PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between mac animal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rufus Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Man, I cannot wait for this one!

animal
vs
Carter

192 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
20
200 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Likes ground

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, mac animal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Rufus Carter!
The judges for this bout are James Atkins, Colin Fotheringham and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
animal shoots in but Carter avoids the takedown attempt easily.

animal scores with a takedown into Carter's guard.
animal trying to control but Carter is working from the bottom.

Carter escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. animal gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
animal stopping the sweep attempt from Carter.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
animal controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Carter looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
animal doesn't manage to clinch there - Carter circles away.
Carter swats away the attempt to clinch by animal.

animal bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
animal taking a breather here.
Carter pushes animal away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, animal gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Carter looks gassed!

animal is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Carter knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
animal wants to lay and pray for a moment but Carter keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

animal decides to stand back up.
Carter looks to land a combination. animal sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Carter tries to clinch

and animal counters with a shoot takedown. Carter fights it but they end up in guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
animal trying to control the position from guard on top but Carter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
animal tries to free his leg and advance position but Carter is retaining full guard.
Carter controlling animal's posture.
Carter keeping full guard, as animal tries to pass.
animal stopping the sweep attempt from Carter.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
animal controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

animal shoots in and bounces Carter off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
animal wants to get up but he can't break Carter's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
animal stays in close to Carter's body and controls the position.
Carter wants to sweep but no luck.
animal not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
animal tries to free his leg and advance position but Carter is retaining full guard.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
animal sitting in guard here, content to control.
animal trying to stand up but can't free himself from Carter's guard.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.
Carter keeping full guard, as animal tries to pass.

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

animal closes the distance and clinches.

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

Carter working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. animal doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. animal manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.
animal wants to stand and escape but instead Carter has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mac animal dominated that round.
That's time! animal's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Carter wants to clinch but animal slips to the side

and animal counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by animal.
animal trying to control but Carter is working from the bottom.
animal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

animal stands and steps away. Carter gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

animal closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Carter to the mat! Carter manages to get full guard.
animal trying to control but Carter is working from the bottom.
animal trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
animal controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
animal trying to control the position from guard on top but Carter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. mac animal just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
animal tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Carter counters by clinching up.
Carter jumps guard but animal stands there with Carter around his waist. Carter gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
animal has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Carter avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Carter can't get the takedown.
animal tries to break the clinch but Carter is controlling the position.

Carter jumps guard.
Carter is breathing heavily.
Carter working a defensive guard but animal manages to pass into side control anyway.
Carter is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
animal trying to control the action but Carter is working from the bottom.
Carter gets back to half guard.
animal is trying to control the action in half guard but Carter is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
animal seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Carter is looking to sinch up a gullotine here but animal pulls his head out easily.
animal is tying to control. Carter wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Carter shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and animal counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
mac animal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rufus Carter.
Carter tries to get to full guard but animal has control of the leg.
animal wants to free his trapped foot but Carter is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Carter kicks animal off and gets back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter tries to clinch up.
animal swats away the attempt to clinch by Carter.

animal gets a takedown into half guard.
animal is tying to control. Carter wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

animal stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Carter to get to his feet.
Carter fails with the takedown

and animal decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Carter's guard.
Carter being controlled here, momentarily.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
animal is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Carter is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Carter can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as animal controls the pace.
animal advances to half guard.
animal wants to free his trapped foot but Carter is holding on for dear life with his legs.
animal uses his free foot to push down on Carter's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Carter.
Carter tries to hold on but animal postures up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Carter sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
animal controlling the action here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

mac animal dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Carter has his takedown stuffed

and animal decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Carter's guard.
Carter wants to stand and escape but animal is having none of it.
Carter is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
animal moves into full guard.
Carter won't allow animal to sweep him here.
animal is trying to control the position but Carter postures up.

The referee stands the fighters back up. mac animal just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.

animal drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
animal not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Carter takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Carter keeping moving, preventing animal from controlling successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
animal looking to sit in guard and control but Carter gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
animal is trying to keep Carter in close.
Carter forces his way into half guard.
animal is looking to control Carter's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can animal avoid being mounted?
animal works his way to full guard. Good work.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as animal holds on and takes a little breather.

The referee stands the fighters back up. mac animal just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Carter tries for a takedown but animal circles away easily

and animal counters with a nice double leg into guard.
mac animal overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
animal won't allow Carter to sweep him here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
animal trying to control the position from guard on top but Carter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
animal content to stall in guard here.
animal trying to control the position from guard on top but Carter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
animal forces his way into half guard.
Carter is not content to let animal control the position.
animal performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. mac animal just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Carter tries to clinch but animal moves out of range.
animal doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Carter counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Carter in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
animal wants to sweep but no luck.
animal trying to keep a closed guard but Carter is proving a slippery customer.
animal is really struggling to control Carter but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Carter tries to free his leg and advance position but animal is retaining full guard.
animal is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Carter tries to clinch but animal moves out of range.
animal fails with the takedown

and Carter counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Carter.
Carter has had enough of the clinch but animal keeps him there for the moment.
Carter tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. animal smiles and moves away.
mac animal has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rufus Carter.
animal darts in trying to clinch
and Carter counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. animal is lucky that one didn't land flush.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Carter gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Rufus Carter has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
animal sitting in guard, not really doing much.

And that's the end of the fight!
mac animal showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for animal, 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 James Atkins scores the fight 30:27
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... mac animal!