PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Nathanial Hornblower (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Carlos Da Guia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Hornblower
vs
Da Guia

171 cm
24
166 lbs
10 - 13 - 0

175 cm
22
168 lbs
6 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 10 - 13 - 0, fighting out of London, Nathanial Hornblower!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Carlos Da Guia!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Da Guia has taken the fight to the clinch.
Hornblower is trying to drag Da Guia to the mat but Da Guia just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Da Guia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hornblower paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch up but Hornblower swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Da Guia tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Hornblower counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hornblower.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hornblower postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Hornblower with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Da Guia wants to stand up but Hornblower is controlling him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Da Guia keeping full guard, as Hornblower tries to pass.
Hornblower wants to control from the top but Da Guia keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hornblower prevents Da Guia from getting back to his feet.
Da Guia keeping moving, preventing Hornblower from controlling successfully.
Da Guia preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Hornblower trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hornblower 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.
Hornblower scoring with some ground and pound.
Hornblower with a flurry of punches that miss.

Da Guia kicks Hornblower off and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Da Guia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hornblower manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Hornblower.
Hornblower keeps the fight on the outside.
Hornblower will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathanial Hornblower. That's going to take a lot out of him.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Da Guia breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Hornblower changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Da Guia tries to avoid it but Hornblower manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Da Guia to the ground. Da Guia escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hornblower paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Da Guia tries to clinch but Hornblower is having none of it.
Da Guia leaves Hornblower with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch but Hornblower swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Da Guia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Da Guia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Hornblower manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hornblower circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hornblower shoots for a takedown but Da Guia saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Da Guia doesn't manage to clinch there - Hornblower circles away.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Hornblower.
Nice sprawl there from Da Guia as Hornblower shoots in.
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hornblower paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Da Guia has managed to clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Da Guia.
Da Guia lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Hornblower jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Da Guia walks away with a smile on his face. Hornblower gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Da Guia wants to clinch up but Hornblower keeps it at a distance.
Da Guia misses with a two punch combination.
Da Guia doesn't manage to clinch there - Hornblower circles away.
Hornblower shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Da Guia but Da Guia pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Carlos Da Guia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Hornblower swats away the attempt to clinch by Da Guia.
Hornblower fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Da Guia moves in looking to clinch but Hornblower pushes him off.
Da Guia wants to clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hornblower is defended easily by Da Guia.
Da Guia tries to clinch but Hornblower is having none of it.

Hornblower looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Hornblower is trying to control the action in half guard but Da Guia is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hornblower is working for a kimura but Da Guia is defending it quite comfortably.
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 Nathanial Hornblower will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Da Guia defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hornblower.
Da Guia tries to clinch but Hornblower is having none of it.

Da Guia gets caught napping as Hornblower dives in and scores a takedown. Da Guia manages to retain guard.
Hornblower won't allow Da Guia to get back to his feet.

Hornblower thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Hornblower trying to control the position from guard on top but Da Guia is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Hornblower postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Da Guia is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Hornblower, into his guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Hornblower is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Da Guia is aware though and is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Hornblower looking for a guillotine here but Da Guia defends easily.
Da Guia trying to stand up but can't free himself from Hornblower's guard.

That's two 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.

Da Guia got a little sloppy there for a moment and Hornblower has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Da Guia has managed to get both his arms back between Hornblower's legs - danger averted.
Da Guia won't allow Hornblower to sweep him here.
Da Guia really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Hornblower. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Hornblower has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Da Guia can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Da Guia wants to stand but Hornblower has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Da Guia postures up.
Da Guia must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Guia wanted to stand there but Hornblower had control of the position.
Hornblower controlling Da Guia's posture.

Hornblower had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Da Guia defends it easily.
Da Guia controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Carlos Da Guia wasn't active enough on the ground.
Hornblower shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Da Guia defends it nicely.
Da Guia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hornblower paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Da Guia keeps the fight on the outside.
Da Guia wants to clinch.
Da Guia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Hornblower shoots in for a takedown but Da Guia shows good takedown defense.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathanial Hornblower. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Da Guia tries to clinch up.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Horrible takedown by Hornblower or perhaps it was just good defense by Da Guia which made him look bad.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Hornblower fails to land the takedown.
Da Guia tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Hornblower tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Da Guia swivels and escapes.
Hornblower swats away the attempt to clinch by Da Guia.
Hornblower shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Da Guia as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Nathanial Hornblower. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Hornblower fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Da Guia tries to clinch but Hornblower moves out of range.
Hornblower avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Da Guia tries to clinch but Hornblower is having none of it.
Da Guia moves to clinch but Hornblower breaks away

so Hornblower counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Hornblower wants to control from the top but Da Guia keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hornblower throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Da Guia works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Da Guia has his feet on Hornblower's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Da Guia tries to clinch up.
Nice sprawl there from Da Guia as Hornblower shoots in.

Hornblower shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Hornblower is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Da Guia can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

Hornblower with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hornblower misses with a head shot.
Nathanial Hornblower overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Hornblower looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Hornblower with a couple of short strikes.
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!
Hornblower looking to ground and pound but Da Guia is blocking nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Da Guia tries to buck Hornblower off but he can't manage it.

Hornblower working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Da Guia is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

Hornblower working for a submission but Da Guia is keeping him at bay.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Da Guia can do anything to dispel that myth.
Da Guia is trying to get back to his feet but can't.

Hornblower goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Da Guia is on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hornblower looking for a triangle here. Da Guia is fighting it but it looks tight! Hornblower pulls the arm across and this one won't last much longer! Nope, Da Guia is tapping out - this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:24 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle Choke). Nathanial Hornblower!