PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ben Hutch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Braxton Darius (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ben Hutch could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Braxton Darius's chin.

Hutch
vs
Darius

196 cm
26
194 lbs
6 - 0 - 0

191 cm
23
198 lbs
14 - 3 - 1

Good wrestling
World class boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 6 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ben Hutch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 1, fighting out of New York, Braxton Darius!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Anthony Taglia and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Hutch.
Hutch tries to clinch but Darius moves out of range.
Hutch ducks under a wild hook from Darius.
Darius throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Hutch sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Braxton Darius seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Darius's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Darius duly obliges.
Darius throws a series of punches but Hutch avoids them all with ease.
Darius throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Darius drops his hands and takes a jab to the jaw for his troubles.
Darius jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Darius lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Hutch circles away quickly and effectively.
Darius looks to land a right hand but Hutch moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darius throws a right and a left that Hutch avoids nicely.
Hutch closes this distance looking for a takedown but Darius circles away.
Hutch lands a slapping body shot.
Hutch tries to clinch there but Darius circles away.
Hutch throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Darius's waist but Darius gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Hutch off to one side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Hutch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Darius pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Darius feints a jab promting Hutch to slip. Darius then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Hutch slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Darius just misses with a punch to the body.
Darius swinging wildly here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hutch connects with a good right hand that stumbles Darius. Darius circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Darius getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Hutch keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Darius.

Hutch closes the distance and pushes Darius back into the cage.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hutch tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hutch tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Darius's elbow.
Hutch throws a punch but it's blocked by Darius.
Hutch lands a nice uppercut.
Hutch lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Darius backwards.
Hutch throws a punch but it's blocked by Darius.
Hutch lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Darius or not.
Darius tries to break free but Hutch pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Darius's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hutch shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Darius defends it nicely.
Hutch shoots in but Darius avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Hutch gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hutch slowing the pace effectively.
Darius blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Darius is trying to break free.
Darius misses with the head strike.
Hutch swings away with an uppercut that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Hutch fails to land.
Hutch misses with a hook to the ribs.
Hutch lands a left hand that snaps the head of Darius backwards.
A short uppercut from Hutch.
Hutch lands a body punch in the clinch.
A short uppercut from Hutch.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hutch can't find room to land a body shot as Darius controls the action.
Hutch stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darius.
Hutch lands with a left to the head.
Hutch misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hutch misses with a body punch.
Hutch misses with a punch on the inside.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hutch lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Hutch tries to throw a body punch but Darius avoids it by throwing Hutch back against the cage.
Hutch misses with a punch on the inside.
Hutch can't find room to land a body shot as Darius controls the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Hutch dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hutch shoots for a takedown but Darius saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Hutch gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Darius manages to break the clinch.
Darius missing with a left hand there. Hutch was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Darius misses with a body kick.
The fighters circling - Darius throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Darius lands a jab to the head.
Darius swings for the body but Hutch moves out of range.

Hutch shoots in and bounces Darius off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hutch trying to control the position from guard on top but Darius is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darius wants to stand up but Hutch is controlling him.
Hutch throwing strikes from guard but Darius blocks nicely.
Hutch has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Hutch won't allow Darius to get back to his feet.
Hutch missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Darius not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Hutch postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hutch wants to pass the guard but Darius is keeping the position.
Hutch landing with the ground and pound.
Hutch throwing strikes but missing.
Hutch advances to half guard.
Darius wants to control but Hutch is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Well, if Hutch is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Hutch throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hutch is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Darius is refusing to be controlled, as Hutch sits in half guard.
Hutch is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Darius is trying to stand up here but Hutch is controlling him well.
Hutch trying to control from half guard but Darius is working away.
Darius tries to get to full guard but Hutch has control of the leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hutch trying to control the pace.
Darius really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hutch. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Ben Hutch.
Some wild striking there from Darius.
Hutch tries for a takedown but Darius sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darius looks to land a combination but Hutch avoids it well.
Darius misses with a looping left.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ben Hutch dominated that second round.
That's time! Hutch's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Darius misses the jab.
Nice takedown defense from Darius. No joy for Hutch on that attempt.
Darius is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Hutch.
Darius throws the left hand but Hutch avoids the punch easily.
Hutch fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Darius cracks Hutch with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hutch tries to clinch but Darius moves out of range.
Darius goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Hutch fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ben Hutch. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hutch misses with a takedown attempt - Darius sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Braxton Darius seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Darius throws a lazy right hand but Hutch sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Darius throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Darius slaps away a takedown attempt from Hutch, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Darius scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Darius looks to land a left hand but Hutch moved out of range nicely.
Darius moves into range and connects with a jab.
Ben Hutch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darius leaves Hutch with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hutch moves out of range of the strikes.
Braxton Darius has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Darius misses with a two punch combination.
Hutch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Darius manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Hutch blocks a jab.

Hutch feints and as Darius raises his hands in defense, Hutch changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Darius can't keep his opponent in guard - Hutch advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Darius is trying to control but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darius is staying active underneath Hutch, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

Hutch is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Darius wants to improve his position but Hutch is controlling well.
Darius has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Hutch is working away from the top position though.

Hutch escapes and gets back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hutch shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Darius sprawls well. Darius wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Hutch gets slowly back to his feet.
Darius misses with a right hand

and Hutch counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hutch advances to mount.
Ben Hutch overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Hutch content just to control the position here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Hutch goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Darius is on top in guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Darius trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ben Hutch.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Hutch, 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 Jorge Garcia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Anthony Taglia scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Hutch!