PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Colt McLaren (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Johnny Flanagan (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.

McLaren
vs
Flanagan

193 cm
25
235 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

190 cm
25
250 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Colt McLaren!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Johnny Flanagan!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Steve Montenegro and Russell Pearce.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flanagan slips under a jab from McLaren.
Flanagan throws a nice inside leg kick.
McLaren tries to clinch but Flanagan moves out of range.
Flanagan throws a push kick but McLaren slaps the foot to one side.
Flanagan throws a good cross that connects.
McLaren misses with a jab, cross combination.
McLaren has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Flanagan.
McLaren throws a right and a left that Flanagan avoids nicely.
McLaren takes a swing at Flanagan's ribcage but misses.
Flanagan looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Flanagan pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Flanagan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Flanagan throws an uppercut from half a mile away. McLaren sees it coming and avoids it easily.
McLaren takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
McLaren keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Flanagan throws a head kick but McLaren moves out of range.
Flanagan connects with a solid leg kick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
A nice leg kick lands there from Flanagan.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flanagan lands with a thumping leg kick.
Flanagan lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
McLaren on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
McLaren takes a head kick and shrugs it off.
Flanagan throws a head kick but McLaren moves out of range.
Flanagan throws a leg kick which misses McLaren's front leg but catches the back leg as McLaren tries to avoid it.
McLaren shoots in for a takedown but Flanagan shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Flanagan scores with a spinning back kick!
McLaren is breathing heavily.

McLaren fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Flanagan sprawls well initially but McLaren persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
McLaren is controlling the pace.
McLaren looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Flanagan gets full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McLaren postures up.
McLaren wants to stand but Flanagan is controlling his posture from full guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as McLaren accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
McLaren seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Flanagan looking for a guillotine here but McLaren defends easily.
Flanagan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan working a defensive guard here.

McLaren stands up from Flanagan's guard - McLaren perhaps looking for a knockout.
The fight stays on the outside here - McLaren looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Flanagan throws a sloppy head kick and McLaren moves out of range easily.
McLaren throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
McLaren is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Flanagan misses with a head kick.
Flanagan throws a sloppy head kick and McLaren moves out of range easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McLaren looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

McLaren stands up from half guard... He's had enough of that ground malarky for the time being.
Nice body kick from Flanagan.
McLaren is looking to clinch but Flanagan is avoiding it.
Flanagan moves out of range of the body kick from McLaren.
Flanagan lands with a nice body kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Flanagan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Flanagan throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Flanagan blocks a head kick by McLaren.
Flanagan with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Flanagan lands a leg kick that knocks McLaren off balance momentarily.
Flanagan takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Johnny Flanagan dominated that 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.

Flanagan scoring well with a low kick there.
A thudding body kick lands there by Flanagan!
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Flanagan - that will leave a mark!
Flanagan throws a low kick but McLaren avoids it.
McLaren moves out of range of the body kick from Flanagan.
McLaren rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Flanagan moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Johnny Flanagan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

McLaren drives through with a takedown into Flanagan's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Flanagan looking for a sweep. Not yet Flanagan, not yet.
McLaren controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Flanagan working a defensive guard here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McLaren wants to control from the top but Flanagan keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Flanagan bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in McLaren's guard.
Flanagan is looking to stand up but McLaren won't let him.
Flanagan trying to control but McLaren is working from the bottom.
McLaren wants to sweep but no luck.
McLaren keeping moving, preventing Flanagan from controlling successfully.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Flanagan throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A nice leg kick lands there from Flanagan.
McLaren takes a body kick right on the floating rib. Ouchie.
Flanagan wants to slow McLaren down by chopping away at his legs.
A chopping leg kick lands by Flanagan.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Flanagan tenderised McLaren's leg. McLaren is trying to keep his angry face on.
A solid leg kick lands there for Flanagan.
McLaren throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Flanagan 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.
Flanagan feints and then cracks McLaren's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow McLaren down.
Johnny Flanagan seems to be getting the better of the standup.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Flanagan gets caught napping as McLaren dives in and scores a takedown. Flanagan manages to retain guard.
Flanagan is trying to control the position but McLaren postures up.
McLaren looking to pass the guard.

Flanagan has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but McLaren can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Flanagan pushes McLaren off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Flanagan gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

McLaren decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
Flanagan throws a head kick that misses.
McLaren tries to close the distance and clinch but Flanagan swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
A slapping leg kick lands for Flanagan.
Flanagan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
McLaren fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Flanagan throws a nice outside leg kick.
McLaren throws a series of punches but Flanagan avoids them all with ease.
That kick from Flanagan tenderised McLaren's leg. McLaren is trying to keep his angry face on.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McLaren takes a kick to the side of the head.
Flanagan throws a sloppy head kick and McLaren moves out of range easily.
Johnny Flanagan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

McLaren shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Flanagan is looking for a triangle here but McLaren uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Flanagan tries to bench press McLaren off him but McLaren keeps the position.
McLaren tries to score with some ground and pound. Flanagan controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Flanagan is looking to regain half guard here but McLaren keeps moving and retains side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
McLaren is staying tight to Flanagan's torso, preventing him from escaping.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Johnny Flanagan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Flanagan avoids the body shot from McLaren.
Flanagan turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
McLaren blocks a leg kick.
McLaren misses with a takedown attempt - Flanagan sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

McLaren looking to score a takedown here. Flanagan is defending well but McLaren drives through and ends up in Flanagan's guard.
McLaren won't allow Flanagan to get back to his feet.

Flanagan throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
McLaren wants to pass the guard but Flanagan is keeping the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McLaren passes Flanagan's left leg - he's now in half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McLaren passes the guard and advances to mount!
Colt McLaren overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
McLaren sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

McLaren working for a submission but Flanagan is keeping him at bay.
Flanagan tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McLaren takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Flanagan is looking to improve his position but McLaren isn't that keen on the idea.
McLaren controlling from the full mount.
McLaren throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Flanagan really trying hard to get back to half guard here.

McLaren stands up from mount. Strange move.
Johnny Flanagan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A slapping leg kick lands for Flanagan.
McLaren moves out of range of the body kick.
McLaren moves in looking to clinch but Flanagan pushes him off.
Flanagan scores with a head kick.
A telegraphed right hand from McLaren misses the target.
McLaren tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
McLaren throws a series of punches but Flanagan avoids them all with ease.

Flanagan gets caught flat footed, as McLaren shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Flanagan is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Flanagan looking for a sweep. Not yet Flanagan, not yet.
McLaren looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

McLaren gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
That kick from Flanagan tenderised McLaren's leg. McLaren is trying to keep his angry face on.
Flanagan throws a front kick that sends McLaren stumbling back into the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A leg kick checked by Flanagan.
McLaren wants to clinch.
Flanagan tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Flanagan lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Colt McLaren has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Flanagan tries a head kick but it misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Colt McLaren showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Flanagan 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 28:29
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Johnny Flanagan!