PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jay Mitchell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Hayes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Mitchell might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to DesertStorm/DJClue - Money Power Respect. Hayes has chosen My Sacrifice as his entrance music. 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.

Mitchell
vs
Hayes

178 cm
27
180 lbs
13 - 11 - 0

182 cm
22
182 lbs
3 - 10 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Brown Belt
Good elbows
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jay Mitchell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marcus Hayes!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, John Mangel and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mitchell gets caught flat footed, as Hayes shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Hayes controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Mitchell keeping moving, preventing Hayes from controlling successfully.
Hayes postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Mitchell looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Hayes has picked Mitchell up and slammed him! Mitchell can't keep hold of the triangle and Hayes manages to pass to side control!
The strikes coming from Hayes are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

Hayes is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Mitchell has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayes working the strikes but Mitchell uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hayes is looking to take a break and control but Mitchell is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hayes is just content to waste time from the top position. Mitchell takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Mitchell keeping moving, preventing Hayes from controlling successfully.
Hayes has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

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.

Mitchell is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Hayes defends well.
Hayes has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Mitchell is proving hard to escape from.
Hayes wants to control from the top but Mitchell keeps moving.
Hayes lands a couple of digs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mitchell is keeping the position for now.
Hayes wants to control from the top but Mitchell keeps moving.
Hayes trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Mitchell manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Mitchell is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Hayes is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Hayes has escaped and now he's on top!
Hayes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mitchell swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hayes wants to control from the top but Mitchell keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marcus Hayes just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mitchell pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Hayes shoots in for a double leg but Mitchell sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Mitchell stuffs the takedown attempt from Hayes. Hayes gets slowly back to his feet.
No joy there for Hayes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hayes fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Hayes dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Mitchell throws a shot to the body.

Mitchell moves into the clinch successfully.

Mitchell has Hayes pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Mitchell pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Hayes tumbling to the mat - Mitchell dives into Hayes's guard.
Mitchell trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Mitchell trying to control the position from guard on top but Hayes is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Mitchell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mitchell trying to control but Hayes is working from the bottom.
Mitchell is working Hayes over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.

Mitchell decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
A head kick misses from Hayes.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hayes closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Hayes is breathing heavily.
Hayes missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Hayes is looking for a kimura here.
Mitchell avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hayes.
Hayes is stalling here. Mitchell is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Hayes seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Mitchell has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Hayes sneaks back into half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell wants to lay and pray for a moment but Hayes keeps working.
Hayes tries to get to full guard but Mitchell has control of the leg.

Mitchell 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.

Hayes is defending against the submission attempts here by Mitchell.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes moves into full guard.
Hayes looking for a sweep. Not yet Hayes, not yet.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Mitchell shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hayes as he avoids it easily.
Mitchell doesn't manage to clinch there - Hayes circles away.
Hayes shoots and misses

and Mitchell counters with a shoot takedown. Hayes fights it but they end up in guard.
Hayes tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hayes is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mitchell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mitchell stopping the sweep attempt from Hayes.

Mitchell has gone for a leg lock! Hayes slips out almost immediately though and dives into Mitchell's guard.
Hayes passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Mitchell gives up the full mount - oops, sloppy defensive grappling there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jay Mitchell dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Hayes throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Mitchell was covering up waiting for the punch and Hayes finishes the takedown easily into guard.

Mitchell is looking for a triangle but Hayes pushes his legs off easily.
Mitchell keeping moving, preventing Hayes from controlling successfully.
Hayes trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hayes is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hayes looking to sit in guard and control but Mitchell gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hayes keeping moving, preventing Mitchell from controlling successfully.
Marcus Hayes has got the better of the ground game so far.
Mitchell preventing the sweep.

Mitchell has gone for a leg lock! Hayes slips out almost immediately though and dives into Mitchell's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hayes trying to control the position from guard on top but Mitchell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Hayes pushes down on Mitchell's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hayes prevents Mitchell from improving his position.
Mitchell is pressing down on Hayes's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Hayes throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Mitchell has momentary wrist control but Hayes slips an elbow through the middle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hayes passes into half guard.
Hayes wants to pass to mount but Mitchell is defending the position.
Hayes is stalling here. Mitchell is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Hayes seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Mitchell has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Hayes is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Hayes is refusing to be controlled, as Mitchell sits in half guard.
Hayes moves into full guard.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Hayes is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mitchell is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Hayes is stalling in the full guard.
Hayes trying to control but Mitchell is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mitchell working for submissions but it's allowed Hayes to get to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Hayes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hayes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Hayes!