PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Golan Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Aaron Yates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hughes
vs
Yates

182 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
24
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Golan Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Aaron Yates!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Michael Johnstone and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Left hook, right uppercut from Yates.

It looks like Golan Hughes has been cut.
Hughes tries a head kick but it misses.
Hughes has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.

Yates tries to sprawl but Hughes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Yates pushes Hughes off looking to stand but Hughes dives back in and keeps control.
Yates wants to improve his position but Hughes is controlling well.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but Yates is defending well.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hughes gets to his feet - back to striking we go!

Hughes scores with a takedown into Yates's guard.
Hughes slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes throws a big right hand that misses.
Hughes passes easily into side control. Nice work.

Hughes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hughes controls the position from side control.

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.

Hughes has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Yates looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Hughes drops down looking for a counter takedown but Yates sprawls and moves away.
Yates walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Hughes checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Yates throws a sloppy head kick and Hughes moves out of range easily.

Hughes closes the distance and clinches.
Yates is trying to force a seperation but Hughes has the dominant position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Yates uses from the top position.
Hughes throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hughes controlling the position.
Hughes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Yates trying to hold on to Hughes's head to control him but Hughes postures up.
Hughes takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hughes connects with a nice short shot to Yates's temple.
Well, if Hughes 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hughes is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Hughes stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Yates throws a right and a left that both miss.
Aaron Yates is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Yates misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hughes seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Hughes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Yates did well to prevent Hughes getting side control.
Yates pushes Hughes off but Hughes dives into side control.
Yates looks winded!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Hughes decides to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Golan Hughes dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Golan Hughes's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Yates throws a head kick that misses.
Yates tries a head kick but it misses.

Hughes shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Yates manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hughes seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Yates for as long as he can get away with.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Yates is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hughes controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Yates throws a sloppy head kick

and Hughes counters by moving into the clinch.

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.

Hughes gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Yates regains guard.
Hughes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Yates looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hughes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Yates can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but Yates is keeping the position.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Hughes is working hard here to advance position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Hughes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Yates gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.

Hughes decides to pull guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Yates wants to control from the top but Hughes keeps moving.
Hughes on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hughes tries to get out of the position.
Hughes pulls Yates in to control the position.
Hughes lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hughes 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Golan Hughes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Golan Hughes's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Yates misses with the combination.
Yates connects with an inside leg kick.
Hughes swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Yates's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Yates duly obliges.
Golan Hughes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Yates misses with the combination.
Yates throws a sloppy head kick and Hughes moves out of range easily.
Yates misses with a few strikes there.

Hughes feints and as Yates raises his hands in defense, Hughes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Yates is working an open guard so Hughes takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Hughes shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Yates takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hughes is figuring out what he wants to do next.

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

Yates is defending against the submission attempts here by Hughes.
Hughes not doing much here.
Hughes drops an elbow to the side of Yates's head.

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.

Hughes stands up and beckons Yates to join him on the feet.
Yates will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hughes misses with an attempted mid kick.

Hughes drives through and clinches with Yates against the cage.

Hughes wants the takedown. Yates is fighting it off but Hughes persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Yates's guard against the cage.
Hughes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yates is keeping the position for now.
Yates wants to get back to his feet but Hughes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Yates is keeping the position for now.
Hughes stays in close to Yates's body and controls the position.
Yates looking for a sweep. Not yet Yates, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hughes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
A combination from Yates does no damage.
No joy there for Yates, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Hughes drives through with a takedown into guard.

Hughes stands up and waves to Yates to follow him.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hughes.
A lull in the action here as Hughes stalls from top position.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Golan Hughes.
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 David Hoff scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Golan Hughes!