PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Nathanial Mcconnell (ranked 6308 p4p, 0 weight class) and Will Darnold (ranked 24858 p4p, 0 weight class). Will Darnold has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mcconnell
vs
Darnold

155 cm
18
193 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

188 cm
21
184 lbs
0 - 4 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very confident

One stop shop

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Nathanial Mcconnell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Will Darnold!
The judges for this bout are Chad Campbell, Steve Montenegro and John Roberts.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mcconnell misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Mcconnell takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Mcconnell misses with a knee strike.

Darnold jumps guard.
Darnold is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Darnold might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Mcconnell haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mcconnell working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Mcconnell really is a fat lump.
Darnold wants to improve his position but instead Mcconnell has moved into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ground and pound from Mcconnell.
Darnold is looking to escape.
Darnold keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Mcconnell thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Darnold's head.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Darnold is trying to maintain the position but Mcconnell is very close to passing his half guard.

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.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Mcconnell connects with a nice short shot to Darnold's temple.
Darnold trying to hold on to Mcconnell's head to control him but Mcconnell postures up.
Darnold wants to get back to his feet.
Darnold is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mcconnell's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mcconnell's back!
Mcconnell has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Mcconnell is trying to get back to his feet but Darnold has full control of the position and if anything, Mcconnell has just worked his way into a worse spot.

Darnold seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Mcconnell's chin but Mcconnell turns very nicely into Darnold's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Mcconnell.
Darnold looks winded!
Mcconnell trying to control the position from guard on top but Darnold is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcconnell postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

Mcconnell drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Mcconnell jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Mcconnell postures up in Darnold's guard and throws a big left but Darnold blocks it.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Mcconnell drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Darnold manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Mcconnell has Darnold in his guard.

Darnold must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Darnold trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

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.
Mcconnell keeping moving, preventing Darnold from controlling successfully.
Mcconnell is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Darnold trying to control but Mcconnell is working from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mcconnell is looking to stand up but Darnold isn't so interested in that idea.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathanial Mcconnell dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Darnold dives in and grabs Mcconnell's left leg, looking for a takedown. Mcconnell pushes down on Darnold's head and hops out.
Darnold closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mcconnell circles away.
Mcconnell misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Nice takedown defense from Mcconnell. No joy for Darnold on that attempt.
Nathanial Mcconnell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Will Darnold.
Darnold tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Mcconnell swivels and escapes.
Darnold throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Mcconnell moves into the clinch.
Darnold is breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Darnold escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Mcconnell shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
letting Darnold counter with a right hand.
A head kick misses from Mcconnell.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mcconnell tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Darnold misses with a takedown attempt - Mcconnell sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.

Mcconnell dives in and scores a takedown into Darnold's guard.
Mcconnell trying to control but Darnold is working from the bottom.
Mcconnell lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Mcconnell landing some decent shots from guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcconnell wants to control from the top but Darnold keeps moving.
Nathanial Mcconnell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Mcconnell thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Mcconnell postures up and lands a big shot to Darnold's brow.
Darnold throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Darnold tries to strike from the bottom.
Darnold is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Mcconnell dives into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mcconnell tries for a kimura but Darnold is defending well.

Mcconnell working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Darnold is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Mcconnell scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Darnold gets back to full guard.
Darnold wants to control but Mcconnell passes easily into half guard.
Darnold is trying to get back to full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Mcconnell tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nathanial Mcconnell dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Mcconnell throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Darnold tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mcconnell is in Darnold's guard.

Darnold uses the cage to get back to his feet.
Darnold shoots in looking for a takedown. Mcconnell tries to sprawl out of it but Darnold keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Mcconnell manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Darnold ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Mcconnell moves away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Darnold closes the distance and clinches.
Darnold is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Mcconnell to keep the fight standing.
Darnold takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Darnold.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Mcconnell.
Mcconnell effectively controlling the action here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darnold jumps guard but Mcconnell stands there with Darnold around his waist. Darnold gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Nathanial Mcconnell has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Will Darnold.
Darnold has Mcconnell pressed against the cage, preventing Mcconnell from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mcconnell displaying some good clinch control by pressing Darnold up against the cage.
Mcconnell lands a left hand that snaps the head of Darnold backwards.
Darnold tries to pull guard but Mcconnell holds him up against the cage and eventually Darnold drops back down to his feet.

Mcconnell manages to pull guard.

Mcconnell has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Darnold can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Darnold passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mcconnell is trying to control but can't.
Darnold throws a strike but Mcconnell avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Darnold is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Mcconnell might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

Mcconnell is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mcconnell not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcconnell being controlled here, momentarily.

Darnold decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mcconnell, up you get!

Mcconnell shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Mcconnell was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Darnold wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcconnell lands a few punches from side control.
Mcconnell is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Darnold can do to turn this around?
Mcconnell working away.
Mcconnell cracks Darnold with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Darnold throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Darnold struggling a bit here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Mcconnell looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Will Darnold has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Nathanial Mcconnell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Mcconnell controls the position from side control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Nathanial Mcconnell showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mcconnell has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Chad Campbell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Roberts scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nathanial Mcconnell!