PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Hayes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jim James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hayes comes to the cage accompanied by I gotta feeling. 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.

Hayes
vs
James

182 cm
20
182 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

168 cm
24
170 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers standup

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marcus Hayes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jim James!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Bruno Hogan and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A combination from Hayes does no damage.
James throws a right and a left that Hayes avoids nicely.
James should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.

Hayes closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Hayes misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Hayes working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Hayes working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Hayes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
James is trying to get back to his feet.
James tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
BOOM! Hayes connects with a massive shot to the dome!
James tries to buck Hayes off but he can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James avoids a series of strikes thrown by Hayes.
Hayes throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for James because Hayes loaded up on that one.

Hayes is going olschool here, as he tries to force James to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so James shrugs it off.
Hayes controlling his opponent.
James blocking the ground and pound.
James really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hayes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Hayes looking to ground and pound but James is blocking nicely.
You get the feeling that James really doesn't like being in this position too much.
James is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hayes thowing shots but they're missing.
Hayes landing strikes from the mount and James is in trouble!
Hayes is landing with some decent strikes but James is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Hayes trying to control but James is having none of it.
James is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hayes raining down shots from the mount!
Hayes connects with a couple of good shots from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. James can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Hayes landing punches.

Hayes looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Hayes is breathing heavily.
Hayes throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for James because Hayes loaded up on that one.
James wants to get back to his feet.
Hayes lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
James wants to try and get back to his feet.
Hayes throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

Hayes is working for a guillotine from mount but James frees his head quite easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hayes lands a big elbow.
Hayes won't let James get back to his feet... He wants to keep the fight where it is for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hayes landing shots from mount.
BOOM! Hayes connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Hayes scoring with strikes but James is staying in there.
Hayes controlling his opponent.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hayes with the ground and pound from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Hayes dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

James misses with a wild combination.
Hayes looks to land a right hand but James moved out of range.

Hayes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. James looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
James is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Hayes misses with the ground and pound.

Hayes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but James is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hayes tries to score with some ground and pound. James controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Hayes sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but James is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hayes in side control lands a decent elbow.
Hayes misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James tries to escape but Hayes is in control.
Hayes in side control, throwing shots but James defends.
Hayes will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Hayes in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
James is trying to get back to his feet.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
James drops his hands momentarily and Hayes takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Hayes swinging wilding here.
Hayes throws a jab when James was well out of range.
James throws a sloppy head kick and Hayes moves out of range easily.
James throws a sloppy head kick and Hayes moves out of range easily.
Hayes looks to throw the jab but James is out of range.
Hayes misses with a hook. James ducked under it nicely.
James throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
James pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hayes slips a jab and a cross from James.
James misses with a wild combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hayes fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Hayes scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. James doesn't seem bothered though.
Hayes lands a straight punch to the body, keeping James at a distance.
James takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Hayes fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
A punch combination from James misses.
Hayes moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Hayes clobbers James with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Hayes lands a nice shot that snaps James's head back.
Hayes throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Hayes sizes up James with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Hayes is using his reach advantage well here, landing the more effective single shots from range.
A nice combination there by Hayes.
James falls off balance throwing a combination
enabling Hayes to counter with a crisp jab.
A punch combination from James misses.
Marcus Hayes is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
James takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Hayes misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes avoids the head kick by James.
Danga de danga de dang - Hayes scores with a four punch combination!
James misses with a two punch combination.
Hayes cracks a nice hook into James's ribs.
Hayes throws a head kick that misses.
James misses with a double jab.
The crowd cheers as Hayes lands an impressive looking overhand right. James doesn't seem phased though.
James misses with a double jab
and Hayes counters with a straight right hand.
James wants to clinch up but Hayes keeps it at a distance.
James takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
James will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hayes scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Hayes avoids the head kick by James.
Hayes lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Hayes scores with a jab. James acknowledges it with a nod of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Hayes avoids the head kick by James.
Hayes scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
James misses with a two punch combination.
Hayes works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
James takes a body punch but keeps moving.
James takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Jim James is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
James throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hayes thuds his shin into the meat of James's side.
Hayes jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
James throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Hayes is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Hayes dodges the punch combination from James.
James walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
No joy there for James, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hayes lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Hayes throws a good cross that connects.
James throws a right hand that Hayes ducks under and follows up with a left that Hayes also avoids with ease.
Hayes darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Hayes dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Hayes circles away from the clinch attempt.
James tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Hayes to counter with a crisp jab.
Hayes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A right-left combo lands from Hayes.
James scores with a three punch combo!
James lands with a slapping head kick.
A head kick misses from James.
James takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
James goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
James moves forwards but Hayes connects with a nice, crisp jab.
James throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hayes shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts James as he jumps to the side.
James throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hayes throws a right and a left that James avoids nicely.
Nice defenses there by James.
James throws a sloppy head kick and Hayes moves out of range easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hayes lands a jab to James's midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
James fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
James walks into a jab.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hayes thuds his right hand into James's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
James misses with a double jab.
The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hayes misses with a few strikes there.
James misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hayes cracks James with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Hayes blocks a head kick by James.
James has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Hayes moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
A head kick by James misses

and Hayes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Hayes seems to be looking for submissions.
Hayes lands strikes from half guard.
Marcus Hayes overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
James is trying to stand back up but Hayes is controlling him
Hayes is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that James can do to turn this around?
Hayes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Hayes seems like he's working for an arm triangle here. He's freed his trapped foot and he's rotating nicely. James is in big trouble! He's tapping out! This one is aaaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Arm Triangle). Marcus Hayes!