PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jordan Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Hagen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Hagen's choice of entrance music: Wait and Bleed - Slipknot. The key to victory for Jordan Hughes has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Hughes
vs
Hagen

184 cm
23
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

218 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Solid chin

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 Helsinki, Jordan Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sammy Hagen!
The judges for this bout are Matti Vanhoillinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hagen shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Hughes pinned against the cage. Hughes gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Hughes avoids the head kick by Hagen.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hagen.
Hughes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Hagen tries to keep at a distance but Hughes has taken the fight into the clinch.
Hughes tries to break the clinch but Hagen is controlling the position.
Hughes crunches a lovely knee into Hagen's ribcage.
Hughes throws an elbow that misses.

Hagen escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Hagen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hagen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Hagen prevents Hughes from standing back up.
Hagen is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Hughes taking some punishment here, with Hagen in his half guard.
Hagen is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes tries to get to full guard but Hagen has control of the leg.
Hughes tries to kick Hagen off but Hagen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hagen throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hughes tries to kick Hagen off but Hagen keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hughes has hold of Hagen's hands but Hagen slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hagen missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Hagen trying to advance position but Hughes counters by regaining guard.
Hagen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hughes's head.
Hagen makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Hagen stands up over Hughes, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Hagen loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Hagen keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Hagen avoids a series of strikes thrown by Hughes.
Hagen wants to hold on but Hughes pushes him away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Hagen can do anything to dispel that myth.
Hagen is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hagen wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Hagen looks gassed!
A nice elbow there by Hughes.
Hagen is looking to improve his position but Hughes isn't that keen on the idea.

Hughes working for a submission but Hagen is keeping him at bay.
Hagen is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's four 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.
Hagen avoids a series of strikes thrown by Hughes.
Hagen tries to buck Hughes off but he can't manage it.
Hagen is working to get back to half guard.
Hagen gets back to half guard.
Hagen controlling the position for now.
Hughes lands strikes from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sammy Hagen dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Hughes misses with a series of wild punches.

Hagen feints and as Hughes raises his hands in defense, Hagen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Hagen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hughes utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Hagen decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hughes, up you get!
Hagen darts in trying to clinch

and Hughes decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hagen's guard.
Hagen looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Hughes wants to stand but Hagen is controlling his posture from full guard.
Hughes scoring with punches to the head and body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is fighting to break Hagen's control of his arms but Hagen is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Hagen keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.

Hughes decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Hagen, up you get!

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.
Hagen tries for a takedown but Hughes circles away easily
and Hughes counters with a series of strikes. Hagen will be more careful next time no doubt.
Hagen shoots in for a double leg but Hughes sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Hagen closes this distance looking for a takedown but Hughes circles away.
Jordan Hughes has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sammy Hagen.
Hughes drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Hughes swinging wildly here.
Hagen shoots in for a takedown but Hughes shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hughes is defended easily by Hagen.

Hagen shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Hughes is trying to defend but Hagen finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Hughes moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hagen postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hagen prevents Hughes from getting back to his feet.
Hagen working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hughes not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hagen distracts Hughes with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hughes is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Hagen stands up over Hughes, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Hagen drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Hagen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hughes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Hughes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Hagen's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hagen has a closed guard, preventing Hughes from standing up.
Hughes landing with the ground and pound.
Hughes throws and elbow that misses. Hagen uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hughes's guard. Nice move by Hagen!

Hagen stands up from Hughes's guard - Hagen perhaps looking for a knockout.
Hagen shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Hughes defends it nicely.
Hughes tries to clinch up but Hagen circles away and keeps his distance.
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 Jordan Hughes will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hagen tries to score a power double leg takedown but Hughes sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hagen somewhat.
Hagen looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Hagen takes one to the side of the head.
Hagen is looking to score with low kicks.
Hagen circles away from the clinch attempt

and Hagen counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hagen looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hughes with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Hagen tries to pass to full mount but Hughes defends it.
Hagen controlling the pace.
Sammy Hagen has got the better of the ground game so far.

Hagen stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Hughes to get to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hughes closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Hagen did well to prevent Hughes getting side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hughes trying to control from half guard but Hagen is working away.
Hagen has hold of Hughes's hands but Hughes slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Hagen regains full guard. Nicely done.
Hughes in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Hagen wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Hagen is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Hagen kicks Hughes off and gets to his feet.
Hughes has his takedown stuffed

and Hagen counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Hagen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hagen lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Hughes trying to control here.
Hagen with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes trying to control here.
Hagen lands with a punch from half guard.
Hagen is thwarting Hughes's attempts to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

Hagen shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Hagen thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Hagen prevents Hughes from standing back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes 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 wants to control but Hagen is keeping busy.
Hagen slips a nice elbow through Hughes's hands, connecting with Hughes's forehead.
Hagen stops Hughes from getting back to his feet.
Hughes wants to get back to full guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hagen shoots and misses

and Hughes counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Hughes looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hagen with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hagen is looking to get back to full guard here but Hughes has managed to pass to side control instead.
Hagen is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Sammy Hagen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hagen 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 Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sammy Hagen!