PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Theodore Nouveau (ranked 3488 p4p, 154 weight class) and Connor McGregor (ranked 6786 p4p, 219 weight class). Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Nouveau
vs
McGregor

168 cm
22
140 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

165 cm
25
133 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Theodore Nouveau!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Connor McGregor!
The judges for this bout are David Hoff, Santiago Holmes and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Nouveau shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says McGregor as he avoids it easily.
McGregor lands with a cross.
McGregor scores with a hook to the body. Nouveau takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
McGregor slaps away a takedown attempt from Nouveau, before circling back to the center of the mat.
McGregor lets loose with a powerful body kick. Nouveau will feel that in the morning.
McGregor throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A decent looking body kick lands there for McGregor.
McGregor has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
A lazy left from McGregor finds it's target.

Nouveau is rocked!
Nouveau has his takedown stuffed
and McGregor counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Oh Nouveau is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Theodore Nouveau. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McGregor cracks Nouveau with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
McGregor with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
McGregor throws a nice head kick!

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGregor moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
McGregor scores with a nice strike.
McGregor wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Nouveau shoots for a takedown but McGregor saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Nouveau definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Nouveau walks forward, straight into a front kick from McGregor.
Nouveau is breathing heavily.
Nouveau swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and McGregor connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Nouveau looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
McGregor is positioning himself well to prevent Nouveau advancing to mount.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
McGregor missing with punches from the bottom.
Nouveau seems to have got his legs back now.
McGregor makes his way to full guard. A much better position for McGregor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nouveau is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
McGregor really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Nouveau. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
McGregor looking to hit a scissor sweep but Nouveau is one step ahead there.
Nouveau throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Nouveau working some strikes from top position.
Nouveau works a leg free and moves into half guard.
McGregor wants to control but Nouveau is keeping busy and won't allow it.

Nouveau is sneakily working for an arm triangle but McGregor sees it coming and defends easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nouveau throwing shots but McGregor is blocking nicely.
McGregor moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Nouveau throwing strikes from guard but McGregor blocks nicely.
Nouveau chips away with some ground and pound.
Nouveau is working McGregor over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Nouveau is looking to work some ground and pound but McGregor has wrist control.
Nouveau is in close to McGregor's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Nouveau postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Nouveau trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGregor keeping moving, preventing Nouveau from controlling successfully.
Nouveau is in close to McGregor's body, working some short punches and elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Nouveau decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on McGregor, up you get!
McGregor lands with a shot to the body.
Connor McGregor is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McGregor throws a sloppy head kick and Nouveau moves out of range easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nouveau.
Nouveau shoots in and drives through. McGregor sprawls well.
McGregor lands a body shot.
McGregor throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
A jab lands there for McGregor.
McGregor keeps Nouveau at a distance using the push kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Connor McGregor dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

