PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Tommy MacKenzie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nigel McHughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). MacKenzie's entrance music is Kettel - My Dogan . A fine choice. McHughes comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Welcome To My Hood kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Tommy MacKenzie had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 186.2lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. Nigel McHughes has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Tommy MacKenzie's chin.

MacKenzie
vs
McHughes

180 cm
25
202 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

187 cm
24
191 lbs
8 - 8 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tommy MacKenzie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 8 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nigel McHughes!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by MacKenzie.
MacKenzie throws a one two combo.
MacKenzie keeps the fight on the outside.
MacKenzie slips under a jab.

McHughes gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows MacKenzie to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
MacKenzie trying to control the position from guard on top but McHughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

McHughes pushes MacKenzie off and gets back to his feet.
MacKenzie misses with a straight right.
McHughes has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from McHughes there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A combination from MacKenzie does no damage.
MacKenzie connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between McHughes's hands.
MacKenzie looks to score with a jab to the body but McHughes is just out of range.
MacKenzie throws a chopping leg kick but McHughes manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
McHughes walks into a stiff left hand from MacKenzie.
McHughes moves away from the strike by MacKenzie.
McHughes blocks a low kick nicely.
MacKenzie clobbers McHughes with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
MacKenzie misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McHughes.
McHughes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from MacKenzie.
Tommy MacKenzie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McHughes is looking to clinch but MacKenzie is avoiding it.
MacKenzie looks to land a combination but McHughes avoids it well.
McHughes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. MacKenzie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
MacKenzie throws a hook to the side of McHughes's head but McHughes sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
MacKenzie lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MacKenzie shoots in for a takedown but McHughes shows good takedown defense.
MacKenzie loads up on a big right hand but McHughes slips the punch.
McHughes defending well as MacKenzie loads up on a big left hand.
McHughes darts in trying to clinch
and MacKenzie counters with a stiff right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
McHughes tries to clinch but MacKenzie moves away
and MacKenzie counters with a stiff right hand.
McHughes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. MacKenzie manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
McHughes doesn't manage to clinch there - MacKenzie circles away.
McHughes is looking to clinch but MacKenzie is avoiding it.
McHughes avoids the body shot from MacKenzie.
McHughes moves in looking to clinch but MacKenzie pushes him off.
McHughes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
MacKenzie throws a lazy right hand but McHughes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacKenzie scores with a leg kick.
McHughes tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but MacKenzie paws at him with a jab and circles away.
McHughes wants to clinch up but MacKenzie keeps it at a distance.
Nice defenses there by McHughes.
MacKenzie is trying hard to land a takedown here. McHughes sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
MacKenzie swings widly with a right hand
and McHughes counters with a stiff right hand.
McHughes tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and MacKenzie counters with a straight right hand.
McHughes tries to clinch up.
MacKenzie misses with a head kick.
McHughes tries to clinch up.
MacKenzie thuds his right hand into McHughes's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
McHughes tries to clinch up
and MacKenzie counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from MacKenzie.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
MacKenzie is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
MacKenzie lands a hook that snaps the head of McHughes backwards.
McHughes keeps control of MacKenzie as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
McHughes misses with a knee to the head.

MacKenzie is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. McHughes can't fight it off and eventually MacKenzie manages to take the fight to the floor. McHughes looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
McHughes keeping full guard, as MacKenzie tries to pass.

MacKenzie drops back, looking for a kneebar! McHughes looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. McHughes looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from McHughes!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tommy MacKenzie dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

McHughes tries to clinch but MacKenzie moves out of range.
McHughes tries to clinch
enabling MacKenzie to counter with a crisp jab.

MacKenzie forces McHughes back against the cage and clinches.
McHughes doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
MacKenzie goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
McHughes trying to land knees to the body.
McHughes pushes MacKenzie back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
McHughes tries to throw a body punch but MacKenzie avoids it by throwing McHughes back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by MacKenzie.
MacKenzie has a couple of punches blocked by McHughes.
McHughes misses with a punch on the inside.
MacKenzie can't break the clinch.
McHughes misses with some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McHughes lands with a right to the head.
McHughes lands with a short punch from the clinch.
MacKenzie blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by MacKenzie.
McHughes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
MacKenzie lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
McHughes misses with a short punch on the inside.
MacKenzie tries for a takedown. No joy.
McHughes can't find room to land a body shot as MacKenzie controls the action.
McHughes misses with a short punch on the inside.
MacKenzie misses with the head strike.

MacKenzie jumps into guard, dragging McHughes to the mat.
McHughes looking to pass the guard.

McHughes drops back, looking for a kneebar! MacKenzie looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. MacKenzie looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from MacKenzie!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McHughes is trying to buck MacKenzie off.
MacKenzie in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
MacKenzie tries to advance position but instead McHughes slips a leg back in to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McHughes is trying to stand back up but MacKenzie is controlling him
MacKenzie seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but McHughes does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
MacKenzie is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because McHughes is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
MacKenzie is looking to advance position but McHughes won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McHughes is not content to let MacKenzie control the position.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
McHughes wants to get back to his feet.
MacKenzie is stalling here. McHughes is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! MacKenzie seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and McHughes has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

McHughes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

McHughes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no McHughes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
A bit of a lull in the action here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McHughes working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

McHughes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, MacKenzie has escaped the position, nice work there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nigel McHughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

McHughes moves into the clinch.
MacKenzie tries to work over McHughes's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

MacKenzie manages to break the clinch.
Nice straight punches there by MacKenzie. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of MacKenzie.
McHughes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
McHughes wants to clinch up but MacKenzie keeps it at a distance.
McHughes wants to clinch

and MacKenzie counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
MacKenzie prevents McHughes from standing back up.
MacKenzie slows the pace down in half guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
MacKenzie trying to pass the guard but McHughes defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McHughes pushes MacKenzie off looking to stand but MacKenzie dives back in and keeps control.
Tommy MacKenzie overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
MacKenzie wants to lay and pray for a moment but McHughes keeps working.

MacKenzie is sneakily working for an arm triangle but McHughes sees it coming and defends easily.
McHughes is trying to stand up here but MacKenzie is controlling him well.
MacKenzie is looking to advance position but McHughes won't allow it.

MacKenzie is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. McHughes doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time MacKenzie.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McHughes wants to get back to his feet.
MacKenzie wants to lay and pray for a moment but McHughes keeps working.
MacKenzie missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
MacKenzie wants to pass the guard but McHughes is defending well.
McHughes is trying to stand up here but MacKenzie is controlling him well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

MacKenzie is looking for a kimura but McHughes is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for MacKenzie to get the leverage.
MacKenzie is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for McHughes!
MacKenzie landing shots from mount.
MacKenzie landing strikes from the mount and McHughes is in trouble!
MacKenzie wants to take McHughes's back here but McHughes is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
MacKenzie is working hard here to advance position.
McHughes is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
MacKenzie landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
MacKenzie is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. McHughes is in real trouble.
McHughes is trying to stand back up.

MacKenzie is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. McHughes knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften McHughes for a finish.

MacKenzie has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, McHughes has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

MacKenzie has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McHughes looking to stop the rear naked choke attempt by controlling the hands.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tommy MacKenzie showed his dominance in that final round.
I think MacKenzie has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:28
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tommy MacKenzie!
An out of breath Tommy MacKenzie thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.