PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Michael Garibaldi (ranked 1397 p4p, 181 weight class) and Rory McDonnell (ranked 2350 p4p, 291 weight class). Garibaldi comes to the cage accompanied by Resist and Bite - Sabaton. McDonnell is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Bloc Party - Ares (Remix). Michael Garibaldi could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Rory McDonnell's chin.

Garibaldi
vs
McDonnell

190 cm
23
200 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

183 cm
25
185 lbs
15 - 6 - 2

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Zenith Nutrition (160q/$200)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Michael Garibaldi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 6 - 2, fighting out of Montreal, Rory McDonnell!
The judges for this bout are Wagner Zegers, Aafke Stam and Nard Betker.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McDonnell is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Garibaldi slips under a jab from McDonnell.
Garibaldi is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
McDonnell stuns Garibaldi with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
McDonnell cracks Garibaldi with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Garibaldi is looking to chop away at McDonnell's legs.
Garibaldi steps to the side to avoid the strikes from McDonnell.
As McDonnell backs away, Garibaldi returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
McDonnell scores with a jab. Garibaldi acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
McDonnell misses with an attempted mid kick.
McDonnell misses with a leg kick
and Garibaldi counters with a nice uppercut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garibaldi lands a head kick!
Rory McDonnell seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McDonnell stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Garibaldi.
Garibaldi throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A cross from Garibaldi lands.
McDonnell throws a looping overhand right but Garibaldi ducks down to avoid it.
Garibaldi lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
A nice leg kick lands there from Garibaldi.
Some wild striking there from McDonnell.
Garibaldi misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from McDonnell.
McDonnell looks to land a body kick but Garibaldi moved away.
Garibaldi is looking to counter punch.
Garibaldi blocks a leg kick.
McDonnell throws a low kick but Garibaldi avoids it.
Garibaldi throws a leg kick but McDonnell checks it.
Garibaldi is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McDonnell.
Garibaldi throws a body shot but no joy.
Garibaldi uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before McDonnell has time to react.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

McDonnell closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Garibaldi to the mat! Garibaldi manages to get full guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Garibaldi escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. McDonnell gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Garibaldi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
McDonnell missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Garibaldi pulls McDonnell in close to his closed guard and prevents McDonnell from doing any damage or advancing position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garibaldi trying to keep a closed guard but McDonnell is proving a slippery customer.

Garibaldi working for submissions but it's allowed McDonnell to get to half guard.
Garibaldi is refusing to be controlled, as McDonnell sits in half guard.
McDonnell is looking to stall here but Garibaldi recovers full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
McDonnell looking to sit in guard and control but Garibaldi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

McDonnell trying to control the position.
Garibaldi won't allow McDonnell to sweep him here.
Garibaldi tries to free his leg and advance position but McDonnell is retaining full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Michael Garibaldi will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Garibaldi tests McDonnell's chin there with a solid looking shot.
McDonnell throws an overhand right that lands on Garibaldi's shoulder, as Garibaldi tries to avoid the shot.
Garibaldi has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Garibaldi thows a left - swing and a miss!
McDonnell misses with a kick to the body.
McDonnell throws a head kick but Garibaldi moves out of range.
It looked like Garibaldi was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from McDonnell.
McDonnell misses with a hook
and Garibaldi counters with a nice uppercut.
Garibaldi throws a big shot that misses.
McDonnell lands with a nice body punch.
Garibaldi moves out of range of the leg kick from McDonnell.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McDonnell motions for Garibaldi to come forward. McDonnell throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Garibaldi is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from McDonnell.
McDonnell throws a jab but it's blocked by Garibaldi.
Garibaldi gets cracked with a nice right hand there by McDonnell.

McDonnell shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Garibaldi is trying to defend but McDonnell finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Garibaldi manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Garibaldi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

Garibaldi looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Garibaldi looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Garibaldi keeping full guard, as McDonnell tries to pass.
Garibaldi looking to control.
McDonnell trying to control but Garibaldi is working from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Rory McDonnell has got the better of the ground game so far.
McDonnell advances position into side control!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garibaldi manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Garibaldi is pressing down on McDonnell's thigh, looking to free his foot. McDonnell is holding on for now.

McDonnell has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Garibaldi escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Garibaldi!
McDonnell can't do much from the bottom here.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McDonnell is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Garibaldi off and has taken his back!

McDonnell working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.
Garibaldi trying to control but not successfully.
Garibaldi is trying to break free.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
McDonnell misses with a punch to the head.
Garibaldi is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rory McDonnell showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Garibaldi throws a shot to the body.
McDonnell lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.

McDonnell moves into range and clinches up with Garibaldi.
McDonnell misses with a hook from the clinch.
Garibaldi is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
Garibaldi blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Garibaldi misses with a punch on the inside.
Garibaldi's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Garibaldi misses with a shot to the kidneys.
McDonnell lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A short left from McDonnell.

McDonnell breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
McDonnell throws a head kick but Garibaldi moves out of range.

McDonnell forces Garibaldi back against the cage and clinches.
Garibaldi misses with a body punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garibaldi working some nice short punches in the clinch.
McDonnell jumps guard but Garibaldi stands there with McDonnell around his waist. McDonnell gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Garibaldi breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
McDonnell swings widly with a right hand
and Garibaldi counters with a right hand to the body.
Garibaldi takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
McDonnell throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.

Garibaldi has McDonnell up against the cage in a clinch.
Garibaldi scores with a nice hook to the head.
I was talking to Garibaldi's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Garibaldi throws a head punch that misses.
Stalling in the clinch from Garibaldi.
Garibaldi lands with a light punch inside.
Garibaldi lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of McDonnell backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Garibaldi scores with a nice hook to the head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McDonnell's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!

McDonnell is rocked!

Garibaldi drops McDonnell onto one knee with a big uppercut from the clinch! McDonnell is propped up by the cage and works his way back to his feet!
McDonnell is still on wobbly legs! Can Garibaldi finish him?
Garibaldi lands a body shot in the clinch.
Garibaldi dips a shoulder and cracks McDonnell with a mighty uppercut! McDonnell falls back against the cage and Garibaldi unloads with a barrage of strikes! McDonnell is completely out with his eyes open, only supported by the cage! Save him ref! Eventually the ref decides to do his job and jumps in - Garibaldi screams abuse at the incompetent official before going over to celebrate with his corner. Brutal stuff!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:34 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Michael Garibaldi!
An out of breath Michael Garibaldi thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.