McGregor connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Nouveau's hands.
Nouveau fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but McGregor avoids it really well and circles away.
Nouveau throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around McGregor's waist but McGregor gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Nouveau off to one side.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by McGregor.
Nouveau shoots for a double leg takedown but McGregor sprawls well. He's pushed Nouveau's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Theodore Nouveau. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McGregor jabs Nouveau to the body, keeping him at a distance.
McGregor lands a nice looking body shot.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGregor scores with the left hand. Nouveau knows he should have avoided that one.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Nouveau shoots in but no luck this time.
Connor McGregor seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Nouveau takes one on the chin but seems OK.
McGregor scores with a head kick. Nouveau tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Theodore Nouveau is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nouveau misses with a takedown attempt
and McGregor counters with a nice uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGregor connects with a body shot.
McGregor goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
McGregor lands with an overhand left.
McGregor fakes the leg kick and cracks Nouveau in the body.
Nouveau on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
McGregor throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Nouveau.
McGregor lands a front kick.
McGregor lands with a slapping head kick.
Nouveau shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and McGregor counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
McGregor has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
This has been an exciting period of action!
McGregor checks a low kick from Nouveau.
A nice side step and McGregor releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Theodore Nouveau seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nouveau ducks right into an uppercut from McGregor.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGregor throws a head kick that Nouveau semi-blocks.
Nouveau shoots in but no luck this time.
McGregor lands a nice looking kick to the body. Nouveau takes a step back to recover.
Nouveau takes one on the chin but seems OK.
McGregor connects with a good right hand that stumbles Nouveau. Nouveau circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Nice uppercut lands for McGregor. That snapped Nouveau's head back.
Nouveau tries for a takedown but McGregor circles away easily
and McGregor counters with a leg kick.
Nouveau takes a jab right on the kisser.
A nice leg kick lands there from McGregor.
McGregor cracks Nouveau with a good jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGregor scores with a head kick. Nouveau tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
McGregor lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Nouveau circles away quickly and effectively.
Nouveau attempts a counter takedown but McGregor avoids it well and moves away.
McGregor moves out of range of the leg kick from Nouveau.
Nouveau closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
McGregor misses with a head kick.
Nouveau looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Nouveau.
McGregor throws a counter combo.
A head kick misses from McGregor.

A momentary lapse in concentration from McGregor enables Nouveau to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. McGregor manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Nouveau with a flurry of punches that miss.

Nouveau is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nouveau postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! McGregor is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Nouveau, into his guard.

McGregor wants to control from the top but Nouveau keeps moving.
McGregor throws a strike but Nouveau rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Nouveau trying to control the position from guard on top but McGregor is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
McGregor looking to control.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Connor McGregor showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

A head kick misses from McGregor.
McGregor lands a jab to Nouveau's midsection.
McGregor connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
McGregor lands with an uppercut that bounces Nouveau off the cage and back into range.
Nouveau has a takedown stuffed.
McGregor lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Nouveau throws a head kick but McGregor moves out of range.
McGregor looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

McGregor tries to sprawl but Nouveau drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nouveau stops McGregor from getting back to his feet.
Nouveau throwing shots but McGregor is blocking nicely.
McGregor trying to control but Nouveau postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nouveau drops an elbow to the side of McGregor's head.
Nouveau with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Nice strikes from Nouveau there.
Nice strikes from Nouveau there.
McGregor is refusing to be controlled, as Nouveau sits in half guard.
McGregor tries to get to full guard but Nouveau has control of the leg.
McGregor avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Nouveau.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nouveau slows the pace down in half guard.
McGregor is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Nouveau is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Nouveau wants to take a breather but McGregor is having none of it.
Nouveau controlling the pace.
Nouveau wants to take a breather but McGregor is having none of it.
Nouveau missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nouveau shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts McGregor as he jumps to the side.
Nouveau shoots and misses
and McGregor counters with a left and a right that stings Nouveau.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Theodore Nouveau. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nouveau shoots in for a takedown but McGregor shows good takedown defense.
McGregor throws a shot to the body.
A thudding body kick lands there by McGregor!
McGregor pushes Nouveau away with a front kick.
McGregor delivers a nice body kick.
Nice defenses there by McGregor.
Nouveau drops his hands momentarily and McGregor takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
McGregor lands with a kick to the temple. Nouveau shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Nouveau moves into the clinch successfully.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Knees to the body from McGregor.
Nouveau tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. McGregor just stands there and leans against the cage.
McGregor lands a left hand.
McGregor lands with a left to the head.
Theodore Nouveau has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
McGregor tries to work over Nouveau's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Connor McGregor is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Nouveau is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but McGregor is defending well.
Nouveau tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and McGregor avoids it.

McGregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Nouveau looks for a takedown but McGregor sprawls well.
McGregor tries a quick counter leg kick but Nouveau is wise to it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Connor McGregor comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got McGregor winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 David Hoff scores the fight 27:30
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Connor McGregor!
Connor McGregor decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.