PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mel Zharliyah (ranked 5992 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kyle Carno (ranked 7560 p4p, 0 weight class). Kyle Carno has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Zharliyah
vs
Carno

181 cm
21
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
26
193 lbs
3 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Inexperienced

Good takedowns
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mel Zharliyah!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Kyle Carno!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, Summer Carpenter and Eliza Hachem.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Horrible takedown attempt by Zharliyah or perhaps it was just good defense by Carno, which made it look bad.
Zharliyah throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
The fight stays on the outside here - Carno looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Zharliyah shoots in but no luck this time.
Zharliyah throws a lazy head kick

and Carno counters with a single leg into guard. Zharliyah didn't expect that.
Zharliyah seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Carno is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Carno avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carno 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.

Zharliyah is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Carno defends well.
Carno wants to control from the top but Zharliyah keeps moving.
Zharliyah tries to land a sweep but no joy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Carno has managed to clinch.
Carno lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Zharliyah backwards.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Zharliyah as Carno tries to tie him up.
Carno is pressed up against the cage. Zharliyah has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Carno down to the mat. Carno avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mel Zharliyah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Zharliyah gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Carno counters with a single leg into guard. Zharliyah didn't expect that.
Zharliyah wants to sweep but no luck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carno sitting in guard here, content to control.
Zharliyah is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Carno sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Carno stopping the sweep attempt from Zharliyah.
Zharliyah is working hard here to advance position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Carno stays in close to Zharliyah's body and controls the position.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Carno throws a head kick but Zharliyah moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Zharliyah jumps guard but Carno stands there with Zharliyah around his waist. Zharliyah gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Zharliyah tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Zharliyah is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Zharliyah is working for takedown but Carno is calmly controlling the position for now.
Zharliyah is breathing heavily.
Carno tries to land knees in the clinch but Zharliyah avoids the damage to the body.
Carno using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Zharliyah has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kyle Carno dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Horrible takedown attempt by Zharliyah or perhaps it was just good defense by Carno, which made it look bad.
Zharliyah tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Carno defends well and Zharliyah ends up having to push Carno into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A countering left hand to the body from Carno misses.
Zharliyah shoots in looking for a takedown but Carno manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Zharliyah's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Carno drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Zharliyah defends it well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Mel Zharliyah. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Carno slaps away a takedown attempt from Zharliyah, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Zharliyah connects with a single shot there.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carno tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Zharliyah manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Zharliyah is looking to counter the offense by Carno and move into the clinch.

Zharliyah has closed the distance and engaged Carno in a clinch.
Carno can't find room to land a body shot as Zharliyah controls the action.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carno scores a nice knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Zharliyah jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Carno walks away with a smile on his face. Zharliyah gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Carno has closed the distance and engaged Zharliyah in a clinch.
Carno is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Carno.
Carno tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Carno is working Zharliyah over against the cage.
Carno misses with a body punch.
Zharliyah managing to block the knees to the body from Carno.
Carno misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Zharliyah jumps guard but Carno stands there with Zharliyah around his waist. Zharliyah gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A left hand lands to the body for Carno.
Carno misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zharliyah.
Zharliyah tries to pull guard but Carno holds him up against the cage and eventually Zharliyah drops back down to his feet.
Carno fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Zharliyah is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Carno to keep the fight standing.
Carno holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Carno stalls.
Zharliyah jumps guard but Carno stands there with Zharliyah around his waist. Zharliyah gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Zharliyah fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Zharliyah jumps guard but Carno stands there with Zharliyah around his waist. Zharliyah gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Carno misses with a body punch.
Carno lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Carno blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Carno landing knees to the body.
Zharliyah blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Knees to the body from Carno.
Carno tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zharliyah avoids it.
Carno throws an elbow but it's blocked.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Zharliyah on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Carno tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Zharliyah's elbow.
Carno misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Zharliyah.
Zharliyah prevents a body shot from Carno.
Zharliyah can't break the clinch.
Zharliyah takes a knee to the side of the body.
Carno avoiding damage as Zharliyah throws knees to the body.
Carno tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Zharliyah avoids it.
Carno trying to land knees to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Zharliyah on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Carno tries to land knees in the clinch but Zharliyah avoids the damage to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kyle Carno showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Zharliyah takes the fight into the clinch.
Zharliyah tries to pull guard but Carno forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Zharliyah managing to block the knees to the body from Carno.

Zharliyah pulls guard effortlessly.
Carno sitting in guard, not really doing much.

Zharliyah working for a triangle but Carno defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carno trying to control but Zharliyah is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zharliyah has his foot on Carno's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Carno works his way back into a safe position though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Carno content to stall in guard here.
Carno really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Zharliyah. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Carno trying to control but Zharliyah is working from the bottom.
Zharliyah wants to sweep but no luck.
Zharliyah is looking to sweep but instead, Carno has passed into half guard.
Zharliyah throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Well, if Carno is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.
Zharliyah wants to control but Carno is keeping busy.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Zharliyah keeps the fight on the outside.
Carno has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.

Zharliyah rushes Carno and presses him up against the cage.
Carno doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Zharliyah goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Zharliyah pulls guard successfully.
Carno stays in close to Zharliyah's body and controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carno looking to sit in guard and control but Zharliyah gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Zharliyah trying to control but Carno is working from the bottom.
Zharliyah throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Carno has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Zharliyah trying to control but Carno is working from the bottom.
Zharliyah wants to pass the guard but Carno is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Zharliyah accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Kyle Carno is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Zharliyah pushing down on Carno's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

Zharliyah stands up from half guard.
Zharliyah misses with a takedown attempt - Carno sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
Carno feints the counter takedown.

Zharliyah gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mel Zharliyah has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Carno is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Zharliyah is defending well for now.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mel Zharliyah showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Carno has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kyle Carno!