PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Tim Ernst (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Hughs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ernst comes into the arena with http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjVvhDwFnJk blaring out of the sound system. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Ernst
vs
Hughs

180 cm
27
157 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

178 cm
29
167 lbs
20 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Dangerous knees
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Determined

Mango Nutrition (90% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tim Ernst!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of New York, Joe Hughs!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Franklyn Lucas and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughs gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Ernst.
Hughs is looking to clinch.
Ernst throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Hughs ducks under a wild hook from Ernst.
Hughs tries to work over Ernst's front leg with a kick but Ernst checks it.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Ernst.
Hughs misses with a wild body shot.
Good shot there by Ernst.
Hughs tries to close the distance and clinch but Ernst swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Ernst feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Ernst is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
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!
Ernst trying to control but Hughs is working from the bottom.
Ernst is fighting to break Hughs's control of his arms but Hughs is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Hughs tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ernst seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Tim Ernst just wasn't active enough.
Ernst looks to land a left hand but Hughs moved out of range nicely.
Ernst closes the distance and clinches up with Hughs, looking for a takedown. Ernst pushes Hughs against the cage but Hughs circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ernst lands a jab to Hughs's midsection.
Ernst misses with the combination.
Ernst connects with a body shot that sends Hughs's belly button to the back.
Ernst ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hughs moves away.
Hughs tries to clinch up.
Ernst misses with a right hand

and Hughs counters by moving into the clinch.
Ernst prevents a body shot from Hughs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ernst looking to slow down the pace here.
Ernst will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Hughs up against the cage.
Ernst seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
Hughs misses with an elbow strike.
Hughs misses with a body punch.
Hughs with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Ernst avoiding damage.
Hughs tries to work over Ernst's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Ernst.
Hughs utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Hughs tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Ernst avoids it.
Ernst lands a hook to the side of the head.
A short right from Ernst on the inside.
Ernst leaning against his opponent.

Ernst breaks from the clinch.
Ernst throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Ernst will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ernst dips to his left and cracks Hughs with an uppercut!
Ernst changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hughs tries to avoid it but Ernst manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hughs to the ground. Hughs escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Hughs.
Ernst keeps the fight on the outside.
Ernst throws an overhand right that lands on Hughs's shoulder, as Hughs tries to avoid the shot.
Hughs doesn't manage to clinch there - Ernst circles away.
Ernst throws a body punch but Hughs moves out of range.
Ernst swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The fighters circling - Ernst throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hughs darts in trying to clinch

and Ernst counters with a shoot takedown. Hughs fights it but they end up in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ernst trying to control but Hughs is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ernst postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Ernst dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nice straight punches there by Ernst. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Ernst.
Hughs tries to clinch up but Ernst circles away and keeps his distance.
Ernst misses with an uppercut. Hughs saw that one coming.
Ernst with a nice cross.
Ernst throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

Ernst gets a double leg takedown into Hughs's guard.
Ernst is stalling in the full guard.
Ernst wants to control from the top but Hughs keeps moving.
Hughs not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ernst wants to control from the top but Hughs keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ernst controls from within his opponent's guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Tim Ernst wasn't doing enough on the ground.
A telegraphed right hand from Ernst misses the target.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Hughs enables Ernst to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Hughs manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Ernst trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Ernst throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hughs works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Ernst is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Ernst trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Tim Ernst has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ernst shoots in looking for a takedown but Hughs manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ernst's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Hughs closes the distance and pushes Ernst back into the cage.
Ernst on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hughs using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ernst has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ernst takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ernst scores with a knee to the head.
Ernst throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ernst looking to slow down the pace here.
Ernst is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Hughs using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ernst has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Ernst prevents a body shot from Hughs.
Ernst changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Hughs fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hughs slips a straight right by Ernst.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hughs looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hughs blocks a jab.
Hughs showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ernst.
Hughs moves away from the strike by Ernst.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughs tries to clinch up but Ernst circles away and keeps his distance.
Ernst throws a series of punches but Hughs moves out of range.
Hughs fails in his attempt to clinch.
Ernst leaves Hughs with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Ernst fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ernst lands a two punch combo.
Tim Ernst seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ernst shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ernst seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hughs does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ernst sitting and controlling from the half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Ernst dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hughs is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hughs tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Ernst to counter with a crisp jab.
Ernst throws a series of punches but Hughs avoids them all with ease.

Hughs fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ernst, pushing him back against the cage.
Hughs misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hughs tries to throw a body punch but Ernst avoids it by throwing Hughs back against the cage.
Ernst connects with a knee to the head.
Hughs blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hughs lands a body shot.

Ernst has picked Hughs up - he's going for a ride! Ernst dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Ernst throwing shots but Hughs is blocking nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughs keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hughs keeping hold of Ernst's head, controlling as best he can.
Tim Ernst overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ernst trying to control from Hughs's half guard. Hughs has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Ernst engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Ernst landing some decent shots from guard.
Ernst missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Joe Hughs has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ernst won't allow Hughs to sweep him here.
Hughs trying to control the position.
Ernst sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Hughs's guard.
Hughs is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ernst wants to control but Hughs is keeping him busy.
Ernst looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Ernst throws a strike but Hughs avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Tim Ernst is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Ernst showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Ernst throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ernst working some strikes from top position.
Ernst with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ernst is looking to work some ground and pound but Hughs has wrist control.
Ernst's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hughs preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Ernst loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ernst wants to control from the top but Hughs keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ernst is looking to work some ground and pound but Hughs has wrist control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim Ernst showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ernst, 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Franklyn Lucas scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tim Ernst!
Tim Ernst thanked the fans post fight for their support.