PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ken Pham (ranked 4390 p4p, 4419 weight class) and Hash Ashton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Pham
vs
Ashton

187 cm
18
193
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
188
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Tends to cut

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ken Pham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Hash Ashton!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, Steve Montenegro and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ashton swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Ashton fails with the takedown.
Pham connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ashton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Ashton changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Pham tries to avoid it but Ashton manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Pham to the ground. Pham escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Ashton throws a nice looking combination but Pham bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Ashton swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ashton with a lazy takedown attempt
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ken Pham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Hash Ashton.
Ashton throws a series of punches but Pham avoids them all with ease.
Pham fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ashton just manages to avoid it.
Ashton pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Ashton throws a left and a right that both miss
and Pham counters with a solid body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton misses with a few strikes there.
Pham swats away the attempt to clinch by Ashton.
Ashton throws a left and a right that both miss
and Pham counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Ashton looks winded!
Pham lands with a kick to the ribs.
Ashton swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Pham lands with a slapping head kick.

It looks like Hash Ashton has been cut.
Ashton fails with a takedown attempt.
Ashton misses with a series of wild punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ashton throws a combination that misses
and Pham counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ashton's knee momentarily.
Ashton misses with a looping right.
Pham throws a sloppy head kick and Ashton moves out of range easily.
Ashton throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Pham counters with an outside leg kick.
Ashton on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
A low kick lands for Pham.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Pham throws a quick inside leg kick.
Pham lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Pham dodges the punch combination from Ashton.
Pham throws a quick counter kick to the body but Ashton avoids it.
Ashton throws a leg kick that is checked
and Pham counters with a leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Ashton.
Pham quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Ashton throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ashton misses with a left hand
and Pham counters with a good, hard body kick but Ashton shrugs it off.
Ashton looks to throw the jab but Pham is out of range.
Pham lands a leg kick that knocks Ashton off balance momentarily.
Ashton throws a head kick that misses
and Pham counters with a nice body kick.
Pham fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ashton.
Ashton misses with a takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Pham lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pham pushes Ashton away with a front kick.
Pham with the inside leg kick.
Hash Ashton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ashton swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Pham throws a quick inside leg kick.
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!
Ashton misses with a double jab
and Pham counters with a low kick, right behind Ashton 's knee.
Pham fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ashton.
Ashton tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Ashton misses with the combination.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Pham dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Hash Ashton's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

A thudding body kick lands there by Pham!
Ashton looks to land a combination but Pham avoids it well.
Ashton misses with a hook to the body
and Pham counters with a head kick. That will keep Ashton thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Pham slips a jab and a cross from Ashton.
Ashton chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Pham can pounce on him.
Ashton's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Ashton throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Pham sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Pham throws a head kick but Ashton moves out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ashton throws a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Pham slips a jab and a cross from Ashton.
Pham lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Ashton is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
It appears Pham was looking to counter with a kick there.
Ken Pham is winning the standup battle so far.
Ashton looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ken Pham is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A slapping leg kick lands for Pham.
Ashton tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Pham paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Pham dodges the punch combination from Ashton.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pham.
Ashton rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pham moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Pham finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ashton on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Pham throws a low kick but Ashton moves out of range easily.
Pham is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Ashton can do to turn this around?
Ashton misses the shot to the body.
Pham takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Ashton throws a left and a right that both miss
and Pham counters with a leg kick.
Ashton misses with a double jab
and Pham counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ashton's knee momentarily.
Pham connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hash Ashton is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Pham connects with a solid leg kick.
Ashton throws a combination that misses
and Pham counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ashton's knee momentarily.
A telegraphed right hand from Ashton misses the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pham lets loose with a powerful body kick. Ashton will feel that in the morning.
Pham throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
A good leg kick by Pham.
Pham does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Ashton throws a body shot but no joy.
Pham tried to counter with a leg kick but Ashton avoided it.
A nice leg kick lands there from Pham.
Ashton takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Ashton pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Ashton lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Pham circles away quickly and effectively.
Ashton misses with a double jab.
Pham looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Pham.
Ashton looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Pham moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Ashton throws a lazy right hand but Pham sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Ashton has a takedown stuffed.
Pham thinks about countering with a body kick.
Pham with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ashton jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Ashton scores with a three punch combo!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Ashton misses with a body shot
and Pham counters with a low kick, right behind Ashton 's knee.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Ken Pham dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Hash Ashton's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Pham delivers a nice body kick.
A combination from Ashton does no damage.
And Pham counters with a quick kick to the body but Ashton blocks it.
Ashton throws a shot from downtown. Pham moves away and avoids it.
Pham fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ashton just manages to avoid it.
Pham chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Pham moves out of range of the leg kick from Ashton.
Pham looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Ashton throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Ashton loads up on a big right hand but Pham slips the punch.
Ashton comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Pham has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ashton misses with a jab, cross combination.
Ashton misses with a double jab
and Pham counters with an inside leg kick.
Ashton takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ashton tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Pham fires out a quick counter leg kick but Ashton just manages to avoid it.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ashton.
Pham lands with a thumping leg kick.
Pham misses with a low kick.
Ashton unleashes a big counter combination but Pham bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.
Ashton throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ashton is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Pham.
Pham feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Pham scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Pham misses with a low kick.
Ashton checks a low kick from Pham.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ashton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Pham feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Ashton misses with a wild combination.
Ashton avoids the head kick by Pham.
Ashton gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Pham counters with a nice low kick that buckles Ashton's knee momentarily.
Pham throws a nice outside leg kick.
Pham thuds his shin into the meat of Ashton's side.
Ashton has developed a nice purple lump on his ribcage, as a result of some heavy body kicks from Pham.
Pham throws a nice inside leg kick.
Ashton throws a leg kick
and Pham counters with a low kick, right behind Ashton 's knee.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pham chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Ashton on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Ashton fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Pham tried to counter with a leg kick but Ashton avoided it.
Pham scores with a nice body kick.
Pham misses with a leg kick.
Ashton is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Pham will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Pham lands with a thumping leg kick.
Ashton throws a left and a right that both miss
and Pham counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Pham lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Pham. Ashton shrugs it off though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Ashton, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Pham looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Hash Ashton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pham looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Pham throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ashton misses with a two punch combination.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Pham - that will leave a mark!
Ken Pham is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Pham scoring well with a low kick there.
A solid leg kick lands there for Pham.
Pham looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Pham scores with a head kick.
Ashton misses with a wild combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ken Pham showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Pham has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Dean Styles scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ken Pham!