PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Russell Belcher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nate MacRally (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). MacRally has chosen Red Rider - Lunatic Fringe as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Belcher
vs
MacRally

190 cm
23
213 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

191 cm
27
224 lbs
10 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Experienced

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Russell Belcher!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nate MacRally!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Alec Ball and Dillan Fox.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
MacRally avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
MacRally shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Belcher throws an uppercut from half a mile away. MacRally sees it coming and avoids it easily.
MacRally will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Belcher lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Belcher misses with a straight right.
MacRally steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Belcher.
MacRally avoids the body shot from Belcher.
MacRally misses with a few strikes there.
MacRally slips under a jab from Belcher.
Belcher throws a hook but MacRally avoids it easily.
Belcher misses with an uppercut.
MacRally gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Belcher.
Belcher fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
MacRally gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Belcher cracks MacRally with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Belcher is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belcher looks to land a left hand but MacRally moved out of range nicely.
A left lands for MacRally.
Russell Belcher seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
MacRally moves out of range of the strikes.
Nice defenses there by MacRally.
MacRally waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Belcher.
A punch combination from MacRally misses.
Belcher throws a sloppy body shot

and MacRally decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Belcher's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
MacRally controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Belcher working a defensive guard here.
MacRally working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
MacRally has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belcher wants to sweep but no luck.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
MacRally in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Belcher not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
MacRally trying to control the position from guard on top but Belcher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
MacRally throws an off balance right hand
and Belcher counters with a left to the body.
Belcher keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Belcher throws a hook but MacRally blocks it.
MacRally avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacRally doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
MacRally ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Belcher connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Belcher scores with a one two! MacRally had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.
MacRally moves away from the strike by Belcher.
MacRally rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Belcher moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
MacRally tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Belcher paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Belcher walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
MacRally ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
No joy there for MacRally, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
MacRally slips under a jab from Belcher.
A combination from MacRally does no damage.
MacRally pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
MacRally moves out of range of the strikes.
MacRally wants to clinch up but Belcher keeps it at a distance.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
MacRally tests Belcher's chin there with a solid looking shot.
MacRally slips a straight right by Belcher.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Belcher swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Belcher works the jab nicely.

MacRally fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Belcher to the ground. MacRally is now in Belcher's guard.
Belcher is pulling down on MacRally's head to control his posture.
Belcher preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
MacRally stands up over Belcher, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Belcher working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from MacRally.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Russell Belcher will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Belcher lands a really nice looking cross but MacRally seems unphased.
Belcher misses with a wild body shot.
Belcher tries to clinch but MacRally is having none of it.
The fighters circling - Belcher throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Belcher waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract MacRally.
MacRally throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Belcher throws a body punch but MacRally moves out of range.
MacRally will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
MacRally moves out of range of the strikes.
Belcher loads up on a big right hand but MacRally slips the punch.
MacRally throws a right and a left that Belcher avoids nicely.
Belcher lands a head shot.
MacRally takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
MacRally misses with a hook
and Belcher connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belcher misses with a looping left.
MacRally slips under a jab from Belcher.
MacRally's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Belcher connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! MacRally scrambles back to his feet.
Belcher shoots in looking for a takedown. MacRally tries to sprawl out of it but Belcher keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. MacRally manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
MacRally misses with a straight right.
Russell Belcher is winning the standup battle so far.
MacRally slips a straight right by Belcher.
Belcher throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Belcher misses with a looping left.
MacRally moves in looking to clinch but Belcher pushes him off.
Belcher throws a looping overhand right but MacRally ducks down to avoid it.
MacRally throws a series of punches but Belcher moves out of range.
Belcher works the jab nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Belcher scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
MacRally takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
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!
MacRally shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Belcher works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
MacRally is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
MacRally ducks under a wild hook from Belcher.
MacRally moves out of range as Belcher strikes.
Belcher rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and MacRally counters with a one-two to the body.
Belcher works the jab nicely.
Belcher scores to the head and body with a nice combination!

MacRally is rocked!
Belcher smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
MacRally is still on wobbly legs! Can Belcher finish him?
Belcher throws a right and a left that both miss.
Belcher throws a right hand that misses

and MacRally counters with a nice double leg into guard.
MacRally is breathing heavily.
Belcher has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Belcher working a defensive guard here.
Belcher looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
MacRally seems to have recovered his senses.
Belcher avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
MacRally wants to control from the top but Belcher keeps moving.

We're going to have a standup here because Russell Belcher wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
MacRally slips under a jab.
MacRally throws a nice looking combination but Belcher bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from MacRally is defended easily by Belcher.
MacRally throws out a loose jab but Belcher uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice cross by Belcher.
Belcher throws an overhand right that lands on MacRally's shoulder, as MacRally tries to avoid the shot.
MacRally takes one to the chin there.
Belcher lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Belcher works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Belcher throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck MacRally on the side of the head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Belcher looks to land a left hand but MacRally moved out of range nicely.
MacRally slips a straight right by Belcher.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
MacRally doesn't manage to clinch there - Belcher circles away.

A momentary lapse in concentration from MacRally enables Belcher to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. MacRally manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Belcher with a nice head shot there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Russell Belcher dominated that second round.
That's time! Belcher's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

MacRally throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Belcher rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and MacRally counters with a three punch combo that has Belcher backing up. Belcher nods at MacRally to acknowledge the strikes.
MacRally thows a left - swing and a miss!
MacRally shoots in for a takedown but Belcher shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Belcher works MacRally's body with a nice hook.
Belcher scores with the left hand. MacRally knows he should have avoided that one.
Belcher throws an ugly left hook that misses

and MacRally counters by moving into the clinch.
MacRally wants to stall.
Belcher swings wildly with an uppercut but MacRally uses good head movement to avoid it.
Belcher is looking to take this one to the mat.
MacRally takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Belcher lands a hook to the side of the head.
MacRally leaning his opponent against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Belcher lands a nice shot to the body.
Belcher trying to stall but MacRally improves his position.
MacRally has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Belcher scores with a nice hook to the head.
Belcher fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Belcher lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of MacRally backwards.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Belcher working some nice short punches in the clinch.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Belcher tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
MacRally is trying to stall.
Russell Belcher is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A bit of stalling here from MacRally.
Belcher lands with a short head shot on the inside.
MacRally blocks a body shot from Belcher.
Belcher swings away with an uppercut that misses.
MacRally swings away with an uppercut that misses.
MacRally looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacRally prevents a body shot from Belcher.
MacRally wants to stall.
MacRally leaning against his opponent.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Nate MacRally.
Danga de danga de dang - Belcher scores with a four punch combination!
MacRally takes a solid shot to the body. That one hurt him but he's trying not to show it.
MacRally uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Belcher.
Belcher misses with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Belcher cracks MacRally with a right hand to the side of the head.
Belcher displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as MacRally throws out the jab.
Nate MacRally has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
MacRally lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Belcher circles away quickly and effectively.
MacRally walks into a left hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Belcher. MacRally does a little dance to reset his feet.
A combination from MacRally does no damage.
Belcher lands a glancing blow to the side of MacRally's head.
Belcher lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
MacRally has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Belcher finds it's way round the side to connect with MacRally's head.
Belcher lands a jab to the head.
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!
Belcher misses with a hook
and MacRally counters with a two punch combo.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Belcher looks to land a left hand but MacRally moved out of range nicely.
No luck for Belcher with that takedown attempt.
MacRally keeps the fight on the outside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Russell Belcher showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Belcher, 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 Robert Douchet scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Russell Belcher!