PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Rocco Mcbride (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Larry Monthan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mcbride
vs
Monthan

217 cm
24
215 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

198 cm
25
213 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Rocco Mcbride!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Larry Monthan!
The judges for this bout are Darius Henderson, Winston Howard and Damien Edna.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Monthan tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Monthan gets the takedown into side control.
Mcbride holds on tight, trying to prevent any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Monthan is looking to take a break and control but Mcbride is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Monthan working the head and body with strikes.
Who's going to make the next move?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mcbride is trying to control Monthan's posture but Monthan avoids it.
Mcbride is looking for a sweep.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Monthan wants to stand but Mcbride has his arm trapped.
Mcbride is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Monthan tries to stand but Mcbride is controlling his head.
Monthan lands a nice forearm strike.
Mcbride sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Monthan wants to control but Mcbride is keeping him busy.
Mcbride is trying to control but Monthan manages to pass to mount!
Mcbride is looking to improve his position but Monthan isn't that keen on the idea.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcbride regains half guard.
Monthan is taking a breather. Mcbride says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Mcbride wants to improve his position but Monthan is controlling well.
Monthan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mcbride is staying active underneath Monthan, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mcbride keeping control of the position.
Mcbride is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Mcbride is staying active underneath Monthan, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Monthan is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Monthan throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Mcbride is trying is best to control the position here.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Monthan tries to stand but can't do so whilst Mcbride controls his leg.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Monthan shoots in but Mcbride avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Monthan with a poor takedown

and Mcbride counters with a takedown into side control.
Monthan takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Monthan is trying to control Mcbride's posture but Mcbride avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mcbride decides to stand back up. Mcbride steps back and let's Monthan get back to his feet.
Monthan fails to land the takedown.
Rocco Mcbride has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Larry Monthan.
Monthan shoots in looking for a takedown but Mcbride manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Monthan's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Monthan looks winded!
Mcbride on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Mcbride throws a leg kick that misses.

Monthan pushes Mcbride up against the cage in a clinch.
Mcbride really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Mcbride wants to stall.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Mcbride's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Monthan is trying to break the clinch but Mcbride is controlling him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Larry Monthan will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Monthan shoots in but no luck this time.
Mcbride fails to land with a series of punches.
Monthan shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Mcbride as he avoids it easily.
Monthan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Monthan fails with the takedown.
Rocco Mcbride has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Larry Monthan.
Monthan shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Mcbride counters with a body kick.
Monthan shoots in looking for a takedown. Mcbride tries to sprawl out of it but Monthan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mcbride manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Monthan shoots for a takedown but Mcbride saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Monthan is breathing heavily.
Mcbride fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mcbride closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Monthan to the mat! Monthan manages to get full guard.
Rocco Mcbride overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Mcbride gets to his feet - Monthan follows without any prompting.

Mcbride clinches up against the cage.
Mcbride trying to stall but Monthan improves his position.
Monthan tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Mcbride smiles and moves away.
Monthan fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Mcbride throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Mcbride looks to land a combination but Monthan avoids it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Monthan is trying hard to land a takedown here. Mcbride sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.

Monthan shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Monthan was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
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!
Mcbride is trying to control Monthan's posture but Monthan avoids it.
Mcbride misses with a strike from the bottom.
Monthan prevents Mcbride from escaping the position.
Mcbride trying his best to control but Monthan has mounted him.
Monthan misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Mcbride tries to hold on but Monthan postures up.
Mcbride is hanging on here. He's in a desperate position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Monthan avoids the attempt from Mcbride to control.
Mcbride doing his best to control the position. Can he escape?
Mcbride's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
Mcbride tries to hold on but Monthan postures up.
Mcbride tries to reverse the position but Monthan maintains control.
Mcbride is bucking up trying to escape but Monthan cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Mcbride is trying desperately to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Monthan lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
Mcbride is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Mcbride has given up his back here.
Monthan trying to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Monthan looking for the choke from the back.
Monthan is not going to allow Mcbride to sit and survive in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Larry Monthan will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Monthan shoots in but no luck this time.
Monthan moves in looking to clinch but Mcbride pushes him off.
Mcbride has a takedown stuffed.
Rocco Mcbride is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mcbride moves into the clinch.
Mcbride is looking to break free of the clinch but Monthan has double underhooks.
Mcbride is defending well against a takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mcbride is trying to maintain a safe position but Monthan gets an underhook and turns Mcbride into the cage.
Monthan changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Mcbride fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Rocco Mcbride has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Larry Monthan.
Monthan tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Mcbride defends well and Monthan ends up having to push Mcbride into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcbride tries to circle away but Monthan has him pinned against the cage.
Mcbride controlling the action here for a moment.
Monthan blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Mcbride tries to stall but Monthan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Monthan is trying to stall.
Monthan holding his opponent close, against the cage.

Mcbride escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Monthan takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Mcbride fails with an attempt to clinch.

Monthan rushes Mcbride and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Knees in the clinch landing for Mcbride.
Mcbride slows down the pace here.
Monthan throws a knee to the head but misses.
Monthan keeps control of Mcbride as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mcbride stalls.
Mcbride wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Monthan has him pressed against the cage.

Mcbride breaks the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mcbride drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Monthan 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.

Monthan is working an open guard so Mcbride takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Larry Monthan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mcbride throws a head kick that misses
and Monthan counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Monthan changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Mcbride tries to avoid it but Monthan manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Mcbride to the ground. Mcbride escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Monthan tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mcbride paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Monthan misses with a head kick.
Monthan looks for a takedown but Mcbride sprawls well.
Monthan 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Monthan closes the distance and clinches.
Monthan keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Mcbride's efforts to push away.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Monthan is working for takedown but Mcbride is calmly controlling the position for now.
Mcbride wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Monthan has him pressed against the cage.
Mcbride trying to control the position but instead, Monthan has worked for underhooks and has pushed Mcbride into the cage.
Mcbride working hard to break the clinch.
Rocco Mcbride has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Larry Monthan is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mcbride misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rocco Mcbride showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Monthan has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Darius Henderson scores the fight 29:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29
Judge Damien Edna scores the fight 29:28

The fight is ruled a draw!