PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sydny Hortal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonard Garcia (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.

Hortal
vs
Garcia

178 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

174 cm
18
187 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Sydny Hortal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Leonard Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, William Peck and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garcia misses with a jab, cross combination.
Hortal fails in his attempt to clinch.

Hortal fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Garcia sprawls well initially but Hortal persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Garcia 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.
Garcia tries to kick Hortal off but Hortal keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hortal thows a huge punch but Garcia dodges it nicely.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Hortal connects with a nice short shot to Garcia's temple.
Hortal is looking to advance position but Garcia won't allow it.
Hortal landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Garcia tries to kick Hortal off but Hortal keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Garcia kicks off Hortal and gets to his feet.

Hortal shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hortal showed some decent athleticism there.
Garcia looks like he's trying to stand up.
Hortal scoring with strikes to the body and head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Hortal.
Garcia blocking the ground and pound attempt from Hortal.
Hortal missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Hortal prevents Garcia from standing back up.

Hortal is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Garcia defends it well.
Hortal prevents Garcia from standing back up.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Garcia gets the takedown into side control.
Hortal is breathing heavily.
Garcia cracks Hortal with a big right hand but Hortal just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Hortal manages to get back to half guard.
Garcia trying to control from half guard but Hortal is working away.
Garcia missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hortal wants to get back to his feet.
Hortal taking some punishment here, with Garcia in his half guard.
Hortal wants to control but Garcia is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Hortal trying to get back to full guard but Garcia takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Garcia is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Hortal can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Garcia is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Hortal tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Hortal takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Garcia lands a heavy elbow.
Garcia pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia with shots to the head and body - Hortal looks very uncomfortable down there.
Hortal keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Garcia lands with some strikes.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hortal is working to get back to half guard.
Garcia pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Garcia with good strikes from the mount here!
Garcia prevents Hortal from getting the reversal.
Garcia punishing his opponent with strikes.
Garcia working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Hortal on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Hortal tries to get out of the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia lands a big shot there that rocks Hortal but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Garcia landing shots from mount.
Hortal wants to hold on but Garcia pushes him away.
Garcia landing shots from mount.
Hortal tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Garcia postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Hortal looks a forlorn figure.
Hortal slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Hortal throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Garcia takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Hortal has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Garcia is working away from the top position though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonard Garcia dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Hortal with a poor takedown

so Garcia counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Garcia wants to control from the top but Hortal keeps moving.
Garcia has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Hortal wants to stand up but Garcia is controlling him.
Hortal has momentary wrist control but Garcia slips an elbow through the middle.
Hortal is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Garcia is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Garcia trying to control the position from guard on top but Hortal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Garcia scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hortal is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Garcia connects with a couple of short punches.
Garcia trying to control the position from guard on top but Hortal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Garcia trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

Hortal looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Garcia scoring with some ground and pound.
Hortal striking off his back but it's not causing Garcia any problems.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Garcia loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Garcia working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Hortal's head.

Hortal looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Garcia passes into half guard.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Garcia lands a nice short elbow.
Hortal pushes Garcia off looking to stand but Garcia dives back in and keeps control.
Garcia should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Garcia thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Garcia connects with a nice short shot to Hortal's temple.
Hortal is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Garcia scores with a couple of nice shots.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Garcia is trying to control. Hortal wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Garcia slips a nice elbow through Hortal's hands, connecting with Hortal's forehead.
Garcia looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hortal with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Garcia trying to control the action but Hortal is working from the bottom.
Hortal has hold of Garcia's hands but Garcia slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Garcia is keen to just control but Hortal is a slippery customer.
Hortal has his hands clasped together around Garcia's back. He's all about the action.
Garcia looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Hortal with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Hortal is trying to get back to full guard.
Garcia missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Garcia tries to bum rush Hortal with a series of wild strikes but Hortal uses good footwork to avoid the assault.

Hortal drives through with a takedown into guard.
Garcia has momentary wrist control but Hortal slips an elbow through the middle.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Garcia wants to stand but Hortal is controlling the position.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Hortal's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Garcia scrambles and gets back to his feet.

Hortal scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leonard Garcia showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Garcia has his takedown stuffed

and Hortal counters with a takedown into side control.

Hortal wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Garcia, who protects the arm well.
Garcia is trying to get back to his feet.
Garcia takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Hortal has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Garcia!
Hortal lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Leonard Garcia has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hortal can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Garcia is looking to escape.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Hortal with a couple of short strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.
Garcia is bucking up trying to escape but Hortal cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Garcia wants to try and get back to his feet.
Hortal breaks from Garcia's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Hortal lands a big shot there that rocks Garcia but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Hortal sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Garcia avoids a series of strikes thrown by Hortal.
Garcia is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
You get the feeling that Garcia really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Hortal landing punches.
Hortal can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Garcia is looking to escape.

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.

Garcia somehow manages to escape the mount and get back to his feet!
Hortal closes the distance but Garcia moves to the side

and Garcia counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Garcia lands a couple of elbows.
Hortal is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Garcia tries to kick Hortal off but Hortal keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Hortal working over Garcia with some ground and pound. Garcia looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Garcia pushes Hortal off looking to stand but Hortal dives back in and keeps control.
Hortal trying to pass the guard but Garcia defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia is trying to stand back up but Hortal is controlling him
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Hortal in particular looking to stall.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Garcia fails with the takedown

and Hortal decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Garcia's guard.
Hortal is looking to stand up but Garcia won't let him.
Garcia wants to stand but Hortal is controlling the position.
Hortal working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Hortal is pushing down on Garcia's leg trying to pass to half guard. Garcia is fighting to maintain full guard but Hortal has managed to sneak the leg through.
Hortal working over Garcia with some ground and pound. Garcia looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Hortal seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Garcia pushes Hortal off and gets back to his feet.
Hortal throws a combination that misses

and Garcia counters with a single leg into guard. Hortal didn't expect that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Garcia working some strikes from top position.

Hortal is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Garcia defends well.
Hortal is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Hortal prevents Garcia from standing back up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hortal takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Sydny Hortal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leonard Garcia is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Hortal scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Sydny Hortal.
Well Garcia 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:30
Judge William Peck scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Leonard Garcia!