PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Harrold Branch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gray Hales (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Branch's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Cocaine Blues, Johnny Cash. Gray Hales will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Branch
vs
Hales

185 cm
25
191 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

177 cm
25
185 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

KrakHeaD Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Harrold Branch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gray Hales!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Damien Edna and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Branch wants to clinch.
Branch chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hales can pounce on him.
Branch shoots in but Hales avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A combination from Hales does no damage.
Hales feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Branchs jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!

Hales gets a clinch.

Hales breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A combination from Hales does no damage.
Branch is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hales throws a jab but it's blocked by Branch.
Hales scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hales. Branch does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hales avoids the head kick by Branch.
Hales dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Branch. That did some damage!
Hales dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
No luck for Hales with that takedown attempt.
Hales just misses with a punch to the body.

Hales moves into the clinch.
Branch wants a takedown but no success here.
Branch misses with the head strike.
Hales misses with an elbow strike.

Hales escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Branch lands a head kick. Hales smiles back at him and beckons him forward.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hales closes the distance and clinches.

Hales escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Branch steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hales.

Hales has closed the distance and engaged Branch in a clinch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Branch misses with a punch to the body.
Hales lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Branch backwards.
Hales works on Branch's body with a couple of short punches.
Hales is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Branch pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Branch tries to score a body lock takedown but Hales shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harrold Branch. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Branch is looking to clinch.

Hales closes the distance and clinches.
A shot in the inside from Hales.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hales leaning his opponent against the cage.
Branch drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hales gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Branch is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Hales is defending well.
Branch is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Hales gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Branch can't get the takedown.

Hales breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Branch misses with a wild body shot.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hales. Branch does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gray Hales seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Branch misses with a head kick.
Branch tries for a takedown but Hales sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hales looks for a takedown but Branch sprawls well.
Hales throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hales misses with a combination
and Branch connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Branch showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hales.
Hales throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hales misses with a wild combination.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hales throws a low kick but it's checked well by Branch.
Branch tries to clinch up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gray Hales dominated that round.
That's time! Branch's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hales has taken the fight to the clinch.
Branch is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Hales to keep the fight standing.
Branch is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Branch is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Hales pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harrold Branch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hales lands an elbow just above Branch 's eye.

Hales pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hales falls off balance throwing a combination

and Branch counters with a shoot takedown. Hales fights it but they end up in guard.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Branch trying to control but Hales is working from the bottom.
Branch controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Branch looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branch with a flurry of punches that miss.
Branch sitting in guard, not really doing much.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Harrold Branch just wasn't active enough.
Hales's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Hales duly obliges.
Hales lands with a kick to the temple. Branch shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Hales gets the takedown into side control.
An elbow from Hales crashes against the mat.

Hales stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hales's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Hales duly obliges.
Hales is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Branch manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Hales on his heels. He'll look to pass Hales's guard now, I'm sure.
Branch is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Branch won't allow Hales to sweep him here.
Branch wants to pass the guard but Hales is keeping the position.
Branch throws a strike but Hales rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hales stands up from Branch's guard - Hales perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hales clinches up with Branch and pushes him back against the cage.
Hales is trying to break the clinch but Branch is controlling him.
Branch is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hales lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Branch drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hales pulls his leg out and moves away.
Hales misses with the combination.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hales misses with a body shot.
Some wild striking there from Hales.
Hales is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Branch rather than just go for the knockout.
Hales scores with a jab to the body.
Gray Hales seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Branch showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Hales.
Hales connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Hales clinches up with Branch and pushes him back against the cage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hales working aggressively here.
Hales can't break the clinch.
Branch blocks a body shot from Hales.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gray Hales showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Hales throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Branch connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Branch tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hales lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Branch backs up against the cage.
Hales shoots in for a takedown but Branch shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Hales misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hales throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hales misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hales takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Branch darts in and clinches Hales up against the cage.
Branch drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Hales's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branch slips a jab and a cross from Hales.

Hales gets tackled into the cage by Branch. Branch maintains the clinch.
Branch tries for a takedown. No joy.
Branch tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Harrold Branch. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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

Hales has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hales lands with a short shot to the head.
Hales scores with a hook to the body.
Hales is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Hales lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Branch backwards.
Branch wants a takedown but no success here.
Branch is working for takedown but Hales is calmly controlling the position for now.

Hales pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hales throws a one two combo.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hales dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hales lands a right hook to the body.
Harrold Branch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hales shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Branch but Branch pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Hales has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hales swings wildly with an uppercut but Branch uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hales stops a takedown attempt from Branch.
Hales lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hales gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Branch.
Branch has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hales after a bit of a struggle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Branch being controlled against the cage.
Hales lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Hales gets through Branch's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.

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

Hales gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Hales escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hales ducks under a wild hook from Branch.
Hales misses with an uppercut.

Branch gets tackled into the cage by Hales. Hales maintains the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Branch changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hales fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Branch on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Hales closes the distance and clinches up with Branch, looking for a takedown. Hales pushes Branch against the cage but Branch circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hales misses with a two punch combination.
Branch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hales manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hales throws a combination that misses

and Branch counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Hales's guard now.
Harrold Branch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Gray Hales is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Branch controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gray Hales comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hales 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 27:30
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gray Hales!