PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Andrew Berzins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mata Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

Berzins
vs
Hughes

170 cm
27
145 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

170 cm
26
134 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Andrew Berzins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Mata Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Daniel Franklin and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Berzins fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Hughes has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Berzins throws a head kick but Hughes moves out of range.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Berzins.
Hughes misses with a takedown
and Berzins counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Berzins throws a head kick but Hughes moves out of range.
Berzins motions for Hughes to come forward. Berzins throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.

Berzins gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Berzins gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Berzins throws an elbow that misses.
Hughes blocks an elbow strike.
Hughes wants to take the fight to the mat but Berzins manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Berzins looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Hughes is trying to pull guard but Berzins turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Andrew Berzins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mata Hughes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Hughes has Berzins pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Berzins manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Berzins breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Berzins throws a head kick but Hughes moves out of range.
Andrew Berzins is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Berzins throws a leg kick but Hughes sees it coming and moves out of range.
Berzins throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Berzins tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Hughes is able to avoid easily.

Hughes scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Hughes stalling.
Berzins knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hughes on the ground.
Hughes trying to control from half guard but Berzins is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hughes wants to control but Berzins is keeping him busy.

Hughes is looking for a kimura here.
Hughes is trying to control the action in half guard but Berzins is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Berzins tries to get to full guard but Hughes has control of the leg.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Berzins avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hughes.
Hughes trying to mount his opponent but Berzins defends it.
Hughes is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hughes seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Hughes wants to control but Berzins is keeping him busy.
Berzins trying to control but Hughes postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hughes seems to be working for a kimura but Berzins defends the submission attempt.
Hughes wants to control but Berzins is keeping him busy.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hughes in particular looking to stall.
Hughes passes to full mount!
Berzins on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Berzins tries to get out of the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hughes is in the full mount, landing strikes.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Berzins is squirming around, avoiding Hughes's attempts to control the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mata Hughes will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Berzins feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Hughes's calf.

Berzins gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Berzins looks to throw an elbow but misses.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Berzins pushes off an throws an elbow but Hughes leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Berzins lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Berzins lands an elbow just above Hughes 's eye.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Berzins.
Hughes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Berzins pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Berzins stops a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Berzins lands a damaging elbow.
Hughes can't get the takedown.
Andrew Berzins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mata Hughes.
Berzins lands a damaging elbow.
Hughes takes an elbow to the forehead.

Berzins breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A nice inside leg kick there by Berzins. That's going to slow Hughes down.
Berzins attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Berzins connects with a high kick.
Berzins misses with a low kick.
Berzins lands with a kick to the temple. Hughes shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

Hughes is rocked!
Andrew Berzins is winning the standup battle so far.
Berzins throws a quick inside leg kick.
Hughes is still on wobbly legs! Can Berzins finish him?
Berzins fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Hughes has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Hughes seems to have recovered his senses.
Berzins connects with an inside leg kick.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A slapping body kick lands there for Berzins.
Berzins seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Berzins gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Hughes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Berzins prevents it.
Hughes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Berzins prevents it.
Hughes is trying to drag Berzins to the mat but Berzins just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Berzins lands a damaging elbow.
Berzins lands a nice elbow.
Berzins lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Berzins.
Hughes tries for a takedown but Berzins manages to get underhooks.

Berzins breaks from the clinch.

Berzins moves into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes wants a takedown but no success here.
Hughes blocks an elbow strike.
Berzins throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Hughes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Berzins pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Berzins lands an elbow inside.
Berzins lands a nice elbow.
Hughes wants a takedown but no success here.
Hughes is breathing heavily.
Hughes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Berzins gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Nice elbow from Berzins.
Berzins comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Berzins lands a damaging elbow.
Berzins lands a damaging elbow.
Berzins comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes takes an elbow to the forehead.
Stalling in the clinch from Berzins.
Berzins lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Berzins gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Berzins lands an elbow just above Hughes 's eye.
Hughes takes an elbow to the temple.

It looks like Mata Hughes has been cut.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Berzins comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Berzins comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Berzins gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Hughes takes an elbow to the temple.
Berzins leaning his opponent against the cage.

Hughes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Berzins uses from the top position.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Berzins won't allow Hughes to sweep him here.
Berzins wants to control from the top but Hughes keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andrew Berzins dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Mata Hughes's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Berzins tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Berzins forces Hughes back against the cage and clinches.
Berzins comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Hughes wants a takedown but no success here.
Berzins stalling.

Berzins breaks from the clinch.
Hughes dives in for a single leg takedown but Berzins sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Berzins.
Hughes avoids the elbow strike from Berzins, against the cage.
Berzins lands a damaging elbow.
Berzins lands an elbow inside that Hughes shrugs off.
Berzins lands a damaging elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Berzins lands an elbow inside.
Berzins lands an elbow that stopped Hughes in his tracks for a moment.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Berzins.
Hughes takes an elbow to the forehead.
Hughes tries for a takedown. No joy.
Andrew Berzins has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mata Hughes.
Berzins gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Berzins escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hughes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Hughes gets hit by the mother of all head kicks and drops to the canvas in a crumpled heap! Woooow, the Internet is going to be talking about this one for weeks!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:39 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Andrew Berzins!
During a confident post fight interview, Andrew Berzins thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.