PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Dan Skog (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike McGuire (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McGuire has chosen Five Finger Death Punch - Jekyll And Hyde as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. 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.

Skog
vs
McGuire

178 cm
24
178 lbs
8 - 4 - 0

182 cm
23
182 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

KAISER Nutrition - Q160/$250

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Dan Skog!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Mike McGuire!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Lombardi, Eddie Farnsworth and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Skog misses the shot to the body.
McGuire takes one to the chin there.
McGuire swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Skog jinks towards his opponent looking like he wants to counter with a mid kick but doesn't commit.
Skog keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
McGuire throws a leg kick but Skog moved away.
A little feinted left hand from Skog on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Skog lands a leg kick that knocks McGuire off balance momentarily.
Skog throws a lazy body kick

and McGuire counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by McGuire.
McGuire looking to pass the guard.
Skog is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

McGuire is trying is best to control the position here.
McGuire makes his way to full guard. A much better position for McGuire.
Skog controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGuire trying to control the position.
Skog won't allow McGuire to sweep him here.

McGuire working for a triangle but Skog defends it easily.
McGuire pulls Skog in to control the position.
Skog is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top 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.
Skog has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
McGuire wants to hit a switch here but Skog passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for McGuire there!
McGuire can't escape the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGuire is still trying to improve position.
McGuire sneaks a leg under to get to half guard.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Skog in particular looking to stall.
Skog missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
McGuire tries to get to full guard but Skog has control of the leg.
McGuire gets full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Skog content to stall in guard here.
Skog looking to sit in guard and control but McGuire gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

McGuire stopping the sweep attempt from Skog.
McGuire working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
McGuire is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
McGuire is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Mike McGuire will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Skog throws a leg kick
and McGuire counters with a left to the body.
McGuire fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Skog manages to avoid it.
Skog is looking for a counter combo.
McGuire throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Skog sees it coming and avoids it easily.
McGuire misses with a looping left.
A lazy body kick from Skog

and McGuire counters with a single leg into guard. Skog didn't expect that.
McGuire missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
McGuire lands a couple of elbows.
Skog keeping full guard, as McGuire tries to pass.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGuire throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Skog works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Skog working a defensive guard here.
Skog is really struggling to control McGuire but he's trying to hold on to the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skog has McGuire pulled in close to control his posture.
McGuire wants to control from the top but Skog keeps moving.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Sloppy strikes from McGuire. Those never looked like landing.
McGuire looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Skog on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Skog throws a body punch but McGuire moves out of range.
McGuire drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Skog defends it well.
McGuire dodges the punch combination from Skog.
Skog swings for the body but McGuire moves out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Skog feints and then cracks McGuire's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow McGuire down.
McGuire blocks the body kick.
McGuire swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Skog uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McGuire.
Skog connects with a solid leg kick.
Mike McGuire seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McGuire gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
A swing and a miss from Skog.
Skog looks for the body kick but McGuire saw that one coming.
McGuire blocks the body kick.
McGuire checks a low kick from Skog.
McGuire avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Skog slips a jab from McGuire.
Skog looks to score with a jab to the body but McGuire is just out of range.
McGuire changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Skog has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from McGuire.
Skog has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Skog there as he acknowledges the shot.
Nice defenses there by Skog.
A low kick from Skog misses
and McGuire finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Skog throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
McGuire fails with a takedown attempt.
McGuire has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
McGuire looks to land a body kick but Skog moved away.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Skog, right into the meat.
McGuire tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
McGuire takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Skog moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
McGuire closes the distance looking to clinch
and Skog counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skog misses with a shot to the body
and McGuire counters with a left to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
A leg kick checked by McGuire.
Skog defending well as McGuire loads up on a big left hand.
McGuire loads up on a big right hand but Skog slips the punch.
An inside leg kick lands from McGuire.
Skog dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Skog misses with a body kick.
McGuire is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Skog with a body shot.
McGuire gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Skog misses with a low kick.
McGuire with the counter takedown but Skog avoids it easily.
McGuire looks to land a right hand but Skog moved out of range.
Skog is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
McGuire feints and then cracks Skog's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Skog down.
Skog stuns McGuire with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike McGuire showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

A kick lands to the mid section there for McGuire.
McGuire buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Some bone on bone action there as McGuire checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
McGuire throws a body shot but no joy.
Skog swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Skog swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Skog walks into a straight right hand from McGuire.
McGuire tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
McGuire tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Skog was well out of range. Poor timing from McGuire.
McGuire looks to land a left hand but Skog moved out of range nicely.
Mike McGuire seems to be getting the better of the standup.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGuire thumps Skog with a low kick.
Skog throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
McGuire tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
The fighters circling - McGuire throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Skog takes a body punch but keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Skog uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by McGuire.
McGuire ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Skog moves away.
Skog lands with a kick to the ribs.
Skog misses with a jab to the body

and McGuire counters with a shoot takedown. Skog fights it but they end up in guard.
McGuire trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Skog tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Skog is trying to keep McGuire in close.
McGuire landing with the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McGuire preventing the sweep.
McGuire wants to control from the top but Skog keeps moving.
Dan Skog has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGuire works over Skog with some ground and pound from guard.
McGuire is stalling in the full guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw McGuire working his ground and pound in the gym.
Skog wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and McGuire is now in half guard.
McGuire sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Skog defending well though.
Skog keeps control of the position for the meantime.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGuire stalling.
Skog slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mike McGuire is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Skog looking for a sweep. Not yet Skog, not yet.
McGuire throws an elbow that misses. Skog uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in McGuire's guard. Nice move by Skog!

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

McGuire has an active guard here but Skog has managed to pass into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Skog slows the pace down in half guard.
McGuire trying to control here.
McGuire is looking to improve his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Skog lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mike McGuire comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well McGuire 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 Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 27:30
Judge Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 28:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike McGuire!
After winning the bout, Mike McGuire thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.