PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ben Nguyen (ranked 6026 p4p, 0 weight class) and Shawn MacArthur (ranked 6159 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Nguyen
vs
MacArthur

175 cm
25
156 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
25
157 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Decent boxing
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ben Nguyen !
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Shawn MacArthur!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, David Schapiro and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
MacArthur looks to land a combination but Nguyen avoids it well.
Nguyen tries to clinch up

and MacArthur counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
MacArthur seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Let's hope that MacArthur has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Nice strikes from MacArthur there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
MacArthur seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.

MacArthur decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nguyen wants to clinch.

MacArthur feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
MacArthur wants to get up but he can't break Nguyen 's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
MacArthur content to stall in guard here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Nguyen looking for a guillotine here but MacArthur defends easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
MacArthur content to stall in guard here.
MacArthur pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Nguyen is keeping the position for now.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as MacArthur accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacArthur makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

MacArthur avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
MacArthur passes easily into side control. Nice work.
MacArthur working the head with strikes.
MacArthur cracks Nguyen with a big right hand but Nguyen just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

MacArthur thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
MacArthur happy to just control the position for now.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

MacArthur is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Nguyen has escaped the position, nice work there.
MacArthur has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Nguyen !
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
MacArthur takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

MacArthur is in full mount, looking to secure a guillotine but Nguyen is surviving well by controlling MacArthur's body position as best he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Nguyen shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with MacArthur but MacArthur pushes him off and we're back to square one.

MacArthur looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
MacArthur has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
MacArthur not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

MacArthur stands up from Nguyen 's guard - MacArthur perhaps looking for a knockout.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
MacArthur tries a head kick but it misses.
Nguyen is looking to counter the offense by MacArthur and move into the clinch.
Nguyen tries for a takedown but MacArthur sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
MacArthur throws a head kick that misses
and Nguyen counters with a body kick that stops MacArthur in his tracks momentarily.

MacArthur shoots in and gets a takedown into Nguyen 's guard.
MacArthur sitting in guard here, content to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nguyen is trying to keep MacArthur in close.
Shawn MacArthur has got the better of the ground game so far.
Nguyen throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
MacArthur 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.
MacArthur postures up.
MacArthur postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Nguyen wants to stand up but MacArthur is controlling him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
MacArthur is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
An inside leg kick lands from Nguyen .

MacArthur closes the distance and pushes Nguyen back into the cage.

MacArthur gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
MacArthur slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
MacArthur advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
MacArthur wants to stand but Nguyen has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Nguyen trying to control but MacArthur postures up.
Nguyen is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
MacArthur with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Nice strikes from MacArthur there.
MacArthur takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Nguyen is trying to control but can't.
MacArthur slows the pace down in half guard.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
MacArthur wants to get back to his feet.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
MacArthur listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Nguyen misses with a double jab
and MacArthur counters with a nice uppercut.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Shawn MacArthur showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Nguyen 's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

MacArthur moves into the clinch successfully.

MacArthur has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Nguyen clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
MacArthur controls the action.

MacArthur patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Nguyen is in bad spot here.

MacArthur is working hard for the rear naked choke here.
MacArthur has good solid back control here.

MacArthur is working on the RNC. He looks like he's got it but Nguyen won't tap... Oh, he's out! The ref rips MacArthur off his unconscious opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Shawn MacArthur!