PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rich Junior (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Junior
vs
Hughes

175 cm
20
159 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
165 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Affordable Quality + Reliable 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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Rich Junior!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Stewart Dunkirk and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Junior ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Hughes swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Junior makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hughes misses with a few strikes there.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses.
Hughes lands a head shot.
Hughes swinging wildly here.
Hughes throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Junior counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Hughes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Junior stands up from Hughes's guard - Junior perhaps looking for a knockout.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hughes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Junior moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hughes misses with a double jab
and Junior counters with a left to the body.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hughes does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hughes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hughes paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Hughes throws a body kick that misses
and Junior counters with a body kick that stops Hughes in his tracks momentarily.
Crunch! Hughes slams his shin into Junior's torso.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hughes bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Hughes throws a sloppy head kick and Junior moves out of range easily.
Hughes misses with a right hand

and Junior counters by clinching up.
Hughes pushes Junior back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Hughes tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Junior's elbow.
Hughes can't find room to land a body shot as Junior controls the action.

Hughes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Junior avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Hughes misses.
Junior blocks a head kick by Hughes.
Matt Hughes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Junior dodges the punch combination from Hughes.
Hughes throws a series of punches but Junior avoids them all with ease.
Junior blocks a head kick by Hughes.
Hughes throws a push kick but Junior slaps the foot to one side.
Hughes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hughes throws out a powerful jab.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hughes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hughes misses with a kick to the body.
The fighters circling - Hughes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Junior uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hughes.
Hughes throws a hook but Junior avoids it easily.
Junior takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Hughes misses with an uppercut
and Junior counters with a left to the body.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hughes. Junior does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hughes throws a leg kick that is checked
and Junior counters with a left to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

A head kick misses from Hughes.
Hughes falls off balance throwing a combination
and Junior counters with a leg kick.
Hughes misses with a straight left.
Hughes misses with a series of wild punches.
Hughes thows a left - swing and a miss!
A big right from Hughes misses.
Hughes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hughes misses with a left hand
and Junior counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hughes throws a left and a right that both miss

so Junior counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We've been hearing good reports from Junior's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Junior throws a big right hand that misses.
Junior is stalling in the full guard.
Junior trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Junior looking to pass the guard.
Hughes keeping moving, preventing Junior from controlling successfully.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Rich Junior.
Hughes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Junior keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hughes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Junior manages to avoid it.
Hughes throws a series of punches but Junior avoids them all with ease.
Junior ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hughes lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses.
Junior takes a shot to the body in his stride.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Junior has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hughes finds it's way round the side to connect with Junior's head.
Junior on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hughes looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Junior blocks a head kick by Hughes.
A bone on bone clash there as Junior blocks the leg kick.
Hughes wants to slow Junior down by chopping away at his legs.
A swing and a miss from Hughes.
Junior uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hughes.
Hughes pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hughes misses with a low kick as Junior jumps back.
Hughes throws a leg kick
and Junior counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Hughes fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Junior is out of range.
Hughes misses with an attempted mid kick.
Hughes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hughes thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Junior if he has to take too many more of those.
Hughes scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Hughes throws a poor cross that misses
and Junior cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hughes moves into range and connects with a jab.
Junior avoids the head kick by Hughes.
Junior avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Hughes lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Junior circles away quickly and effectively.
Hughes throws an off balance right hand
and Junior counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hughes fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Junior is out of range.
Hughes tries a head kick but it misses.
Junior moves out of range of the strikes.
Hughes cracks Junior with an open hand slap.
Hughes clobbers Junior with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Junior counters with a nice low kick that buckles Hughes's knee momentarily.
Hughes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Junior moves away from the strike by Hughes.
Matt Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hughes misses with a head kick.
Hughes scores with a nice head shot.
Junior slips under a jab from Hughes.
Junior checks a low kick from Hughes.
Hughes takes a swing at Junior's ribcage but misses.
Hughes throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Junior counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Hughes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes throws a sloppy head kick

and Junior counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hughes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Junior's corner is telling him to maintain position.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Junior stands and steps away. Hughes gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hughes throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Junior moves out of range as Hughes strikes.
Hughes plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Matt Hughes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hughes fails to land with a series of punches.
Hughes throws a shot to the body.
Junior ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Hughes with a nice cross.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nice cross by Hughes.
Hughes throws a series of punches but Junior moves out of range.
Hughes misses with a kick to the body.
Junior slips under a jab from Hughes.
Junior bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Hughes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Junior moves away.
Hughes misses with a body shot.
Hughes missing with a left hand there. Junior was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes throws an off balance right hand
and Junior makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Hughes really felt that one!
Hughes throws a lazy head kick

and Junior counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Junior trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Junior stands up from guard. Let's bang!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hughes throws a sloppy head kick and Junior moves out of range easily.
Hughes fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Junior manages to avoid it.
Hughes looks to score with a jab to the body but Junior is just out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hughes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Rich Junior has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A head kick by Hughes misses
and Junior counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Matt Hughes.
I've got Hughes 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Hughes!
Matt Hughes seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.