PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Conor MccGregor (ranked 24674 p4p, 4415 weight class) and Cristiano Messi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Conor MccGregor has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

MccGregor
vs
Messi

179 cm
18
155
0 - 5 - 0

150 cm
23
149
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Big heart

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Conor MccGregor!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cristiano Messi!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Johanna Lukiainen and Anni Minnemäki.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A solid body kick from MccGregor.
MccGregor shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Messi sprawls well. Messi wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. MccGregor gets slowly back to his feet.
Messi looks to land a left hand but MccGregor moved out of range nicely.
Nice sprawl there from Messi as MccGregor shoots in.
Messi is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
MccGregor is looking to clinch.
Messi is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Messi pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.

Messi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Messi is taking a breather. MccGregor says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Messi tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Messi controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi is looking to advance position but MccGregor won't allow it.
Messi slows the pace down in half guard.
Messi tries to pass to full mount but MccGregor defends it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Messi moves into full mount! MccGregor won't be happy about that!
Messi looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
MccGregor is trying to reverse the position but instead Messi has taken his back - oops!
Messi controlling well, preventing MccGregor from escaping the position.

Messi tightening his grip on MccGregor, looking for the choke.
Messi lands an elbow to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi controlling from the back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
MccGregor trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

MccGregor defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.
MccGregor is trying to remain composed but Messi is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Messi is persistently looking for the submission but MccGregor is defending it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MccGregor is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Messi.

MccGregor preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Messi.
Messi controls the position.
Messi avoiding MccGregor 's attempts to control his hands.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Messi is riding his opponent, not letting MccGregor buck him off.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cristiano Messi dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Messi misses with the combination.
MccGregor changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

Messi gets the takedown into side control.
Messi wants to stand but MccGregor has his arm trapped.

Messi tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Messi has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
MccGregor takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Messi is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. MccGregor knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Messi working the body and head with strikes.
Messi controls the position.

Messi stands up and beckons MccGregor to his feet.

Messi looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Messi lands a couple of digs.
Messi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Messi is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Messi slips nicely into half guard.
Messi working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
MccGregor is looking to improve his position.
Messi passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for MccGregor!

Messi moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, MccGregor has worked his arm free - good work by MccGregor!

Messi decides to stand back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Messi throws a head kick that misses.
MccGregor closes this distance looking for a takedown but Messi circles away.

MccGregor gets tackled into the cage by Messi. Messi maintains the clinch.

Messi jumps into guard, dragging MccGregor to the mat.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Messi can do anything to dispel that myth.
Messi has his hands on MccGregor's head, controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Cristiano Messi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Messi shoots in and gets a takedown into MccGregor's guard.
MccGregor looking to control.
Messi lands a couple of digs.
Messi 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.
MccGregor knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Messi on the ground.
Messi lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Messi engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
MccGregor is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
MccGregor will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Messi trying to stand up but can't free himself from MccGregor's guard.
Messi sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Messi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. MccGregor swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Messi closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. MccGregor did well to prevent Messi getting side control.
Messi lands strikes from half guard.
Messi is figuring out what he wants to do next.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Messi is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
MccGregor taking some punishment here, with Messi in his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Messi is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and MccGregor defends it well.

Messi decides to return to a standing position.
MccGregor misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
MccGregor dives in and grabs Messi's left leg, looking for a takedown. Messi pushes down on MccGregor's head and hops out.
It seemed like Messi was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
MccGregor wants to clinch.
Messi misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Messi clinches with his opponent.

Messi pulls guard.
Messi lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Messi wants to get up but he can't break MccGregor's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Messi scoring with punches to the head and body.
Messi stands up over MccGregor, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Messi trying to stand up but can't free himself from MccGregor's guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
MccGregor is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

And that's the end of the fight!
Cristiano Messi comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Messi has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Anni Minnemäki scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cristiano Messi!