PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jandro Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pat Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hughes has chosen Walk with me in hell as his entrance music. Pat Hughes has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cruz
vs
Hughes

185 cm
22
195 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
192 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Prefers ground

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jandro Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Pat Hughes!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Stewart Dunkirk and Cecil Peabody.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hughes forces Cruz back against the cage and clinches.
Cruz fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Cruz drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Cruz tries for a takedown. No joy.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jandro Cruz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cruz stops a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Cruz tries to pull guard but Hughes won't allow it.
Cruz fails to pull guard.

Hughes has picked Cruz up - he's going for a ride! Hughes dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Cruz tries to roll over but Hughes keeps him under control.
Hughes tries to pass to full mount but Cruz defends it.
Cruz punching from the bottom.
Hughes is trying to control the action in half guard but Cruz is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Cruz regains full guard. Nicely done.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Cruz looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Cruz working for a triangle but Hughes defends it easily.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cruz shoots in but Hughes avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cruz fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Hughes scores a takedown into full mount!
Hughes tries to control but Cruz wriggling away.
Hughes throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Cruz because Hughes loaded up on that one.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hughes misses with a head shot.
Cruz sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Cruz tries to kick Hughes off but Hughes keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hughes trying to mount his opponent but Cruz defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cruz does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Hughes stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Cruz to get to his feet.
Cruz tries for a takedown but Hughes circles away easily

so Hughes counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Cruz is breathing heavily.
Cruz manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Hughes manages to get himself to full guard.

Hughes working for a triangle but Cruz defends it easily.
Cruz controlling from the top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for leaving it all in the cage!
Hughes looking to control.
Cruz trying to control but Hughes is working from the bottom.

Hughes had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Cruz is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Hughes Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Cruz's back instead.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Cruz is defending well though. Hughes let's go of the attempt for now.
A lull in the action here.

Cruz defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Hughes's arms.
Cruz staying busy and making it hard for Hughes to control.
What can Cruz do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Cruz rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Cruz is trying to get back to full guard.
Hughes is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cruz is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Hughes looking to pass the guard.

Hughes drops back looking for a leg! Cruz is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Cruz manages to kick Hughes off! Hughes jumps back into Cruz's guard.
Hughes trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
Cruz wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Hughes feints and as Cruz raises his hands in defense, Hughes changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but Cruz is keeping the position.
Hughes trying to control but Cruz is working from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pat Hughes dominated that 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.

Cruz drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cruz tries to score with some ground and pound. Hughes controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Cruz throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Hughes on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Cruz wants to stand but Hughes has his arm trapped.
Cruz in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Hughes is not content to let Cruz control the position.
Hughes manages to work his way to half guard, despite Cruz's best efforts.
Hughes flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

Hughes looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Hughes is breathing heavily.
Cruz is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Hughes is refusing to be controlled, as Cruz sits in half guard.

Hughes actively working from the bottom here.

Cruz seems to be looking for submissions.
Cruz seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Pat Hughes has got the better of the ground game so far.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Cruz closes the distance and clinches.

Cruz jumps guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Hughes accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cruz wants to sweep here but Hughes controlling him for the moment.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cruz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hughes!
Cruz can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hughes is looking to escape.
Cruz looking to finish Hughes with some ground and pound. This is bad for Hughes!
Hughes taking shots to the head.
Cruz trying to control but Hughes is having none of it.
Hughes wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Hughes keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Cruz looking to finish Hughes with some ground and pound. This is bad for Hughes!
Hughes tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cruz raining down shots from the mount!
Cruz connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Hughes is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Hughes regains half guard.
Hughes gets back to full guard.

Hughes is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Hughes lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Cruz!
Hughes forces the positional change into back control.

Hughes is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Cruz covers up after that shot from Hughes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes avoiding Cruz 's attempts to control his hands.
Hughes cracks Cruz with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Cruz from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.

Hughes has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.

Cruz fending off the submission attempt from Hughes.
Cruz is trying to stand back up.

Hughes has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
cage is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Cruz.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Hughes's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Pat Hughes will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Cruz darts in and clinches Hughes up against the cage.
Cruz stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Hughes has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Cruz regains guard immediately.

Hughes drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Hughes jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cruz wants to sweep but no luck.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Cruz is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hughes advances to half guard.
Hughes is keen to just control but Cruz is a slippery customer.
Cruz trying to get back to full guard but Hughes takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Cruz is looking to get to half guard.
Cruz is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Cruz is looking to improve his position but Hughes isn't that keen on the idea.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes looking to control but Cruz is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
A nice elbow there by Hughes.
Cruz wants to control but Hughes is having none of it.
Hughes can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Cruz is looking to escape.
Hughes is looking to take Cruz's back but instead Cruz gets back to half guard. Nice work.
Cruz is staying active underneath Hughes, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Cruz trying to control from the bottom.
Hughes looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Cruz manages to get to full guard.
Hughes 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.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Hughes postures up.
Cruz throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Hughes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.

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

Hughes decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Nice strikes from Hughes there.
Cruz is looking to improve his position.

Hughes is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cruz doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Hughes.
Cruz misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Hughes with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Cruz with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Cruz wants to control but Hughes is keeping busy.
Hughes is pressing down on Cruz's thigh, looking to free his foot. Cruz is holding on for now.

Hughes is looking for submissions but instead, Cruz has regained full guard.
Cruz lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Hughes!
Cruz tries to control but Hughes wriggling away.
Hughes sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Hughes has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Cruz is working away from the top position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cruz is looking to take a break and control but Hughes is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Hughes gets back to full guard.

Hughes throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Hughes looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Hughes trying to control the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cruz accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Hughes wants to sweep here but Cruz controlling him for the moment.
Cruz wants to pass the guard but Hughes is keeping the position.

Cruz stands up and waves to Hughes to follow him.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pat Hughes comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hughes has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 George Francis scores the fight for Pat Hughes!
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight for Pat Hughes!
Judge Cecil Peabody scores the fight for Pat Hughes!

Pat Hughes wins by unanimous decision!