PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Fireaway Flanagan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julio Madrigal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Flanagan's entrance music is For Heavy Metal we will die!. A fine choice. Madrigal has chosen Lil Jon-Throw it Up as his entrance music. Julio Madrigal has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Flanagan
vs
Madrigal

171 cm
28
140 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

178 cm
42
117 lbs
32 - 21 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Conviction

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Fireaway Flanagan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 32 - 21 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Julio Madrigal!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Fedor Mirinova and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Flanagan leaves Madrigal with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Madrigal is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Flanagan.
Flanagan connects with a leg kick. Madrigal looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
A jab from Madrigal misses.
Madrigal changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Flanagan tries to avoid it but Madrigal manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Flanagan to the ground. Flanagan escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Madrigal misses with a hook.
Flanagan throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Madrigal has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Madrigal crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Flanagan - the referee stops the clock and Madrigal gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Flanagan. Madrigal manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Flanagan catches Madrigal with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
Flanagan tries to work over Madrigal's front leg with a kick but Madrigal checks it.
Madrigal drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Flanagan defends it well.

Flanagan forces Madrigal back against the cage and clinches.
Flanagan lands a hook that snaps the head of Madrigal backwards.
Madrigal lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Madrigal prevents a body shot from Flanagan.
Flanagan definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Flanagan.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Madrigal is looking to take this one to the mat.
Fireaway Flanagan has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Madrigal.
Madrigal lands with a short head shot on the inside.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flanagan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Madrigal backwards.
Flanagan scores with a shoulder strike.
Flanagan is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Madrigal taking a breather.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Madrigal blocks an uppercut.
Madrigal working hard to break the clinch.
Flanagan blocks an uppercut.
Madrigal lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Flanagan lands a hook to the side of the head.
Flanagan misses with a body punch.
Madrigal blocking some punches.
Flanagan throws a head punch that misses.
Flanagan lands a left hand.
Madrigal prevents a body shot from Flanagan.
Madrigal holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Flanagan blocking some punches.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan gets underhooks to prevent Madrigal's takedown attempt.
Madrigal lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Flanagan lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Madrigal backwards.
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!
Flanagan lands a body punch.
Flanagan lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Madrigal blocks a body shot from Flanagan.
Madrigal working aggressively here.
Flanagan prevents the takedown attempt.
Flanagan misses with a punch on the inside.
Madrigal is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Flanagan misses with a punch on the inside.
Flanagan tries to throw a body punch but Madrigal avoids it by throwing Flanagan back against the cage.
Flanagan tries to throw a body punch but Madrigal avoids it by throwing Flanagan back against the cage.
Still in the clinch, Flanagan scores with a nice short uppercut.
Flanagan lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Flanagan tries a body shot but Madrigal blocks it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Madrigal.
Flanagan struggles to land a body shot inside as Madrigal controls his hands.
Flanagan lands with a short punch from the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A shot in the inside from Flanagan.
Nice body punch from Flanagan - that landed with a thud.
Madrigal scores with a nice hook to the head.
Flanagan has a couple of punches blocked by Madrigal.
Flanagan fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Flanagan swings wildly with an uppercut but Madrigal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Madrigal blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Madrigal blocks an uppercut.
Madrigal blocks a body shot from Flanagan.
Flanagan lands a hook to the side of the head.
A shot in the inside from Flanagan.
Madrigal prevents a body shot from Flanagan.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Flanagan.
A short uppercut from Flanagan.
Flanagan can't find room to land a body shot as Madrigal controls the action.
Flanagan lands a nice uppercut.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan swings wildly with an uppercut but Madrigal uses good head movement to avoid it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Flanagan swings wildly with an uppercut but Madrigal uses good head movement to avoid it.
Madrigal lands a body punch - he's looking to wear down Flanagan.
Madrigal wants a takedown.
Flanagan tries a body shot but Madrigal blocks it.
Flanagan throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Madrigal working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Flanagan lands a body shot in the clinch.

