PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nigel McHughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Thomas Raven (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McHughes kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Welcome To My Hood. Nigel McHughes could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Thomas Raven's chin.

McHughes
vs
Raven

187 cm
35
191 lbs
24 - 13 - 1

188 cm
32
197 lbs
14 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sun-Tzu

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 24 - 13 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nigel McHughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Thomas Raven!
The judges for this bout are Paul Gruel, Jeff Smith and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McHughes lands a nice leg kick that just misses Raven's sensitive parts.
McHughes throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Raven tries to counter with a clinch but McHughes shakes him off and moves away.
A combination from Raven does no damage.
McHughes fails to land with a series of punches.
Raven appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
McHughes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Raven throws out the jab.
A jab from McHughes misses.
McHughes misses with a low kick.
McHughes swings for the body but Raven moves out of range.
A jab from Raven finds it's way through McHughes's defenses.

Raven takes the fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McHughes trying to stall but Raven improves his position.
Raven lands a left hand that snaps the head of McHughes backwards.
A nice right hand lands inside from Raven.
Raven will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning McHughes up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raven lands a body punch in the clinch.

Raven breaks from the clinch.
McHughes lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Nigel McHughes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Raven throws a wild body kick that McHughes sees coming a mile off.
Raven takes one on the button.
Raven with a jab.
Raven fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but McHughes is out of range.
McHughes comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Raven misses with a wild body shot.
An attempted straight right counter from McHughes misses the target.
McHughes has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Bi-Polar Asylum LV's #1 Public Training Center in the buildup to the fight.
McHughes lands with an uppercut that bounces Raven off the cage and back into range.
McHughes swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Raven wants to land a leg kick but McHughes is out of range.
McHughes swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
McHughes jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
McHughes tries to work over Raven's front leg with a kick but Raven checks it.
Raven counters with a body kick.
Raven misses with a series of wild punches.
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!
Raven misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McHughes.
Raven swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by McHughes.
A jab from Raven finds it's way through McHughes's defenses.
Raven throws a solid leg kick but McHughes takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Raven.

McHughes moves into range and clinches up with Raven.
Raven displaying some good clinch control by pressing McHughes up against the cage.

Raven breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raven avoids the body shot from McHughes.
Raven is clearly trying to counter these attacks from McHughes with a body shot.
McHughes misses with a few strikes there.

McHughes closes the distance and clinches.
McHughes blocking some punches.
McHughes fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
McHughes has had enough of the clinch but Raven keeps him there for the moment.
Raven swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Raven effectively controlling the action here.
Raven lands with a right to the head.

Raven breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Raven getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raven wants to clinch up but McHughes keeps it at a distance.
McHughes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Raven.
McHughes half committed to a counter leg kick.
McHughes moves into range and connects with a jab.
McHughes throws a low kick but Raven moves out of range easily.
Raven throws a nice outside leg kick.
McHughes misses with a body shot
and Raven counters with a left and a right that stings McHughes.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Raven with a nice cross.
A punch lands to the side of Raven 's head but he takes it in his stride.
McHughes takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
McHughes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Raven fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and McHughes has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Raven throws a body punch but McHughes moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Raven dominated that round.
That's time! McHughes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Raven ducks right into an uppercut from McHughes.
McHughes takes a swing at Raven's ribcage but misses.
A big right from Raven misses.
Raven slips under a jab.
Raven fakes high and swings low for a body shot but McHughes manages to avoid it.
Raven throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Raven lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
McHughes is looking to slow Raven down with leg kicks.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Raven swings widly with a right hand
and McHughes counters with a nice body shot.
Raven misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
McHughes scores with a leg kick.
Raven avoids the head kick by McHughes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Raven tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but McHughes was well out of range. Poor timing from Raven.
Raven thows a body kick. McHughes tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A low kick from Raven is predictable there
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
McHughes tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Sloppy strikes from McHughes. Those never looked like landing.
Raven lands an overhand right.
Raven takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
McHughes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Raven manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Raven is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
McHughes is looking to score with low kicks.
McHughes throws a nice outside leg kick.
Raven throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
McHughes seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
McHughes scores with a nice head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McHughes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
McHughes swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Thomas Raven seems to be getting the better of the standup.
McHughes throws a series of punches but Raven avoids them all with ease.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Raven.
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!
Raven cracks McHughes with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Raven is putting a hurting on McHughes here, landing some big shots from side control.
McHughes tries to bench press Raven off him but Raven keeps the position.
Raven works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Raven lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McHughes tries to buck Raven off but Raven is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McHughes takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Raven scores with punches from side control.
McHughes is looking to regain half guard here but Raven keeps moving and retains side control.
Raven cracks McHughes with a big right hand but McHughes just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
McHughes tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Raven scores with punches from side control.
Raven landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Raven trying to control the position but McHughes is working away.
Raven might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control McHughes haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McHughes tries to buck Raven off but Raven is having none of it.
Raven scoring with punches from side control.
Raven in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Raven has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Raven advances to mount.
Raven looking to finish McHughes with some ground and pound. This is bad for McHughes!
Raven takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
McHughes is wriggling around trying to escape.
Raven breaks from McHughes's wrist control and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Thomas Raven showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

McHughes swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Raven counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
McHughes takes a shot to the body in his stride.
McHughes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Raven.
Raven lands an overhand right.
Raven throws a leg kick
and McHughes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Raven tests McHughes's chin there with a solid looking shot.
McHughes loads up on a big right hand but Raven slips the punch.
McHughes checks a leg kick.
McHughes slips under a jab.
Some wild striking there from McHughes.
A lazy body kick from Raven
letting McHughes counter with a right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McHughes checks a low kick from Raven.
Raven shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Raven fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but McHughes avoids it really well and circles away.
Raven fails to land with a series of punches.
An attempted straight right counter from McHughes misses the target.
Raven is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McHughes.
Raven checks a leg kick.
Raven throws a chopping leg kick but McHughes manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Raven throws a leg kick but McHughes checks it.
McHughes scores with a leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McHughes stuffs the takedown.
Nigel McHughes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Thomas Raven.
Raven throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
McHughes throws a chopping leg kick but Raven manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Raven tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but McHughes defends well and Raven ends up having to push McHughes into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Raven misses with an uppercut.
McHughes tries to clinch but Raven is having none of it.
McHughes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Raven chopping away at his opponent's legs.
McHughes takes a swing at Raven's ribcage but misses.
Nigel McHughes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Raven misses with an attempted mid kick.
Raven lands a nice leg kick that just misses McHughes's sensitive parts.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Raven misses the shot to the body.
McHughes is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Raven keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
McHughes backing away here, and Raven unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Raven connects with a body shot that sends McHughes's belly button to the back.
Raven connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
McHughes lands a two punch combo.
Raven looks to land a right hand but McHughes moved out of range.
Raven throws a right hand that misses
and McHughes counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
McHughes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
A nice leg kick lands there from Raven.
Raven throws a quick inside leg kick.
McHughes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Raven moves away.
Raven throws a counter combo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Raven is looking to score with low kicks.
Raven on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

It looks like Thomas Raven has been cut.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Raven misses with a low kick.
Thomas Raven is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
McHughes has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Raven.
Raven uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from McHughes.
Raven dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on McHughes. That did some damage!
McHughes throws the kick towards the body but Raven avoids it.
Raven scores with a nice strike.
Raven lands with a straight right. McHughes didn't see that one coming.
Raven has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
McHughes jabbing away but nothing is landing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Thomas Raven comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Raven 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 Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Thomas Raven!