PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Buddy Brandon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ezekiel Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Brandon might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to All Summer Long. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Brandon
vs
Hughes

188 cm
32
210 lbs
7 - 13 - 0

188 cm
25
215 lbs
4 - 5 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 7 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Buddy Brandon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ezekiel Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Jack Bonds and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Brandon misses with a double jab.
Hughes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Brandon appears to be looking for a big counter.
Hughes misses the shot to the body.

Hughes clinches up against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Hughes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Brandon's brow.

Brandon has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Hughes regains guard immediately.

Brandon decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Hughes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Brandon throws a sloppy head kick and Hughes moves out of range easily.
Hughes changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Brandon shoots in for a takedown but Hughes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Brandon.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Brandon trying to control the action but Hughes is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes tries to bench press Brandon off him but Brandon keeps the position.
The ground and pound from Brandon seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
You can see the frustration on Hughes's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Hughes tries to bench press Brandon off him but Brandon keeps the position.
Brandon throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Brandon trying to control the action but Hughes is working from the bottom.

Brandon decides to stand back up. Brandon steps back and let's Hughes get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Hughes rushes Brandon and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Brandon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hughes avoids it.

Brandon gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Well, if Brandon is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

Hughes is defending against the submission attempts here by Brandon.
Hughes preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Brandon lands a nice short elbow.
Hughes wants to control but Brandon is keeping busy.
Hughes is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Brandon's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Brandon's back!
Hughes controlling well, preventing Brandon from escaping the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes scores with punches and elbows.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes lands a punch that was close to the back of the head but the ref thinks it's OK.
Hughes lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Brandon hold on?!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Hughes is hanging on to Brandon's back as he tries to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes is not going to allow Brandon to sit and survive in this position.
You can see the frustration on Brandon's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Hughes wants to control the position but Brandon frees himself and scrambles - Hughes manages to regain control in side control.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Brandon keeps working.
Brandon tries to buck Hughes off but Hughes is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ezekiel 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!

Brandon rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Hughes moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Brandon seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.
Brandon closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Hughes wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Brandon will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Hughes tries to counter with a clinch but Brandon shakes him off and moves away.
Buddy Brandon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hughes stuffs the takedown attempt from Brandon. Brandon gets slowly back to his feet.

Hughes gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hughes holding his opponent close, against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Brandon is trying to pull guard but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Buddy Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Brandon has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Brandon's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Brandon throws out a powerful jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes moves out of range of the body kick from Brandon.
Brandon fails with a takedown attempt.
Hughes misses the shot to the body.
Hughes tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Brandon was well out of range. Poor timing from Hughes.
Brandon stalks Hughes and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Hughes's face. Hughes staggers backwards, shaken.
Brandon throws a lazy uppercut
and Hughes makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Hughes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hughes throws a good cross that connects.
Ezekiel Hughes is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Brandon misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Hughes.
Hughes is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
Hughes throws a series of punches but Brandon moves out of range.
Hughes tries to clinch up but Brandon circles away and keeps his distance.

Brandon shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.

Hughes scrambles and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Hughes clinches up against the cage.
Brandon wants to break the clinch but can't.
Brandon is trying to pull guard but Hughes has him pressed against the cage.
Hughes stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Brandon successfully pulls guard.
Buddy Brandon overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Brandon had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Hughes defends it easily.
Hughes throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Brandon pulls Hughes in close to his closed guard and prevents Hughes from doing any damage or advancing position.
Hughes wants to control from the top but Brandon keeps moving.
Hughes stopping the sweep attempt from Brandon.
Hughes missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Brandon is on top in guard.

Hughes wants to stand up but Brandon is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Hughes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Brandon wants to control from the top but Hughes keeps moving.
Hughes has control of Brandon's left arm, preventing Brandon from doing any damage.
Hughes has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Brandon has passed into side control.

Brandon decides to stand back up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Buddy Brandon will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. And we move into the final round!

Brandon lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Brandon.
Hughes throws a combination that misses
and Brandon counters with a one-two to the body.
Brandon looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Hughes is fending him off so far but Brandon persists. Nope, Hughes circles away and we're back to standing.
Horrible takedown attempt by Brandon or perhaps it was just good defense by Hughes, which made it look bad.
Hughes throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Brandon shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hughes counters with a nice uppercut.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Buddy Brandon. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Good leg kick by Brandon there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes stuffs the takedown attempt from Brandon. Brandon gets slowly back to his feet.
Brandon shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A left and a right from Brandon both land. Nice combination.
Buddy Brandon is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Brandon fails with a takedown attempt.
Some wild striking there from Brandon.

Hughes feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Brandon sprawling to the canvas! Brandon rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Hughes finish him?!

Brandon is rocked!
Both fighters circling slowly here as the pace drops. Hopefully one of them does someth.. OOOHHHH!!!! Hughes throws an absolute beast of a head kick! Brandon is done! He's out cold, twisted and contorted up against the cage! Wow!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:38 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Head Kick). Ezekiel Hughes!
Ezekiel Hughes tried to hype himself up post fight but didn't word it too well and it ended up with him sounding like a bit of a tool.