PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Roman Hughes (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kubai Khan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Hughes
vs
Khan

182 cm
21
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

157 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Roman Hughes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Kubai Khan!
The judges for this bout are Alyssa Summers, Dean Styles and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hughes throws a right hand that Khan ducks under and follows up with a left that Khan also avoids with ease.
Khan is looking to clinch.
Hughes tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Khan counters with a stiff right hand.

Hughes gets the takedown into side control.
Hughes really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Hughes wants to control but Khan is keeping him busy.
Hughes controlling the position from side mount.

Hughes tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Hughes wants to control but Khan is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hughes working the ground and pound but Khan is defending the strikes.
Hughes wants to lay and pray for a moment but Khan keeps working.
Khan is trying to escape the position but Hughes is controlling the position.
Khan is trying to get back to half guard.
Hughes is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Khan will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Hughes stands up and beckons Khan to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Hughes avoids a punch combination nicely.
Khan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Hughes closes the distance but Khan moves to the side

and Khan counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Khan.
Khan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Hughes blocks it with crossed arms.
Hughes is trying to break the clinch but Khan has him pressed against the cage.
Hughes wants a takedown but no success here.
Hughes is trying to force a seperation but Khan has the dominant position.
Khan misses with an elbow over the top.
Khan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Hughes is trying to force a seperation but Khan has the dominant position.
Hughes blocking some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan has Hughes pressed against the cage.
Hughes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Khan smiles and moves away.
Khan swats away the attempt to clinch by Hughes.
Hughes throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hughes is defended easily by Khan.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hughes shoots in looking for a takedown. Khan tries to sprawl out of it but Hughes keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Khan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Khan throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hughes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Hughes checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Hughes looks for a takedown but Khan sprawls well.
Khan looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Some bone on bone action there as Khan checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.

Khan clinches up against the cage.
Hughes takes an elbow to the forehead.

It looks like Roman Hughes has been cut.
Khan leaning his opponent against the cage.
Hughes blocking some punches.
Khan lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hughes blocks an elbow strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Roman Hughes will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Roman Hughes's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Khan misses with a kick to the body.

Hughes feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Khan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Hughes wants to pass the guard but Khan is keeping the position.
Hughes trying to control the position from guard on top but Khan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Khan is trying to control the position but Hughes postures up.
The referee looks like he's ready to step in and stand the fighters back up.
Khan pulls Hughes in to control the position.

We're going to have a standup here because Roman Hughes wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Khan missing with a left hand there. Hughes was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Hughes shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Khan as he avoids it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Khan tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Knees to the body from Khan.
Hughes is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Hughes takes a knee to the side of the body.
Khan putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Hughes in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
A bit of stalling here from Khan.
Hughes blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Hughes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Hughes goes for a takedown in the clinch but Khan prevents it.
Khan goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Hughes tries to break free but Khan pushes him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Khan creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Hughes's defenses.
Hughes wants to stall.
Khan lands a body punch in the clinch.
Khan working Hughes over with knees to the body.
Hughes tries to circle away but Khan has him pinned against the cage.
Khan displaying some good clinch control by pressing Hughes up against the cage.
Hughes can't get the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Knees in the clinch landing for Khan.
Khan keeps control of Hughes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Khan throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Khan keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Hughes's efforts to push away.
Hughes tries to work over Khan's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hughes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Khan pulls his leg out and moves away.
Khan jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Hughes looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Khan instigates a clinch.
Khan lands a damaging elbow.
Khan landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Hughes trying to stall but Khan improves his position.
Khan crunches a lovely knee into Hughes's ribcage.
Khan avoiding damage.
A knee to the head by Khan.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Khan lands a body punch.
Hughes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Khan smiles and moves away.
Hughes shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Khan defends it nicely.
Khan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hughes tries to clinch but Khan moves away
and Khan counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
Hughes tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Khan swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Khan clinches up against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kubai Khan showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Roman Hughes's cut.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Hughes closes the distance looking to clinch

and Khan holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Hughes wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Hughes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Khan gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Khan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Hughes has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Hughes blocks a body shot from Khan.
Hughes has Khan pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Khan manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Khan presses Hughes against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Khan misses with a knee to the head.
Hughes working aggressively here.
Hughes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Khan gets the underhooks and prevents it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Roman Hughes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hughes tries for a takedown but Khan manages to get underhooks.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Khan landing knees to the head.
Khan is struggling to control the position.
Hughes blocks an uppercut.
Hughes jumps guard but Khan stands there with Hughes around his waist. Hughes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Hughes is trying to drag Khan to the mat but Khan just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Hughes jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Khan walks away with a smile on his face. Hughes gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hughes. Khan does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hughes shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Khan counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hughes is looking to break free of the clinch but Khan has double underhooks.
Khan landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
Khan prevents a body shot from Hughes.
Khan stalls.
Khan unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Hughes tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Khan smiles and moves away.
Hughes has his takedown stuffed

and Khan counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Khan.
Hughes tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Khan just stands there and leans against the cage.
Hughes fails to pull the fight into his guard.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Khan creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Khan tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Khan landing knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Khan lands a body punch in the clinch.
Hughes jumps guard but Khan stands there with Hughes around his waist. Hughes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Khan lands a knee to the head.
Khan prevents a body shot from Hughes.
Hughes takes an elbow to the temple.
Khan manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Khan holds him up against the cage and eventually Hughes drops back down to his feet.
Khan swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Khan lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Khan is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Hughes tries for a takedown. No joy.
Khan just leaning against Hughes, taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Khan.
Khan prevents Hughes from breaking the clinch.
Khan misses with a punch to the body.
Khan lands an elbow just above Hughes 's eye.
A frustrated look appears on Hughes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Hughes tries to pull guard but Khan holds him up against the cage and eventually Hughes drops back down to his feet.
Khan is pushing Hughes up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Khan misses with some punches.
Khan has Hughes pushed against the cage.
Khan continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kubai Khan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Khan 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 Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dean Styles scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kubai Khan!