PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Jenean Garafallo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jason Maher (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Garafallo
vs
Maher

152 cm
28
141 lbs
6 - 7 - 0

165 cm
30
145 lbs
3 - 11 - 0

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Basic striking
Determined

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 6 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jenean Garafallo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jason Maher!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Ben Hemmingworth and Topper Green.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Maher throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Maher throws a head kick but Garafallo moves out of range.
Maher scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Maher fails to land with a series of punches.
Garafallo moves forwards but Maher connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Garafallo closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Garafallo throws a shot from downtown. Maher moves away and avoids it.
Garafallo tries to move into range but Maher moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Garafallo slaps away a takedown attempt from Maher, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Garafallo rushes Maher and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Garafallo wants to take the fight to the mat but Maher manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Garafallo lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Maher or not.
Maher misses with a knee to the head.

Maher breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Garafallo has been working on his boxing with his coaches at Kangaroo's MMA in the buildup to the fight.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Maher clinches up with Garafallo and pushes him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maher lands a left hand that snaps the head of Garafallo backwards.
Garafallo avoiding damage as Maher throws knees to the body.

Maher escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Garafallo clinches.
A frustrated look appears on Garafallo's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Maher trying to land knees to the body.
Maher can't break the clinch.
Garafallo keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Maher's efforts to push away.

Maher breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Garafallo has managed to clinch.
Maher is trying to break the clinch but Garafallo is controlling him.
Maher wants to break the clinch but can't.
Garafallo pushes off an throws an elbow but Maher leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maher blocks an uppercut.

Garafallo breaks the clinch.

Garafallo fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Maher sprawls well initially but Garafallo persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Maher makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Maher.

Maher working for a triangle but Garafallo defends it easily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Maher has his foot on Garafallo's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Garafallo works his way back into a safe position though.

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

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garafallo wants to pass the guard but Maher is keeping the position.
Garafallo working some strikes from top position.
Maher keeping moving, preventing Garafallo from controlling successfully.
Maher told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
Garafallo connects with a couple of short punches.

Maher throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Maher can't keep his opponent in guard - Garafallo advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maher works his way to full guard. Good work.
Garafallo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Maher on the ground.
Garafallo trying to control the position from guard on top but Maher is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Maher looking for a guillotine here but Garafallo defends easily.

Maher had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Garafallo defends it easily.
Garafallo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jason Maher dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Garafallo leaves Maher with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Garafallo is looking for a counter combo.
Maher throws a head kick that misses.
Maher gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Garafallo counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Garafallo.
Maher is trying to keep Garafallo in close.
Garafallo has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Maher is looking for a triangle but Garafallo pushes his legs off easily.
Maher keeping moving, preventing Garafallo from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garafallo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Jenean Garafallo overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Garafallo postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Garafallo chips away with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maher is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Maher has momentary wrist control but Garafallo slips an elbow through the middle.
Garafallo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Maher escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Garafallo gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Maher wants to sweep but no luck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Garafallo avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Maher throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Maher keeping moving, preventing Garafallo from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Maher is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Garafallo wants to control from the top but Maher keeps moving.
Garafallo scoring with punches to the head and body.
Maher looking to hit a scissor sweep but Garafallo is one step ahead there.
Garafallo makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garafallo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Garafallo seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Garafallo connects with a couple of short punches.

Maher is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Garafallo postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Maher keeping moving, preventing Garafallo from controlling successfully.
Garafallo might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Maher is pulling down on Garafallo's head. It's preventing any offense from Garafallo, at least for the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Maher trying to keep a closed guard but Garafallo is proving a slippery customer.
Garafallo chips away with some ground and pound.

Maher is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Garafallo defends well.
Garafallo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Maher is keeping the position for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Garafallo with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jenean Garafallo dominated that second round.
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. This is the final round!

Garafallo manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Maher on his heels. He'll look to pass Maher's guard now, I'm sure.

Garafallo looking to improve position, pressing down on Maher's thigh with his hand. Maher seems to be working to lock up a guilotine though... is Garafallo paying attention? Apparently not! He's locked it up tight! Garafallo's face has turned purple! Will he tap? Will he! YES! He's tapped! Maher picked his opening and made it count! Great finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:22 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Jason Maher!