PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between William Bonin (ranked 1056 p4p, 1732 weight class) and Marcus Hughes (ranked 154 p4p, 251 weight class). The key to victory for William Bonin has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Bonin
vs
Hughes

195 cm
21
195
6 - 0 - 0

190 cm
22
199
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Good gas tank

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, William Bonin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Marcus Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Patrick Alders and Aafke Stam.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bonin throws a lazy right hand but Hughes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hughes takes a swing at Bonin's ribcage but misses.
Bonin falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hughes cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hughes throws a shot from downtown. Bonin moves away and avoids it.
Bonin throwing a counter right hand but Hughes manages to avoid it.
Jab by Bonin.

Hughes closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Bonin quickly recovers to half guard.
Hughes controlling the action here.
Bonin tries to kick Hughes off but Hughes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bonin has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Hughes is on him like a limpet, forcing Bonin back against the cage.
I was talking to Bonin's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Bonin has had enough of the clinch but Hughes keeps him there for the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bonin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bonin scores with a hook to the body.
Bonin misses with a body punch.

Bonin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hughes has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Bonin finds it's way round the side to connect with Hughes's head.
Hughes misses with a left hand
and Bonin counters with a nice uppercut.
Hughes ducks under a wild hook from Bonin.
Hughes swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Bonin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hughes sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hughes moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
William Bonin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bonin uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hughes.
Bonin throws a poor cross that misses
letting Hughes counter with a right hand.
Hughes takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Bonin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Bonin sizes up Hughes with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Hughes takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Bonin slips a jab from Hughes.
A telegraphed right hand from Bonin misses the target.
Bonin takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Bonin bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Hughes's head.
Bonin staying out of range there.
William Bonin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Bonin looks to throw the jab but Hughes is out of range.
Bonin throws a looping overhand right but Hughes ducks down to avoid it.
Bonin throws an off balance right hand
enabling Hughes to counter with a crisp jab.
Bonin feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Hughess jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
Hughes moves away from the strike by Bonin.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hughes! But no joy.
A lazy left from Hughes finds it's target.
Bonin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Bonin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bonin connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
Hughes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.

Hughes is rocked!
Bonin lands with a precision combination! Left, right, uppercut and Hughes falls flat on his face, eyes wide open but he's out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:18 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). William Bonin!
An out of breath William Bonin thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.