PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nichi Hong (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dan Haley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Hong
vs
Haley

175 cm
25
160 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

180 cm
25
178 lbs
8 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Granite chin

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Nichi Hong!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dan Haley!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, Joseph Jones and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Haley looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Haley misses the shot to the body.
Good leg kick by Hong there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hong avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hong throws a hook but Haley avoids it easily.
Hong thows a leg kick but Haley checks it

and Haley counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Haley looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hong is not content to let Haley control the position.
Haley is pressing down on Hong's thigh, looking to free his foot. Hong is holding on for now.
Haley performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hong is controlling Haley's trapped leg to prevent Haley from advancing to side control.
Haley is trying to control. Hong wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Dan Haley wasn't active enough on the ground.
Nice shot by Haley.
Hong with a jab.
Haley throws a body kick that misses
and Hong counters with a solid body kick.
A jab lands there for Haley.
Haley shoots in but no luck this time.
Hong ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Haley moves away.
Haley staying out of range there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hong misses with a body kick.
Hong throws a head kick that misses.
Hong slips a straight right by Haley.
Hong feints and then cracks Haley's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Haley down.
Hong misses with a looping left.
Hong misses the jab.
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!
Hong is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Haley.
Haley closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Hong thumps Haley with a low kick.
Hong scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hong moves out of range as Haley strikes.
Haley ducks under a wild hook from Hong.
Haley swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Nice shot lands for Hong.
Haley just misses with a punch to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hong slips a straight right by Haley.
Hong closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Haley throws a looping overhand right but Hong ducks down to avoid it.
Hong lands an overhand right.
Haley lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hong circles away quickly and effectively.
Hong with a jab.
Haley moves out of range as Hong strikes.
Nice defenses there by Haley.

Haley has taken the fight to the clinch.
Haley misses with a short punch on the inside.
Haley lands a right hand.
Hong missing with knees to the body.
Haley tries to throw a body punch but Hong avoids it by throwing Haley back against the cage.
Haley fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hong tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Haley's elbow.
Hong struggles to land a body shot inside as Haley controls his hands.
Hong misses with a hook to the ribs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Haley misses with a hook from the clinch.
Haley misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hong misses with a punch to the body.
A body shot lands from Hong.
A short left from Haley.
Haley misses with a punch on the inside.
Haley wants a takedown.
Nichi Hong has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dan Haley.
Haley misses with the head strike.
A short uppercut from Hong.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Haley.
Hong tries to work over Haley's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hong tries a knee to the head but Haley blocks it.
Hong misses with a punch to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Nichi Hong will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A shot to the liver by Hong. Beautiful body shot.
Haley tries to clinch up but Hong circles away and keeps his distance.
Hong misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A low kick from Hong is predictable there

and Haley counters with a takedown into side control.
Haley working away.
Haley throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Haley moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Haley throws a strike aimed at the side of Hong's head but Hong avoids it well.
Haley is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Hong's shoulder. That is not cool.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hong is trying to buck Haley off.
Haley lands some shots froms side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Haley.
You can see the frustration on Hong's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Haley is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Hong struggling a bit here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hong manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Haley trying to mount his opponent but Hong defends it.
Haley trying to control from half guard but Hong is working away.
Ground and pound from Haley.
Haley thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hong's head.
Hong is not content to let Haley control the position.
Hong is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haley takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Haley wants to pass the guard but Hong is defending well.
Haley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hong keeps working.
Haley wants to advance to full mount but Hong doesn't think that's going to happen and regains full guard instead.
Hong looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haley wants to control from the top but Hong keeps moving.
Haley trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Haley pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Hong is keeping the position for now.
Hong keeping moving, preventing Haley from controlling successfully.
Hong has his hands on Haley's head, controlling the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Haley fails in his attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dan Haley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Hong's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Hong leaves Haley with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Haley throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hong scores with a hook.
Haley takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Haley takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Haley misses with a body punch
and Hong counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Hong throws a head kick but Haley moves out of range.
Hong clobbers Haley with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Haley uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hong.
Haley swings widly with a right hand
and Hong counters with a straight right hand.
Haley's corner calls for a 1-2. Haley obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

Haley feints and as Hong raises his hands in defense, Haley changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hong looking for a sweep. Not yet Hong, not yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haley is looking to advance position but Hong has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Hong sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Haley sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Well, if Hong is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Haley is refusing to be controlled, as Hong sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.

We're going to have a standup here because Nichi Hong wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Hong punishes Haley's body with a nice straight punch.
Nice uppercut lands for Hong. That snapped Haley's head back.
Haley throws the left hand but Hong avoids the punch easily.
Haley tries to bum rush Hong with a series of wild strikes but Hong uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Haley fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hong manages to avoid it.
Haley fails with a takedown attempt.
Haley connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hong ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Haley moves away.

Haley gets the takedown into side control.
Hong dodges the ground and pound from Haley.
Dan Haley has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hong is trying to get back to half guard.
Haley tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Haley wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hong keeps working.
Hong struggling a bit here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haley trying to control the position but Hong is working away.
Hong is trying to get back to half guard.
Haley looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Hong is avoiding damage well.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hong is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Haley trying to control the action but Hong is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Nichi Hong.
I think Hong 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 29:28
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nichi Hong!
During a confident post fight interview, Nichi Hong thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.