PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Niek Groot (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mark Hunt (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Groot has a slight injury, which hopefully won't affect the fight too much. Niek Groot has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Groot
vs
Hunt

193 cm
23
240 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

177 cm
29
261 lbs
17 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Niek Groot!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 17 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mark Hunt!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Ben Hemmingworth and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Groot lands with a kick to the temple. Hunt shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
An inside leg kick from Groot misses.
Hunt steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Groot.
Groot lands a jab.
Groot misses with a hook.
Groot is breathing heavily.
Hunt avoids the head kick by Groot.
Groot lands a right hook to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Groot.
Groot throws a leg kick but Hunt sees it coming and moves out of range.
Nice uppercut there from Hunt.
Groot throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Hunt steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Groot.
Hunt wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Groot slips a straight right by Hunt.
Niek Groot seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Groot uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Hunt.
Hunt dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hunt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Groot throws a sloppy head kick and Hunt moves out of range easily.
Hunt misses the shot to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Hunt. Those never looked like landing.
Hunt throws a jab when Groot was well out of range.
Groot throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A slow jab from Groot misses its intended target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Groot tries to close the distance and clinch but Hunt swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Groot has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Beast II in the buildup to the fight.
Hunt misses with a hook.
Groot throws a head kick that Hunt semi-blocks.
Hunt moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Groot ducks under a wild hook from Hunt.
Groot keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Hunt looks to score with a jab to the body but Groot is just out of range.
Groot lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Hunt digs a good body shot into Groot's ribs.
Hunt checks a low kick from Groot.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hunt avoids the head kick by Groot.
Some wild striking there from Hunt.
No joy there for Hunt, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Hunt ducks under a wild hook from Groot.
Nice defenses there by Groot.
Groot misses with a right hand
and Hunt counters with a stiff right hand.
Groot misses with a low kick.
Hunt shoots in for a double leg but Groot sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Groot throws a low kick, looking for Hunt's leg but Hunt calmly moves out of range.
Groot uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Hunt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Groot throws a hook to the side of Hunt's head but Hunt sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Groot misses with a body punch
and Hunt counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Hunt takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Groot motions for Hunt to come forward. Groot throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Groot tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hunt swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Hunt connects with a good right hand that stumbles Groot. Groot circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Groot misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Some bone on bone action there as Hunt checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hunt checks a low kick from Groot.
Hunt looks to land a combination but Groot avoids it well.
Hunt swinging wildly here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mark Hunt will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Groot 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.
Hunt uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Groot.
Groot throws out a leg kick but Hunt moves out of range and Groot only half commits.
Hunt throws a jab but it's blocked by Groot.
Groot throws a quick inside leg kick.
Groot misses with an uppercut
and Hunt counters with a stiff right hand.
Hunt avoids the head kick by Groot.
Some bone on bone action there as Hunt checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Groot avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Groot misses with the body kick
and Hunt counters with a right hand to the body.
Hunt tries to clinch there but Groot circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunt lands with an overhand left.
Groot throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Groot gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Hunt.
Groot ducks under a wild hook from Hunt.
Groot slips a straight right by Hunt.
Hunt misses with a jab, cross combination.
Groot throws the left hand but Hunt avoids the punch easily.
Hunt attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Groot chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Some wild striking there from Hunt.
Mark Hunt seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A combination from Hunt does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Groot lands a nice looking body kick.
Groot bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Hunt checks a leg kick.
Groot fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hunt manages to avoid it.
Groot throws a hook but Hunt avoids it easily.
Groot tries a head kick but it misses.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hunt misses with a two punch combination.
A solid leg kick lands there for Groot.
Groot ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hunt looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Groot throws a chopping leg kick but Hunt manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Groot throws a body punch but Hunt moves out of range.
Nice uppercut lands for Hunt. That snapped Groot's head back.
Hunt misses with an uppercut.

Hunt has managed to clinch.
Groot tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Groot lands with a short head shot on the inside.
A head punch on the inside from Groot fails to land.
Hunt tries to throw a body punch but Groot avoids it by throwing Hunt back against the cage.
Hunt misses with the head strike.
Groot is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Groot blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Hunt wants to stall.
Hunt swings wildly with an uppercut but Groot uses good head movement to avoid it.
Hunt is working Groot over against the cage.
Groot blocking some punches.
Hunt goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Groot on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Hunt goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hunt doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Groot misses with the head strike.
Groot taking a breather.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hunt misses with a hook from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mark Hunt showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Groot thows a body shot but no joy.
Hunt with a hook.
Hunt lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Hunt walks into a left hand.
Hunt swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Hunt misses with a looping left.
Groot buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Hunt looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Groot throws a hook but Hunt blocks it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Hunt checks a leg kick.
Groot takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Groot misses with a looping left.
Hunt lands a nice shot to the body.
Hunt tries to close the distance and clinch but Groot swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Groot throws a head kick that misses.
Hunt lands a glancing blow to the side of Groot's head.
Groot staying out of range there.

Groot gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hunt's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Groot working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Hunt.
Hunt 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.
Hunt working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Groot's head.

Groot is rocked!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hunt working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Oh Groot is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Hunt is working Groot over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Groot keeping moving, preventing Hunt from controlling successfully.
Hunt loads up on a big left hand. Groot felt that one! He's just covering up now, not defending himself intelligently - Hunt looks towards the ref and unloads with 3 more big shots and the ref has no choice but to stop the fight! Groot can't hide his disappointment, as Hunt celebrates the victory.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:29 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mark Hunt!