PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Haka Motu (ranked 3011 p4p, 0 weight class) and Hamlet Loveridge (ranked 3222 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Motu
vs
Loveridge

185 cm
25
260 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

195 cm
25
250 lbs
10 - 7 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Paradigm

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 The Island, Haka Motu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Hamlet Loveridge!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Peter Branson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Loveridge avoids the body shot from Motu.

Motu shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Motu showed some decent athleticism there.
Motu lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Loveridge regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Motu.
Motu postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Motu throws a big elbow that misses.
Motu postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Motu landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Motu trying to control but Loveridge is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Motu postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Motu throws a big right hand that misses.
Motu working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Loveridge's head.
Motu sitting in guard here, content to control.
Motu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Loveridge works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Motu being controlled here momentarily.
Motu lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Motu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Loveridge utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Motu throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Motu postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Motu throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Loveridge is trying to keep Motu in close.
Loveridge keeping full guard, as Motu tries to pass.
Motu in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Motu lands a couple of digs.
Motu trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Loveridge controlling Motu's posture.
Motu cracks Loveridge with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Motu cracks Loveridge with a solid left hand.
Loveridge wants to sweep here but Motu controlling him for the moment.
Motu trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Motu trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Motu loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Loveridge preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Motu postures up and lands a big shot to Loveridge's brow.
Loveridge looking for a sweep. Not yet Loveridge, not yet.
Motu throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Loveridge works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Loveridge avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Loveridge pulls Motu in close to prevent any damage.
Motu throws an elbow that misses. Loveridge uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Motu's guard. Nice move by Loveridge!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loveridge seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Loveridge stops Motu from standing up.
Motu keeping moving, preventing Loveridge from controlling successfully.
Loveridge looking to sit in guard and control but Motu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Motu looking to sit in guard and control but Loveridge gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Loveridge is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Haka Motu dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Motu throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Loveridge counters with a stiff right hand.
Motu swings widly with a right hand
and Loveridge counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Motu lands a slapping body shot.
Loveridge lands with a straight right. Motu didn't see that one coming.
Haka Motu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Motu throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Loveridge.
Loveridge misses the jab.
A slow jab from Loveridge misses its intended target.
Loveridge with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Motu to score with a decent uppercut.
Motu blocks a jab.
Motu throws a poor cross that misses
and Loveridge counters with a nice uppercut.
Motu throws a poor cross that misses
enabling Loveridge to counter with a crisp jab.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
The fighters circle momentarily. Loveridge darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
Motu takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Loveridge keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Loveridge slips under a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loveridge misses with a few strikes there.
Motu uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Loveridge.
Motu misses with a double jab
and Loveridge counters with a nice uppercut.
Loveridge jabs. That one connects to the head of his opponent.
Haka Motu seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Loveridge throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Loveridge goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Loveridge uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Motu.
Loveridge throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Motu.
Motu misses with a wild body shot.
A countering left hand to the body from Loveridge misses.
Motu throws a body shot but no joy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Motu throws a right hand that misses
and Loveridge connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Motu throws a right hand that misses
and Loveridge counters with a straight right hand.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Motu throws a series of punches but Loveridge avoids them all with ease.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Motu throws an overhand right that lands on Loveridge's shoulder, as Loveridge tries to avoid the shot.
Loveridge avoids the body shot from Motu.
Motu throws a right hand that misses
and Loveridge makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Loveridge misses with a double jab.
Motu is really struggling to find his range with his punches. Loveridge's reach advantage is clearly causing him problems.
Motu swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Loveridge connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Motu is trying hard to land a takedown here. Loveridge sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Loveridge misses with a hook.
Loveridge just misses with a punch to the body.
A counter left hand to the body from Motu misses its target.
Motu dodges the punch combination from Loveridge.
Loveridge might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Loveridge bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Motu avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loveridge throws a body punch but Motu moves out of range.
Motu keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Loveridge.
Motu waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Loveridge.
Motu throws a series of punches but Loveridge avoids them all with ease.
Motu swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Loveridge counters with a left to the body.
A shot to the liver by Loveridge. Beautiful body shot.
Loveridge connects with the punch.
Motu walks into a straight right hand from Loveridge.
Loveridge shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Motu eats them both and turns towards Loveridge to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Loveridge lands with a good body shot.
Loveridge has used his reach advantage pretty well so far tonight.
Motu on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Motu avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loveridge scores with a jab.
Loveridge keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Motu takes a swing at Loveridge's ribcage but misses.
Loveridge scores with a jab. Motu acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Motu takes one to the chin there.
Motu takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Motu looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Loveridge connects with the punch.
A slow jab from Loveridge misses its intended target.
Loveridge takes a swing at Motu's ribcage but misses.
Hamlet Loveridge seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Loveridge fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A right-left combo lands from Loveridge.
Motu walks into a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hamlet Loveridge showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Loveridge throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Motu misses with a looping left.
Loveridge walks into a straight right hand from Motu.
Donk. Motu catches Loveridge right on the button with a cross.
Motu misses with a body shot.
Motu misses with a double jab
letting Loveridge counter with a right hand.
Motu misses with a few strikes there.
Motu bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Loveridge's head.
Loveridge lands with a straight right. Motu didn't see that one coming.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Motu jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Motu misses with a body shot.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Loveridge scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Motu 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.
Loveridge swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Motu.
Loveridge scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
A looping hook to the body misses from Motu. Loveridge does a little dance to reset his feet.
Motu throws a body punch but Loveridge moves out of range.

Motu gets caught flat footed, as Loveridge shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Loveridge is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Loveridge wants to control from the top but Motu keeps moving.
Loveridge is stalling in the full guard.
Loveridge postures up in Motu's guard and throws a big left but Motu blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Loveridge sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Motu keeping moving, preventing Loveridge from controlling successfully.
Loveridge is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Loveridge lands a jab to the nose.
Motu displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Loveridge throws out the jab.
Motu swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Loveridge misses with the combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Motu.
Motu misses with a right hand
letting Loveridge counter with a right hand.
Loveridge swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Loveridge lands a really nice looking cross but Motu seems unphased.
Motu rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Loveridge counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Loveridge throws a shot to the body.
Motu moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Loveridge misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Loveridge misses with the combination.
Loveridge has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Motu on the wrong end of a nice hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Motu on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Motu lands a head shot.
Motu has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Motu there as he acknowledges the shot.
Loveridge tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Motu was well out of range. Poor timing from Loveridge.
Motu swings for the body but Loveridge moves out of range.
Motu takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Loveridge throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Motu takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Motu misses with a hook. Loveridge ducked under it nicely.
Motu looks to score with a jab to the body but Loveridge is just out of range.
Loveridge looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Loveridge moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Loveridge defending well as Motu loads up on a big left hand.
Loveridge looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Motu is fending him off so far but Loveridge persists. Nope, Motu circles away and we're back to standing.

And that's the end of the fight!
Hamlet Loveridge comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Loveridge 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Peter Branson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hamlet Loveridge!