PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between German Valdez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mata Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). German Valdez has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Valdez
vs
Hughes

182 cm
42
117 lbs
12 - 27 - 0

170 cm
28
134 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 27 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, German Valdez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mata Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Alan Glass and Stewart Dunkirk.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valdez with a lazy takedown attempt

and Hughes counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Valdez keeping full guard, as Hughes tries to pass.
Hughes controlling from the top position.
Valdez is trying to keep Hughes in close.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Valdez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Valdez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hughes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hughes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hughes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Valdez is keeping the position for now.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes sitting in guard here, content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hughes sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Valdez trying to remain calm as Hughes controls from the top position.
Valdez is looking for a sweep.
Hughes is looking to take a break and control but Valdez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Valdez is trying to control Hughes's posture but Hughes avoids it.
Hughes in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Valdez can't do much from the bottom here.

Hughes looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Valdez is working to avoid the ground and pound but Hughes connects with a decent elbow.

Hughes tries for a kimura but Valdez is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hughes tries to advance to mount but can't.
Hughes working the head with strikes.
You can see the frustration on Valdez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Valdez is not content to let Hughes control the position.
Hughes lands a decent elbow from side control.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valdez keeps working.
Valdez tries to improve position but can't.
Hughes creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Valdez sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
You can see the frustration on Valdez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

Hughes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Valdez is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hughes's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valdez wants to control but Hughes is keeping busy.
Valdez is in trouble now - Hughes has advanced to mount!
Hughes working the ground and pound effectively.
Hughes looking to control but Valdez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Hughes lands a big elbow.
Hughes has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Valdez's face.
Hughes content just to control the position here.
Hughes punishing his opponent with strikes.
Valdez working to try and regain half guard.
Hughes controlling from mount.
Hughes looking to finish Valdez with some ground and pound. This is bad for Valdez!

Hughes looking to secure an arm triangle but Valdez defends it well.
Hughes controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hughes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Valdez is looking to escape.
Valdez can't escape the position.
Hughes scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Hughes controlling the pace for now.
Hughes landing strikes from the mount and Valdez is in trouble!
Valdez wants to hold on but Hughes pushes him away.
Valdez is trying to escape the mount.

Hughes is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Valdez is surviving well by controlling Hughes's body position as best he can.
Hughes raining down hammerfists from mount.
Valdez is trying to escape the mount.
A nice elbow there by Hughes.
Hughes controlling from the full mount.
Hughes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Valdez is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mata Hughes dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Valdez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Hughes counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Valdez trying to control but Hughes postures up.
Hughes throwing shots but Valdez is blocking nicely.

Hughes is looking for a kimura here.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valdez keeps working.
Hughes tries to pass to full mount but Valdez defends it.
Hughes is keen to just control but Valdez is a slippery customer.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes passes to side control.
Hughes working away.
Hughes wants to control but Valdez is keeping him busy.
Valdez manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Valdez desperately trying to maintain half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Valdez's head.
Hughes trying to control the action but Valdez is working from the bottom.
Valdez really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hughes is pressing down on Valdez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Valdez is holding on for now.
Valdez wants to improve his position but Hughes is controlling well.
Hughes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Valdez is trying to control but can't.
Hughes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Valdez defending well though.
Hughes working over Valdez with some ground and pound. Valdez looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The fighters are battling for position here. Valdez manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Valdez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

Valdez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hughes defends it easily.

Hughes got a little sloppy there for a moment and Valdez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Hughes has managed to get both his arms back between Valdez's legs - danger averted.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Valdez is trying to control the position but Hughes postures up.
Hughes trying to control but Valdez is working from the bottom.
Hughes lands a couple of elbows.
Hughes advances position into side control!
Valdez is trying to control Hughes's posture but Hughes avoids it.

Hughes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Valdez is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Hughes controlling from side mount.

Hughes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Hughes has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valdez tries to bench press Hughes off him but Hughes keeps the position.
Valdez is trying to escape the position but Hughes is controlling the position.

Hughes is trying to get an arm triangle but Valdez is defending well.
Valdez stops Hughes from passing to mount.
Hughes landing a few strikes.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Valdez keeps working.
Hughes cracks Valdez with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Valdez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Hughes wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Valdez struggling a bit here.
Valdez is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Hughes lands a nice forearm strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes moves into full mount!
Hughes controlling the position easily from mount.
Hughes landing strikes, looking to finish!
Valdez tries to hold on but Hughes pushes him away.
Valdez regains half guard.
Valdez wants to get back to full guard.
Hughes controlling the action here.
Valdez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hughes.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hughes is taking a breather. Valdez says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Valdez is refusing to be controlled, as Hughes sits in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mata Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Valdez fails with the takedown

and Hughes counters with a nice double leg into side control. Valdez won't be happy with that.
A lull in the action here as Hughes stalls from top position.
Hughes in side control lands a decent elbow.
Valdez prevents Hughes from improving position.
Hughes throws a strike aimed at the side of Valdez's head but Valdez avoids it well.
Hughes happy to just control the position for now.
Hughes working away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Valdez is trying to escape the position but Hughes is controlling the position.
Hughes has knee on belly and moves into mount.

Valdez defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Hughes.

Hughes wants to finish this one by submission but Valdez is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Hughes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Hughes tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Valdez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Hughes raining down hammerfists from mount.
Valdez is trying desperately to improve position.
Hughes sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Hughes putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Valdez tries to hold on but Hughes postures up.
Hughes tries to control but Valdez wriggling away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hughes jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Valdez manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Valdez gets back to half guard.
Hughes trying to control the action but Valdez is working from the bottom.
Valdez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hughes is working away from the top position though.
Valdez manages to get to full guard.

Hughes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Hughes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Valdez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Valdez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hughes sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Valdez's guard.
Valdez trying to control here.
Hughes takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hughes is pressing down on Valdez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Valdez is holding on for now.
Valdez is controlling Hughes's trapped leg to prevent Hughes from advancing to side control.
Hughes is trying to control the action in half guard but Valdez is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Valdez avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hughes.
Mata Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hughes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Valdez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hughes is working away from the top position though.
Hughes works his way into side control.

Hughes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Valdez is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Valdez seems a little lost for a moment, as Hughes dominates the positioning.
Valdez is not content to let Hughes control the position.
Valdez sneaks back into half guard.
Hughes trying to mount his opponent but Valdez defends it.
Hughes wants to take a breather but Valdez is having none of it.
Valdez is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Hughes's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Hughes's back!
Hughes tries to escape but Valdez has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Hughes trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Hughes is trying to break free.
German Valdez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Hughes fending off the submission attempt from Valdez.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mata Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hughes 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 26:30
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 26:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mata Hughes!