PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Kurt Angle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ray Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ray Hughes will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Angle
vs
Hughes

168 cm
26
150 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

186 cm
24
139 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Kurt Angle!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ray Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Josh West and Ryoma Takatsuka.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes tries to clinch but Angle is having none of it.
Hughes has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Angle is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Angle darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Angle slips a nice elbow through Hughes's hands, connecting with Hughes's forehead.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes tries to kick Angle off but Angle keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Angle thows a huge punch but Hughes dodges it nicely.
Angle sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hughes defending well though.
Hughes is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Angle throwing shots but Hughes is blocking nicely.
Angle not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Angle is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Angle is looking to advance position but Hughes won't allow it.
Hughes avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Angle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Angle lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Angle has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Hughes taking some punishment here, with Angle in his half guard.
Angle content to control rather than advance.
Hughes taking some punishment here, with Angle in his half guard.
Angle looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hughes with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Hughes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Angle content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Angle not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Angle seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Angle throwing shots but Hughes is blocking nicely.
Nice strikes from Angle there.
Angle lands with a punch from half guard.
Angle drops an elbow to the side of Hughes's head.
Ground and pound from Angle.
Angle working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Hughes looks winded!
Angle missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hughes on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Angle sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Hughes defending well though.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Angle in particular looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hughes has hold of Angle's hands but Angle slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Angle seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Angle lands strikes from half guard.
Hughes is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Angle scores with a couple of nice shots.

Hughes is rocked!
Angle winds up and cracks Hughes with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hughes is still in real trouble! Can Angle finish him?
Angle looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hughes with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Hughes has hold of Angle's hands but Angle slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Angle lands a big elbow from half guard. That looks like it's hurt Hughes quite badly. Hughes pulls Angle in close trying to recover. Angle postures up and lands two really hard shots that put Hughes on queer street! The ref takes a look and decides to call an end to the fight! Possibly an early stoppage but Hughes doesn't seem to be complaining too much.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Kurt Angle!