PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Josh McManus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be a great matchup!

McManus
vs
Hughes

184 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
188 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Josh McManus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Mark Hughes!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Steven Brown and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McManus drives through with a takedown into Hughes's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Hughes has McManus pulled in close to control his posture.
McManus trying to control but Hughes is working from the bottom.
McManus has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Hughes seems keen to control McManus's posture.
Hughes bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in McManus's guard.

McManus escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Hughes gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
McManus controls Hughes momentarily but Hughes frees himself.
Hughes is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McManus is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

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

and McManus counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

McManus is trying to work for a kimura but Hughes is defending well.
McManus trying to control the pace.
McManus throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McManus looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Hughes is looking to control McManus's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Hughes avoid being mounted?
Hughes moves into full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Hughes holds on and takes a little breather.

Hughes looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Hughes is looking to stand up but McManus isn't so interested in that idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McManus trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Hughes manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

McManus is looking for a triangle but Hughes pushes his legs off easily.
McManus wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.
McManus knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hughes on the ground.

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.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but McManus is keeping the position.
Hughes controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but McManus is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McManus looking for a sweep. Not yet McManus, not yet.

Hughes stands up from McManus's guard - Hughes perhaps looking for a knockout.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Josh McManus will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Hughes throws a head kick that misses.

Hughes looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
McManus trying to keep a closed guard but Hughes is proving a slippery customer.

McManus working for submissions but it's allowed Hughes to get to half guard.
Hughes throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
McManus wants to get back to full guard but Hughes has passed into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McManus is looking for a sweep.

Hughes stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Hughes is breathing heavily.
McManus misses with a takedown attempt

and Hughes counters with a shoot takedown. McManus fights it but they end up in guard.
McManus throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Hughes's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Hughes trying to control but McManus is working from the bottom.
Hughes is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Mark Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Mark Hughes was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Hughes tries to keep at a distance but McManus has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McManus jumps into guard, dragging Hughes to the mat.
McManus wants to improve his position but instead Hughes has moved into half guard.

McManus actively working from the bottom here.
Hughes content to control rather than advance.
McManus wants to stand back up but Hughes manages to pass into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McManus is looking to regain half guard here but Hughes keeps moving and retains side control.
McManus is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Hughes is controlling him well.
Hughes controls the position from side control.
Hughes throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
McManus wants to control but Hughes postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hughes trying to control the position but McManus is working away.
McManus is looking to reverse the position.
Hughes trying to control the position but McManus is working away.
McManus wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
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.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

McManus is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Hughes's half guard.
McManus is looking to take a break and control but Hughes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hughes controlling the position well.

Hughes pushes McManus off and gets back to his feet.
McManus misses the shot to the body.
McManus moves in looking to clinch but Hughes pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McManus gets a double leg takedown into Hughes's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hughes is trying to control the position but McManus postures up.

Hughes has his feet on McManus's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

McManus moves into the clinch successfully.

McManus has dropped down and is working for a takedown. Hughes is trying to keep an underhook but McManus manages to get the takedown into half guard.
Hughes won't allow McManus to pass to mount.
McManus wants to stand but Hughes has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Hughes wants to control but McManus is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hughes keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McManus looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
McManus content to control rather than advance.
Hughes is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
McManus throws a head kick that misses.
Hughes misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

McManus shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Hughes manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Hughes had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. McManus defends it easily.
McManus is pushing down on Hughes's leg trying to pass to half guard. Hughes is fighting to maintain full guard but McManus has managed to sneak the leg through.
Hughes is looking to improve his position.
McManus controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Hughes is trying to maintain the position but McManus is very close to passing his half guard.
McManus stops Hughes from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McManus seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Hughes wants to get back to his feet.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

McManus shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Hughes napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Hughes can't do much from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
Josh McManus showed his dominance in that final round.
Well McManus 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Josh McManus!