PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Saul Hudson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Erik Koch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hudson comes into the arena with NightTrain blaring out of the sound system. Erik Koch is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Hudson
vs
Koch

170 cm
25
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

179 cm
23
155 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Saul Hudson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Erik Koch!
The judges for this bout are William Peck, Alec Ball and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Koch closes the distance but Hudson moves to the side
and Hudson counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Koch throws a sloppy head kick and Hudson moves out of range easily.
Hudson misses with a wild combination.
Hudson misses with a straight left.
Koch closes the distance looking to clinch

so Hudson counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Hudson throws a big right hand that misses.
Koch avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hudson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hudson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Koch utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Hudson postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Hudson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Koch swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Koch is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hudson postures up in Koch's guard and throws a big left but Koch blocks it.
Koch has momentary wrist control but Hudson slips an elbow through the middle.
Hudson cracks Koch with a solid left hand.
Hudson throws and elbow that misses. Koch uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Hudson's guard. Nice move by Koch!
Hudson tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Hudson on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hudson tries to get out of the position.

Hudson has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Koch off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Koch lands a head kick. Hudson smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Koch is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Erik Koch is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Hudson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hudson misses with a series of wild punches.

Hudson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hudson as Koch tries to tie him up.
Hudson tries to circle away but Koch has him pinned against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Hudson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Koch gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hudson drops down looking for an ankle pick but Koch pulls his leg out and moves away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koch lands a jab to the head.
Koch lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Koch looks to land a left hand but Hudson moved out of range nicely.
Koch tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A telegraphed right hand from Koch misses the target.
Koch looks to clinch

and Hudson decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Koch's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hudson is breathing heavily.
Hudson stops Koch from standing up.
Hudson wants to stand but Koch is controlling his posture from full guard.
Koch wants to stand but Hudson is controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hudson wants to stand and escape but instead Koch has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Hudson pulls Koch in close to his closed guard and prevents Koch from doing any damage or advancing position.
Koch wants to control from the top but Hudson keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saul Hudson dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Koch throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Koch tries to score with a low kick but Hudson moves his leg out of the way.
Koch tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Hudson was well out of range. Poor timing from Koch.
Hudson misses with a combination
and Koch counters with a nice leg kick.
Hudson avoids the head kick by Koch.
Koch just misses with a punch to the body.
Hudson swats away the attempt to clinch by Koch.

Koch clinches up with Hudson and pushes him back against the cage.
Hudson is trying to drag Koch to the mat but Koch just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Koch throws an elbow that misses.
Koch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Koch using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hudson has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hudson gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hudson landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.

Koch manages to escape and get back to his feet!

Hudson fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Koch sprawls well initially but Hudson persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Hudson misses with a head shot. Koch uses the momentum to regain guard.
Koch wants to stand up but Hudson is controlling him.
Hudson working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Koch is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hudson is looking to work some ground and pound but Koch has wrist control.
Hudson trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hudson trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Koch manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Hudson is adopting a defensive guard.
Koch trying to control the position from guard on top but Hudson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hudson is trying to control the position but Koch postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koch trying to control the position from guard on top but Hudson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Koch tries to clinch there but Hudson circles away.
Hudson takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Koch throws a series of punches but Hudson moves out of range.

Koch forces Hudson back against the cage and clinches.
Hudson avoiding damage as Koch throws knees to the body.
Koch trying to control the position but instead, Hudson has worked for underhooks and has pushed Koch into the cage.
Koch has had enough of the clinch but Hudson keeps him there for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hudson wants a takedown.
Hudson keeps control of Koch as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Hudson has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Koch is trying to keep an underhook but Hudson manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Hudson stops Koch from getting back to his feet.
Hudson thows a big elbow that misses, also allowing Koch to regain full guard.
Koch controls Hudson momentarily but Hudson frees himself.
Hudson wants to pass the guard but Koch is keeping the position.
Koch wants to stand but Hudson is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Saul Hudson dominated that second round.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Koch moves in looking to clinch but Hudson pushes him off.
Koch is looking to slow Hudson down with leg kicks.
Koch on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
Hudson scores with a nice one two combo and darts back out of range to avoid anything coming in the opposite direction.
Hudson misses with a right hand
and Koch counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Koch buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Erik Koch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Koch closes the distance looking to clinch

and Hudson counters with a single leg into guard. Koch didn't expect that.

Hudson drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Koch manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Hudson has Koch in his guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Koch trying to control but Hudson is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koch's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hudson wants to sweep but no luck.
Hudson keeping moving, preventing Koch from controlling successfully.
Hudson is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Koch trying to control the position from guard on top but Hudson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Erik Koch hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Koch throws a front kick that sends Hudson stumbling back into the cage.
Koch goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
The fight stays on the outside here - Koch looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

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.
Koch goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Hudson shoots in for a double leg but Koch sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Koch throws a right and a left that Hudson avoids nicely.
Koch throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
No joy there for Koch, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hudson misses with the combination.
Koch tries to clinch there but Hudson circles away.
Koch throws a body punch but Hudson moves out of range.
Koch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hudson manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Koch connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Hudson doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Koch counters with a nice uppercut.
Koch misses with a double jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koch moves in looking to clinch but Hudson pushes him off.
Koch scores with a leg kick.
Hudson keeps the fight on the outside.
Koch tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hudson paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Koch tries to clinch up.
Koch throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Hudson's head.

Hudson decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hudson with the ground and pound but Koch uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Hudson trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Koch manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Koch trying to control but Hudson is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Koch throwing strikes but missing.
Hudson trying to control the position here.

Koch got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hudson has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Koch has managed to get both his arms back between Hudson's legs - danger averted.
Koch wants to control from the top but Hudson keeps moving.
Erik Koch has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Saul Hudson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Koch throwing strikes but missing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Saul Hudson showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hudson, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 William Peck scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Saul Hudson!