PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Nick Diaz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ratt Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Diaz's entrance music is This Is War. A fine choice. Hughes comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Country boy can survive kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Diaz
vs
Hughes

183 cm
27
173 lbs
15 - 0 - 0

181 cm
23
175 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
KO power

ADCC Champion
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Das Labor
Hell's Balls Recovery

Hell's Balls Recovery

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 15 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Nick Diaz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ratt Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Donald Grub and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Some wild striking there from Diaz.
Hughes blocks a head kick by Diaz.
Diaz looks to score with a jab to the body but Hughes is just out of range.
Diaz looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Diaz is looking to slow Hughes down with leg kicks.
Diaz slips under a jab from Hughes.
Hughes scores with a jab to the head.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Diaz.
Hughes missing with a left hand there. Diaz was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Diaz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hughes manages to avoid it.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diaz takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Diaz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Diaz takes a swing at Hughes's ribcage but misses.
Hughes throws a hook to the side of Diaz's head but Diaz sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Diaz ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Diaz pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A looping hook to the body misses from Diaz. Hughes does a little dance to reset his feet.

Hughes shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Diaz is trying to defend but Hughes finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Hughes looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hughes throws a strike but Diaz avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Diaz controls Hughes momentarily but Hughes frees himself.
Hughes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Diaz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Hughes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Diaz works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hughes throws a big right hand that misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Hughes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Diaz throws a hook but Hughes blocks it.
Diaz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Diaz misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Diaz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hughes.
Diaz misses with the combination.
Diaz with a hook.
Hughes slips under a jab from Diaz.
Diaz is looking to clinch.
Diaz throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Hughes swats away the attempt to clinch by Diaz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Hughes to score with a decent uppercut.
Hughes ducks under a wild hook from Diaz.
Diaz throws a lazy right hand but Hughes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Diaz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Diaz ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Hughes throws a lazy right hand but Diaz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Good standup being displayed there by Hughes as he connects with a hook.

Hughes throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Diaz was covering up waiting for the punch and Hughes finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Diaz is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hughes throws and elbow that misses. Diaz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hughes's guard. Nice move by Diaz!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz wants to control from the top but Hughes keeps moving.
Diaz won't allow Hughes to sweep him here.
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.
Hughes wants to free his trapped foot but Diaz is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Hughes is looking to stall here but Diaz recovers full guard.
Diaz not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hughes throws and elbow that misses. Diaz uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hughes's guard. Nice move by Diaz!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ratt Hughes will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

A big left from Diaz misses.
A left and a right from Hughes both land. Nice combination.
Hughes throws out a loose jab but Diaz uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hughes misses the shot to the body.
Diaz slips a straight right by Hughes.
Diaz misses with a jab, cross combination.
Diaz fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hughes manages to avoid it.
A slow jab from Hughes misses its intended target.
Diaz bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Diaz takes one on the button.
Hughes shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Diaz defends it nicely.
Hughes throws a series of punches but Diaz avoids them all with ease.
Hughes shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Nick Diaz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hughes throws a hook but Diaz blocks it.
Hughes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Diaz.

