PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Pasquale Ellison (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Malik Hodge (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Malik Hodge has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Ellison
vs
Hodge

183 cm
23
178 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
24
165 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Pasquale Ellison!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Malik Hodge!
The judges for this bout are Dmitry Maklakov, Igor Prikhodko and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Hodge tries to clinch up but Ellison circles away and keeps his distance.
Hodge will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Horrible takedown attempt by Hodge or perhaps it was just good defense by Ellison, which made it look bad.

Hodge gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Ellison is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Ellison lands a right hand that snaps the head of Hodge backwards.
Hodge fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Pasquale Ellison has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malik Hodge.

Hodge's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Ellison rushes Hodge and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Ellison misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Ellison missing with knees to the body.
Ellison prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ellison wants a takedown but no success here.
Ellison misses with the head strike.
Hodge trying to stall but Ellison improves his position.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Ellison manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Ellison keeping full guard, as Hodge tries to pass.
Hodge is looking to stand up but Ellison won't let him.
Ellison wants to stand up but Hodge is controlling him.
Ellison is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Pasquale Ellison has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Ellison blocks a head kick by Hodge.
Ellison fails with a takedown attempt.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hodge. Ellison does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hodge fails with a takedown attempt.
Hodge pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ellison shoots in and bounces Hodge off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Hodge looking to control.

Ellison gets to his feet - Hodge follows without any prompting.
Ellison misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Hodge looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Ellison is fending him off so far but Hodge persists. Nope, Ellison circles away and we're back to standing.
Hodge looks winded!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hodge drives through and clinches with Ellison against the cage.
Ellison lands a shot to the body.
Ellison stalls.

Hodge manages to break the clinch.
Malik Hodge seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hodge is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ellison tries a head kick but it misses.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Hodge moves into the clinch successfully.
Hodge tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Ellison's elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Pasquale Ellison dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Hodge tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Hodge fails with an attempt to clinch.
Ellison displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Hodge.
The fight stays on the outside here - Ellison looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Hodge connects with a solid leg kick.
Hodge shoots in for a takedown but Ellison shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ellison tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hodge tries to clinch up but Ellison circles away and keeps his distance.

Ellison closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Hodge breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hodge is breathing heavily.
Hodge tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Ellison looking to score a takedown here. Hodge is defending well but Ellison drives through and ends up in Hodge's guard.
Ellison controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Hodge controls Ellison momentarily but Ellison frees himself.

Hodge is working an open guard so Ellison takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hodge shoots in but Ellison avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Pasquale Ellison has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malik Hodge.

Hodge forces Ellison back against the cage and clinches.
Ellison misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Hodge.
Hodge trying to stall but Ellison improves his position.

Hodge's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice sprawl there from Hodge as Ellison shoots in.
Ellison tries to clinch there but Hodge circles away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ellison shoots in but Hodge avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Hodge tries to score a power double leg takedown but Ellison sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Hodge somewhat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ellison slips a straight right by Hodge.

Hodge closes the distance and pushes Ellison back into the cage.
Ellison missing with knees to the body.
Ellison lands a shot to the body.

Hodge jumps into guard, dragging Ellison to the mat.
Ellison controls from within his opponent's guard.
Hodge wants to sweep but no luck.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hodge is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Ellison drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Hodge manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ellison has Hodge in his guard.
Ellison looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Pasquale Ellison will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Hodge tries to clinch up.
Hodge shoots in but Ellison avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Ellison dives in and scores a takedown into Hodge's guard.
Hodge can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ellison controls the pace.
Hodge keeping moving, preventing Ellison from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Pasquale Ellison wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hodge closes the distance but Ellison moves to the side
and Ellison counters with a head kick.
Ellison lands a head kick. Hodge smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Hodge leaves Ellison with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Hodge fails with a takedown attempt.
Hodge takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Hodge pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hodge dives in for a single leg takedown but Ellison sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Pasquale Ellison has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Malik Hodge.
Ellison gets underhooks to prevent Hodge's takedown attempt.
Hodge managing to block the knees to the body from Ellison.
Ellison tries to pull guard but Hodge forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Ellison misses with a body punch.
Hodge managing to block the knees to the body from Ellison.
Ellison throws an elbow but it misses.
Ellison wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Hodge can't get the takedown.

Ellison breaks from the clinch.
Hodge looks to clinch
and Ellison makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Hodge tries to clinch but Ellison moves out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ellison tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hodge tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Ellison defends well and Hodge ends up having to push Ellison into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Hodge as Ellison tries to tie him up.
Ellison is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hodge is defending well for now.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hodge doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ellison tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hodge avoids it.
Hodge drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Ellison gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Ellison tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Hodge avoids it.
Ellison doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Ellison is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hodge is defending well for now.
Ellison is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hodge pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ellison misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Ellison tries to clinch but Hodge is having none of it.
A shot to the liver by Hodge. Beautiful body shot.

Hodge has Ellison up against the cage in a clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.

Ellison pulls guard successfully.
Malik Hodge has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Pasquale Ellison is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hodge trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

And that's the end of the fight!
Pasquale Ellison showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Ellison, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Dmitry Maklakov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Pasquale Ellison!