PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ricky Hughes (ranked 1459 p4p, 39 weight class) and Don Joe (ranked 3102 p4p, 67 weight class). Joe has chosen Johnny Cash - Big Iron as his entrance music. Don Joe has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Hughes
vs
Joe

195 cm
26
264 lbs
8 - 3 - 0

187 cm
26
190 lbs
5 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ricky Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Don Joe!
The judges for this bout are Don Winkell, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Joe has Hughes up against the cage in a clinch.
Joe throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hughess head.

Hughes's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Hughes scores with a sloppy right hand. Joe should have avoided that one.
Hughes gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Hughes throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Joe sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Hughes lands a body shot.
Joe lands a jab to the nose.
Hughes throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Joe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hughes rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
enabling Joe to counter with a crisp jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hughes misses with the combination.
A nice side step and Joe releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Hughes throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Hughes swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Joe counters with a left to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Hughes pushes Joe up against the cage in a clinch.
Hughes is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Joe pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Hughes can't break the clinch.
Hughes jumps guard but Joe stands there with Hughes around his waist. Hughes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Hughes breaks the clinch.
Hughes doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Joe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Joe forces Hughes back against the cage and clinches.
Hughes tries to break free but Joe pushes him back against the cage.
Joe throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Joe throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Joe tries to throw a body punch but Hughes avoids it by throwing Joe back against the cage.
Joe lands a body shot in the clinch.
Joe prevents the takedown attempt.
A body shot lands from Joe.

Joe breaks the clinch.
Joe lands a jab to Hughes's midsection.
Hughes ducks under a wild hook from Joe.
Hughes is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hughes throws a shot from downtown. Joe moves away and avoids it.
A nice side step and Joe releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Hughes throws a lazy head kick
and Joe counters with a nice uppercut.
Hughes throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Joe counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Joe scores with a nice right hand.
Hughes scores with a punch to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes misses with a takedown

and Joe counters by clinching up.
Joe softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Joe lands with a short shot to the head.
Hughes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Joe prevents it.
A body shot lands from Joe.
Hughes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Joe just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Joe won't allow it.

Joe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Hughes throws a lazy head kick
and Joe counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Joe fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Ricky Hughes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hughes with a poor takedown
and Joe counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Hughes is breathing heavily.
Hughes throws a poor cross that misses
and Joe counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joe lands a jab to Hughes's midsection.

Joe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hughes working hard to break the clinch.
Hughes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Joe smiles and moves away.
Hughes has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Joe finds it's way round the side to connect with Hughes's head.
Joe lands a nice shot that snaps Hughes's head back.

Hughes closes the distance and clinches.

Hughes jumps into guard, dragging Joe to the mat.
Joe's corner is telling him to maintain position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Joe dominated that round.
That's time! Hughes's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Hughes throws a hook to the side of Joe's head but Joe sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Joe looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Don Joe seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Joe gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Hughes looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Joe lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
Our sources have told us that Hughes has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Joe has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Hughes keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Joe's efforts to push away.
Hughes wants a takedown.

Hughes has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Joe uses from the top position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joe controls from within his opponent's guard.
Joe is continuing to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The adventures of Joe the control monster continue. Boring.
Let's hope that Joe has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Joe being controlled here momentarily.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Hughes lands a jab to the nose.

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.
Hughes shoots and misses
and Hughes takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ricky Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hughes walks into a left hand.
Hughes swings and misses with a hook to the body.
The fighters circling - Hughes throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Hughes tries a head kick but it misses.
Hughes throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
enabling Joe to counter with a crisp jab.
Hughes misses with a lunging right hand
and Hughes takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Hughes rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Joe moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
It seemed like Joe was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Hughes takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Hughes throws a big shot that misses.
A nice side step and Joe releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.

Hughes forces Joe back against the cage and clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joe lands with a light punch inside.
Joe softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Don Joe seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Joe presses Hughes against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Hughes blocks an uppercut.
Joe lands a left hand that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
Joe softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Joe scores with a nice short uppercut.
Joe lands a nice shot to the body.

Hughes escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Hughes misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Don Joe is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
A jab from Joe finds it's way through Hughes's defenses.
Joe moves into range and connects with a jab.
Joe with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
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!
Hughes misses with a left hand
and Joe counters with a nice uppercut.

Hughes instigates a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Hughes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hughes can't get the takedown.
Hughes fails to pull guard.
Hughes jumps guard but Joe turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Joe throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Hughess head.
Joe lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Hughes backwards.
Joe stops a takedown attempt from Hughes.
Hughes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Joe prevents it.
Joe makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Joe misses with a body punch.
Hughes tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Don Joe showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Joe cracks Hughes with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Joe has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Hughes throws a lazy uppercut
and Joe counters with a straight right hand.
Hughes looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Joe lands with a shot to the body.
Hughes misses with a hook.
Joe looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Joe takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Hughes swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Joe has taken the fight to the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Joe.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Joe won't allow it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Joe breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Joe listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Hughes misses the body punch
and Joe counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Joe defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hughes.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joe dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Joe lands with a straight right. Hughes didn't see that one coming.
Hughes swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Joe counters with a nice uppercut.
Hughes misses with a left hand
and Joe cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hughes throws a left and a right that both miss
and Hughes takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Joe lands a jab to the nose.

Hughes is rocked!
Hughes rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Joe counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Joe digs a good body shot into Hughes's ribs.
Hughes throws a body kick that misses
and Joe counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Good shot there by Joe.
Oh Hughes is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
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.

Joe takes the fight into the clinch.
Hughes takes a shot to the head.
Joe unloads with a big right hand that wobbles Hughes! He's leaning against the cage trying to keep his feet but Joe is unloading with more strikes now! Hughes drops to his knees and the referee stops the fight for a TKO!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Don Joe!
Don Joe decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.