PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cavan Cartwright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Raven Harris (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cartwright comes to the cage accompanied by The Irish Fighting Song. Cavan Cartwright has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cartwright
vs
Harris

188 cm
27
220 lbs
11 - 12 - 0

204 cm
30
289 lbs
19 - 13 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cavan Cartwright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Raven Harris!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Micheangelo Fripello and Jeff Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harris doesn't manage to clinch there - Cartwright circles away.

Harris has managed to clinch.

Harris breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Harris misses with a body kick.
Cartwright changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Harris misses with a double jab
and Cartwright counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Harris throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Raven Harris seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harris doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.

Harris moves into the clinch.

Harris pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Harris throws a combination that misses

and Cartwright counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cartwright has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Cartwright trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cartwright is really struggling to control Harris but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Harris avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Cartwright 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.
Cartwright controls from within his opponent's guard.
Cartwright slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Harris felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Harris regains half guard, as Cartwright was trying to land strikes.
Cartwright landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Harris desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Harris is not content to let Cartwright control the position.
Cartwright 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright is looking to stall here but Harris recovers full guard.
Cartwright being controlled here momentarily.
Cartwright trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Harris avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cartwright accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Harris pulls Cartwright in close to prevent any damage.
Cartwright trying to control the position from guard on top but Harris is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cartwright with a flurry of punches that miss.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Cartwright drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Harris dives on top into guard.

The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Harris stopping the sweep attempt from Cartwright.
Harris would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright is trying to keep Harris in close.
Cartwright working a defensive guard but Harris passes into half guard.
Harris seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Cartwright trying to hold on to Harris's head to control him but Harris postures up.
Harris is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Harris lands a leg kick that knocks Cartwright off balance momentarily.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cartwright will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Harris throws a lazy body kick

and Cartwright counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

Harris kicks Cartwright off and gets back to his feet.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cartwright keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Crunch! Harris slams his shin into Cartwright's torso.
Harris scores with a leg kick.
Harris throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Harris dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Harris has Cartwright up against the cage in a clinch.

Harris escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Cartwright shoots and misses
enabling Harris to counter with a crisp jab.
Harris misses with a hook to the body

and Cartwright counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Cartwright sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Harris defending well though.
Cartwright stops Harris from getting back to his feet.
Cartwright keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Cartwright lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cartwright is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Harris is pressing down on Cartwright's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Cartwright scoring with some ground and pound.
Harris has his hands on Cartwright's head, controlling the position.

That's two 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.
Cartwright throws a big right hand that misses.
Harris controls Cartwright momentarily but Cartwright frees himself.
Cartwright throws a strike but Harris rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Harris passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Harris wants to stand up but Cartwright is controlling the position.
Cartwright is trying to maintain the position but Harris is very close to passing his half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Cartwright is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Raven Harris has got the better of the ground game so far.

Harris stands up from half guard.
Harris tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Cartwright paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Harris has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Good leg kick by Harris there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Cartwright on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Harris throws a head kick but Cartwright moves out of range.

Cartwright closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Harris quickly recovers to half guard.
Harris avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cartwright.
Nice strikes from Cartwright there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harris is staying active underneath Cartwright, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Harris tries to get to full guard but Cartwright has control of the leg.
Harris keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

Cartwright is working for a kimura but Harris is defending it quite comfortably.
Harris wants to control but Cartwright is keeping busy and won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Cartwright is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Raven Harris showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Cartwright closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Harris has Cartwright pushed against the cage.
Cartwright drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Harris gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Harris wants to break free but Cartwright has control.

Harris manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Harris looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Harris misses with the combination.

Harris has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cartwright tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Harris scores with a shot to the side of Cartwright's head.
Cartwright drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cavan Cartwright. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cartwright goes for a takedown attempt but Harris pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Harris instigates a clinch.

Harris's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Cartwright goes for a double leg but Harris avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Harris continues to drive forward.
Harris misses with a head kick.
Cartwright tries to counter with a takedown but Harris is quick to defend against it.
Cartwright has a takedown stuffed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright tries for a takedown but Harris circles away easily
and Harris comes in over the top with a devastating right hand! Cartwright stumbles back against the cage, looking to regain his senses but Harris is on him like rabid pit bull! Cartwright slumps to the ground under a storm of punches and this fight is over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:10 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Raven Harris!
Cavan Cartwright spoke after the fight, saying 'I gave it my best. I will find a way to do better next time.'.