PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Popescu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carson Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hughes has chosen damn it feels good to be a gangsta as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Popescu
vs
Hughes

178 cm
25
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

178 cm
20
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Thiago Popescu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Carson Hughes!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Popescu throws a lazy right hand but Hughes sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Popescu dips to his left and cracks Hughes with an uppercut!
Popescu misses the shot to the body.
A big left from Popescu misses.
Hughes connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Hughes misses with a two punch combination.
Hughes throws a right and a left that both miss.
Hughes throws a series of punches but Popescu avoids them all with ease.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Popescu.
Popescu misses with a body punch
and Hughes counters with a one-two to the body.
Popescu throws a combination that misses
and Hughes counters with a two punch combo.
Hughes misses with a low kick.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Hughes takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Popescu doesn't manage to clinch there - Hughes circles away.
Thiago Popescu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hughes misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Popescu counters with a series of strikes. Hughes will be more careful next time no doubt.
Popescu scores with a punch to the head.
Popescu swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
No joy there for Hughes, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Popescu's corner calls for a 1-2. Popescu obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Popescu cracks Hughes with a right hand to the side of the head.
Hughes misses with a two punch combination.
Hughes tries to close the distance and clinch up but Popescu swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Popescu is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Decent striking displayed by Hughes there.
Hughes fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Popescu on the side of the head.
Popescu missing with a left hand there. Hughes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hughes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Hughes moves into the clinch.
Popescu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Hughes breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Popescu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Popescu is breathing heavily.
Popescu loads up on a big right hand but Hughes slips the punch.
Popescu slips a jab and a cross from Hughes.
Hughes throws a right and a left that both miss.

Popescu closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Popescu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Popescu is looking to clinch but Hughes is avoiding it.
Popescu takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Popescu tries to bum rush Hughes with a series of wild strikes but Hughes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Jab, cross, leg kick. Nice combination by Popescu!
Popescu misses with a two punch combination.
Good exchange - Hughes coming out on top.

Popescu is rocked!
Hughes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Oh Popescu is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Popescu dodges the punch combination from Hughes.
Hughes misses with a double jab.

Hughes clinches with his opponent.

Hughes breaks the clinch.
Popescu dodges the punch combination from Hughes.
Hughes swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Popescu counters by moving into the clinch.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes misses with a series of wild punches.
Hughes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hughes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Popescu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Hughes pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Popescu connects with a jab.
Hughes misses with a wild combination.
Hughes throws a right and a left that Popescu avoids nicely.
Popescu bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Popescu seems to have got his legs back now.
Popescu fails to land with a series of punches.
Hughes fails in his attempt to clinch.
Popescu fails in his attempt to clinch.
Hughes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Hughes throws a shot to the body.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Popescu.
Popescu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Hughes misses with a jab, cross combination.
Popescu is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Hughes tries to clinch but Popescu moves out of range.
Hughes throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes tries to clinch up.
Hughes blocks a jab.
Popescu misses with a few strikes there.
Popescu throws a lazy uppercut
letting Hughes counter with a right hand.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Hughes looks to land a combination but Popescu avoids it well.
Hughes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Popescu tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hughes swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Popescu tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hughes paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Popescu throws a right and a left that Hughes avoids nicely.
Popescu takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Popescu slips a jab and a cross from Hughes.

Hughes has closed the distance and engaged Popescu in a clinch.
Popescu tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Popescu wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carson 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.

Hughes throws a right and a left that Popescu avoids nicely.
Hughes will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A big right from Popescu misses.
Hughes feints a jab promting Popescu to slip. Hughes then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Popescu slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.
Popescu swings widly with a right hand
and Hughes counters with a one-two to the body.
Hughes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Popescu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Hughes closes the distance and clinches.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Popescu misses the shot to the body.
Hughes on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Popescu throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Popescu misses with a straight right.
Popescu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hughes throws a right hand that Popescu ducks under and follows up with a left that Popescu also avoids with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes slips under a jab from Popescu.
Hughes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Popescu moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Popescu pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Popescu misses with a wild combination.
Hughes lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Hughes misses with the combination.
Popescu misses with a series of wild punches.
A combination from Hughes does no damage.

Hughes closes the distance and clinches.

Hughes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hughes takes one to the chin there.
Hughes avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Popescu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Hughes.
Hughes is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

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

Hughes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Thiago Popescu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Hughes lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Hughes misses with a double jab.
Hughes wants to clinch.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Hughes closes the distance and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hughes pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Hughes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Popescu takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Hughes lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Popescu circles away quickly and effectively.
Hughes tries to bum rush Popescu with a series of wild strikes but Popescu uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Hughes throws a right and a left that Popescu avoids nicely.
The fighters circling - Popescu throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hughes moves away from the strike by Popescu.
Popescu throws a series of punches but Hughes avoids them all with ease.
Popescu ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Popescu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Popescu tries to clinch up.
Some wild striking there from Hughes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Popescu tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Popescu throws a right hand that misses
and Hughes counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Hughes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Hughes scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Popescu takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Popescu lands a body shot.
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!
A left and a right from Popescu both land. Nice combination.
Hughes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Popescu has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Popescu wants to clinch up but Hughes keeps it at a distance.
Carson Hughes seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hughes avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Popescu avoids a punch combination nicely.
Popescu looks to throw the jab but Hughes is out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Carson Hughes showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hughes does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Hughes drops his hands momentarily and Popescu takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Hughes scores with a one two! Popescu had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
Hughes throws a combination that misses
and Popescu counters with a straight right hand.
Popescu tries to bum rush Hughes with a series of wild strikes but Hughes uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Popescu tries to clinch but Hughes moves out of range.
Sloppy strikes from Hughes. Those never looked like landing.
Popescu misses with an uppercut
and Hughes counters with a left and a right... And another left! Popescu is down! He's done! The ref dives in to save him and that's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:35 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Carson Hughes!
A victorious Carson Hughes thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.