PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Andy Arnold (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kory Hodgins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Andy Arnold has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Arnold
vs
Hodgins

195 cm
26
260 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

198 cm
24
275 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Intelligent

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andy Arnold!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Kory Hodgins!
The judges for this bout are Russell Pearce, Dean Styles and Steve Montenegro.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hodgins closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Arnold wants to improve his position but Hodgins is controlling well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hodgins thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Arnold is looking to control Hodgins's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Arnold avoid being mounted?
Hodgins working over Arnold with some ground and pound. Arnold looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Arnold manages to get to full guard.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Hodgins is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Arnold is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Arnold has escaped and now he's on top!

Hodgins looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Arnold pushes down on Hodgins's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Hodgins is looking for a sweep. Arnold is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hodgins is not content to let Arnold control the position.
Arnold seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Arnold is keen to just control but Hodgins is a slippery customer.
Arnold performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Arnold tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hodgins knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Hodgins actively working from the bottom here.
Hodgins gets back to full guard.
Hodgins can't keep his opponent in guard - Arnold advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Hodgins is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arnold pulls his head out easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arnold tries to pass the half guard into mount. Hodgins knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Arnold prevents Hodgins from improving his position.
Arnold trying to control from half guard but Hodgins is working away.

Hodgins is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arnold pulls his head out easily.
Nice strikes from Arnold there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Arnold frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Hodgins is desperately trying to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Arnold moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Hodgins has worked his arm free - good work by Hodgins!
Hodgins is looking for a sweep.
Hodgins is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Hodgins seems a little lost for a moment, as Arnold dominates the positioning.
Hodgins regains half guard.

Hodgins is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arnold pulls his head out easily.
Hodgins moves into full guard.
Arnold throwing strikes but missing.

Hodgins looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Arnold passes into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arnold happy to just control the position for now.
Arnold throws an elbow but Hodgins slips to the side and avoids it well.
Arnold remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Arnold is looking to take a break and control but Hodgins is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hodgins tries to buck Arnold off but Arnold is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Kory Hodgins will probably get the nod.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Arnold gets a takedown into half guard.
Arnold is trying to control. Hodgins wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Arnold is taking a breather. Hodgins says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Hodgins is looking for a sweep. Arnold is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Arnold moves into full mount! Hodgins won't be happy about that!
Hodgins blocking the ground and pound.
Poor strikes thrown by Arnold there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Arnold throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Hodgins can't escape the position.
Arnold throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hodgins really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Arnold lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Hodgins is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Hodgins regains half guard.
Arnold is taking a breather. Hodgins says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Arnold is pressing down on Hodgins's thigh, looking to free his foot. Hodgins is holding on for now.

Hodgins is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arnold pulls his head out easily.
Hodgins is refusing to be controlled, as Arnold sits in half guard.
Hodgins wants to get back to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arnold tries to pass to full mount but Hodgins defends it.
Arnold 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.
Arnold throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Andy Arnold overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Hodgins looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Arnold missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Arnold is trying to control the action in half guard but Hodgins is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Arnold prevents Hodgins from improving his position.
Hodgins has a hand on Arnold's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Arnold takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Hodgins is trying desperately to improve position.
Hodgins is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arnold with a couple of short strikes.
Poor strikes thrown by Arnold there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Hodgins is trying desperately to improve position.
Arnold trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Arnold wants to take Hodgins's back but he can't do it this time.
Arnold working Hodgins over with strikes here.
Arnold trying to control but Hodgins is having none of it.
Hodgins is in all sorts of trouble here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Arnold can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hodgins is looking to escape.
Hodgins sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Arnold seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Hodgins does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Hodgins is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Arnold pulls his head out easily.
Arnold passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Hodgins!
Arnold trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Hodgins working to try and regain half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy Arnold dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Hodgins misses with a takedown attempt

and Arnold decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Hodgins's guard.

Hodgins working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Arnold doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Arnold manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Hodgins can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Arnold controls the pace.
Hodgins keeping full guard, as Arnold tries to pass.
Arnold with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.

Hodgins throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Arnold looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Hodgins keeping moving, preventing Arnold from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arnold controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

Hodgins working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Arnold has passed into half guard!

Hodgins looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Hodgins is in trouble now - Arnold has advanced to mount!
Arnold can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Hodgins is looking to escape.
Hodgins can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Arnold trying to control but Hodgins is having none of it.
Arnold thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Arnold trying to control but Hodgins is having none of it.
Hodgins is trying to escape the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arnold trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Arnold raining down shots from the mount!
Hodgins is working to get back to half guard.
Arnold tries to take his opponent's back but Hodgins turns with him and manages to move into guard on the top. Nice work.
Hodgins slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Sloppy strikes there by Hodgins.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hodgins is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Arnold has escaped the position, nice work there.

Hodgins goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Arnold rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Hodgins's guard! Nice work there by Arnold!
Hodgins takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Arnold stands and throws Hodgins's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Arnold looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hodgins tries to improve position but can't.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Arnold tries to advance position but instead Hodgins slips a leg back in to half guard.
Arnold sitting and controlling from the half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Andy Arnold showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Arnold 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 Russell Pearce scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 30:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Andy Arnold!