PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joe Hughs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ici La Bas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Hughs
vs
La Bas

178 cm
39
167 lbs
35 - 20 - 0

170 cm
36
160 lbs
12 - 11 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 35 - 20 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Hughs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ici La Bas!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Stewart Dunkirk and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
La Bas swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and La Bas takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hughs throws a right and a left that both miss.
La Bas throws a head kick but Hughs moves out of range.
La Bas attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Hughs misses with a hook
and La Bas makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.

Hughs gets a takedown into half guard.
La Bas wants to get back to full guard.
Hughs not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughs not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Hughs thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed La Bas's head.
La Bas misses with some strikes from the bottom.

La Bas is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Hughs pulls his head out easily.
La Bas is looking for a sweep. Hughs is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
La Bas moves into full guard.
Hughs won't allow La Bas to sweep him here.
Hughs throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hughs postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hughs accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now La Bas is on top in guard.

A big thud reverberates around the arena there as La Bas accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
La Bas preventing the sweep.

Hughs has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. La Bas is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Hughs.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
La Bas cracks Hughs with a big right hand but Hughs just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
La Bas works to advance to full mount. Hughs defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Hughs is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughs is working hard here to advance position.
La Bas tries to control but Hughs wriggling away.

La Bas with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Hughs is in all sorts of trouble here.
La Bas wants to control the pace but Hughs is squirming around nicely.
Hughs tries to get back to half guard but can't.
La Bas working the ground and pound effectively.
La Bas can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hughs is looking to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughs manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Hughs tries to roll over but La Bas keeps him under control.

La Bas is working for a kimura but Hughs is defending it quite comfortably.
Hughs is in trouble now - La Bas has advanced to mount!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
La Bas connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

La Bas throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughs.
Hughs misses with a head kick.
Hughs takes a swing at La Bas's ribcage but misses.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Hughs, as that shot connected.
A head kick misses from La Bas.
La Bas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Good work by Hughs as he checks the leg kick.
Hughs takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Hughs wants to clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
La Bas scores with a jab to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
La Bas tries to bum rush Hughs with a series of wild strikes but Hughs uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Ici La Bas is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hughs wants to clinch.
Hughs misses the jab.
La Bas tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Hughs misses with a looping right.
Some wild striking there from La Bas.
La Bas throws a jab when Hughs was well out of range.
La Bas fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hughs lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Ici La Bas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
La Bas looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
La Bas lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
La Bas throws a series of punches but Hughs moves out of range.
Hughs throws a head kick but La Bas moves out of range.
Hughs thuds his shin into the meat of La Bas's side.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hughs throws a right hand that La Bas ducks under and follows up with a left that La Bas also avoids with ease.
La Bas lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
La Bas dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
That kick from Hughs tenderised La Bas's leg. La Bas is trying to keep his angry face on.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hughs.
La Bas pulls out of a head kick attempt.
La Bas sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughs's hands are dropping dangerously low here and La Bas connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Hughs scrambles back to his feet.
La Bas fails to land with a series of punches.

Hughs drives through with a takedown into guard.
La Bas has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hughs with a flurry of punches that miss.
Hughs postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
La Bas trying to control the position.
Hughs missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
La Bas not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hughs loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughs lands a couple of elbows.
La Bas is trying to hold Hughs in close to prevent damage but Hughs has managed to pass into half guard.
La Bas regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hughs throws a strike but La Bas rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

La Bas trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Hughs is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
La Bas makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
La Bas trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hughs throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! La Bas escapes and throws Hughs's legs to the side, diving into side control!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ici La Bas will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Hughs keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hughs is looking for a counter combo.
Hughs lands a high kick!
A shot to the body from La Bas misses
and Hughs counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Joe Hughs is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
La Bas throws a right and a left that Hughs avoids nicely.
Hughs misses with a head kick.
La Bas stalks Hughs and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hughs's face. Hughs staggers backwards, shaken.
Hughs keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
La Bas uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hughs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
La Bas circles away from the clinch attempt
and La Bas counters with a right hand to the body.

La Bas gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hughs has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughs distracts La Bas with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hughs slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
La Bas gets back to half guard.
La Bas wants to improve his position but Hughs is controlling well.
La Bas is trying to maintain the position but Hughs is very close to passing his half guard.
Joe Hughs has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
La Bas controlling the position well.
Hughs working over La Bas with some ground and pound. La Bas looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hughs missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
La Bas regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Hughs.
Hughs loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughs lands a couple of decent looking shots.
La Bas preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Hughs throwing strikes from guard but La Bas blocks nicely.
La Bas trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
There's a bit of a scramble here and now La Bas is on top in guard.

Hughs wants to sweep here but La Bas controlling him for the moment.
La Bas makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughs striking off his back but it's not causing La Bas any problems.
La Bas trying to control the position from guard on top but Hughs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Hughs is on the wrong end of a nice combination from La Bas.
La Bas throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Ici La Bas seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hughs misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from La Bas.
Hughs ducks right into an uppercut from La Bas.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hughs throws an overhand right that lands on La Bas's shoulder, as La Bas tries to avoid the shot.
Hughs closes the distance looking to clinch
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ici La Bas.
I've got La Bas 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ici La Bas!