PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ali Hugo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dark Side (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dark Side told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Hugo
vs
Side

168 cm
21
145 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

167 cm
21
144 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ali Hugo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Dark Side!
The judges for this bout are Chris Edwards, Richard Clark and Donald Grub.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Side uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hugo.
Side stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
Some wild striking there from Hugo.
Side tries to close the distance and clinch but Hugo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Side lands a high kick!
Hugo blocks a head kick by Side.
A slow jab from Hugo misses its intended target.
A slow jab from Hugo misses its intended target.
Side ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A jab from Hugo misses.
Good shot there by Hugo.
Hugo misses with a hook.
A telegraphed right hand from Hugo misses the target.
Side scoring well with a low kick there.
Hugo checks a low kick from Side.
Hugo throws a lazy right hand but Side sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
A punch combination from Hugo misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hugo misses with a combination
and Hugo takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hugo takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Side displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Hugo throws out the jab.
Hugo throws a looping overhand right but Side ducks down to avoid it.
Hugo misses with an uppercut.
Side steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hugo.
Hugo misses with an uppercut
and Side counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Hugo is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Side moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
A slow jab from Hugo misses its intended target.
Hugo misses with a hook. Side ducked under it nicely.
Hugo is breathing heavily.
A looping hook to the body misses from Side. Hugo does a little dance to reset his feet.

Side closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Hugo to the mat! Hugo manages to get full guard.
Side is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Dark Side hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Side throws a jab but it's blocked by Hugo.
Hugo misses with a hook.
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!
Side throws a head kick that misses.
Hugo throws a lazy right hand but Side sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hugo misses with a hook.

Side moves into range and clinches up with Hugo.
Side lands a body punch in the clinch.
Side misses with a hook from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Side stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Hugo tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Hugo misses with the head strike.
Side misses with some punches.
Side gets through Hugo's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Hugo blocks a body shot from Side.
Side lands a shoulder strike.
Still in the clinch, Side scores with a nice short uppercut.
Side misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hugo blocks an uppercut.
Hugo prevents a body shot from Side.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hugo.
Side is looking for a takedown.
Side swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Side throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hugos head.
Hugo scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Side has Hugo pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Side pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Hugo tumbling to the mat - Side dives into Hugo's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Side engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Side's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Dark Side has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Hugo looks to land a right hand but Side moved out of range.
No joy there for Hugo, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dark Side dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Hugo throws the left hand but Side avoids the punch easily.
Hugo works the jab nicely.
Side thuds a left hand into Hugo's body.
Hugo misses with a hook. Side ducked under it nicely.
A combination from Hugo does no damage.
Hugo throws a looping overhand right but Side ducks down to avoid it.
Side lands a head kick!
Hugo misses with a hook
and Side counters with a head kick.
Side defending well as Hugo loads up on a big left hand.
Side staying out of range there.
Hugo avoids the head kick by Side.
Side ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Hugo moves away.
A big left from Side misses.
Hugo misses with a right hand
and Side counters with a nice body kick.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Side throws a sloppy head kick and Hugo moves out of range easily.
Hugo lunges at Side with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Side's hand.
Ali Hugo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hugo missing with a left hand there. Side was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big right from Hugo misses.
Side looks to score with a jab to the body but Hugo is just out of range.
Side lands a nice leg kick that just misses Hugo's sensitive parts.
Hugo misses with an uppercut.
Side throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Ali Hugo is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
A decent looking cross lands there for Hugo.
Hugo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Side.
Side throws a body punch but Hugo moves out of range.
Side misses the jab.
Hugo pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Side scores with a hook to the body. Hugo takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Side connects with a leg kick. Hugo looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Side connects with a jab.
Side misses with a hook. Hugo ducked under it nicely.
Hugo throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Side sees it coming and avoids it easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Side shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Hugo is trying to defend but Side finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Side looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
Let's hope that Side 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.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Side swings and misses with a hook to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Side darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Side slows the pace down in half guard.
Hugo on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hugo tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Dark Side hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

Side throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Hugo tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Side is in Hugo's guard.
Side showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Ali Hugo wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Side throws a body kick that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dark Side 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! And we move into the final round!

Side throws a hook to the side of Hugo's head but Hugo sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hugo misses with a straight left.
Side defending well as Hugo loads up on a big left hand.
Side takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Hugo looks to land a left hand but Side moved out of range nicely.
Nice defenses there by Side.
Hugo misses with a hook
and Side counters with a nice leg kick.
A head kick from Side lands but Hugo takes it in his stride.
Hugo throws an overhand right that lands on Side's shoulder, as Side tries to avoid the shot.
Hugo throws a jab when Side was well out of range.
Hugo throws a series of punches but Side moves out of range.

Side closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hugo.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Side lands an uppercut.
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!
A head punch blocked on the inside by Side.
Hugo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Side throws a punch but it's blocked by Hugo.
Hugo blocking some punches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A short body shot lands from Side as the two fighters clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hugo.
Hugo tries a body shot but Side blocks it.
Side doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hugo throws a head punch that misses.
Hugo blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hugo misses with a hook from the clinch.
Side tries to work over Hugo's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Hugo.
Side throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hugos head.
Side is working for takedown but Hugo is calmly controlling the position for now.
Side misses with the head strike.
A head punch on the inside from Side fails to land.
Side working aggressively here.
Hugo lands a right hand that snaps the head of Side backwards.
Side throws a head punch that misses.
Side lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Side misses with a body punch.
Hugo misses with a punch on the inside.
Side lands a nice shot to the body.
Dark Side seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
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!
Side has a couple of punches blocked by Hugo.
Ali Hugo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Dark Side is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Side lands a takedown into guard.
Side sitting in guard, not really doing much.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Side scores with a body shot.
Side misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hugo.
Hugo takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Hugo steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Side.
A big right from Hugo misses.
A slow jab from Side misses its intended target.
Side dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Hugo. That did some damage!
Side swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Side uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hugo.
Side steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Hugo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hugo throws a jab when Side was well out of range.
Side throws a head kick that half lands.
Side lands with a good body shot.
Side scores with a head kick.
Side tries to close the distance and clinch but Hugo swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Side goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
A jab from Side does it's job there.
Side fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hugo will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Side fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Side ducks under a wild hook from Hugo.

Side forces Hugo back against the cage and clinches.
Side scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Side struggles to land a body shot inside as Hugo controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hugo blocking some punches.
Side throws a head punch that misses.
Side works on Hugo's body with a couple of short punches.
Side working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Hugo blocking some punches.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Hugo.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Side.
Side lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Hugo or not.
Side lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Hugo.
Side lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Side lands with a short shot to the head.
Side drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Hugo gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Side lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Side misses with a hook from the clinch.
Side lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A short right from Side.
Hugo prevents a body shot from Side.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dark Side comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Side 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 Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 27:30
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dark Side!
During a confident post fight interview, Dark Side thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.