PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Russell Joyner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andreas Hug (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Russell Joyner has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Joyner
vs
Hug

179 cm
27
205 lbs
6 - 7 - 1

180 cm
23
224 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 6 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Russell Joyner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Andreas Hug!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Hirohito Nitta and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hug fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hug misses with a jab to the body
and Joyner counters with a straight right hand.
Joyner moves out of range as Hug strikes.
Hug misses the shot to the body.
Hug will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Joyner looks to land a combination but Hug avoids it well.
Hug slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Joyner loads up on a big right hand but Hug slips the punch.
Joyner looks to throw the jab but Hug is out of range.
Joyner throws a looping overhand right but Hug ducks down to avoid it.
Joyner moves away from the strike by Hug.

Hug instigates a clinch.
Joyner drops down looking for an ankle pick but Hug pulls his leg out and moves away.
Horrible takedown by Hug or perhaps it was just good defense by Joyner which made him look bad.
Andreas Hug seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joyner keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Horrible takedown by Joyner or perhaps it was just good defense by Hug which made him look bad.
Hug connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.

Hug rushes Joyner and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hug gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Joyner.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Russell Joyner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hug lands a nice knee to the body.
Hug avoiding damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Hug obliges.
Hug lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hug avoiding damage.

Hug manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Hug avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hug bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Joyner's guard.
Hug won't allow Joyner to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Joyner preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hug throws a big elbow that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hug trying to control but Joyner is working from the bottom.
Hug working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Joyner keeping full guard, as Hug tries to pass.
Joyner working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hug.
Joyner is looking to stand up but Hug isn't so interested in that idea.
Joyner keeping full guard, as Hug tries to pass.
Hug sitting in guard, not really doing much.

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

Andreas Hug has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Hug shoots in but no luck this time.
Joyner misses with a combination
and Hug counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Joyner misses with a series of wild punches.
A punch combination from Hug misses.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hug throws a right hand that misses
and Joyner counters with a right hand to the body.
Hug looks gassed!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joyner has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Hug finds it's way round the side to connect with Joyner's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andreas Hug dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Joyner uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hug.
Hug paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Hug throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hug bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Joyner's head.
Hug swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Joyner throws the left hand but Hug avoids the punch easily.
Hug showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Joyner.
Joyner takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Joyner uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hug.
Hug keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Joyner.
Andreas Hug seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hug misses with an uppercut.
Joyner avoids the head kick by Hug.
Joyner misses with a two punch combination.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joyner throws a jab when Hug was well out of range.
Hug looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Joyner throws a series of punches but Hug avoids them all with ease.
The fighters circling - Hug throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Joyner cracks Hug with a good jab.

It looks like Andreas Hug has been cut.
Russell Joyner is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Joyner avoids a punch combination nicely.
Hug fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Hug is breathing heavily.
Hug throws a combination. Joyner tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Hug throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Joyner.
Joyner misses with a looping left.
Joyner throws a body punch but Hug moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hug fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Joyner manages to avoid it.
Hug falls off balance throwing a combination
and Joyner counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Sloppy strikes from Hug. Those never looked like landing.
Joyner misses with an uppercut.
Hug pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Joyner walks into a straight right hand from Hug.
Hug uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Joyner.
Hug slips a jab and a cross from Joyner.
Hug walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Hug takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Joyner tests Hug's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Joyner's jab looks to have found its range, popping Hug under the eye.

Hug is rocked!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joyner misses with a straight right.
Hug uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Joyner.
Nice defenses there by Joyner.
Joyner looks to land a combination but Hug avoids it well.
Joyner jabs Hug to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Hug misses with a looping left.
Hug swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hug falls off balance throwing a combination
and Joyner cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hug is still on wobbly legs! Can Joyner finish him?
Joyner misses the jab.
Hug seems to have recovered his senses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joyner looks to land a left hand but Hug moved out of range nicely.
Joyner is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Hug swings for the body but Joyner moves out of range.
Joyner missing with a left hand there. Hug was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hug misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Joyner does no damage.
Joyner shoots in but Hug avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hug scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joyner fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hug swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Hug throws a sloppy head kick and Joyner moves out of range easily.
Joyner catches Hug with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Joyner dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Andreas Hug's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

A big right from Joyner misses.
Hug throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Joyner counters with a stiff right hand.

Joyner moves into range and throws a big uppercut. OH! Hug goes down! Can Joyner finish him!?

That has opened up Andreas Hug's cut even more.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joyner trying to control but Hug is working from the bottom.
Joyner pushes down on Hug's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hug is looking to escape.
Hug avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Joyner.

Hug looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joyner throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Hug takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Joyner landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Hug is trying to stand up here but Joyner is controlling him well.
Hug is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Joyner scores with a couple of nice shots.
Joyner seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Hug has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Joyner tries to pass to full mount but Hug defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Joyner is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Hug has managed to free his arm - good work.
Joyner missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Joyner is trying to control the action in half guard but Hug is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Joyner throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hug avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Joyner.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Joyner is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Hug blocking the ground and pound attempt from Joyner.
Joyner wants to take a breather but Hug is having none of it.
Joyner is stalling here. Hug is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Joyner seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Hug has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.
Joyner wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Joyner managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Hug.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joyner dodges the ground and pound from Hug.
Joyner is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Hug asserts his dominance and retains side control.

Hug working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Joyner is trying to buck Hug off.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hug is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Joyner has escaped the position, nice work there.
Joyner is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Hug has just dragged him back down to the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Russell Joyner showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Joyner has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Hirohito Nitta scores the fight 29:28
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russell Joyner!
A loyal slave to those sponsorship dollars, Russell Joyner made sure he mentioned BioLuvoil, along with how happy he was to win his fight.