PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ivan Long (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shaun Hulme (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Long
vs
Hulme

194 cm
23
140 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

175 cm
25
140 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ivan Long!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Shaun Hulme!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Phil Schofield and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Long avoids the head kick by Hulme.

Hulme closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Long quickly recovers to half guard.
Hulme tries to pass the half guard into mount. Long knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Hulme is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Long wants to get back to full guard.
Hulme thows a huge punch but Long dodges it nicely.
Long wants to control but Hulme is keeping busy and won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Well, if Hulme 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.
Hulme prevents Long from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hulme looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Hulme seems to be looking for submissions.

Hulme is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Long is just riding it out for now. Hulme eventually gives up the hold.
Long is trying to control but can't.
Hulme thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Long's head.
Hulme has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Long tries to hold on but Hulme pushes him away.
Hulme mounts Long! Really nice guard pass there!
Long is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Long is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Hulme tries to control but Long wriggling away.
Hulme throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Long because Hulme loaded up on that one.

Hulme looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Hulme controlling his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hulme controlling the position easily from mount.
Hulme unloads with some shots from mount but Long bucks and avoids them well.
Hulme landing punches.
Long can't escape the position.
Long is working hard here to advance position.
Hulme sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Long is desperately trying to improve his position but Hulme has a good base and remains in mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hulme is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Shaun Hulme seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hulme looking to score a takedown here. Long is defending well but Hulme drives through and ends up in Long's guard.
Hulme is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Hulme has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Hulme gets to his feet - Long follows without any prompting.

Hulme looking to score a takedown here. Long is defending well but Hulme drives through and ends up in Long's guard.
Hulme throws a big elbow that misses.

Hulme gets to his feet. Long looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Long is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hulme bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Long's head backwards.
Long really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Hulme clinches up with Long and pushes him back against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shaun Hulme dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hulme fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Long sprawls well initially but Hulme persists and gets the takedown into half guard.

Long is rocked!

Hulme decides to stand and escape the position.
Oh Long is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hulme lands a body shot.

Hulme rushes Long and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Long seems to have got his legs back now.

Hulme jumps into guard, dragging Long to the mat.
Long looking to sit in guard and control but Hulme gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Long is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Long is looking for a kimura but Hulme is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Long to get the leverage.

Hulme is defending against the submission attempts here by Long.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hulme keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Shaun Hulme has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hulme is trying to control but can't.

Long is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Hulme to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Hulme bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Long's guard.

Hulme tries to free his leg and advance position but Long is retaining full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hulme forces his way into half guard.
Hulme wants to pass to mount but Long is defending the position.

Hulme stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Hulme jumps guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hulme lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Hulme is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Hulme loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Hulme trying to control but Long is working from the bottom.
Long has control of Hulme's left arm, preventing Hulme from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hulme sitting in guard here, content to control.
Long is trying to control the position but Hulme postures up.
Long wants to sweep but no luck.
Hulme is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Long keeping full guard, as Hulme tries to pass.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
A head kick misses from Hulme.
Long throwing a counter right hand but Hulme manages to avoid it.
Long has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shaun Hulme showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hulme looking to score a takedown here. Long is defending well but Hulme drives through and ends up in Long's guard.
Hulme working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Long working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hulme.
Hulme has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hulme wants to stand but Long has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Long can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hulme controls the pace.
Hulme trying to stand up but can't free himself from Long's guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Long manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hulme manages to get himself to full guard.

Hulme wriggles free and stands up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Long tries to sprawl but Hulme drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Long is trying to maintain the position but Hulme is very close to passing his half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The fighters are battling for position here. Long manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hulme trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hulme seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Long bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hulme's guard.

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hulme is on top in guard.

Long wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Hulme is now in half guard.
Hulme missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hulme is controlling the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Long avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hulme.
Hulme wants to lay and pray for a moment but Long keeps working.
Hulme not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hulme performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Hulme thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Long's head.
Still in half guard, Hulme seems content to control.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Nice takedown defense from Hulme. No joy for Long on that attempt.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Long.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Hulme closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.

And that's the end of the fight!
Shaun Hulme comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hulme has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 26:30
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 26:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Shaun Hulme!