PBP Commentary

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

Hughes
vs
Maia

180 cm
24
165 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

183 cm
29
165 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry (93%)

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 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kyro Maia!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Bruno Lombardi and David Schapiro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maia takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Maia takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Hughes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Maia bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Hughes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Maia.
Maia with the counter takedown but Hughes avoids it easily.
Hughes throws a looping overhand right but Maia ducks down to avoid it.
Hughes throws a body punch but Maia moves out of range.
Maia feints the counter takedown.
Maia throws a big shot that misses.
A thudding body kick lands there by Hughes!
Hughes misses with a double jab.
Maia takes one on the button.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hughes falls off balance throwing a combination

and Maia counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Maia.
Hughes gets through Maia's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
A head punch on the inside from Maia fails to land.
Maia working aggressively here.
Hughes scores with an uppercut up the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Maia blocks an elbow strike from Hughes.
Maia misses with a punch to the body.
Hughes misses with a punch on the inside.
Hughes works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Maia struggles to land a body shot inside as Hughes controls his hands.
Hughes misses with a body punch.
Maia tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hughes tries to break free but Maia pushes him back against the cage.
Maia struggles to land a body shot inside as Hughes controls his hands.
Maia has Hughes pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Hughes manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Maia blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Maia fails to land.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia working aggressively here.
A shot in the inside from Maia.
Hughes blocking some punches.
Maia misses with a punch to the body.
A frustrated look appears on Hughes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hughes is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Maia fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Hughes trying to stall but Maia improves his position.
Hughes misses with a short punch on the inside.
Maia misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia throws a punch but it's blocked by Hughes.
Hughes stalling in the clinch but Maia improves position.
A head punch on the inside from Maia fails to land.
A left hand lands to the body for Maia.
Maia swings wildly with an uppercut but Hughes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Maia tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Hughes's elbow.
Maia tries a body shot but Hughes blocks it.
Hughes lands a body shot.
A right handed body shot lands from Maia.
Hughes is looking to control Maia's arms but Maia gets an underhook and turns him. Now Hughes has his back to the cage.
Hughes is pressed up against the cage. Maia has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hughes down to the mat. Hughes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Matt Hughes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kyro Maia.
Maia connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Matt Hughes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Maia closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hughes misses with an elbow strike.
Hughes has Maia pressed against the cage.
Maia avoids a wild elbow strike from Hughes.
Hughes misses with an elbow over the top.

Hughes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hughes connects with a jab.
Hughes lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Maia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hughes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Maia lands a jab to the nose.
A swing and a miss from Maia.
Hughes swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Hughes misses with a two punch combination.
Maia wants to counter the offense by Hughes and move into the clinch position.
A head kick misses from Hughes.
Maia looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Hughes lands with a nice body kick.
Hughes looks to score with a jab to the body but Maia is just out of range.
Hughes connects with an inside leg kick.
Hughes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Maia can do to turn this around?
Hughes falls off balance throwing a combination
and Maia counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Maia just misses with a punch to the body.
Matt Hughes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Maia's head backwards.
Hughes cracks Maia with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Hughes ducks under a wild hook from Maia.
Hughes misses with an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes defending well as Maia loads up on a big left hand.
Some bone on bone action there as Maia checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Hughes moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hughes scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Hughes slips a jab from Maia.
Hughes avoids the body shot from Maia.
Maia scores with a punch to the head.
Maia closes the distance and clinches up with Hughes, looking for a takedown. Maia pushes Hughes against the cage but Hughes circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Maia drops his hands momentarily and Hughes takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Maia throws a jab but it's blocked by Hughes.
Hughes looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Hughes scores with a shot to the body.
Maia takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
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!
The fighters circling - Hughes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Maia tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.

Maia clinches with his opponent.
Hughes gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Maia.
Matt Hughes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kyro Maia.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maia tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Maia - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Maia is pushing Hughes up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hughes is struggling to control the position.
Hughes is looking to break free of the clinch but Maia has double underhooks.

Hughes manages to break the clinch.
Hughes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maia throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hughes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hughes feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Maias jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Hughes uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Maia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Hughes manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Good leg kick by Hughes there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Hughes scores with a punch to the head.
Hughes lands with a kick to the ribs.
Maia scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Hughes misses with a double jab.
Hughes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Maia was well out of range. Poor timing from Hughes.
Hughes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Maia.
Maia misses with a body shot.
Maia walks into a straight right hand from Hughes.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hughes throws a nice looking combination but Maia bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hughes cracks Maia with a right hand to the side of the head.
Matt Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice uppercut there from Maia.
Hughes misses with a two punch combination.
Maia misses with a wild body shot.
Maia throws a body shot but no joy.
A head kick misses from Hughes.
Maia throws out a counter right but Hughes avoids it with no problem.
Maia stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Hughes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Maia! But no joy.

Maia clinches up with Hughes and pushes him back against the cage.
Maia is looking for a takedown.
Maia leaning against his opponent.
Maia fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Maia keeps control of Hughes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Hughes breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Hughes dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hughes misses with a body kick.
Hughes works Maia's body with a nice hook.
Hughes swats away the attempt to clinch by Maia.
Hughes fails to land with a series of punches.
Hughes throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Maia throws a right hand that misses
and Hughes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hughes moves away from the strike by Maia.
Maia ducks right into an uppercut from Hughes.
Matt Hughes is winning the standup battle so far.
Maia tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Hughes swivels and escapes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Maia ducks right into an uppercut from Hughes.
Hughes misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Maia.
Maia changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Hughes scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Maia uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hughes.
Hughes ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maia shoots for a takedown but Hughes saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Hughes stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Hughes wants it to stay on the feet.
Matt Hughes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Kyro Maia.
The fighters circling - Hughes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
A nice side step and Maia releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Hughes misses with a wild combination.
A jab from Hughes finds it's way through Maia's defenses.
Hughes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Nice shot by Hughes.
Maia has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Maia throws a looping overhand right but Hughes ducks down to avoid it.
Hughes misses with a double jab

so Maia counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Maia working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hughes's head.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hughes is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maia looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hughes wants to control from the top but Maia keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes won't allow Maia to sweep him here.
Hughes trying to control but Maia is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Hughes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hughes passes Maia's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Maia is not content to let Hughes control the position.
Maia wants to control but Hughes is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Kyro Maia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hughes trying to control from half guard but Maia is working away.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
The fighters are battling for position here. Maia manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Maia can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hughes controls the pace.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Maia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Hughes throws a sloppy head kick and Maia moves out of range easily.
Hughes cracks Maia with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Maia misses with a takedown attempt
and Hughes counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Maia fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Hughes avoids it really well and circles away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Hughes showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hughes, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27

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.