PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Nathan Young (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Virgil Hunter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hunter has chosen Welcome to the Jungle as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Young
vs
Hunter

155 cm
21
140 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
22
140 lbs
4 - 4 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

GETSWOLE

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Nathan Young!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Virgil Hunter!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hunter fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Young sprawls well initially but Hunter persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Young has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hunter is working away from the top position though.
Hunter slows the pace down in half guard.
Young is trying to stand.
Young trying to control but Hunter postures up.
Hunter wants to stand up but Young has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Young is trying to get back to full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Young looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunter doesn't manage to clinch there - Young circles away.
Young is looking to clinch.
Young throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Young fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Hunter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Young swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Young wants to clinch.

Young has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hunter tries a knee to the head but Young blocks it.
Young looking for a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Young pulls guard successfully.
Young keeping full guard, as Hunter tries to pass.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Young isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Hunter stacks Young on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Hunter!
Young tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hunter wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Young is trying to control Hunter's posture but Hunter avoids it.

Hunter thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hunter controlling the position from side mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young wants to control but Hunter postures up.
Young trying to control but Hunter flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Young tries to roll but Hunter sticks to his back.
Hunter is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Young. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
Hunter keeps control of the position as Young tries to break free.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Young holding both Hunter 's hands and preventing any damage.
Young is breathing heavily.
Hunter lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Young.
Hunter is hanging on to Young's back as he tries to escape.
Hunter throwing damaging strikes from the back! Young could be in trouble here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hunter looking to break Young's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Young remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Hunter will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Hunter is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Young. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hunter connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Young to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Virgil Hunter dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hunter looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Young!
Young on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Young is looking to regain half guard here but Hunter keeps moving and retains side control.

Hunter stands up and beckons Young to his feet.

Young has Hunter up against the cage in a clinch.
Hunter is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Young has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Hunter after a bit of a struggle.
Hunter tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Young just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Young breaks the clinch.
Young tries to clinch but Hunter moves out of range.
Young throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Young changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Hunter tries to avoid it but Young manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Hunter to the ground. Hunter escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

Hunter gets tackled into the cage by Young. Young maintains the clinch.
Hunter misses with some punches.
Hunter looking to stall.

Young tightens his grip and picks Hunter up, before dumping him to the ground. Hunter manages to land in guard.
Young trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hunter's guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hunter wants to sweep here but Young controlling him for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunter keeping moving, preventing Young from controlling successfully.
Young looking to sit in guard and control but Hunter gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hunter trying to control but Young is working from the bottom.
Virgil Hunter has got the better of the ground game so far.
Young not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Young is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Hunter stopping the sweep attempt from Young.
Young keeping full guard, as Hunter tries to pass.
Young throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Hunter fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Young, pushing him back against the cage.

Hunter successfully pulls guard.
Young trying to control the position from guard on top but Hunter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Young drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Young jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hunter pulls Young in close to prevent any damage.
Young advances to half guard.
Hunter is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Young throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Young perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Nathan Young will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hunter keeps the fight on the outside.

Hunter closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Young trying to remain calm as Hunter controls from the top position.
Young holding on.
You can see the frustration on Young's face as Hunter controls the position.
Young is holding Hunter down, trying to stall.

Hunter decides to stand up, so the ref orders Young to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Young.
Hunter takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Young throws a sloppy head kick and Hunter moves out of range easily.
Young looks to score with a jab to the body but Hunter is just out of range.
Hunter looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Good leg kick by Hunter there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Young goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Young tries to clinch but Hunter is having none of it.
Young closes the distance and clinches up with Hunter, looking for a takedown. Young pushes Hunter against the cage but Hunter circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Hunter throws a head kick but Young moves out of range.

Hunter has closed the distance and engaged Young in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunter is trying to drag Young to the mat but Young just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hunter displaying some good clinch control by pressing Young up against the cage.
Hunter is pressed up against the cage. Young has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hunter down to the mat. Hunter avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathan Young. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hunter keeps the fight on the outside.
Young shoots in looking for a takedown but Hunter manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Young's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hunter, right into the meat.
Young takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Young misses with a takedown attempt - Hunter sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Young drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hunter working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Young.
Hunter manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Young manages to get himself to full guard.
Hunter lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Hunter thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hunter controlling from the top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunter scoring with some ground and pound.
Young trying to control the position.
Hunter controls from within his opponent's guard.
Young is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

And that's the end of the fight!
Virgil Hunter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hunter has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Virgil Hunter!
A very excited looking Virgil Hunter made sure he remembered to thank all the fans both in the arena and on the internet. He said all the coolest people spend all day on MMA websites, which got a big reaction.