PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Doug Heffernan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Yohan Carano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Heffernan
vs
Carano

197 cm
22
285 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

195 cm
18
259 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Doug Heffernan !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Yohan Carano!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Wesley Smith and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Heffernan shoots in but Carano avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Heffernan tries to clinch up but Carano circles away and keeps his distance.
Doug Heffernan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Heffernan lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
Heffernan throws a nice outside leg kick.
Heffernan slips a jab and a cross from Carano.
Carano shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Heffernan as he avoids it easily.
Heffernan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Heffernan looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Carano is fending him off so far but Heffernan persists. Nope, Carano circles away and we're back to standing.
Heffernan throws a sloppy head kick and Carano moves out of range easily.
Carano takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Carano chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Heffernan can pounce on him.
Heffernan scores with a leg kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Carano is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Heffernan throws a head kick that half lands.
Heffernan tries to close the distance and clinch but Carano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Carano avoids the head kick by Heffernan .

Carano closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Carano looks gassed!
Heffernan is not content to let Carano control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carano wants to pass to mount but Heffernan is defending the position.
Carano is tying to control. Heffernan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Carano trying to control the pace.
Heffernan is refusing to be controlled, as Carano sits in half guard.
Heffernan knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Carano on the ground.
Carano trying to control the pace.

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.
Carano seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Heffernan does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Heffernan fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Doug Heffernan . That's going to take a lot out of him.
Heffernan tries to clinch there but Carano circles away.
Carano shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Heffernan but Heffernan pushes him off and we're back to square one.
A head kick from Heffernan lands but Carano takes it in his stride.
Heffernan throws a sloppy head kick and Carano moves out of range easily.

Carano rushes Heffernan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Carano is stalling here.

Carano manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carano throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Carano is trying to keep Heffernan in close.
Carano throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Carano looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Heffernan has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Carano manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Heffernan manages to get himself to full guard.

That's four 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.

Heffernan is working an open guard so Carano takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Carano misses with a takedown attempt - Heffernan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
A chopping leg kick lands by Heffernan .
Carano tries a head kick but it misses.
Heffernan shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Heffernan throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Heffernan throws a head kick that misses

and Carano counters with a single leg into guard. Heffernan didn't expect that.
Heffernan keeping moving, preventing Carano from controlling successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Heffernan keeping full guard, as Carano tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Doug Heffernan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Doug Heffernan 's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Heffernan darts in and clinches Carano up against the cage.
Carano has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Heffernan avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Heffernan prevents the takedown attempt.

Heffernan breaks from the clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Carano.
Doug Heffernan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yohan Carano.
Heffernan wants to clinch
and Carano counters with a stiff right hand.
Carano tries to clinch but Heffernan is having none of it.
Carano shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Heffernan pinned against the cage. Heffernan gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Carano lands with a nice body kick.
Carano looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Doug Heffernan is winning the standup battle so far.
Carano tries a head kick but it misses.
Heffernan throws a leg kick but Carano checks it.
Heffernan throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Carano tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Heffernan counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Carano avoids a punch combination nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heffernan pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Heffernan checks a low kick from Carano.

Carano clinches with his opponent.

Heffernan manages to break the clinch.
Heffernan throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Carano avoids the head kick by Heffernan .

Excellent takedown into side control there by Carano.
Carano wants to control but Heffernan is keeping him busy.
Heffernan tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Carano presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Carano trying to control but he's not successful this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carano throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Carano throwing strikes but Heffernan uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Heffernan is trying to stand up here but Carano is controlling him well.
Carano landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Carano has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Carano throws an elbow from mount that misses. Lucky escape for Heffernan because Carano loaded up on that one.
Carano looking to finish with strikes here!
Carano has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carano throws some wild stikes that Heffernan manages to avoid easily.
Carano landing shots from mount.
Carano lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Heffernan holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as Carano tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Carano wants to control the pace but Heffernan is squirming around nicely.
Heffernan could do with loosing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Carano sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Carano controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four 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.
Carano misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.

Carano working for a submission but Heffernan is keeping him at bay.
Carano misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Carano sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
Carano landing strikes from the mount.
Carano trying to control but he's not successful this time.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yohan Carano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Doug Heffernan 's cut.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Carano throws a right hand that Heffernan ducks under and follows up with a left that Heffernan also avoids with ease.
Carano chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Heffernan can pounce on him.
A slapping body kick lands there for Heffernan .
Heffernan tries to clinch up but Carano circles away and keeps his distance.
Carano tries to land a front kick but Heffernan steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Heffernan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Heffernan throws a head kick that misses.
Heffernan takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Heffernan throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
A nice inside leg kick there by Heffernan . That's going to slow Carano down.
Heffernan fails in his attempt to clinch.
Carano shoots in looking for a takedown. Heffernan tries to sprawl out of it but Carano keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Heffernan manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Carano throws a leg kick but Heffernan sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Carano gets the takedown into side control.

Carano looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Carano controlling the position from side mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Heffernan avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Carano.
Carano tries to advance to mount but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Heffernan defending against the ground and pound.
Carano misses with the ground and pound.
Carano lands a few punches from side control.
Yohan Carano has got the better of the ground game so far.
Carano wants to control but Heffernan is keeping him busy.
Carano fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Carano wants to lay and pray for a moment but Heffernan keeps working.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Heffernan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Carano counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Carano.
Carano wants to control from the top but Heffernan keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carano is looking to work some ground and pound but Heffernan has wrist control.
Carano slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Carano throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Heffernan trying to remain calm as Carano controls from the top position.
Heffernan defending against the ground and pound.
Heffernan prevents Carano from moving into mount.
Carano trying to control the action but Heffernan is working from the bottom.

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.
Carano throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Carano stands up and beckons Heffernan to his feet.
Heffernan scores with a leg kick.
Heffernan stuffs the takedown attempt from Carano. Carano gets slowly back to his feet.
Good leg kick by Heffernan there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

Carano fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Heffernan , pushing him back against the cage.
Carano tries to pull guard but Heffernan holds him up against the cage and eventually Carano drops back down to his feet.
Doug Heffernan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Yohan Carano.
Heffernan unloads a knee to the mid-section. Carano lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Carano's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.
Carano tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Heffernan just stands there and leans against the cage.
Heffernan is trying to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yohan Carano comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Carano 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yohan Carano!