PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Valentin Padilla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Lucas Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Padilla
vs
Hughes

174 cm
18
214 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

187 cm
19
204 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Valentin Padilla!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Lucas Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Viktor Lagutenko, Valeri Chadov and Vladimir Khabensky.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hughes closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Padilla quickly recovers to half guard.
Padilla is looking for a sweep. Hughes is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Padilla is doing well to control the position and prevent Hughes from advancing to side control.
Hughes tries to pass to full mount but Padilla defends it.
Padilla is trying to control but can't.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Padilla moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Hughes lands a couple of elbows.
Padilla tries to strike from the bottom.
Hughes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Hughes has gone for a leg lock! Padilla slips out almost immediately though and dives into Hughes's guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Padilla working some strikes from top position.

Hughes has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Padilla can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Padilla postures up.
Hughes working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Padilla.
Hughes wants to sweep here but Padilla controlling him for the moment.
Padilla throws a strike but Hughes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Hughes postures up.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Padilla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Padilla is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Hughes lands a couple of digs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hughes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Padilla has Hughes pulled in close to control his posture.
Padilla might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Hughes scoring with punches to the head and body.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hughes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hughes wants to control from the top but Padilla keeps moving.
Padilla working a defensive guard here.
Padilla has momentary wrist control but Hughes slips an elbow through the middle.
Padilla is trying to control the position but Hughes postures up.
Padilla seems keen to control Hughes's posture.
Hughes scoring with punches to the head and body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to free his leg and advance position but Padilla is retaining full guard.
Padilla looking to control.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Padilla tries to sprawl but Hughes drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Padilla is breathing heavily.
Padilla trying to control from the bottom.
Nice strikes from Hughes there.
Hughes landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hughes drops an elbow to the side of Padilla's head.

Hughes wants to work for an arm triangle but Padilla is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Padilla keeps working.
Hughes is looking to advance position but Padilla won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Padilla is trying to control but can't.
Padilla is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Hughes is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Hughes trying to control the pace.
Hughes takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ground and pound from Hughes.
Padilla could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Hughes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Padilla does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Hughes sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Padilla defending well though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hughes shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Padilla napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Padilla is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Padilla's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Padilla manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hughes can do anything to dispel that myth.
Padilla thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Hughes's head.
Hughes is looking to improve his position.
Padilla missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Hughes is defending against the submission attempts here by Padilla.
Hughes is looking for a sweep. Padilla is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Padilla is looking for a kimura here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hughes wants to improve his position but Padilla is controlling well.

Padilla is working for a kimura from half guard. He's really concentrating on the hold and it's allowed Hughes to slip a leg under and get back to full guard.
Hughes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Padilla postures up in Hughes's guard and throws a big left but Hughes blocks it.
Hughes has control of Padilla's left arm, preventing Padilla from doing any damage.
Hughes is trying to keep Padilla in close.
Hughes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Padilla accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Hughes has managed to clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes keeps control of Padilla as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Hughes is stalling here.
Padilla wants to stall.

Hughes has Padilla pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Hughes pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Padilla tumbling to the mat - Hughes dives into Padilla's guard.
Lucas Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hughes won't allow Padilla to sweep him here.
Hughes content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Hughes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hughes stopping the sweep attempt from Padilla.
Hughes landing some decent shots from guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hughes's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Padilla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Padilla is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Padilla is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hughes must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Padilla can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hughes controls the pace.
Hughes throws a big right hand that misses.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Padilla working a defensive guard here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Hughes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Padilla looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lucas Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Hughes changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Padilla looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Padilla is trying to control Hughes's posture but Hughes avoids it.
Hughes scoring with punches from side control.
Hughes lands a few punches from side control.
Hughes looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Padilla is avoiding damage well.
Hughes wants to control but Padilla is keeping him busy.
Hughes lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Padilla down.
Hughes lands a few punches from side control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes trying to control the position but Padilla is working away.
Hughes grinds an elbow into Padilla's temple.
Padilla is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hughes's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Padilla has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hughes is working away from the top position though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is looking to advance position but Padilla won't allow it.
Hughes lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Padilla has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hughes is working away from the top position though.

Hughes looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Padilla taking some punishment here, with Hughes in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hughes working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but Padilla defending well.
Hughes stops Padilla from getting back to his feet.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but Padilla is defending well.
Hughes trying to control from Padilla's half guard. Padilla has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Padilla working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hughes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Padilla keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Hughes working some strikes from top position.
Hughes scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hughes working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Hughes.
Sloppy strikes there by Hughes.
Padilla struggling a bit here.
Hughes is putting a hurting on Padilla here, landing some big shots from side control.
Hughes throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Hughes creates a bit of distance and throws down some hard shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Hughes looks up at the clock and then as Padilla takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Hughes smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Hughes misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Hughes working away.
Padilla is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Hughes's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Hughes is trying to control the action in half guard but Padilla is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Lucas Hughes is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Padilla is trying to maintain the position but Hughes is very close to passing his half guard.

Hughes is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Padilla sees it coming and defends easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Padilla regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Hughes.
Padilla working a defensive guard here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lucas 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 Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Vladimir Khabensky scores the fight 27:30

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