PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Erik Hughes (ranked 24224 p4p, 0 weight class) and Declan Newton (ranked 4895 p4p, 0 weight class). Newton comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Tribute - Tenacious D kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Declan Newton looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Hughes
vs
Newton

219 cm
20
150 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

225 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Erik Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Declan Newton!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Paul Gruel and Josh West.

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

Newton tries to keep at a distance but Hughes has taken the fight into the clinch.
Newton has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Newton prevents a takedown attempt there.
Newton is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newton is trying to force a seperation but Hughes has the dominant position.
Newton is trying to force a seperation but Hughes has the dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes manages to break the clinch.
Declan Newton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Newton throws a right and a left that Hughes avoids nicely.
Newton scores with a one two! Hughes had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Newton goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Newton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughes.
A combination from Newton does no damage.
Newton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hughes circles away quickly and effectively.
Hughes will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Newton checks the leg kick nicely there.
A combination from Newton does no damage.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Newton.
Newton swats away the attempt to clinch by Hughes.
Declan Newton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Newton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A combination from Newton does no damage.
Newton looks winded!
Newton circles away from the clinch attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to clinch up.
Hughes tries to clinch up.
Newton lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Newton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Newton throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hughes counters with a shoot takedown. Newton fights it but they end up in guard.
Newton is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Hughes decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hughes is defended easily by Newton.
Newton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Newton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hughes circles away quickly and effectively.
Hughes seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erik Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Some wild striking there from Newton.
Hughes seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Hughes is looking to clinch.
Newton avoids the head kick by Hughes.
Sloppy strikes from Newton. Those never looked like landing.
Newton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Newton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hughes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Newton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hughes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Newton misses with a series of wild punches.
Newton throws a series of strikes that have Hughes backpedaling.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hughes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hughes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hughes tries to close the distance and clinch but Newton swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hughes throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Newton.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Hughes, right into the meat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Newton throws a series of punches but Hughes avoids them all with ease.
Hughes changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Newton tries to avoid it but Hughes manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Newton to the ground. Newton escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Newton circles away from the clinch attempt.
Newton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hughes dodges the punch combination from Newton.
Hughes seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Newton fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Newton throws a right hand that Hughes ducks under and follows up with a left that Hughes also avoids with ease.
Newton throws a right and a left that Hughes avoids nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Declan Newton dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hughes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Newton manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Newton fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Newton throws a right and a left that both miss.
Newton throws a series of strikes that have Hughes backpedaling.
Newton tries to bum rush Hughes with a series of wild strikes but Hughes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hughes tries to bum rush Newton with a series of wild strikes but Newton uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Newton is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Newton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hughes fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hughes tries to clinch but Newton is having none of it.
Newton misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newton looks to land a combination but Hughes avoids it well.
Hughes attempts a counter takedown but Newton avoids it well and moves away.

Hughes moves into the clinch.
Hughes fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Hughes drags the fight down to the ground.
Newton is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes is looking for a triangle but Newton pushes his legs off easily.

Newton avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hughes wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Newton wants to get up but he can't break Hughes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Newton gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Newton looks to land a combination but Hughes avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Newton swinging wildly here.
Newton has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hughes doesn't manage to clinch there - Newton circles away.

Hughes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Newton won't allow it.

Hughes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Newton.
Erik Hughes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Newton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughes.
Hughes wants to clinch.
Hughes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hughes wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Newton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hughes doesn't manage to clinch there - Newton circles away.
Hughes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Newton.
Newton misses with a two punch combination.
Hughes wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Hughes is looking to clinch but Newton is avoiding it.
Newton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hughes is looking to counter the offense by Newton and move into the clinch.
Newton throws a right hand that Hughes ducks under and follows up with a left that Hughes also avoids with ease.

Hughes gets a clinch.
Hughes is trying to pull guard but Newton has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erik Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Hughes breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newton misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hughes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Newton swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Newton tries to bum rush Hughes with a series of wild strikes but Hughes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hughes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Newton misses with a two punch combination.
Newton throws a right and a left that Hughes avoids nicely.
Newton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughes.
A right-left combo lands from Hughes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Hughes tries to clinch there but Newton circles away.
Horrible takedown attempt by Hughes or perhaps it was just good defense by Newton, which made it look bad.
Newton misses with a jab, cross combination.
Newton throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Hughes counters by moving into the clinch.
Hughes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Newton just stands there and leans against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Declan Newton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Hughes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Newton swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Hughes holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Hughes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Newton misses with the combination.
Hughes is looking to clinch.
Newton unleashes a big counter combination but Hughes bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

Newton gets tackled into the cage by Hughes. Hughes maintains the clinch.
Hughes tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Newton working hard to break the clinch.
Hughes is trying to break free.
Newton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Newton fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Hughes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Newton swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hughes dodges the punch combination from Newton.
Newton misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Newton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown but Newton shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Erik Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Newton will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hughes is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Newton.
Hughes dodges the punch combination from Newton.
Hughes wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Newton throws a left and a right that both miss

and Hughes holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Newton is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Newton wants to get back to striking at distance but Hughes won't allow it.
Newton wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Hughes jumps into guard, dragging Newton to the mat.
Hughes wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Newton stands up and waves to Hughes to follow him.
Hughes fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Newton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Newton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hughes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Hughes darts in and clinches Newton up against the cage.

Newton breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A punch combination from Newton misses.
Hughes fails to land the takedown.
Newton misses with a wild combination.
Hughes lifts his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Newton.
Declan Newton seems to be getting the better of the standup.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Newton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughes.
Newton fails to land with a series of punches.
Nice sprawl there from Newton as Hughes shoots in.

Hughes forces Newton back against the cage and clinches.

Hughes breaks from the clinch.
A punch combination from Newton misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Newton misses with a double jab

and Hughes counters by moving into the clinch.
Hughes fails to pull guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Newton escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

And that's the end of the fight!
Declan Newton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Newton winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Jeff Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 27:30
Judge Josh West scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Declan Newton!
Post fight, Declan Newton took to the microphone: 'I want to thank Amelia for not being a bellend'.