PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ian Phillips (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mickey MacNamara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ian Phillips has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Phillips
vs
MacNamara

180 cm
23
156 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

156 cm
20
153 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Ian Phillips!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mickey MacNamara!
The judges for this bout are Matheus Silva, Mauricio Rocha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
MacNamara looks to score with a jab to the body but Phillips is just out of range.
Phillips fails with a takedown attempt.
Phillips shoots for a double leg takedown but MacNamara sprawls well. He's pushed Phillips's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A right-left combo lands from Phillips.
MacNamara slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Phillips moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Mickey MacNamara seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
MacNamara throws a hook but Phillips blocks it.
MacNamara slips a jab and a cross from Phillips.
MacNamara leaves Phillips with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ian Phillips. That's going to take a lot out of him.
MacNamara slips under a jab.
MacNamara throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Phillips sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Phillips misses with a right hand
enabling MacNamara to counter with a crisp jab.
MacNamara misses with a body shot

and Phillips decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in MacNamara's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MacNamara avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Phillips has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Phillips throwing strikes but missing.
Phillips tries to free his leg and advance position but MacNamara is retaining full guard.
Phillips working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Phillips wants to pass the guard but MacNamara is keeping the position.
Phillips trying to control but MacNamara is working from the bottom.
Phillips in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's two 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.
MacNamara avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Phillips won't allow MacNamara to get back to his feet.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Phillips accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
MacNamara keeping moving, preventing Phillips from controlling successfully.
MacNamara preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
MacNamara preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
MacNamara controlling Phillips's posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips postures up in MacNamara's guard and throws a big left but MacNamara blocks it.
Phillips throws a strike but MacNamara rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

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

Phillips is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and MacNamara defends well.
MacNamara wants to stand but Phillips is controlling his posture from full guard.

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.
Phillips looking to hit a scissor sweep but MacNamara is one step ahead there.

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

Phillips isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. MacNamara stacks Phillips on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by MacNamara!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Phillips jabs MacNamara to the body, keeping him at a distance.
MacNamara throws a poor cross that misses

and Phillips counters with a takedown into side control.
Phillips working the ground and pound from side control.
Phillips with the ground and pound but MacNamara regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
MacNamara makes his way to full guard. A much better position for MacNamara.
MacNamara is controlling Phillips's posture.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

Phillips is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! MacNamara is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! MacNamara has escaped and now he's on top!

That's one minute gone in the round.
MacNamara tries to stand but Phillips is controlling from the bottom.

Phillips looking for subs off his back but MacNamara has passed one foot through into half guard.
Phillips gets back to full guard.

Phillips is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. MacNamara is aware though and is defending well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Phillips is looking for a triangle but MacNamara pushes his legs off easily.
MacNamara preventing the sweep.
Phillips throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Phillips throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

Phillips throws his legs up looking for a submission but MacNamara uses it to pass to side control.
MacNamara wants to stand but Phillips has his arm trapped.
Phillips is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacNamara wants to stand but Phillips is controlling his arm.
Phillips throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Phillips tries to bench press MacNamara off him but MacNamara keeps the position.

MacNamara decides to take the fight back to the feet.
MacNamara moves out of range of the strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
MacNamara misses with a left hand

and Phillips decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in MacNamara's guard.
Ian Phillips overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Phillips thows a big elbow that misses.
Phillips trying to control but MacNamara is working from the bottom.
Phillips loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Phillips working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
MacNamara keeping moving, preventing Phillips from controlling successfully.
Phillips throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Phillips throws a strike but MacNamara rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Phillips throws his legs up looking for a submission but MacNamara uses it to pass to side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ian Phillips dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

MacNamara misses with a lunging right hand
and Phillips counters with a straight right hand.
MacNamara circles away from the clinch attempt.
A jab from Phillips finds it's way through MacNamara's defenses.
Phillips misses with a straight right.
Phillips walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Phillips looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? MacNamara is fending him off so far but Phillips persists. Nope, MacNamara circles away and we're back to standing.
Phillips avoids the body shot from MacNamara.
Phillips misses with a hook. MacNamara ducked under it nicely.
Phillips connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Ian Phillips is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Nice shot by Phillips.
Phillips looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
MacNamara just misses with a punch to the body.
MacNamara tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Phillips was well out of range. Poor timing from MacNamara.

That's one minute gone in the round.
MacNamara throws a poor cross that misses

and Phillips counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Phillips throwing strikes from guard but MacNamara blocks nicely.
Phillips pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. MacNamara is keeping the position for now.
Phillips throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Phillips with a flurry of punches that miss.
Phillips working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Phillips postures up in MacNamara's guard and throws a big left but MacNamara blocks it.
Phillips postures up in MacNamara's guard and throws a big left but MacNamara blocks it.
MacNamara utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Phillips drops back, looking for a kneebar! MacNamara looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. MacNamara looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from MacNamara!
MacNamara tries to stand but Phillips is controlling his head.
Phillips gets back to half guard.
Phillips is trying to get back to full guard.
It looks like MacNamara is going to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Phillips moves into full guard.

Phillips looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! MacNamara has picked Phillips up and slammed him! Phillips can't keep hold of the triangle and MacNamara manages to pass to side control!
Phillips is looking to regain half guard here but MacNamara keeps moving and retains side control.
Phillips looks to move to half guard but instead MacNamara has passed into mount! Damn!
Phillips is looking to improve his position but MacNamara isn't that keen on the idea.
Phillips tries to hold on but MacNamara postures up.

That's four 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.
Phillips throws a strike from the bottom but MacNamara uses the opportunity to take his back.
MacNamara is looking to stand but he's in a difficult position to do so.

MacNamara has Phillips's back but decides to stand back up... Obviously he fancies his chances in the standup department!
Phillips falls off balance throwing a combination
and MacNamara counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
MacNamara throws a big shot that misses.
MacNamara misses with a shot to the body

and Phillips counters with a takedown into side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ian Phillips showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Phillips, 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 Matheus Silva scores the fight for Ian Phillips!
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight for Ian Phillips!
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight for Ian Phillips!

Ian Phillips wins by unanimous decision!