PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sassou ZuZu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

ZuZu
vs
Hughes

188 cm
19
185 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

180 cm
22
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Sassou ZuZu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Mark Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Tatsuya Matsuyama, Sosuke Kotani and Shigeki Fujiwara.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but ZuZu swivels and escapes.
Hughes fails with an attempt to clinch.
ZuZu tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Hughes counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes wants to control from the top but ZuZu keeps moving.
ZuZu is looking to stand up but Hughes isn't so interested in that idea.
Hughes trying to control but ZuZu is working from the bottom.
Hughes stops ZuZu from standing up.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but ZuZu is keeping the position.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
ZuZu closes the distance looking to clinch
and Hughes counters with a straight right hand.
A big left from Hughes misses.
Sassou ZuZu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.

Hughes is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but ZuZu is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
ZuZu is pushing Hughes's head away, looking to escape. Hughes manages to hold on to the position though.
Hughes taking a breather here.

Hughes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes looks gassed!
ZuZu is pushing Hughes's head away, looking to escape. Hughes manages to hold on to the position though.

ZuZu bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
ZuZu clinches but Hughes breaks the clinch

and Hughes counters with a single leg into guard. ZuZu didn't expect that.
ZuZu keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Hughes looking to pass the guard.
ZuZu keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Hughes tries to free his leg and advance position but ZuZu is retaining full guard.
ZuZu is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hughes is controlling him.
Hughes wants to stand and escape but instead ZuZu has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
ZuZu wants to get up but he can't break Hughes's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Hughes circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hughes counters with a single leg into guard. ZuZu didn't expect that.
ZuZu wants to get back to his feet but Hughes is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
ZuZu trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Hughes slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Hughes goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, ZuZu has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Hughes but great work by ZuZu.
ZuZu wants to stand but Hughes has his arm trapped.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes regains half guard.
Hughes tries to roll over but ZuZu keeps him under control.
ZuZu is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
The fighters are battling for position here. Hughes manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Hughes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for ZuZu!
A nice elbow there by Hughes.
Hughes trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
ZuZu is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Hughes dominated that round.
That's time! ZuZu's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hughes gets the takedown into side control.
Hughes happy to just control the position for now.
ZuZu taking a bit of punishment here - Hughes scoring with strikes.
Mark Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.
ZuZu is trying to get back to his feet.
Hughes trying to control the action but ZuZu is working from the bottom.

Hughes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hughes tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Hughes has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
ZuZu closes the distance but Hughes moves to the side

and Hughes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
ZuZu is looking to escape.
ZuZu taking some punishment here, with Hughes in his half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hughes is pressing down on ZuZu's thigh, looking to free his foot. ZuZu is holding on for now.
Hughes missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

ZuZu is defending against the submission attempts here by Hughes.
ZuZu wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes wants to control but ZuZu is keeping him busy.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
ZuZu lands with a kick to the temple. Hughes shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
ZuZu fails with an attempt to clinch.

Hughes shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Hughes prevents ZuZu from getting back to his feet.
Hughes working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hughes passes ZuZu's left leg - he's now in half guard.
ZuZu pushes Hughes off but Hughes dives into side control.
Hughes in side control, just content to control the action for now.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, ZuZu has escaped the position, nice work there.
ZuZu tries to escape but Hughes is in control.
ZuZu is not content to let Hughes control the position.

Hughes thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

That's four 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.

Hughes decides to stand up, so the ref orders ZuZu to his feet.
ZuZu throws a head kick that misses.
ZuZu stuffs the takedown attempt from Hughes. Hughes gets slowly back to his feet.
ZuZu tries to clinch up.

Hughes drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Hughes landing strikes.

Hughes is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. ZuZu knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Hughes shoots in looking for a takedown. ZuZu tries to sprawl out of it but Hughes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. ZuZu manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
ZuZu wants to clinch.
Hughes is trying hard to land a takedown here. ZuZu sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Hughes swats away the attempt to clinch by ZuZu.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes keeps the fight on the outside.
Sassou ZuZu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
ZuZu wants to clinch.
ZuZu doesn't manage to clinch there - Hughes circles away.
Sassou ZuZu is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
ZuZu doesn't manage to clinch there - Hughes circles away.

Hughes shoots in and bounces ZuZu off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
ZuZu keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
ZuZu wants to stand up but Hughes is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hughes trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but ZuZu manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Hughes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
ZuZu wants to stand but Hughes has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Hughes looking to control.
ZuZu wants to stand but Hughes is controlling his posture from full guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Hughes closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
ZuZu is looking to get back to is feet but Hughes passes into side control.
ZuZu tries to escape but Hughes is in control.

ZuZu throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
ZuZu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hughes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hughes shoots in but ZuZu avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Sassou ZuZu has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mark Hughes.
Hughes has a takedown stuffed.
ZuZu moves in looking to clinch but Hughes pushes him off.
ZuZu tries to clinch but Hughes is having none of it.

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.
ZuZu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hughes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A chopping leg kick lands by ZuZu.

Hughes shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. ZuZu manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but ZuZu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hughes slips nicely into half guard.
Sassou ZuZu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mark Hughes is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hughes is trying to control. ZuZu wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
ZuZu tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Hughes keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Hughes thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but ZuZu is defending well.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mark Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Hughes 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 Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 27:30
Judge Sosuke Kotani scores the fight 27:30
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 27:30

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