PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rafael Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mack Rockman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Hughes
vs
Rockman

211 cm
21
215 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

194 cm
25
200 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Rafael Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Mack Rockman!
The judges for this bout are Johanna Lukiainen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Rockman takes the fight into the clinch.

Rockman lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Rockman prevents Hughes from improving his position.
Rockman is looking to take a break and control but Hughes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Rockman wants to stand but Hughes has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Hughes slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rockman drops back looking for a leg! Hughes is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Hughes manages to kick Rockman off! Rockman jumps back into Hughes's guard.
Hughes is trying to keep Rockman in close.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rockman wants to control from the top but Hughes keeps moving.
Rockman stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hughes swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rockman won't allow Hughes to sweep him here.
Hughes keeping moving, preventing Rockman from controlling successfully.

Hughes is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Rockman preventing the sweep.
Hughes is looking to stand up but Rockman isn't so interested in that idea.
Rockman tries to free his leg and advance position but Hughes is retaining full guard.
Rockman looks winded!
Hughes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Rockman's guard.

Hughes chips away with some ground and pound.
Hughes looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hughes has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hughes connects with a couple of short punches.

Rockman has his foot on Hughes's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Hughes works his way back into a safe position though.
Hughes keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Rockman's head.
Hughes trying to stand up but can't free himself from Rockman's guard.
Hughes is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Hughes throws a big elbow that misses.
Hughes slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Rockman escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hughes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Hughes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hughes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hughes chips away with some ground and pound.
Hughes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hughes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hughes tries to stand but Rockman is controlling from the bottom.
Our spies down at at Cozad MMA Helsinki inform us that Rockman has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hughes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hughes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hughes postures up in Rockman's guard and throws a big left but Rockman blocks it.

Rockman looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hughes scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Hughes taking a breather here.
Hughes trying to control the position but Rockman is working away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hughes scores with punches from side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael 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 fails with a takedown attempt.

Rockman shoots in and gets a takedown into Hughes's guard.
Hughes is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Rockman stands and throws Hughes's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Hughes manages to get back to half guard.
Hughes is looking to escape.
Rockman prevents Hughes from improving his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes is refusing to be controlled, as Rockman sits in half guard.

Hughes has one foot on Rockman's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.
Mack Rockman seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Hughes shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rockman's guard.
Hughes is standing up over Rockman. Rockman looks to escape but Hughes dives into side control.
Rockman is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes stands up.

Rockman shoots in and bounces Hughes off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Rockman preventing the sweep.
Rockman stops Hughes from standing up.
Rockman wants to pass the guard but Hughes is keeping the position.
Hughes controls Rockman momentarily but Rockman frees himself.

Hughes manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes shoots for a double leg takedown but Rockman sprawls well. He's pushed Hughes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Rockman shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hughes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rockman's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rockman's back!
Hughes is hanging on to Rockman's back as he tries to escape.
Hughes keeps control of the position easily here as Rockman tries to buck him off.

Hughes is persistently looking for the submission but Rockman is defending it well.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Rockman to escape the position.
Hughes scores with punches to the body.
Hughes is punishing Rockman with some ground and pound.
Rockman is trapped and Hughes is scoring with shots to the head and body.
Rafael Hughes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hughes is looking to finish with some ground and pound!
Rockman takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Hughes lands shots from the back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rockman is trying to stand back up.
Hughes lands a couple of good shots to his opponent's body and a final shot to the head. Good little attack there by Hughes.
Hughes controlling from the back.
Rockman is trying to break free.
Can Rockman hold on?! Hughes is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Hughes.
Hughes scores with punches and elbows.
Hughes is riding his opponent, not letting Rockman buck him off.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafael Hughes dominated that second 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. This is the final round!

Rockman drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Rockman looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Hughes sneaks back into half guard.
Hughes wants to get back to full guard.
Hughes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Rockman can do to turn this around?
Rockman looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Rockman prevents Hughes from improving his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rockman takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Rockman wants to get back to his feet.
Hughes is trying to stand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Hughes is trying to control but can't.
Hughes regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hughes wants to stand up but Rockman is controlling him.

Rockman gets to his feet - Hughes follows without any prompting.

Rockman gets a clinch.

Hughes turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Hughes manages to end up in side control.
Rockman is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hughes connects with a decent elbow.

Hughes decides to stand up, so the ref orders Rockman to his feet.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt - Rockman sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hughes feints and as Rockman raises his hands in defense, Hughes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hughes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Rockman works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Rockman working for a triangle but Hughes defends it easily.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Rockman looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Hughes thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hughes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hughes postures up and lands a big shot to Rockman's brow.
Hughes lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Hughes is in close to Rockman's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Hughes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hughes's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Hughes cracks Rockman with a solid left hand.
Hughes lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Hughes is working Rockman over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes with a nice head shot there.
Hughes works over Rockman with some ground and pound from guard.
Hughes working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Rockman's head.
Hughes postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hughes with a nice head shot there.
Hughes makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hughes landing some decent shots from guard.
Hughes lands a couple of digs.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hughes wants to get up but he can't break Rockman's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Mack Rockman has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rafael Hughes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Rockman fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Hughes to the ground. Rockman is now in Hughes's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafael 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 Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

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