PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Steel Maguire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Luke Upton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Upton has chosen Shutterbug as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Maguire
vs
Upton

189 cm
24
171 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

182 cm
24
178 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Tends to cut

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 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Steel Maguire!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Luke Upton!
The judges for this bout are , Frank Antenori and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maguire shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Upton defends it nicely.
Maguire ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Maguire is looking to clinch but Upton is avoiding it.
Maguire doesn't manage to clinch there - Upton circles away.

Maguire closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Upton lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Maguire backwards.
Maguire is trying to maintain a safe position but Upton gets an underhook and turns Maguire into the cage.
Maguire misses with a knee strike.
Upton tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Upton with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Maguire throws a knee to the head but misses.
Maguire trying to land knees to the body.
Upton prevents Maguire from breaking the clinch.
Maguire is struggling to control the position.
Maguire utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Maguire throws a knee to the head but misses.
Upton gets underhooks to prevent Maguire's takedown attempt.
Upton swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Upton looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.

Maguire escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Maguire moves out of range of the body kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maguire tries to clinch but Upton is having none of it.
Upton avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Upton drops Maguire with a beautiful combination! Maguire stares up at his opponent, who ushers him back to his feet - Upton is looking for the KO!

Maguire is rocked!
Upton fails to land with a series of punches.
Oh Maguire is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Upton thows a left - swing and a miss!
Maguire seems to have got his legs back now.

Upton shoots in and bounces Maguire off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Upton postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Upton throws a big right hand that misses.
Upton stops Maguire from standing up.
Maguire preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maguire is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Upton trying to control the position from guard on top but Maguire is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maguire is trying to control the position but Upton postures up.

Maguire is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Upton defends well.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Upton tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Maguire counters with a nice double leg into side control. Upton won't be happy with that.
Maguire is breathing heavily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Upton manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Upton keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Upton looking for submissions off his back.
Upton works his way to full guard. Good work.
Maguire throwing strikes from guard but Upton blocks nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Upton throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Maguire is looking to stand up but Upton won't let him.
Maguire wants to control from the top but Upton keeps moving.
Upton has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Maguire drops back looking for a leg! Upton is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Upton manages to kick Maguire off! Maguire jumps back into Upton's guard.
Upton manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Maguire manages to get himself to full guard.
Maguire not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Upton won't allow Maguire to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Upton has gone for a leg lock! Maguire slips out almost immediately though and dives into Upton's guard.
Maguire lands a couple of digs.

Maguire drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Upton dives on top into guard.
Upton passes easily into side control. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Upton wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Maguire, who protects the arm well.
Upton wants to control but Maguire is keeping him busy.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Maguire tries to bench press Upton off him but Upton keeps the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Luke Upton dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Maguire displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Upton throws out the jab.

Maguire scores with a takedown into Upton's guard.
Maguire trying to control the position from guard on top but Upton is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maguire avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Maguire has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Upton keeping moving, preventing Maguire from controlling successfully.
Maguire wants to pass the guard but Upton is keeping the position.
Maguire preventing the sweep.
Maguire throws a big right hand that misses.
Maguire wants to pass the guard but Upton is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Upton working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Maguire doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Maguire manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Upton looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Upton is breathing heavily.
Maguire working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Upton manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Maguire is in all sorts of trouble here.
Upton throwing strikes but Maguire uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Upton thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Maguire is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Upton is trying to control. Maguire wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

Upton is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Maguire is just riding it out for now. Upton eventually gives up the hold.

Upton is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Upton wants to work for an arm triangle but Maguire is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Maguire keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Upton missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Maguire tries for a takedown but Upton sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Upton connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Upton shoots for a double leg takedown but Maguire sprawls well. He's pushed Upton's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Maguire tries to clinch but fails miserably
enabling Upton to counter with a crisp jab.
Luke Upton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Upton tries to clinch but Maguire moves away

and Maguire counters by moving into the clinch.
Maguire connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Luke Upton has been cut.
Maguire landing some nice looking knees to the body.

Maguire wants the takedown. Upton is fighting it off but Maguire persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Upton's guard against the cage.

Upton looking for a guillotine here but Maguire defends easily.

Upton looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maguire pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Upton is keeping the position for now.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Maguire is looking to work some ground and pound but Upton has wrist control.
Maguire slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
The strikes coming from Maguire are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Upton is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Maguire shoots in for a takedown but Upton shows good takedown defense.
Maguire blocks a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Steel Maguire dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Luke Upton's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Maguire moves away from the strike by Upton.
Maguire tries to score a power double leg takedown but Upton sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Maguire somewhat.
Upton throws a sloppy body shot
and Maguire cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Maguire tries to clinch but Upton is having none of it.

Maguire gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Maguire keeping moving, preventing Upton from controlling successfully.
Upton landing some decent shots from guard.

Upton drops back, looking for a kneebar! Maguire looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Maguire looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Maguire!
Upton is looking for a sweep.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Maguire is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Upton is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Maguire in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Upton gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Maguire wants to take a breather but Upton is having none of it.
Upton is trying to get back to full guard.

Maguire looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Upton slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Upton trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Maguire trying to control but Upton is working from the bottom.
Upton utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Upton has his foot on Maguire's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Maguire works his way back into a safe position though.
Upton is trying to control the position but Maguire postures up.
Maguire throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Upton works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Maguire tries to free his leg and advance position but Upton is retaining full guard.
Maguire thows a big elbow that misses.

Upton pushes a forearm under Maguire's chin to create some space. He's escaped his hips and pivoted quickly for an armbar! Can he extend the arm? Yes, Maguire is tapping out! Damn, that was fast!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:04 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Luke Upton!