PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Darrel Hill (ranked 588 p4p, 71 weight class) and Balagot Liu (ranked 714 p4p, 89 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Hill
vs
Liu

167 cm
22
145 lbs
12 - 3 - 0

173 cm
21
146 lbs
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Urban Fighter
Ma Balls Is Hot Clothing

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 12 - 3 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Darrel Hill!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Balagot Liu!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Winston Howard and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Liu tries to land a leg kick but Hill saw it coming and moves away.
Hill tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Liu manages to circle out of the way.
Liu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hill was well out of range. Poor timing from Liu.
Liu misses with the combination.
Hill is looking to counter punch.
Liu takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Hill throws a jab but it's blocked by Liu.

Hill has taken the fight to the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short uppercut from Hill.
Hill pressing his opponent against the cage.
Hill throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Liu wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liu softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Hill working aggressively here.
Liu misses with a punch to the body.
Hill throws a knee to the head but misses.
Liu has a couple of punches blocked by Hill.
Hill misses with a shot to the kidneys.
A short right from Hill.
A nice right hand lands inside from Hill.
Liu throws a punch but it's blocked by Hill.
Liu fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Liu looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Hill tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
A head punch on the inside from Liu fails to land.
We've been hearing reports that Hill has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Hill blocks an uppercut.
Liu working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Liu misses with a short punch on the inside.
Liu misses with a hook from the clinch.
Hill fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Liu is pressed up against the cage. Hill has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Liu down to the mat. Liu avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hill jabbing away but nothing is landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu throws a leg kick
and Hill cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hill avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hill swinging wildly here.
Liu thows a leg kick but Hill checks it

and Hill counters with a nice double leg into side control. Liu won't be happy with that.
Hill tries to advance to mount but Liu denies him.

Hill decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Liu swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Hill counters with a straight right hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hill slips a jab and a cross from Liu.
Liu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Liu throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Nice defenses there by Liu.
Hill checks the leg kick.
Liu throws a lazy uppercut
and Hill counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Hill checks a leg kick.
Hill ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Liu throws a body punch but Hill moves out of range.
A combination from Hill does no damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hill on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.

Hill instigates a clinch.
Liu has a couple of punches blocked by Hill.
Hill swings wildly with an uppercut but Liu uses good head movement to avoid it.
Liu misses with a punch to the body.
Liu misses with the head strike.
Hill pushes off an throws an elbow but Liu leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Hill prevents Liu from breaking the clinch.
Hill blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hill leaning his opponent against the cage.
Hill digs a right hand into Liu's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Liu's gas tank.
A left hand lands to the body for Liu.
Liu pushes Hill back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Liu scores with a shot to the side of Hill's head.
Hill makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hill lands a lovely overhand right.
Hill misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Liu.
Liu chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Liu throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Liu connects with a solid leg kick.
Hill takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Hill throws a looping overhand right but Liu ducks down to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Liu's corner calls for a 1-2. Liu obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Balagot Liu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Liu lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Liu looks to score with a jab to the body but Hill is just out of range.
Hill is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice uppercut lands for Hill. That snapped Liu's head back.
Hill misses with a straight right.
Liu tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Hill was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Hill moves out of range of the strikes.
Liu turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Hill keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Liu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hill throwing a counter right hand but Liu manages to avoid it.
Hill pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Liu misses with a two punch combination.
Hill appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Liu throws a leg kick
and Hill counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Hill is able to avoid easily.
Hill swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Hill dodges the punch combination from Liu.
Hill was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Liu misses with an uppercut

and Hill counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Liu lands with a light punch inside.
Liu has been looking to improve his clinch game in recent weeks. Hill seems to have the measure of him in the clinch so far, so let's see if Liu can turn it around.
Liu misses with a short punch on the inside.
Hill goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Liu doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Liu throws a head punch that misses.
Liu lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hill or not.
Liu working hard to break the clinch.
Liu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hill lands a left hand that snaps the head of Liu backwards.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hill.
Liu throws a punch but it's blocked by Hill.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu swings wildly with an uppercut but Hill uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hill with an attempt at a knee that misses.
A short left from Hill.
Liu misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Liu.
A short right from Hill on the inside.
Good body shot from Liu.
Hill lands a hook that snaps the head of Liu backwards.
Liu tries to work over Hill's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hill tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Liu scores with a shot to the side of Hill's head.
Liu doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Liu lands a body shot.
A head punch on the inside from Liu fails to land.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Liu tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hill.
Liu working aggressively here.
Hill swings wildly with an uppercut but Liu uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hill throws an elbow but it's blocked.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Hill creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Liu wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Hill has him pressed against the cage.

Hill is trying to trip Liu. He has hold of a leg but Liu is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Hill persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Hill 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.
Hill has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Hill's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Balagot Liu will probably get the nod - 10:9.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Liu swings widly with a right hand
and Hill counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Liu uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hill.
A head kick misses from Hill.
Liu keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Liu drops his hands momentarily and Hill takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Liu throws a nice looking combination but Hill bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Liu uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hill.
Liu feints a counter leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Liu wants to land a leg kick but Hill is out of range.
Liu lands a slapping body shot.
A slow jab from Liu misses its intended target.
A little feinted left hand from Hill on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Liu throws a body shot but no joy.
Good leg kick by Liu there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Good work by Liu as he checks the leg kick.
Liu throws a nice outside leg kick.
Hill bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Hill lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
A low kick from Liu misses
and Hill counters with a nice uppercut.
Liu is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hill.
Liu wants to land a leg kick but Hill is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Liu lands with a nice combination. Hill backs away looking to recover.

It looks like Darrel Hill has been cut.
Liu misses with a leg kick
letting Hill counter with a right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Liu scores with a hook to the body. Hill takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Hill clobbers Liu with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Liu throws a leg kick which misses Hill's front leg but catches the back leg as Hill tries to avoid it.
Hill thuds a left hand into Liu's body.
Liu scores with a jab to the head.
Liu tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hill was well out of range. Poor timing from Liu.
Hill misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Liu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Liu throws a jab when Hill was well out of range.
Hill is looking to counter with head kicks.
Hill scores with a hook to the body. Liu takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Hill moves out of range as Liu strikes.
Liu throws a front kick aimed at Hill's knee but Hill avoids it well.
Hill misses with an uppercut. Liu saw that one coming.
Liu only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Hill tries to bum rush Liu with a series of wild strikes but Liu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hill tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Liu was well out of range. Poor timing from Hill.
Hill misses with an uppercut.
Liu throws a lazy body kick
and Hill counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hill checks the leg kick nicely there.
Liu's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Liu duly obliges.
Liu throws a hook but Hill blocks it.
That kick from Liu tenderised Hill's leg. Hill is trying to keep his angry face on.
Liu walks into a straight right hand from Hill.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Liu lands an overhand right.
Hill waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Liu.
Hill pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Liu throws a lazy head kick
and Hill cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Balagot Liu.
I think Liu 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 Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Balagot Liu!
After winning the bout, Balagot Liu thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.