PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Connor McGuinness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Macadam Baird (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). 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.

McGuinness
vs
Baird

183 cm
30
185 lbs
17 - 11 - 0

182 cm
34
190 lbs
23 - 19 - 2

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Voodoo Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 17 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Connor McGuinness!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 23 - 19 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Macadam Baird!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Joseph Jones and Bruno Lombardi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McGuinness throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Baird takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
McGuinness takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Baird pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
McGuinness takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Baird ducks down and throws a hook to the body but McGuinness moves away.
Baird connects with a jab.
McGuinness thuds his right hand into Baird's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
Baird lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Baird misses with a takedown attempt - McGuinness sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
McGuinness throwing a counter right hand but Baird manages to avoid it.
McGuinness looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Baird shoots in looking for a takedown but McGuinness manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Baird's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Baird with a body punch. A glancing blow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baird lands a jab.

Baird fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. McGuinness sprawls well initially but Baird persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Baird trying to control the action but McGuinness is working from the bottom.

McGuinness looking for submissions off his back.

Baird is working for a kimura but McGuinness is defending it quite comfortably.
Baird wants to pass to mount but McGuinness is defending the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGuinness trying to control from the bottom.
McGuinness wants to improve his position but Baird is controlling well.

Baird is looking for a kimura but McGuinness is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Baird to get the leverage.
McGuinness makes his way to full guard. A much better position for McGuinness.
Baird controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

McGuinness isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Baird stacks McGuinness on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Baird!
McGuinness tries to bench press Baird off him but Baird keeps the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGuinness takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Baird lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Baird cracks McGuinness with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Baird wants to lay and pray for a moment but McGuinness keeps working.
McGuinness wants to control but Baird postures up.
Baird advances to full mount.
Baird wants to control the pace but McGuinness is squirming around nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baird fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
McGuinness wants to control but Baird is having none of it.
McGuinness is in a horrible position here. Baird smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
McGuinness tries to hold on but Baird pushes him away.
McGuinness slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
McGuinness wants to get back to full guard.
Baird passes to side control.
McGuinness is trying to control Baird's posture but Baird avoids it.
McGuinness is looking to regain half guard here but Baird keeps moving and retains side control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Macadam Baird dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

McGuinness takes a swing at Baird's ribcage but misses.
Baird appeared to try and counter that last move with a leg kick.
Baird comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
McGuinness misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Baird.
Baird throws a body punch but McGuinness moves out of range.
Baird sizes up McGuinness with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
A punch combination from Baird misses.
Baird throws a quick head kick that skims the top of McGuinness's head.
Macadam Baird seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Baird ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Baird misses with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baird misses with a two punch combination.
Baird shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has McGuinness pinned against the cage. McGuinness gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGuinness throws a right and a left that both miss.
Baird throws out a counter right but McGuinness avoids it with no problem.
Baird shoots for a double leg takedown but McGuinness sprawls well. He's pushed Baird's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
McGuinness was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
No luck for Baird with that takedown attempt.
Connor McGuinness has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Macadam Baird.
McGuinness throws a lazy uppercut
and Baird counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Baird throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around McGuinness's waist but McGuinness gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Baird off to one side.
McGuinness is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Baird.
Baird just misses with a punch to the body.
Baird scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. McGuinness doesn't seem bothered though.

Baird clinches.

McGuinness drags the fight down to the ground.

McGuinness has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Baird can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Baird looking to pass the guard.
Baird has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGuinness can't keep his opponent in guard - Baird advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

McGuinness is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Baird pulls his head out easily.
McGuinness is refusing to be controlled, as Baird sits in half guard.
McGuinness trying to control here.

Baird is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so McGuinness is just riding it out for now. Baird eventually gives up the hold.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

McGuinness looking for submissions off his back.
Baird is taking a breather. McGuinness 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.
Baird tries to pass to full mount but McGuinness defends it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Baird passes to side control.
McGuinness is looking to regain half guard here but Baird keeps moving and retains side control.
Baird is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Baird has knee on belly and moves into mount.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Baird lands a big shot there that rocks McGuinness but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Baird wants to control the pace but McGuinness is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Macadam Baird showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Baird looks to score with a jab to the body but McGuinness is just out of range.
McGuinness slips a straight right by Baird.
It looked like McGuinness wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
McGuinness looks to throw the jab but Baird is out of range.
Baird jabs McGuinness to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Baird's hands are dropping dangerously low here and McGuinness connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Baird scrambles back to his feet.
McGuinness takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
McGuinness scores with a nice strike.
Baird scoring well with a low kick there.
Baird changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Baird throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Baird bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
And Baird tries to counter it with a takedown but McGuinness pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Baird misses with a looping right.
McGuinness moves out of range as Baird strikes.
McGuinness is looking to counter punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGuinness chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Baird can pounce on him.
Baird connects with a high kick.
McGuinness takes a body punch but keeps moving.
McGuinness misses with a hook. Baird ducked under it nicely.
A decent looking cross lands there for McGuinness.

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

McGuinness manages to break the clinch.
Baird takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
McGuinness throws a shot from downtown. Baird moves away and avoids it.
Baird comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Baird attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Donk. Baird catches McGuinness right on the button with a cross.
Macadam Baird is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
McGuinness rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Baird moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Baird is defended easily by McGuinness.
McGuinness misses with a straight right.
Baird is trying to counter with his kicks.
McGuinness changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Baird looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for McGuinness!
Macadam Baird has got the better of the ground game so far.
Baird controls the position.
McGuinness is trying to get back to half guard.
Baird tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baird in side control, just content to control the action for now.
McGuinness gets back to half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Baird passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for McGuinness!
Baird controlling the pace for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Baird's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Baird looking to finish McGuinness with some ground and pound. This is bad for McGuinness!
McGuinness is trying desperately to improve position.
Baird controlling his opponent.
McGuinness is in all sorts of trouble here.
Baird sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Connor McGuinness has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

And that's the end of the fight!
Macadam Baird comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Baird 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Joseph Jones scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Macadam Baird!
After the big win, Macadam Baird made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Voodoo Nutrition and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.