PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between John Henry (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Winston Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Henry comes to the cage accompanied by Unashamed. 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.

Henry
vs
Hughes

173 cm
28
223 lbs
17 - 10 - 0

194 cm
27
205 lbs
6 - 3 - 1

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Milwaukee's Best 160 (80% laundry)

Arcticus University: London

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 17 - 10 - 0, fighting out of New York, John Henry!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 1, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Winston Hughes!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Donald Grub and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Henry slips a jab from Hughes.
A counter left hand to the body from Henry misses its target.
Henry throws an off balance right hand
and Hughes counters with a nice leg kick.
John Henry seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Henry scores with a hook to the body. Hughes takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Henry swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Hughes counters with an inside leg kick.
Henry throws an overhand right that lands on Hughes's shoulder, as Hughes tries to avoid the shot.
Hughes is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Henry.
Henry lands a nice looking body shot.
Henry fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hughes manages to avoid it.
Hughes tries a quick counter leg kick but Henry is wise to it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Hughes takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Henry misses with a jab to the body
letting Hughes counter with a right hand.

It looks like John Henry has been cut.
Hughes chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Henry can pounce on him.
Henry misses with an uppercut.
Henry is looking to wear down Hughes with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Henry avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Both fighters circling a little - Hughes finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Hughes takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Henry misses with a body punch
and Hughes counters with an outside leg kick.
Henry swings for the body but Hughes moves out of range.
We've been hearing reports that Henry has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
Henry lands the left hand.
Jab from Hughes.
Henry misses with a body shot.
Hughes let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Henry throws the kick towards the body but Hughes avoids it.
Henry throws a leg kick but Hughes sees it coming and checks it nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Henry needs to keep his hands up - Hughes had a free shot at his head there.
Henry gets cracked there but stands up to it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Henry fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hughes manages to avoid it.
Henry blocks a leg kick.
We've been informed that Hughes has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Henry uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Hughes.
Hughes throws a lazy right hand but Henry sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Hughes gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Henry.
A nice inside leg kick there by Henry. That's going to slow Hughes down.
Henry throws a front kick aimed at Hughes's knee but Hughes avoids it well.
Henry pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Hughes is looking to chop away at Henry's legs.
Hughes takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry throws a body punch but Hughes moves out of range.
Henry thows a leg kick but Hughes checks it
and Hughes counters with a nice body kick.
Henry moves forwards but Hughes connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Hughes lands a nice leg kick that just misses Henry's sensitive parts.
Henry uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Hughes.
Hughes is looking to slow Henry down with leg kicks.
Hughes misses with a head kick.
Henry swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Hughes counters with a nice uppercut.
Henry slips a straight right by Hughes.
Henry throws the left hand but Hughes avoids the punch easily.
Hughes lands a nice shot that snaps Henry's head back.
Henry walks into a stiff left hand from Hughes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes slips a jab and a cross from Henry.
A little jabbing left from Hughes on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Donk. Hughes catches Henry right on the button with a cross.
Hughes misses with a straight left.
Henry misses with a lunging right hand
and Hughes counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Henry jabs Hughes to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Henry misses with a leg kick
and Hughes connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Hughes takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Hughes cracks Henry with a right hand to the side of the head.
Henry throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Henry wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Henry explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Winston Hughes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on John Henry's cut.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Henry tries to clinch there but Hughes circles away.

Henry drives through and clinches with Hughes against the cage.
Henry blocks a body shot from Hughes.
Henry doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Henry has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Henry working aggressively here.

Henry tightens his grip and picks Hughes up, before dumping him to the ground. Hughes manages to land in guard.
Henry trying to control but Hughes is working from the bottom.
Henry with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Henry throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Hughes works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henry distracts Hughes with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Hughes controlling Henry's posture.
Henry working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Henry preventing the sweep.
Henry missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Hughes pulls Henry in close to prevent any damage.
Henry throwing strikes from guard but Hughes blocks nicely.
Henry might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Henry tries to free his leg and advance position but Hughes is retaining full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Henry stays in close to Hughes's body and controls the position.
Hughes has control of Henry's left arm, preventing Henry from doing any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Hughes throws a low kick, looking for Henry's leg but Henry calmly moves out of range.
Hughes scores with a nice right hand.
A swing and a miss from Henry.
Hughes is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
That kick from Henry tenderised Hughes's leg. Hughes is trying to keep his angry face on.
Hughes takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Henry throws a body shot but no joy.
Henry misses with a looping left.
Hughes is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Henry with a body shot.
Henry comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Henry throws a jab but it's blocked by Hughes.
Hughes has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes thows a body kick. Henry tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Henry ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Hughes looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Henry ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Henry is looking to counter punch.
Henry throws a body shot but no joy.
Henry throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Hughes to counter with a crisp jab.
Henry connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Henry cracks a nice hook into Hughes's ribs.
Henry connects with the punch.
Henry is looking to slow Hughes down with leg kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hughes checks a low kick from Henry.
Hughes throws a hook but Henry blocks it.
Henry is looking to counter the offense by Hughes and move into the clinch.
A telegraphed right hand from Henry misses the target.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Hughes. Henry shrugs it off though.
Henry misses with a straight left.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Hughes! But no joy.
Sloppy strikes from Henry. Those never looked like landing.
Henry throws a leg kick
and Hughes counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Henry tries a low kick but Hughes avoids it.
Henry fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Hughes manages to avoid it.
Hughes has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Henry.
Henry looking to land some kicks to the body here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Henry dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on John Henry's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

A good leg kick by Hughes.
Henry misses with a right hand
and Hughes counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Hughes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Henry sees it coming and avoids it easily.
A low kick from Henry is predictable there
and Hughes counters with a nice body shot.
Hughes connects with a crisp jab.
Henry lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Hughes throws a lazy body kick
and Henry counters with a good low kick that Hughes was not able to check.
Hughes throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Henry misses with a double jab.
Hughes misses the shot to the body.
Henry pivots, looking for a leg kick but Hughes is out of range and Henry settles back down.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Henry ducks under a wild hook from Hughes.
Hughes slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Hughes swings widly with a right hand
and Henry counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Hughes bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Henry's head backwards.
Hughes uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Henry.
Hughes misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hughes throws a poor cross that misses
and Henry counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Henry falls off balance throwing a combination
and Hughes counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Henry scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A looping hook to the body misses from Henry. Hughes does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes throws a lazy uppercut

and Henry counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Henry.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Henry in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Henry working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Henry slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Hughes trying to control the position.
Henry in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Henry throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Henry lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Henry throws a strike but Hughes rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Henry pulls Hughes in to control the position.
Hughes preventing the sweep.
Henry keeping moving, preventing Hughes from controlling successfully.
Henry 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.
Hughes stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Henry swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Henry is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Hughes is controlling him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Henry looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Henry defending well as Hughes loads up on a big left hand.
A jab lands there for Henry.
Hughes throws a leg kick that misses.
Henry throws a sloppy body shot
and Hughes counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Henry dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Hughes keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Winston Hughes.
I think Hughes has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 James Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Winston Hughes!
Winston Hughes bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.