PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Elijah Carter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tai Ganaban (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Tai Ganaban has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Elijah Carter's chin.

Carter
vs
Ganaban

223 cm
18
177 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

168 cm
20
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Elijah Carter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tai Ganaban!
The judges for this bout are Columbo Gatti, Jonathan Paton and Jorge Garcia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ganaban shoots in and drives through. Carter sprawls well.
Ganaban shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Carter counters with a left and a right that stings Ganaban.
Ganaban shoots in looking for a takedown. Carter tries to sprawl out of it but Ganaban keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Carter manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Carter seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.
Elijah Carter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tai Ganaban.

Carter has Ganaban up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carter fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Carter tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ganaban has picked Carter up - he's going for a ride! Ganaban dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Carter wants to get back to full guard but Ganaban has passed into side control.
Ganaban postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Ganaban should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Ganaban controlling the position.

Ganaban looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Carter tries to buck Ganaban off but Ganaban is having none of it.
Carter is letting Ganaban control him for a moment.
Carter on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter taking punishment in the form of punches.
Carter is not content to let Ganaban control the position.
Carter can't do much from the bottom here.
You can see the frustration on Carter's face as Ganaban controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ganaban thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Ganaban decides to stand back up.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ganaban.
Ganaban in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ganaban is looking to take a break and control but Carter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Carter wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Ganaban stands up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Carter has managed to clinch.
Carter fails to pull guard.
Carter is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Ganaban to keep the fight standing.
Ganaban doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Carter tries to pull guard but Ganaban won't allow it.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Ganaban jumps guard and drags Carter to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Ganaban seems keen to control Carter's posture.
Carter engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tai Ganaban dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Carter throws a series of strikes that have Ganaban backpedaling.
Carter tries to clinch there but Ganaban circles away.
Ganaban doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Carter counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Ganaban shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carter swinging wildly here.
Elijah Carter is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ganaban throws a combination that misses
and Carter counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ganaban sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Ganaban shoots in looking for a takedown but Carter manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Ganaban's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Elijah Carter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tai Ganaban.
Ganaban is breathing heavily.
A shot to the liver by Carter. Beautiful body shot.

Ganaban closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Carter did well to prevent Ganaban getting side control.
Carter trying to hold on to Ganaban's head to control him but Ganaban postures up.
Carter misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ganaban prevents Carter from improving his position.
Ganaban is thwarting Carter's attempts to control the position.
Ganaban wants to take a breather but Carter is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carter tries to kick Ganaban off but Ganaban keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Carter tries to get to full guard but Ganaban has control of the leg.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Ganaban lands a nice short elbow.
Carter throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Ganaban is looking to take a break and control but Carter is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Ganaban keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carter fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Ganaban tries to counter by closing the distance.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Ganaban.
Ganaban landing a few strikes.

Carter sneaks out the side door and pushes Ganaban away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.

Carter gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Ganaban working some strikes from top position.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ganaban tries to free his leg and advance position but Carter is retaining full guard.
Ganaban postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Carter is looking for a triangle but Ganaban pushes his legs off easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Carter trying to keep a closed guard but Ganaban is proving a slippery customer.
Ganaban is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Carter can't keep his opponent in guard - Ganaban advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

Ganaban is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Carter sees it coming and defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Elijah Carter dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Ganaban keeps the fight on the outside.
Ganaban throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Carter's waist but Carter gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Ganaban off to one side.
Ganaban misses with a takedown attempt
and Carter counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Carter tries to clinch up but Ganaban circles away and keeps his distance.

Carter instigates a clinch.

Carter drags the fight down to the ground.
Ganaban stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carter swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Carter 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 had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carter is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Carter has his foot on Ganaban's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Ganaban works his way back into a safe position though.
Tai Ganaban has got the better of the ground game so far.
Ganaban takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ganaban postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Ganaban is in close to Carter's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ganaban content to stall in guard here.
Carter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ganaban stands up over Carter, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Carter throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Carter is working an open guard so Ganaban takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.
Ganaban dives in and grabs Carter's left leg, looking for a takedown. Carter pushes down on Ganaban's head and hops out.
Elijah Carter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tai Ganaban.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ganaban dives in for a single leg takedown but Carter sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Carter tries to counter by clinching up but Ganaban breaks away and moves out of range.
Ganaban shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Carter counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Carter.
Carter is trying to pull guard but Ganaban turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Carter tries to pull guard but Ganaban holds him up against the cage and eventually Carter drops back down to his feet.

Ganaban tightens his grip and picks Carter up, before dumping him to the ground. Carter manages to land in guard.
Ganaban stops Carter from standing up.
Carter preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Carter is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ganaban trying to control but Carter is working from the bottom.
Carter not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Ganaban won't allow Carter to sweep him here.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Carter defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Ganaban.
Ganaban shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Carter defends it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Carter has Ganaban up against the cage in a clinch.
Carter jumps guard but Ganaban stands there with Carter around his waist. Carter gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Ganaban breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Carter takes the fight into the clinch.

Ganaban lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.

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 Elijah Carter.
I think Carter has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Columbo Gatti scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elijah Carter!