Madrigal works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

Flanagan working for a triangle but Madrigal defends it easily.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Madrigal stopping the sweep attempt from Flanagan.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fireaway Flanagan dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Flanagan chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Fireaway Flanagan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Flanagan.
Madrigal changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Madrigal misses with a hook.
Madrigal walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Flanagan looks to land a right hand but Madrigal moved out of range.
Nice defenses there by Flanagan.
Flanagan lands with an uppercut that bounces Madrigal off the cage and back into range.
Madrigal swats away the attempt to clinch by Flanagan.
Madrigal throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Madrigal takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Flanagan listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Jab, jab by Madrigal - just one landing.
Madrigal takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
The fighters circling - Flanagan throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Madrigal throws an ugly left hook that misses
enabling Flanagan to counter with a crisp jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Madrigal blocks the body kick.
Madrigal 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.
Flanagan slips a straight right by Madrigal.
A chopping leg kick lands by Flanagan.
Madrigal looks to score with a jab to the body but Flanagan is just out of range.
Flanagan is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Madrigal can do to turn this around?
Flanagan is looking to slow Madrigal down with leg kicks.
Flanagan looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Madrigal takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Flanagan chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Fireaway Flanagan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Flanagan fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Madrigal looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Madrigal throws a body punch but Flanagan moves out of range.
Madrigal throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Flanagan's waist but Flanagan gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Madrigal off to one side.
Flanagan scores with a hook.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Madrigal.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Flanagan sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan works his way to full guard. Good work.
Flanagan working a defensive guard here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Flanagan is on top in guard.

Flanagan scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Flanagan tries to free his leg and advance position but Madrigal is retaining full guard.
Flanagan trying to control the position from guard on top but Madrigal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Madrigal looking for a sweep. Not yet Madrigal, not yet.

Madrigal had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Flanagan defends it easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Madrigal trying to control the position.
Madrigal tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Flanagan advances to half guard.
Flanagan controlling the pace.
Madrigal tries to get to full guard but Flanagan has control of the leg.
Flanagan throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Madrigal 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.
Madrigal looking for a sweep. Not yet Madrigal, not yet.
Flanagan landing some decent shots from guard.
Flanagan connects with a couple of short punches.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Madrigal looking for a guillotine here but Flanagan defends easily.
Flanagan distracts Madrigal with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Flanagan postures up.
Flanagan trying to control but Madrigal is working from the bottom.
Madrigal tries to land a sweep but no joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Fireaway Flanagan dominated that second round.
That's time! Flanagan's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Sloppy strikes from Flanagan. Those never looked like landing.
Nice defenses there by Flanagan.
Flanagan throws a push kick but Madrigal slaps the foot to one side.
Flanagan waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Madrigal.
Flanagan lands a jab.
Flanagan throws a nice looking combination but Madrigal bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Madrigal lands an overhand right.
Flanagan keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Madrigal cracks Flanagan with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Flanagan tries to sprawl but Madrigal drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Flanagan makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Flanagan.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Flanagan looking for subs off his back but Madrigal has passed one foot through into half guard.
Madrigal looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Flanagan with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Flanagan gets back to full guard.
Flanagan 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.
Madrigal must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Madrigal trying to control but Flanagan is working from the bottom.

Flanagan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Madrigal defends well.

Flanagan has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Madrigal can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

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.
Madrigal sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Flanagan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Madrigal is aware though and is defending well.
Flanagan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Julio Madrigal has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Madrigal looking to sit in guard and control but Flanagan gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Flanagan stands up out of Madrigal's guard for a moment - Madrigal manages to land a nice upkick.
Madrigal trying to keep a closed guard but Flanagan is proving a slippery customer.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Flanagan stopping the sweep attempt from Madrigal.
Flanagan keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Madrigal's head.
Madrigal not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Flanagan scoring with some ground and pound.
Flanagan makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Flanagan stopping the sweep attempt from Madrigal.
Flanagan trying to control but Madrigal is working from the bottom.
Flanagan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Flanagan trying to control the position from guard on top but Madrigal is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Madrigal working for a triangle but Flanagan defends it easily.
Madrigal controls Flanagan momentarily but Flanagan frees himself.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Madrigal working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Flanagan doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Flanagan manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Flanagan lands a couple of digs.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Fireaway Flanagan.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Flanagan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Valeri Chadov scores the fight 30:27
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 30:27
Judge Konstantin Menshow scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Fireaway Flanagan!
In his post fight interview, Fireaway Flanagan started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.
The defeated Julio Madrigal had this to say: 'Props to him, he beat me fair and square this time. I will go back to the gym and get better, I'm going to win my belt back.'.