PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Rex Bolt (ranked 7517 p4p, 539 weight class) and Con McGregor (ranked 25246 p4p, 628 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Bolt
vs
McGregor

180 cm
23
165 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

175 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Powerful

IniTech Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rex Bolt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Con McGregor!
The judges for this bout are Radbod Blank, Albert Achterberg and Paul Aken.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bolt slips a jab and a cross from McGregor.

Bolt clinches.
Bolt lands an elbow just above McGregor 's eye.
I was talking to Bolt's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Bolt with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Bolt manages to break the clinch.

McGregor has Bolt up against the cage in a clinch.
McGregor has Bolt pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Bolt manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Bolt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Bolt drives through and clinches with McGregor against the cage.

Bolt manages to break the clinch.
Bolt throws a jab when McGregor was well out of range.
McGregor thows a left - swing and a miss!
As McGregor tries to get set, Bolt tries to push him back and clinch up but McGregor manages to avoid the attempt.

McGregor takes the fight into the clinch.
Bolt stalling in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGregor working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Bolt effectively controlling the action here.

Bolt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
McGregor scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!

McGregor clinches.
Bolt tries to land a knee to the head but misses.

McGregor wants the takedown. Bolt is fighting it off but McGregor persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Bolt's guard against the cage.

Bolt is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Bolt slows down the pace here.
Bolt can't find room to land a body shot as McGregor controls the action.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolt taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Bolt dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Bolt seems to have come into the fight with the intention of avoiding any damage in the clinch, rather than actually showing any aggression.
McGregor wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Bolt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Nice sprawl there from Bolt as McGregor shoots in.
Bolt throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Bolt closes the distance and clinches.
Bolt stalling in the clinch.
Bolt landing knees to the body.
A frustrated look appears on McGregor's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bolt working McGregor over with knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolt lands a damaging elbow.

Bolt breaks from the clinch.

Bolt moves into the clinch.
Bolt tries to work over McGregor's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
McGregor has had enough of the clinch but Bolt keeps him there for the moment.
Bolt misses with a body punch.

Bolt breaks from the clinch.

Bolt pushes McGregor up against the cage in a clinch.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Bolt's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Knees in the clinch landing for Bolt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGregor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
McGregor avoiding damage as Bolt throws knees to the body.
Bolt lands an uppercut.
Bolt stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Bolt breaks from the clinch.
McGregor has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Bolt is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Bolt moves out of range as McGregor throws a body kick.

Bolt clinches up against the cage.
Bolt scores a nice knee to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bolt misses with a body punch.

McGregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McGregor scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
A punch combination from McGregor misses.

Bolt has managed to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Bolt dominated that round.
That's time! Bolt's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

A right-left combo lands from McGregor.

McGregor darts in and clinches Bolt up against the cage.
Bolt misses with an elbow strike.
Bolt manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Bolt has McGregor pushed against the cage.
Bolt gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.

Bolt breaks from the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGregor misses with a few strikes there.
Rex Bolt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

McGregor closes the distance and clinches.
Knees to the body from Bolt.
Bolt is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that McGregor can do to turn this around?
Bolt lands with a right to the head.
Bolt working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bolt's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Con McGregor seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McGregor misses with a jab, cross combination.
McGregor shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bolt pinned against the cage. Bolt gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
McGregor throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Bolt.

Bolt darts in and clinches McGregor up against the cage.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Bolt.
Bolt lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of McGregor backwards.

Bolt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
McGregor throws a series of punches but Bolt moves out of range.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Bolt blocks a head kick by McGregor.

Bolt gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bolt lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Bolt takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bolt connects with a nasty looking knee right to McGregor's face.
This has been an exciting period of action!

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

Bolt has managed to clinch.
McGregor looking to throw knees to the head but Bolt is blocking nicely.
Bolt lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
McGregor is looking to control Bolt's arms but Bolt gets an underhook and turns him. Now McGregor has his back to the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Bolt just misses with a elbow thrown towards McGregor's brow.

Bolt escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
McGregor connects with a jab.
McGregor throws a head kick but Bolt moves out of range.
McGregor lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Bolt circles away quickly and effectively.
McGregor throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bolt scoring well with a low kick there.
McGregor throws a head kick that misses.

Bolt moves into the clinch.
McGregor wants to break the clinch but can't.
Bolt is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.

Bolt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Bolt gets a clinch.

Bolt breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Bolt clinches with his opponent.
Bolt connects with a nasty looking knee right to McGregor's face.
McGregor on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGregor looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Bolt slowing the pace effectively.

Bolt pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McGregor scores with a three punch combo!
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
McGregor lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

Bolt clinches.
A short right from Bolt.
Bolt lands a body punch.
McGregor is trying to pull guard but Bolt has him pressed against the cage.
Bolt stalling in the clinch.
Bolt scores with a knee to the head.

Bolt breaks from the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rex Bolt dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Good standup being displayed there by McGregor as he connects with a hook.

Bolt has closed the distance and engaged McGregor in a clinch.
Rex Bolt has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Bolt makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.

Bolt pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Con McGregor seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Bolt clinches up against the cage.
McGregor prevents a body shot from Bolt.

Bolt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bolt blocks a head kick by McGregor.

Bolt forces McGregor back against the cage and clinches.
Come on Bolt - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bolt pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Bolt avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bolt wants to clinch up but McGregor keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bolt moves into the clinch successfully.
Bolt tries a body shot but McGregor blocks it.
McGregor managing to block the knees to the body from Bolt.
McGregor is trying to break the clinch but Bolt is controlling him.

Bolt breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Rex Bolt is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Bolt has taken the fight to the clinch.
McGregor avoids the elbow strike from Bolt, against the cage.
Bolt stalls.
Bolt digs a right hand into McGregor's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on McGregor's gas tank.

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

Bolt gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bolt taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Good body shot from Bolt.
McGregor blocks the elbow strike.

Bolt breaks the clinch.

Bolt clinches with his opponent.
Bolt misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from McGregor.
A right handed body shot lands from Bolt.
Bolt misses with a hook to the ribs.
McGregor wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
McGregor looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
McGregor is trying to pull guard but Bolt has him pressed against the cage.
Bolt utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Bolt obliges.
McGregor can't break the clinch.
A nice left hand lands by Bolt.
Knees to the body from Bolt.
Bolt slowing the pace effectively.
Bolt landing knees to the head.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Bolt just misses with a elbow thrown towards McGregor's brow.
Bolt leaning his opponent against the cage.
McGregor blocks an elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bolt just leaning against McGregor, taking a breather.
Bolt lands an uppercut.
A nice left hand lands by Bolt.
Bolt content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Bolt is pushing McGregor up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
McGregor working hard to break the clinch.
Bolt lands with a right to the head.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Con McGregor has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rex Bolt is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
McGregor misses with a punch to the body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rex Bolt showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Bolt, 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 Radbod Blank scores the fight 30:27
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rex Bolt!