PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rob MacGregor (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Maxwell Church (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Church comes into a darkened arena with his song building. The Stroke by Billy Squire kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

MacGregor
vs
Church

180 cm
23
160 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

184 cm
22
155 lbs
6 - 2 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter striker
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

Nemesis Cage Clothing
Fortitude Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the lightweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Rob MacGregor!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Maxwell Church!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, James Glass and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

MacGregor changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Church looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Church is trying to improve his position.
MacGregor controls the position.
Church is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on MacGregor's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
MacGregor content to control rather than advance.

MacGregor is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Church is just riding it out for now. MacGregor eventually gives up the hold.
MacGregor wants to take a breather but Church is having none of it.
Church slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Church keeping moving, preventing MacGregor from controlling successfully.
Church looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Church keeping moving, preventing MacGregor from controlling successfully.

Church working for a triangle but MacGregor defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Church throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Church looking for a sweep. Not yet Church, not yet.
MacGregor stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Church swivels though and keeps the full guard.
MacGregor throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

MacGregor closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Church to the mat! Church manages to get full guard.

Church had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. MacGregor is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Church Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take MacGregor's back instead.

Church is persistently looking for the submission but MacGregor is defending it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Church doesn't have the hooks in and MacGregor manages to turn into his guard.
Church is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
MacGregor slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
MacGregor wants to control but Church is keeping him busy.
MacGregor looks up at the clock and then as Church takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, MacGregor smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
MacGregor lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.

MacGregor tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
MacGregor blocks the strikes from Church.

MacGregor tries for a kimura but Church is defending well.
Church is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacGregor tries to pass to full mount but Church defends it.
Church moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

MacGregor drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and MacGregor jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
MacGregor is stalling in the full guard.

Church escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. MacGregor gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Church looks gassed!
MacGregor passes easily into side control. Nice work.

MacGregor is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Church knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Church manages to work his way to half guard, despite MacGregor's best efforts.
MacGregor moves into full mount! Church won't be happy about that!
MacGregor has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Church's face.
MacGregor scoring with strikes but Church is staying in there.
MacGregor in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
MacGregor wants to control the pace but Church is squirming around nicely.
Church is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
MacGregor scoring with strikes but Church is staying in there.

MacGregor is working for a guillotine from mount but Church frees his head quite easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob MacGregor dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

MacGregor closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Church to the mat! Church manages to get full guard.
MacGregor wants to pass the guard but Church is keeping the position.
MacGregor slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
MacGregor advances position into side control!
Church seems a little lost for a moment, as MacGregor dominates the positioning.

MacGregor tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Church tries to improve position but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

MacGregor working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Church is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
MacGregor tries to advance to mount but Church denies him.

MacGregor looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
MacGregor advances nicely into full mount.
MacGregor scoring with strikes but Church is staying in there.
Church tries to reverse the position but MacGregor maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MacGregor unloading with bombs!
Church is desperately trying to improve his position but MacGregor has a good base and remains in mount.
A nice elbow there by MacGregor.

MacGregor looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
MacGregor looking to control but Church is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
MacGregor putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
MacGregor with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.

MacGregor is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Church can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Church is trying to escape the mount.
MacGregor landing strikes from the mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Church tries to get back to half guard but can't.
MacGregor trying to control but he's not successful this time.

MacGregor with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
MacGregor tries to control but Church wriggling away.
Church is in all sorts of trouble here.

MacGregor has control of Church's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Church regains control of the situation pretty easily.
MacGregor tries to control but Church wriggling away.
Church is trying to escape the mount.

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.
MacGregor scores with a couple of good head shots there.
MacGregor moves to back control.

Church defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

MacGregor is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
MacGregor throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
MacGregor has the hooks in. Church is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.
Church wants to control his opponent's hands but MacGregor gets his hands free.
MacGregor really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Church.
MacGregor lands a shot to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rob MacGregor dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Church lands a two punch combo.

MacGregor shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Rob MacGregor overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Church is bucking up trying to escape but MacGregor cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
MacGregor trying to control but Church is having none of it.
Church is looking to get to half guard.
MacGregor with good strikes from the mount here!
MacGregor with shots to the head and body - Church looks very uncomfortable down there.
Church keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
MacGregor unloading with bombs!
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

That's one minute gone in the round.
MacGregor cracks Church with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
MacGregor scores with a couple of good head shots there.
MacGregor tries to control but Church wriggling away.

MacGregor has control of Church's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Church regains control of the situation pretty easily.
MacGregor controlling from mount.
MacGregor with a couple of short strikes.

MacGregor working for a guillotine from mount but Church is in no mood to give up.
MacGregor trying to control but Church is having none of it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MacGregor lands a big shot there that rocks Church but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
MacGregor avoids the attempt from Church to control.
MacGregor landing punches.
Church in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.

MacGregor wants to finish this one by submission but Church is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from MacGregor.
Church is trying desperately to improve position.
Church regains half guard.
Church tries to roll over but MacGregor keeps him under control.

MacGregor is trying to work for a kimura but Church is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Church is looking to improve his position.
MacGregor is nestled in close to Church, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
MacGregor is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
MacGregor works his way into full mount!
MacGregor looking to control but Church is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Church really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
MacGregor looking to control but Church is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Church defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from MacGregor.
Church is trying desperately to improve position.
MacGregor unloading with bombs!
Church has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
MacGregor is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Church up.
MacGregor 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.
MacGregor is hanging on to Church's back as he tries to escape.

MacGregor is working for the choke. I would put my money on him to finish from this position. He's rolled onto his back and has dragged Church with him. Church is trying to defend but MacGregor has an arm under the chin now! Church grimaces and is forced to tap out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:56 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Rob MacGregor!
Rob MacGregor retains his lightweight title!