PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Evander Mackenzie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Evil Ryu (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Mackenzie
vs
Ryu

168 cm
23
146 lbs
3 - 4 - 1

175 cm
29
148 lbs
10 - 7 - 1

Good wrestling
Great elbows
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Evander Mackenzie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 10 - 7 - 1, fighting out of Helsinki, Evil Ryu!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Jeff Smith and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ryu fails with the takedown.

Ryu has Mackenzie up against the cage in a clinch.
Ryu is trying to pull guard but Mackenzie turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Ryu dodges an elbow strike from Mackenzie.
Mackenzie lands an elbow that stopped Ryu in his tracks for a moment.
Mackenzie looking to stall.
Mackenzie prevents Ryu from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mackenzie throws an elbow that misses.

Ryu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mackenzie looks to clinch
and Ryu counters with a nice body kick.
Ryu lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Mackenzie moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
Mackenzie swings for the body but Ryu moves out of range.

Ryu clinches up with Mackenzie and pushes him back against the cage.
Mackenzie stalls.
Mackenzie prevents Ryu from breaking the clinch.
Mackenzie looking to slow down the pace here.
Mackenzie gets underhooks to prevent Ryu's takedown attempt.
Evander Mackenzie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evil Ryu.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mackenzie creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Mackenzie throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Ryu takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ryu softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
Ryu is working for takedown but Mackenzie is calmly controlling the position for now.
Ryu is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Mackenzie is defending well.
Mackenzie creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Ryu wants to take the fight to the mat but Mackenzie manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Ryu tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Mackenzie smiles and moves away.
Ryu shoots in and drives through. Mackenzie sprawls well.

Mackenzie fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Ryu, pushing him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mackenzie pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Ryu avoids the elbow strike from Mackenzie, against the cage.
Mackenzie is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Mackenzie lands an elbow inside.
The referee is keeping an eye on Mackenzie - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Ryu tries to pull guard but Mackenzie won't allow it.
Mackenzie displaying some good clinch control by pressing Ryu up against the cage.
The crowd are getting pretty annoyed with Mackenzie for his constant stalling in the clinch and are voicing their displeasure.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Evander Mackenzie.
Mackenzie is looking to take this fight into the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ryu tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ryu swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Ryu tries to clinch up but Mackenzie circles away and keeps his distance.
Mackenzie blocks the body kick.
Ryu tries to clinch but Mackenzie moves out of range.
Ryu dives in and grabs Mackenzie's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mackenzie pushes down on Ryu's head and hops out.

Mackenzie gets a clinch.
Ryu avoids a wild elbow strike from Mackenzie.
Ryu wants to break free but Mackenzie has control.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Ryu avoids the elbow strike from Mackenzie, against the cage.
Mackenzie is stalling here.
Mackenzie throws an elbow that misses.
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 Evander Mackenzie will probably get the nod.
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.

Ryu throws a series of punches but Mackenzie avoids them all with ease.
Mackenzie tries to close the distance and clinch but Ryu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ryu shoots in looking for a takedown. Mackenzie tries to sprawl out of it but Ryu keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mackenzie manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Ryu shoots in for a takedown but Mackenzie shows good takedown defense.
Ryu swats away the attempt to clinch by Mackenzie.
Mackenzie tries to close the distance and clinch up but Ryu swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ryu shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mackenzie defends it nicely.
Evander Mackenzie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evil Ryu.
Ryu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mackenzie tries to clinch up
and Ryu counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mackenzie takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Mackenzie wants to clinch.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Mackenzie.
Mackenzie thows a leg kick but Ryu checks it
and Ryu counters with a slapping leg kick.
Mackenzie tries to close the distance and clinch but Ryu swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ryu moves out of range of the body kick.

Mackenzie gets a clinch.
Ryu blocks an elbow strike from Mackenzie.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Mackenzie tries to stall but Ryu uses the opportunity to gain a better position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Ryu jumps guard and drags Mackenzie to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Mackenzie wants to control from the top but Ryu keeps moving.
Ryu wants to stand but Mackenzie is controlling the position.
Mackenzie trying to control the position from guard on top but Ryu is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mackenzie controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

We're going to have a standup here because Evander Mackenzie wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Ryu throws a nice looking combination but Mackenzie bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mackenzie is looking to clinch but Ryu is avoiding it.
Ryu doesn't succeed with the takedown
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Ryu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ryu swats away the attempt to clinch by Mackenzie.
Mackenzie displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Ryu.
Ryu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Mackenzie scores with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mackenzie tries to clinch but Ryu moves out of range.
Ryu misses with a takedown
and Mackenzie makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Mackenzie tries to clinch up but Ryu circles away and keeps his distance.

Ryu moves into the clinch successfully.
Mackenzie lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Ryu tries to pull guard but Mackenzie won't allow it.
Mackenzie taking a breather.
Ryu can't get the takedown.
Mackenzie taking a breather.
Mackenzie has Ryu pushed against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
With the fighters up against the cage, Mackenzie throws an elbow but misses.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Mackenzie pushes off an throws an elbow but Ryu leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Ryu wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Evander Mackenzie dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Ryu tries to clinch up.
Mackenzie misses with an attempted mid kick.
Evil Ryu is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mackenzie gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Ryu jumps guard but Mackenzie stands there with Ryu around his waist. Ryu gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Ryu wants to break the clinch but can't.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Mackenzie takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Ryu looking for a takedown.
Mackenzie is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Stalling in the clinch from Mackenzie.
Ryu scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Mackenzie pressing his opponent against the cage.
Ryu has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Mackenzie is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Evander Mackenzie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Evil Ryu.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mackenzie content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Evander Mackenzie has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Ryu is trying to pull guard but Mackenzie has him pressed against the cage.
Mackenzie is trying to stall.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Evander Mackenzie.
Ryu moves out of range of the body kick from Mackenzie.
Nice sprawl there from Mackenzie as Ryu shoots in.
Mackenzie wants to clinch up but Ryu keeps it at a distance.
Mackenzie tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Ryu manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Ryu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Mackenzie moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Mackenzie wants to clinch up but Ryu keeps it at a distance.
Evander Mackenzie is winning the standup battle so far.

Mackenzie has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mackenzie pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Evander Mackenzie is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Mackenzie just misses with a elbow thrown towards Ryu's brow.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Ryu wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mackenzie has him pressed against the cage.
Ryu fails to pull guard.
Mackenzie misses with the head strike.
Ryu fails to pull guard.

Ryu's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ryu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Ryu tries to close the distance and clinch but Mackenzie swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mackenzie blocks a head kick by Ryu.
Ryu misses with a takedown attempt

and Mackenzie holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Ryu drops down looking for an ankle pick but Mackenzie pulls his leg out and moves away.

Mackenzie rushes Ryu and presses him up against the cage.
Mackenzie stalls.
Mackenzie prevents a takedown attempt there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mackenzie using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Ryu has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Mackenzie prevents the takedown attempt.
Ryu is looking to control Mackenzie's arms but Mackenzie gets an underhook and turns him. Now Ryu has his back to the cage.
Mackenzie has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.

Ryu escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mackenzie wants to clinch up but Ryu keeps it at a distance.
Mackenzie circles away from the clinch attempt.
Ryu avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ryu keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Mackenzie wants to clinch up but Ryu keeps it at a distance.
Evil Ryu has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ryu misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Evander Mackenzie showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mackenzie has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jeff Smith scores the fight 30:27
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Evander Mackenzie!