PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between James Howlett (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cian McGarrity (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Howlett comes into the arena with Berserker blaring out of the sound system. McGarrity has chosen Irish Fighting Song - We Come in Pieces as his entrance music. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Howlett
vs
McGarrity

172 cm
35
160 lbs
29 - 5 - 1

174 cm
35
170 lbs
26 - 10 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Hellbent
Australian Xtreme Elite Supplements 160Q

Hellbent
Cage Star

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 29 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, James Howlett!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 26 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Cian McGarrity!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Alyssa Summers and Dean Styles.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Howlett cracks McGarrity with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
McGarrity lands a body shot.
McGarrity misses with a body shot.
Howlett takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Howlett uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McGarrity.
McGarrity thows a body kick. Howlett tries to catch it but that hurt him.
McGarrity on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Howlett throws a head kick that misses.
McGarrity throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
We've been hearing reports that Howlett has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
McGarrity uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Howlett.
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!
McGarrity lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Howlett at a distance.
McGarrity throws a body kick, spinning off balance

so Howlett counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
McGarrity wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
McGarrity looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
McGarrity keeps trying to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Howlett postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGarrity lands some strikes from the bottom.
Howlett stopping the sweep attempt from McGarrity.
Howlett throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Howlett preventing the sweep.
McGarrity avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
McGarrity tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Howlett looking to sit in guard and control but McGarrity gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
McGarrity trying to control the position from guard on top but Howlett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Howlett is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Howlett wants to sweep here but McGarrity controlling him for the moment.
Howlett wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and McGarrity is now in half guard.
McGarrity wants to control but Howlett is keeping him busy.
Howlett is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
McGarrity missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Howlett is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
McGarrity is looking to take a break and control but Howlett is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howlett is looking to improve his position.

Howlett looking for submissions from an awkward position here.

Howlett actively working from the bottom here.
Howlett blocking the ground and pound attempt from McGarrity.
McGarrity stalling.
McGarrity throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Howlett trying to control from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Howlett is looking for a sweep. McGarrity is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Howlett trying to hold on to McGarrity's head to control him but McGarrity postures up.
McGarrity lands strikes from half guard.
McGarrity missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
McGarrity is thwarting Howlett's attempts to control the position.
Howlett is looking for a sweep. McGarrity is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
McGarrity is keen to just control but Howlett is a slippery customer.
McGarrity not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Howlett is looking to improve his position.

Howlett looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Cian McGarrity will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

McGarrity lands with a kick to the temple. Howlett shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
McGarrity misses with a straight left.
McGarrity works Howlett's body with a nice hook.
McGarrity thuds his shin into the meat of Howlett's side.
McGarrity misses with a head kick.
Howlett pivots, looking for a leg kick but McGarrity is out of range and Howlett settles back down.
A head kick misses from McGarrity.
A solid leg kick lands there for McGarrity.
McGarrity throws a body shot but no joy.
Howlett with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling McGarrity to score with a decent uppercut.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Howlett throws a leg kick
and McGarrity counters with a lovely straight right hand!
McGarrity plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
McGarrity takes a swing at Howlett's ribcage but misses.
McGarrity missing with a left hand there. Howlett was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
McGarrity swings for the body but Howlett moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Howlett misses the shot to the body.
McGarrity is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Howlett rather than just go for the knockout.
Howlett fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. McGarrity looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Howlett throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck McGarrity on the side of the head.
McGarrity looks for the body kick but Howlett saw that one coming.
A decent looking body kick lands there for McGarrity.
Cian McGarrity seems to be getting the better of the standup.
McGarrity uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Howlett.
Howlett misses with a kick to the body.
A head kick misses from McGarrity.
McGarrity slips a jab and a cross from Howlett.
A head kick misses from McGarrity.
McGarrity checks a low kick from Howlett.
McGarrity takes one on the button.
Howlett tests McGarrity's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Howlett throws a good cross that connects.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Howlett feints and then cracks McGarrity's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow McGarrity down.
Howlett paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Cian McGarrity is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McGarrity lands a front kick.
McGarrity misses with a body kick.
Howlett displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as McGarrity throws out the jab.
McGarrity ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Howlett moves away.
McGarrity throws a nice inside leg kick.
Howlett misses with a double jab
and McGarrity counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
McGarrity throws a wild body kick that Howlett sees coming a mile off.
McGarrity throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
McGarrity lands a jab to the head.
Howlett finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
McGarrity dodges the punch combination from Howlett.
Howlett throws a sloppy head kick and McGarrity moves out of range easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Howlett misses with a double jab.
James Howlett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McGarrity avoids the body shot from Howlett.
McGarrity lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Howlett attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Howlett throws a body kick that misses.
Howlett shoots for a takedown but McGarrity saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Howlett takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
McGarrity swings for the body but Howlett moves out of range.
Howlett walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
McGarrity uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Howlett uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McGarrity.
McGarrity connects with a leg kick. Howlett looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
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!
McGarrity misses with a body kick.
Howlett takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
McGarrity misses with a wild body shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGarrity misses with a wild body shot.
Howlett scores with a crisp jab that stopped McGarrity in his tracks.
Howlett throws a nice looking combination but McGarrity bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
McGarrity digs a good body shot into Howlett's ribs.
Howlett misses with an uppercut. McGarrity saw that one coming.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Howlett.
A solid leg kick lands there for Howlett.
Howlett stuns McGarrity with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Nice body kick there by McGarrity.
McGarrity lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Howlett at a distance.
Howlett avoids the body shot from McGarrity.
Howlett misses with a hook. McGarrity ducked under it nicely.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
McGarrity swinging wildly here.
McGarrity lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cian McGarrity showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

McGarrity throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Howlett sees it coming and avoids it easily.
McGarrity lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Howlett doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Howlett takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
McGarrity bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Howlett's head.
McGarrity bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Howlett's head backwards.
McGarrity fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
McGarrity sizes up Howlett with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.

Howlett is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Howlett bobbing and weaving nicely... He's ducked under a jab and ducks again but ooooooh! McGarrity comes at him with an uppercut from hell! Howlett falls to the canvas, unconscious! This one is all over! Oh man, looking at the replay that was right on the button! Howlett was out before he hit the floor!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:37 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Cian McGarrity!
Cian McGarrity is the new welterweight champion!
A relieved looking Cian McGarrity thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.