Hughes shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hughes showed some decent athleticism there.
Hughes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Diaz's head.
Hughes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Diaz is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hughes not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hughes prevents Diaz from improving his position.
Hughes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Diaz defending well though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz is staying active underneath Hughes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hughes wants to free his trapped foot but Diaz is holding on for dear life with his legs.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hughes shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Diaz pinned against the cage. Diaz gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Diaz lands a glancing blow to the side of Hughes's head.
Diaz thows a left - swing and a miss!
Hughes displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Diaz throws out the jab.
Diaz misses with a wild body shot.
Hughes moves out of range of the body kick.
Hughes loads up on a big right hand but Diaz slips the punch.
Nick Diaz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hughes throws a looping overhand right but Diaz ducks down to avoid it.
Hughes stuns Diaz with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Diaz uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hughes.
Diaz throws a body punch but Hughes moves out of range.
Diaz misses with a body punch
and Hughes counters with a series of strikes. Diaz will be more careful next time no doubt.
Diaz with a hook.
Diaz tries to move into range but Hughes moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Diaz tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A solid body kick from Diaz.
Diaz tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hughes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Diaz is looking to clinch.
Diaz tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hughes was well out of range. Poor timing from Diaz.
Diaz throws a head kick that misses.
Nice sprawl there from Diaz as Hughes shoots in.
Nick Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ratt Hughes.
Good work by Hughes as he checks the leg kick.
Hughes throws an overhand right that lands on Diaz's shoulder, as Diaz tries to avoid the shot.
A big left from Diaz misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Diaz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Hughes works the jab nicely.
Diaz moves in looking to clinch but Hughes pushes him off.
Diaz works over Hughes's head and body with a nice combination.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Diaz keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Diaz throws a jab when Hughes was well out of range.
Hughes moves out of range of the leg kick from Diaz.
Diaz uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hughes.

Hughes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Diaz looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Diaz is trying to get back to half guard.
Diaz struggling a bit here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Diaz dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Hughes moves out of range of the body kick.
A left and a right from Hughes both land. Nice combination.
Hughes closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Hughes might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Hughes throws a lazy right hand but Diaz sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
The fighters circling - Diaz throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hughes scores with a sloppy right hand. Diaz should have avoided that one.
Hughes thuds a left hand into Diaz's body.
Hughes loads up on a big right hand but Diaz slips the punch.
Diaz slips a jab from Hughes.
Diaz misses the jab.
Hughes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Diaz sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hughes ducks under a wild hook from Diaz.
Hughes takes one on the button.
A punch combination from Diaz misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a body kick.
Diaz smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Diaz swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hughes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hughes pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Hughes lands a head shot.
Nice defenses there by Diaz.
Diaz fails to land with a series of punches.
Diaz is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hughes.
Hughes throws a series of punches but Diaz moves out of range.
Horrible takedown by Hughes or perhaps it was just good defense by Diaz which made him look bad.
A punch combination from Hughes misses.
Diaz looks for the body kick but Hughes saw that one coming.
Diaz leaves Hughes with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Diaz defending well as Hughes loads up on a big left hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Diaz misses with a hook.
Hughes bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Diaz's head.
The fighters circling - Hughes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hughes dives in and grabs Diaz's left leg, looking for a takedown. Diaz pushes down on Hughes's head and hops out.
Nick Diaz has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ratt Hughes.
Diaz slips under a jab from Hughes.
Hughes comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Diaz takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Hughes looks to land a right hand but Diaz moved out of range.
Hughes connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Diaz tries to clinch there but Hughes circles away.
Hughes throws a jab when Diaz was well out of range.
Diaz misses the jab.
Hughes throws an overhand right that lands on Diaz's shoulder, as Diaz tries to avoid the shot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Nice defenses there by Diaz.
Diaz lands with a nice body punch.
Diaz ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Diaz misses the shot to the body.
Hughes closes this distance looking for a takedown but Diaz circles away.
Diaz tries to land a front kick but Hughes steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Hughes misses the jab.
Hughes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Diaz swings away with a body shot that misses
and Hughes counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Diaz as he avoids it easily.
Diaz scores with a leg kick.
No joy there for Diaz, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Diaz misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hughes.
Hughes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Diaz moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Hughes decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hughes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Diaz's head.
Hughes takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Diaz is trying to maintain the position but Hughes is very close to passing his half guard.
Hughes prevents Diaz from standing back up.
Diaz is holding on to half guard well.
Hughes wants to take a breather but Diaz is having none of it.
Diaz is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Hughes scores with a couple of nice shots.
Hughes wants to take a breather but Diaz is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Nick Diaz.
I think Diaz has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nick Diaz!