PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Connor Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Nweave (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hughes comes into the arena with No Easy Way Out - Bullet For My Valentine blaring out of the sound system. 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
Nweave

168 cm
18
172 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

175 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Intelligent

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 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Connor Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Bob Nweave!
The judges for this bout are Dean Styles, John Roberts and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nweave moves into range and connects with a jab.
Hughes looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Nweave.

Nweave bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Nweave is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Hughes will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Nweave working the ground and pound.

Nweave decides to stand up, so the ref orders Hughes to his feet.
Connor Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nweave goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Nweave scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Nweave stands up and beckons Hughes to his feet.

Nweave gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is trying to break the clinch but Nweave has him pressed against the cage.
Hughes misses with a hook to the ribs.
Nweave lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Hughes.

Nweave breaks from the clinch.

Nweave closes the distance and clinches.
Still in the clinch, Nweave scores with a nice short uppercut.
Hughes stalling in the clinch but Nweave improves position.
Nweave has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Hughes is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Hughes misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hughes looking to stall.
Nweave manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Hughes can't break the clinch.

Nweave breaks from the clinch.
Hughes could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

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.

Hughes gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Nweave passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Nweave landing a few strikes.

Nweave stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Hughes throws a hook but Nweave blocks it.

Nweave closes the distance and clinches.

Nweave manages to break the clinch.

Nweave forces Hughes back against the cage and clinches.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Nweave holds him up against the cage and eventually Hughes drops back down to his feet.

Nweave breaks from the clinch.
Nweave tries to clinch up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to clinch but Nweave moves away
and Nweave counters with a one-two to the body.

Nweave drives through and clinches with Hughes against the cage.
Hughes gets underhooks to prevent Nweave's takedown attempt.
Hughes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Nweave pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hughes fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Connor Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nweave gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Hughes.

Nweave manages to break the clinch.
Hughes circles away from the clinch attempt.
Nweave throws a series of punches but Hughes moves out of range.

Nweave looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Nweave is looking to advance position but Hughes won't allow it.
Nweave trying to control the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes wants to improve his position but Nweave is controlling well.

Nweave stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Hughes to get to his feet.

Hughes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Nweave works his way to full guard. Good work.
Nweave controlling Hughes's posture.
Nweave wants to stand up but Hughes is controlling him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hughes throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Nweave works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Nweave dominated that 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.

Hughes walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Nweave looks to land a combination but Hughes avoids it well.

Nweave has managed to clinch.

Nweave breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nweave throws a one two combo.

Nweave has managed to clinch.
Hughes wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Nweave has him pressed against the cage.
Nweave taking a breather.
Nweave lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hughes or not.
Hughes wants to break free but Nweave has control.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nweave landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Nweave breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes closes the distance but Nweave moves to the side

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

Nweave gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Nweave swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hughes clinches but Nweave breaks the clinch

and Nweave counters by clinching up.

Nweave breaks the clinch.
Nweave scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Hughes doesn't seem bothered though.

Nweave moves into the clinch.
with the fighters clinched against the cage, Nweave creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Hughes gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Nweave holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Nweave using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hughes has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Nweave breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hughes gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Nweave!

Nweave rushes Hughes and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Nweave breaks the clinch.
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!

Nweave closes the distance and clinches.
Hughes blocks an elbow strike from Nweave.
Hughes is pressed up against the cage. Nweave has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Hughes down to the mat. Hughes avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Nweave scores with a jab to the jaw.

Nweave feints and as Hughes raises his hands in defense, Nweave changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hughes being controlled here, momentarily.
Bob Nweave has got the better of the ground game so far.

Hughes is looking for a triangle but Nweave pushes his legs off easily.
Nweave is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nweave trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hughes's guard.
Hughes is trying to keep Nweave in close.

Nweave gets to his feet - Hughes follows without any prompting.
Hughes showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Nweave.
Hughes with a lazy takedown attempt

and Nweave holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Nweave breaks the clinch.
Hughes throws a body kick the misses

and Nweave moves into the clinch.
Nweave prevents Hughes from breaking the clinch.
Hughes wants to get back to striking at distance but Nweave won't allow it.
Nweave blocks an uppercut.

Nweave breaks from the clinch.
Hughes closes the distance looking to clinch
and Nweave counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nweave scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

Nweave has closed the distance and engaged Hughes in a clinch.
Hughes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Nweave smiles and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Connor Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nweave tries to clinch up but Hughes circles away and keeps his distance.
Nweave scores with the left hand. Hughes knows he should have avoided that one.

Hughes closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Nweave to the mat! Nweave manages to get full guard.
Nweave is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Nweave pushes Hughes off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Hughes tries to clinch
enabling Nweave to counter with a crisp jab.
Nweave throws a series of strikes that have Hughes backpedaling.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Nweave showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Nweave drives through with a takedown into guard.

Hughes is rocked!

Nweave stands up from Hughes's guard - Nweave perhaps looking for a knockout.
Oh Hughes is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Nweave throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Nweave will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Hughes seems to have got his legs back now.

Nweave instigates a clinch.

Nweave breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Nweave scores with a three punch combo!
Nweave scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.

Nweave darts in and clinches Hughes up against the cage.
Nweave works on Hughes's body with a couple of short punches.
Nweave wants to get back to striking at distance but Hughes won't allow it.
Hughes tries to break the clinch but Nweave is controlling the position.

Nweave breaks from the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Nweave counters with a straight right hand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hughes tries to clinch but Nweave moves away

and Nweave counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Hughes is working an open guard so Nweave takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Nweave lands with a nice body punch.
Nweave has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Nweave avoids the head kick by Hughes.
Nweave scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Hughes tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Nweave counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Nweave scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Nweave seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nweave trying to mount his opponent but Hughes defends it.
Nweave keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Nweave is tying to control. Hughes wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Nweave stands up and beckons Hughes to join him on the feet.
Nweave fails in his attempt to clinch.
Nweave shoots in for a double leg but Hughes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Hughes moves into the clinch successfully.
Nweave unloads a knee to the mid-section. Hughes lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Hughes stalling in the clinch but Nweave improves position.

Nweave lands a takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nweave looking to pass the guard.
Nweave controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Nweave's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

Nweave stands and steps away. Hughes gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Hughes throws a lazy head kick
and Nweave counters with a one-two to the body.

Nweave darts in and clinches Hughes up against the cage.

Nweave breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hughes dodges the punch combination from Nweave.

Nweave moves into the clinch successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Nweave works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Hughes fails to pull guard.
Hughes is trying to maintain a safe position but Nweave gets an underhook and turns Hughes into the cage.
Nweave goes for a takedown in the clinch but Hughes prevents it.
Hughes is trying to break the clinch but Nweave has him pressed against the cage.

Nweave breaks from the clinch.
Nweave's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Nweave duly obliges.
Nweave misses with a few strikes there.

Nweave has Hughes up against the cage in a clinch.

Hughes manages to break the clinch.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Nweave clinches with his opponent.
Connor Hughes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Hughes tries to break the clinch but Nweave is controlling the position.

Nweave manages to break the clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Nweave comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Nweave has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 26:30
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 26:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Nweave!