PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Jack Xavier (ranked 2305 p4p, 263 weight class) and Seymour Hughes (ranked 2045 p4p, 241 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Xavier
vs
Hughes

175 cm
26
166 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

167 cm
19
164 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Basic striking
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Excellent MT
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Jack Xavier!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Seymour Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Micheangelo Fripello and Chris Saunders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Xavier moves in looking to clinch but Hughes pushes him off.

Hughes gets tackled into the cage by Xavier. Xavier maintains the clinch.

Xavier decides to pull guard.
Hughes controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Xavier is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hughes defends well.

Xavier working for a triangle but Hughes defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Xavier throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Xavier 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 avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Hughes really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Xavier. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Xavier had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hughes defends it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Xavier is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Hughes is aware though and is defending well.
Xavier looking for a sweep. Not yet Xavier, not yet.

Xavier is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hughes defends well.
Xavier manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hughes manages to get himself to full guard.

Xavier wants to control from the top but Hughes keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xavier stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Hughes swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Xavier wants to control from the top but Hughes keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four 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.

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

Xavier gets a clinch.
Hughes lands with a right to the head.
Xavier fails to pull guard.
Hughes softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Xavier jumps guard but Hughes stands there with Xavier around his waist. Xavier gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Xavier decides to pull guard.
Hughes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Xavier is proving hard to escape from.
Hughes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Xavier is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Xavier dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Xavier tries to clinch up
and Hughes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hughes lands the left hand.
Hughes scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Xavier doesn't seem bothered though.
Xavier with a lazy takedown attempt
enabling Hughes to counter with a crisp jab.
Hughes looks to throw the jab but Xavier is out of range.
Xavier ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Xavier is looking to clinch.
Hughes now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Xavier wants to clinch
and Hughes counters with a stiff right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Xavier.

Xavier decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Xavier tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hughes knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Xavier is keen to just control but Hughes is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is looking to escape.
Hughes is trying is best to control the position here.
Hughes is staying active underneath Xavier, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hughes felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Xavier with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Xavier wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hughes keeps working.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Xavier with a lazy takedown attempt
and Hughes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Xavier. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Xavier darts in trying to clinch
and Hughes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Xavier shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hughes defends it nicely.
Xavier doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hughes counters with a straight right hand.
Seymour Hughes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Xavier misses with a takedown
and Hughes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Xavier closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hughes counters with a nice uppercut.
Xavier takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Xavier closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hughes counters with a stiff right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Xavier tries to close the distance and clinch but Hughes swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hughes swats away the attempt to clinch by Xavier.
Xavier fails in his attempt to clinch.
Xavier has his takedown stuffed
and Hughes counters with a nice uppercut.
Xavier moves to clinch but Hughes breaks away
and Hughes counters with a nice uppercut.
Hughes works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.

Xavier looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Hughes keeping moving, preventing Xavier from controlling successfully.
Xavier won't allow Hughes to get back to his feet.
Jack Xavier overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Xavier drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Xavier jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Hughes keeping moving, preventing Xavier from controlling successfully.
Xavier advances position into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Seymour Hughes 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!

Xavier doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hughes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Xavier darts in looking for a takedown but Hughes gets double underhooks and turns Xavier into the cage.
A countering left hand to the body from Hughes misses.
A swing and a miss from Hughes.
Hughes lands with a right hand.
Hughes dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
The fighters circling - Hughes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Xavier appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Xavier tries for a takedown but Hughes sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jack Xavier. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Xavier fails with the takedown
and Hughes counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Xavier is trying to pull guard but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.
Xavier is trying to pull guard but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.
Xavier is trying to pull guard but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.
Hughes scores with a shoulder strike.
Hughes lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Xavier fails to pull guard.

Xavier manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Xavier 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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Xavier throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Xavier throws his legs up looking for a submission but Hughes uses it to pass to side control.
Xavier tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Xavier tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hughes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Xavier manages to get back to half guard.
Hughes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Xavier is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hughes pulls his head out easily.
It looks like Hughes is going to stand back up.
Hughes is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is thwarting Xavier's attempts to control the position.
Hughes perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Seymour Hughes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Xavier misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hughes is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Xavier with a body shot.
Xavier closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hughes counters with a nice uppercut.
Xavier fails with the takedown
and Hughes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Xavier doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Hughes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Xavier shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Xavier showed some decent athleticism there.
Hughes is controlling Xavier's trapped leg to prevent Xavier from advancing to side control.
Xavier tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hughes knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Seymour Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hughes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 28:29
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 28:29

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