PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Hunt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thiago Alves (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hunt
vs
Alves

150 cm
23
183 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

180 cm
25
181 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mike Hunt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Thiago Alves !
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Summer Carpenter and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Hunt does no damage.
Alves rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Hunt counters with a takedown into side control.
Alves struggling a bit here.
Hunt tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
Hunt lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Alves is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hunt connects with a decent elbow.
Alves is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Hunt off and has taken his back!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Good control from Alves .
Alves has the hooks in. Hunt is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Hunt turns into Alves and is now in his guard.
Alves pulls Hunt in close to prevent any damage.
Alves throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Alves wants to control but Hunt passes easily into half guard.
Alves gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunt stopping the sweep attempt from Alves .
Hunt postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Hunt throwing strikes from guard but Alves blocks nicely.
Hunt throwing strikes from guard but Alves blocks nicely.
Alves looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alves is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hunt is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Alves seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Alves wants to improve his position but instead Hunt has moved into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hunt frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Alves is wriggling around trying to escape.
Hunt throws some wild stikes that Alves manages to avoid easily.
Alves tries to hold on but Hunt postures up.
Alves has worked his way to half guard, taking advantage of Hunt's lack of action.
Hunt passes to full mount!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Hunt dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Alves falls off balance throwing a combination

and Hunt counters with a takedown into side control.
What's Alves going to do here then? He's in a bit of a pickle.
A control attempt from Alves but he's now mounted!
Alves is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves wants to hold on but Hunt pushes him away.
Alves is trying to escape the mount.
Hunt scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Alves can't escape the position.

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.
Hunt trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hunt postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Alves looks a forlorn figure.
Mike Hunt overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Alves bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Hunt controlling the position.
Hunt is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hunt is on top in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunt wants to pass the guard but Alves is keeping the position.
Alves looking for a sweep. Not yet Alves , not yet.
Alves is adopting a defensive guard.
Alves wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four 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.
Hunt is looking to work some ground and pound but Alves has wrist control.
Alves wants to stand up but Hunt is controlling him.
Hunt with a flurry of punches that miss.
Alves not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Alves preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Alves pushes Hunt off and gets back to his feet.
Alves rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hunt moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Hunt dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hunt on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Alves throws a sloppy body shot

and Hunt counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Alves wants to sweep here but Hunt controlling him for the moment.
Hunt pushing down on Alves 's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.
Hunt throwing shots but Alves is blocking nicely.
Alves trying to hold on to Hunt's head to control him but Hunt postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alves is pressing down on Hunt's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hunt stopping the sweep attempt from Alves .
Hunt throws a strike but Alves rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Hunt preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Thiago Alves has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hunt seems keen to control Alves 's posture.
Hunt is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Alves stopping the sweep attempt from Hunt.
Alves wants to get up but he can't break Hunt's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunt is trying to control the position from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Mike Hunt just wasn't active enough.
Alves swings widly with a right hand

so Hunt counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Alves tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Alves seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Alves looking for a sweep. Not yet Alves , not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunt working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hunt throwing strikes but missing.

Hunt has gone for a leg lock! Alves slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hunt's guard.
Hunt trying to keep a closed guard but Alves is proving a slippery customer.
Mike Hunt is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Alves must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Hunt seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Hunt showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hunt, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 30:27
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Hunt!