PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Mike Hunt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Maples (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hunt
vs
Maples

180 cm
26
155 lbs
10 - 6 - 0

178 cm
22
156 lbs
11 - 8 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike Hunt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ben Maples!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Jorge Garcia and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maples misses with the combination.
Hunt is looking to slow Maples down with leg kicks.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Maples.
Hunt throws a front kick aimed at Maples's knee but Maples avoids it well.
Hunt drops his hands momentarily and Maples takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Hunt throws a jab but it's blocked by Maples.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hunt buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Maples is looking to clinch but Hunt is avoiding it.
Maples throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maples walks into a stiff left hand from Hunt.
Maples shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Hunt as he avoids it easily.
Maples throws the kick towards the body but Hunt avoids it.
Maples fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Mike Hunt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Maples.
Hunt lands a nice leg kick that just misses Maples's sensitive parts.
Maples fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hunt manages to avoid it.
Ben Maples seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Maples fails with a takedown attempt.
Hunt cracks the inside of Maples's front leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A punch combination from Maples misses.
Hunt darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Maples throws a nice looking combination but Hunt bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Hunt avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hunt throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Maples on the side of the head.
Hunt will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maples throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hunt counters with a thumping low kick.
Hunt with a hook.
Maples misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Maples swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Hunt counters with a nice leg kick.
Maples throws a sloppy head kick
and Hunt counters with a body kick.
A lazy body kick from Maples
and Hunt counters with a low kick, right behind Maples 's knee.
Maples looks gassed!
Maples misses with a combination
and Hunt counters with a slapping leg kick.
Hunt closes the distance and lands a one-two.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head kick misses from Maples.
A head kick by Maples misses
letting Hunt counter with a right hand.
Hunt lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Maples misses with a double jab
and Hunt counters with a nice low kick that buckles Maples's knee momentarily.
Hunt scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Hunt scores with a head kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Maples chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Hunt can pounce on him.
Hunt misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Hunt dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Maples takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
A chopping leg kick lands by Hunt.
Hunt fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Maples.
Maples shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Hunt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Maples dodges the punch combination from Hunt.
Maples is trying desperately to land a takedown but Hunt is having absolutely none of it. This is turning into a bit of a nightmare for Maples.
Maples tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Hunt makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Maples is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A solid leg kick lands there for Maples.
Hunt connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Hunt fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Maples.
Maples fails with the takedown
and Hunt counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hunt connects with a crisp jab.
Maples throws a leg kick
and Hunt counters with a nice uppercut.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maples misses with a hook to the body
and Hunt counters with a nice leg kick.
Hunt cracks the inside of Maples's front leg.
Maples throws a head kick that misses
and Hunt counters with a straight right hand.
Hunt throws out a powerful jab.
Hunt misses with a two punch combination.
Hunt misses with a low kick.
Hunt wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Maples tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Hunt counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maples checks a low kick from Hunt.
Maples checks a low kick from Hunt.
A head kick by Maples misses
and Hunt makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
An inside leg kick lands from Hunt.
A slapping leg kick lands for Hunt.
Maples misses with a leg kick
and Hunt counters with a series of strikes. Maples will be more careful next time no doubt.
Maples looks to throw a body kick
and Hunt counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mike Hunt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunt scores with a nice right hand.
A jab from Maples misses.
Mike Hunt is winning the standup battle so far.
Hunt lands with a nice combination. Maples backs away looking to recover.
Maples tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hunt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hunt works over Maples's head and body with a nice combination.
Hunt throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maples tries to land a body kick
and Hunt counters with an outside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A low kick from Maples is predictable there
and Hunt counters with a leg kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Hunt dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Maples gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Maples uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hunt.
Maples throws a lazy head kick
and Hunt counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Maples's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Hunt throws a lazy right hand but Maples sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Maples defending well as Hunt loads up on a big left hand.
A lazy body kick from Maples
and Hunt counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Hunt lands a lovely overhand right.
Maples swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Hunt counters with a good low kick that Maples was not able to check.
Maples takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hunt misses with the combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maples lands with a good body shot.
Hunt lands with an uppercut that bounces Maples off the cage and back into rage.
Maples throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Hunt counters with a nice leg kick.
Maples throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Hunt counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Maples thinking.
Maples misses with a takedown
and Hunt counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Hunt is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maples swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Maples takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Maples has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hunt finds it's way round the side to connect with Maples's head.
Maples has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Hunt buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hunt scores with a hook to the body. Maples takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Maples on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Hunt. Hunt obviously looking to wear him down.
Hunt lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Hunt.
Hunt dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunt connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Maples momentarily.
A right-left combo lands from Hunt.
Hunt's jab looks to have found its range, popping Maples under the eye.
Maples misses with a takedown
and Hunt counters with a slapping leg kick.
Hunt keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Hunt scores with a body shot.
Hunt scores with a crisp jab that stopped Maples in his tracks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hunt scores with a punch to the head.
Hunt lands with an uppercut that bounces Maples off the cage and back into rage.
Mike Hunt is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maples dodges the punch combination from Hunt.
Maples misses with a takedown
and Hunt counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Mike Hunt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Maples.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Hunt.
Hunt dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Maples. That did some damage!
Ben Maples has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hunt getting the better of the striking in that exchange.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike Hunt showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Hunt has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:25
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:25
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Hunt!