PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Gary Red (ranked 25175 p4p, 709 weight class) and Jack Hughes (ranked 6496 p4p, 598 weight class). Gary Red has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Red
vs
Hughes

195 cm
25
195 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

182 cm
18
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Phantom Fightwear

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Gary Red!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jack Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Winston Howard, Ben Watson and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Red misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hughes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Red counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Hughes drives through and clinches with Red against the cage.
A shot in the inside from Hughes.
Red is trying to push Hughes away but Hughes has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Hughes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Red.
Red looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hughes misses with a knee strike.
Hughes's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Red has had enough of the clinch but Hughes keeps him there for the moment.
Hughes is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Red feints a jab promting Hughes to slip. Red then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Hughes slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Hughes throws a half hearted mid kick.

Hughes drives through and clinches with Red against the cage.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Red scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

Hughes moves into the clinch successfully.
Hughes looking to throw knees to the head but Red is blocking nicely.
Hughes misses with a punch on the inside.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hughes throws a head kick but Red moves out of range.
Red throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
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!
Red scores with a three punch combo!

Hughes darts in and clinches Red up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Red is trying to break the clinch but Hughes is controlling him.
Hughes fails to pull guard.

Hughes breaks the clinch.
No joy there for Red, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jab by Red.
Red throws a head kick but Hughes moves out of range.

Hughes has Red up against the cage in a clinch.

Hughes breaks the clinch.

Hughes has Red up against the cage in a clinch.
Red avoiding damage as Hughes throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Red with a nice cross.
Red scores with a nice right hand.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Red as he jumps to the side.
Gary Red has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Hughes.
Red throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hughes makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Red really felt that one!

Hughes pushes Red up against the cage in a clinch.

Hughes manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Red.

Hughes moves into the clinch successfully.
Red has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
With the fighters up against the cage, Hughes throws an elbow but misses.

Hughes manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes shoots for a double leg takedown but Red sprawls well. He's pushed Hughes's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Red throws a one two combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Red lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Hughes tries for a takedown but Red sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Hughes looks winded!
Red scores with a one two! Hughes had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Gary Red seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Red lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Red.
Danga de danga de dang - Red scores with a four punch combination!
Red keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Red pushes forward with a 1-2 combination that forces Hughes back to the cage. Red follows up with a solid lead hook to the liver.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Red scores with the left hand. Hughes knows he should have avoided that one.

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

Gary Red dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hughes looks for the body kick but Red saw that one coming.
Red misses with a leg kick.
A head kick misses from Red.
Hughes takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Red displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hughes.
A bone on bone clash there as Hughes blocks the leg kick.
Hughes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
A nice combination there by Red.
Hughes throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Red counters with a three punch combo that has Hughes backing up. Hughes nods at Red to acknowledge the strikes.

Hughes fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Red, pushing him back against the cage.
Hughes misses with the head strike.
Red is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Hughes can do to turn this around?
Red blocks an elbow strike from Hughes.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hughes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Red looks to land a combination but Hughes avoids it well.

Hughes darts in and clinches Red up against the cage.
Hughes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Red smiles and moves away.
Hughes needs to keep his hands up - Red had a free shot at his head there.
Some wild striking there from Red.

Hughes clinches up against the cage.
Red is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.

Hughes breaks from the clinch.
Hughes avoids the head kick by Red.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Red throws a low kick but it's checked well by Hughes.
Red is working the combinations to good effect here.
Red shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Hughes eats them both and turns towards Red to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Red scores with a sloppy right hand. Hughes should have avoided that one.
Hughes tries a head kick but it misses.
Red seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hughes gets a clinch.
Red blocks an elbow strike.

Hughes wants the takedown. Red is fighting it off but Hughes persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Red's guard against the cage.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Red is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hughes won't allow Red to get back to his feet.
Hughes is working Red over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Red is looking to stand up but Hughes isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Red keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Red wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Hughes manages to pass to side control.
Red looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hughes wants to take a breather but Red is having none of it.
Red wants to get back to his feet.

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 winds up and cracks Red with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Hughes looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Red with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Red is looking to escape.
Hughes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hughes is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Hughes working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Red's thigh. Red counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Hughes trying to control but Red is working from the bottom.
Red wants to stand up but Hughes is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Gary Red will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Red misses with a head kick.

Hughes forces Red back against the cage and clinches.
Hughes prevents Red from breaking the clinch.
Hughes has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Red is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hughes looking for a takedown.
Red gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Gary Red has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Hughes.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hughes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Red's brow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Red is trying to push Hughes away but Hughes has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Red can't break the clinch.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Red is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Red tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Hughes clinches.

Hughes manages to pull guard.

Red gets to his feet - Hughes follows without any prompting.
Red changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hughes is defended easily by Red.
Hughes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Red lands a really nice looking cross but Hughes seems unphased.
Red throws a series of strikes that have Hughes backpedaling.
Gary Red is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Red throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Red throws a head kick but Hughes moves out of range.
Hughes thinks about the counter body kick.
Hughes dodges the punch combination from Red.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Hughes closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Red tries to break free but Hughes pushes him back against the cage.
Red stops a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Hughes lands a damaging elbow.

Hughes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Red lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Red.

Hughes rushes Red and presses him up against the cage.
Red is trying to break the clinch but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes jumps guard and drags Red to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.

Red decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hughes, up you get!

Red tries to keep at a distance but Hughes has taken the fight into the clinch.

Red breaks the clinch.
Hughes checks the leg kick.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Red.
Hughes was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Red scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Hughes closes the distance and clinches.
Red wants to break the clinch but can't.
Hughes has Red pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Red manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Nice elbow from Hughes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Red misses with a few strikes there.
Red tries to bum rush Hughes with a series of wild strikes but Hughes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
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!
Hughes tries a head kick but it misses.
Jack Hughes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hughes throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Red's waist but Red gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hughes off to one side.
Hughes is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Red.
Hughes fails to land the takedown.
Red scores to the head and body with a nice combination!
Gary Red is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Hughes fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Red sprawls well initially but Hughes persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Gary Red is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Hughes is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Red sees it coming and defends easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gary Red showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Red, 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 Winston Howard scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:28
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gary Red!
Gary Red very nearly forgot to thank Phantom Fightwear amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.