PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mayday Holiday (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Grant Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hughes is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Iron Man. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Holiday
vs
Hughes

190 cm
18
225 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

199 cm
18
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mayday Holiday!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Grant Hughes!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hughes shoots in and bounces Holiday off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hughes showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Hughes's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Hughes slips nicely into half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hughes in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Grant Hughes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Holiday moves in looking to clinch but Hughes pushes him off.
Holiday tries to clinch there but Hughes circles away.
Holiday tries to clinch there but Hughes circles away.
Holiday is looking to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Hughes swats away the attempt to clinch by Holiday.
Holiday fails with an attempt to clinch.
Holiday misses with a takedown attempt

and Hughes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Hughes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Holiday, up you get!
Holiday wants to clinch but Hughes slips to the side

and Hughes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Hughes passes into half guard.
Holiday is trying to stand.
Hughes is controlling the pace.
Hughes looks gassed!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hughes decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Holiday wants to clinch

and Hughes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Holiday won't be happy with that.
Hughes wants to control but Holiday is keeping him busy.
Holiday is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Hughes asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Hughes controls the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Grant Hughes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Hughes clinches with his opponent.
Holiday misses with a knee to the head.
Holiday throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hughes blocks it with crossed arms.
Holiday is pressed up against the cage. Hughes has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Holiday down to the mat. Holiday avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Holiday wants to clinch

and Hughes moves into the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hughes pulls Holiday into guard.
Hughes controlling Holiday's posture.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Hughes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Hughes drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hughes slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Let's hope that Hughes has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Holiday is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holiday wants to stand up but Hughes is controlling him.
Hughes is stalling in the full guard.
Hughes is breathing heavily.

Despite being in the dominant position, Grant Hughes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Holiday shoots and misses

and Hughes counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hughes.
Hughes is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Hughes tries to free his leg and advance position but Holiday is retaining full guard.
Hughes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hughes wants to control from the top but Holiday keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Holiday can't keep his opponent in guard - Hughes advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Hughes is figuring out what he wants to do next.

Despite being in the dominant position, Grant Hughes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Nice takedown defense from Holiday. No joy for Hughes on that attempt.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hughes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holiday stuffs the takedown.
Mayday Holiday has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Grant Hughes.
Holiday wants to clinch but Hughes slips to the side

and Hughes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Holiday's guard.
Hughes not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes trying to control but Holiday is working from the bottom.
Grant Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holiday being controlled here, momentarily.
Hughes passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Hughes controls the position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Grant Hughes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Holiday tries to clinch

and Hughes counters with a shoot takedown. Holiday fights it but they end up in guard.
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!
Holiday being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Grant Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hughes darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Hughes is controlling the pace.

Hughes decides to stand up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Holiday closes the distance looking to clinch

and Hughes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

Despite being in the dominant position, Grant Hughes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Holiday wants to clinch but Hughes slips to the side

and Hughes counters with a takedown into side control.
Hughes just content to control the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hughes stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Mayday Holiday is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Hughes gets a clinch.

Hughes has hold of one of Holiday's legs. Holiday is fighting the takedown attempt but Hughes gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Hughes 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.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Despite being in the dominant position, Grant Hughes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Holiday gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hughes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Holiday misses with a knee strike.
Holiday throws a knee to the head but misses.
Holiday throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hughes blocks it with crossed arms.
Holiday tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Holiday looking to throw knees to the head but Hughes is blocking nicely.
Holiday with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Holiday missing with knees to the body.
Holiday landing knees to the head.
Hughes stalling in the clinch but Holiday improves position.
Holiday with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Holiday with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Hughes fails to pull guard.

Hughes pulls guard successfully.
Hughes has control of Holiday's left arm, preventing Holiday from doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hughes is on top in guard.
Hughes sitting in guard here, content to control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hughes stands up from Holiday's guard - Hughes perhaps looking for a knockout.
Mayday Holiday has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Holiday pulls out of a head kick attempt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Grant Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hughes winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 26:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 24:30

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