PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Hughes (ranked 1540 p4p, 1741 weight class) and Voltsz Diesel (ranked 200 p4p, 227 weight class). Diesel has chosen Outerspass - Frosty as his entrance music. 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.

Hughes
vs
Diesel

190 cm
28
199
10 - 12 - 0

189 cm
28
195
8 - 6 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Olympic wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

Fantasy Threads

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 10 - 12 - 0, fighting out of New York, Marcus Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 6 - 0, fighting out of London, Voltsz Diesel!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Phil Schofield and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Diesel shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Hughes misses with a body shot.
Diesel throws a shot from downtown. Hughes moves away and avoids it.
Hughes avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
An attempted straight right counter from Hughes misses the target.
Hughes connects with a crisp jab.

Diesel gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Diesel lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
Diesel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Diesel is pressed up against the cage. Hughes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Diesel down to the mat. Diesel avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Hughes misses the jab.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Diesel clinches.
Diesel stops a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Diesel digs a right hand into Hughes's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Hughes's gas tank.
Diesel trying to land knees to the body.
Diesel lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diesel's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Diesel can't find room to land a body shot as Hughes controls the action.
Diesel lands a shoulder strike.
Hughes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hughes blocks an elbow strike.
With the fighters up against the cage, Diesel throws an elbow but misses.
Hughes blocks the elbow strike.
Diesel misses with an elbow over the top.
Hughes tries to score a body lock takedown but Diesel shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diesel throws an elbow that misses.
Diesel has a couple of punches blocked by Hughes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diesel misses with an elbow over the top.
Diesel swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Diesel can't find room to land a body shot as Hughes controls the action.
Diesel misses with the head strike.
Diesel swings wildly with an uppercut but Hughes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Diesel swings wildly with an uppercut but Hughes uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hughes takes an elbow to the temple.
Hughes has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Diesel avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Hughes blocking some punches.
Hughes blocks an elbow strike.
Diesel lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Diesel throws a head punch that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diesel content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Hughes wants a takedown but no success here.
Diesel misses with a punch to the body.
Diesel lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

It looks like Marcus Hughes has been cut.
Diesel lands a nice elbow.

Hughes lands a takedown into guard.
Hughes looking to sit in guard and control but Diesel gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Diesel decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Diesel tries to clinch up but Hughes circles away and keeps his distance.
Hughes dives in and grabs Diesel's left leg, looking for a takedown. Diesel pushes down on Hughes's head and hops out.
Hughes lunges at Diesel with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Diesel's hand.
Diesel is looking to clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diesel closes the distance but Hughes moves to the side
and Diesel takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Voltsz Diesel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Diesel tries to clinch up but Hughes circles away and keeps his distance.
Hughes on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Diesel tries to clinch but Hughes is having none of it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Diesel looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Diesel darts in and clinches Hughes up against the cage.
Diesel working aggressively here.
Diesel lands an uppercut.
Diesel pressing his opponent against the cage.

Hughes gets a trip takedown into half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Voltsz Diesel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Hughes's cut.
That's time! Hughes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Diesel blocks a jab.
Hughes scores with a nice head shot.

Diesel fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Hughes, pushing him back against the cage.
Diesel throws an elbow but it misses.
A nice right hand lands inside from Diesel.
Diesel swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Diesel lands an elbow inside that Hughes shrugs off.
Diesel is pressed up against the cage. Hughes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Diesel down to the mat. Diesel avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Diesel leaves Hughes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes throws a hook but Diesel blocks it.
Diesel tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hughes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Diesel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hughes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Diesel walks into a jab.
Hughes misses with a looping left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes just misses with a punch to the body.
Diesel wants to clinch.
Diesel throws an off balance right hand
and Hughes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Nice shot by Diesel.
Diesel avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Diesel steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Hughes.

Diesel clinches up with Hughes and pushes him back against the cage.
Hughes tries for a takedown but Diesel manages to get underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Diesel creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Diesel taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Hughes gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Hughes thows a huge punch but Diesel dodges it nicely.
Diesel tries to push off, looking to stand up, but Hughes manages to move to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hughes raining down shots from the mount!
Diesel holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Hughes tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Diesel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
BOOM! Hughes connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Diesel wants to get back to his feet.
Diesel holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Hughes tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Diesel sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diesel avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hughes.
Hughes throwing shots but Diesel is blocking nicely.
Diesel avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hughes.

Hughes is trying to work for a kimura but Diesel is defending well.
Diesel keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Hughes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes stalling away here and it's allowed Diesel to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Diesel keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Diesel working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hughes.
Hughes looking to sit in guard and control but Diesel gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Diesel trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hughes's guard.
Hughes throws a couple of heel strikes.
Hughes wants to sweep here but Diesel controlling him for the moment.
Hughes is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Hughes dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Hughes's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Diesel closes the distance and clinches.
Hughes blocking some punches.
Diesel stops a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Hughes blocks an uppercut.
Hughes blocks an uppercut.
Diesel lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
Diesel lands a hook that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
Hughes blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Diesel scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Diesel dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Diesel misses with the head strike.
Diesel gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Diesel gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcus Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hughes avoids the elbow strike from Diesel, against the cage.
Hughes prevents a body shot from Diesel.
Hughes blocks an elbow strike.
Diesel tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hughes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Diesel prevents it.
Hughes blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Diesel working some nice short punches in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diesel pushes off an throws an elbow but Hughes leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Diesel swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hughes is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hughes takes an elbow to the temple.
Diesel can't find room to land a body shot as Hughes controls the action.
Diesel has a couple of punches blocked by Hughes.
Diesel displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hughes up against the cage.
Diesel lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
A nice left hand lands by Diesel.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Diesel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diesel lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Diesel misses with an elbow strike.
I was talking to Hughes's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Diesel lands an elbow inside.
The referee is keeping an eye on Diesel - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Diesel taking a breather.
Diesel struggles to land a body shot inside as Hughes controls his hands.
Hughes takes an elbow to the forehead.
Diesel is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Diesel throws an elbow but it misses.
Diesel swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diesel doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Diesel lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
Diesel misses with some punches.
Still in the clinch, Diesel scores with a nice short uppercut.
Diesel struggles to land a body shot inside as Hughes controls his hands.
Diesel lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Diesel tries to throw a body punch but Hughes avoids it by throwing Diesel back against the cage.
Hughes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Diesel lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hughes blocks a body shot from Diesel.
A short right from Diesel.
Diesel goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Diesel throws an elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Voltsz Diesel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Diesel 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 Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:29
Judge Phil Schofield scores the fight 27:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Voltsz Diesel!
Voltsz Diesel seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.