avoids it.
Hughes misses with a double jab.
Hughes swings widly with a right hand

and Graffeo counters with a shoot takedown. Hughes fights it but they end up in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes pushes Graffeo off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Graffeo moves out of range as Hughes throws a body kick.
The fighters circling - Hughes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hughes throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Hughes throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Graffeo counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Hughes!
Graffeo sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Graffeo thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Hughes is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Graffeo in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Graffeo working Hughes over with strikes here.
Hughes is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Graffeo with good strikes from the mount here!
Graffeo lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Hughes hang on?
Hughes is in a horrible position here. Graffeo smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Hughes wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Graffeo landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Graffeo landing punches.
Graffeo throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Graffeo throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Graffeo lands a heavy elbow.
Graffeo fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Graffeo cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Graffeo looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Graffeo 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.
Hughes is trying to stand up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Graffeo 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.
Graffeo pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Graffeo throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Hughes is trying to stand up.
Graffeo unloads with some shots from mount but Hughes bucks and avoids them well.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hughes taking shots to the head.
Graffeo throwing strikes here but Hughes is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.
Keith Hughes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hughes throwing punches from his back but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Anthony Graffeo comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Graffeo 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Anthony Graffeo!