PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Sanford Mays (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Paul McNamara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Paul McNamara enters the cage!

Mays
vs
McNamara

178 cm
18
214 lbs
2 - 4 - 1

200 cm
25
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 2 - 4 - 1, fighting out of London, Sanford Mays!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Paul McNamara!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Colin Fotheringham and James Atkins.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McNamara shoots in and bounces Mays off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
McNamara pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Mays is keeping the position for now.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McNamara looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Mays could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McNamara throws a big right hand that misses.

Paul McNamara has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
McNamara misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

McNamara shoots in and bounces Mays off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
McNamara stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mays swivels though and keeps the full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mays keeping moving, preventing McNamara from controlling successfully.
McNamara is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Paul McNamara hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

McNamara shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Mays napping and manages to drive through into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McNamara misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
McNamara trying to control the position but Mays is working away.
McNamara misses with the ground and pound.

McNamara looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Mays stops McNamara from passing to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McNamara goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Mays rolls with the submission and now he's on top in McNamara's guard! Nice work there by Mays!
Mays won't allow McNamara to sweep him here.
McNamara wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul McNamara dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

McNamara scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Mays keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
McNamara is thwarting Mays's attempts to control the position.

McNamara seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Mays has recovered full guard.
Mays being controlled here, momentarily.
Mays might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McNamara wants to control from the top but Mays keeps moving.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Paul McNamara hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.

McNamara decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Mays has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. McNamara is working away from the top position though.
McNamara stalling away here and it's allowed Mays to slip out his trapped foot and regain full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McNamara trying to control the position from guard on top but Mays is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mays 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.
Mays is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
McNamara tries to get to full guard but Mays has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McNamara looks like he's trying to stand up.
McNamara wants to control but Mays passes into side.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McNamara is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McNamara is looking for a sweep.

McNamara explodes and escapes back to his feet! Nice escape there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul McNamara showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

McNamara swats away the attempt to clinch by Mays.
Sanford Mays is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
McNamara misses with a two punch combination.

McNamara has Mays up against the cage in a clinch.

McNamara gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Mays regains guard.
McNamara trying to move into half guard but instead Mays has managed to sweep!

McNamara throws his legs up looking for a submission but Mays uses it to pass to side control.

McNamara bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.

McNamara gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Nice body punch from McNamara.

McNamara breaks from the clinch.

McNamara feints and as Mays raises his hands in defense, McNamara changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
McNamara preventing the sweep.
McNamara 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.
McNamara trying to control but Mays is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paul McNamara was stalling too much, according to the referee.

McNamara pushes Mays up against the cage in a clinch.
Mays trying to land knees to the body.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Mays as McNamara tries to tie him up.
McNamara has Mays pressed against the cage.
McNamara avoiding damage as Mays throws knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McNamara breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

McNamara changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Mays looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
McNamara is looking to take a break and control but Mays is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Mays wants to control but McNamara postures up.
McNamara in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
McNamara throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McNamara controlling the position from side mount.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
McNamara wants to control for a moment but Mays uses the opportunity to move back to half guard.
McNamara wants to pass to mount but Mays is defending the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Paul McNamara comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well McNamara has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Paul Tew scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge James Atkins scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Paul McNamara!