PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Harry Poppins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cato McGraw (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Poppins kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Mama Said Knock You Out. Harry Poppins has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Poppins
vs
McGraw

193 cm
23
218 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

195 cm
21
210 lbs
9 - 9 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Knockout power

Tesla Apparel
Schwarzenegger Nutrition

Schwarzenegger Nutrition
Schwarzenegger Nutrition

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of London, Harry Poppins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 9 - 0, fighting out of London, Cato McGraw!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, William Gold and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Poppins moves in looking to clinch but McGraw pushes him off.
McGraw punishes Poppins's body with a nice straight punch.
Poppins doesn't manage to clinch there - McGraw circles away.
Poppins is looking to clinch but McGraw is avoiding it.

McGraw gets a takedown into half guard.
McGraw wants to control but Poppins is keeping him busy.
Poppins tries to kick McGraw off but McGraw keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Poppins manages to escape and get back to his feet!
McGraw avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Poppins clinches up against the cage.

McGraw pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McGraw keeps the fight on the outside.
McGraw moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Poppins swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Poppins moves out of range as McGraw strikes.
Poppins tries to close the distance and clinch but McGraw swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Poppins moves in looking to clinch but McGraw pushes him off.
Nice sprawl there from Poppins as McGraw shoots in.
McGraw tries to bum rush Poppins with a series of wild strikes but Poppins uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Poppins fails in his attempt to clinch.
Poppins swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Poppins takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

It looks like Harry Poppins has been cut.
McGraw catches Poppins with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!
McGraw misses with a jab, cross combination.
Poppins uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McGraw.
McGraw shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Poppins fails in his attempt to clinch.
Poppins closes the distance looking to clinch

and McGraw counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
McGraw seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Poppins taking some punishment here, with McGraw in his half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGraw trying to pass the guard but Poppins defending well.
McGraw throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
McGraw has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
McGraw uses his free foot to push down on Poppins's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Poppins.

McGraw is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Poppins has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Poppins is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGraw throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
McGraw controlling his opponent.
McGraw sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
McGraw looking to control but Poppins is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McGraw looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
McGraw landing strikes, looking to finish!
McGraw thowing shots but they're missing.
McGraw throws some wild stikes that Poppins manages to avoid easily.
McGraw misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Poppins tries to buck McGraw off but he can't manage it.
McGraw throws a wild left hand from mount and Poppins manages to wriggle his way back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cato McGraw dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Harry Poppins's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

McGraw dips to his left and cracks Poppins with an uppercut!
A good leg kick by Poppins.
Poppins tries to clinch up
enabling McGraw to counter with a crisp jab.
Poppins closes the distance but McGraw moves to the side

and McGraw counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Poppins!
McGraw putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
McGraw throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Poppins's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
McGraw can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Poppins is looking to escape.
McGraw throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGraw looking to control but Poppins is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
McGraw connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Poor strikes thrown by McGraw there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
McGraw wants to control the pace but Poppins is squirming around nicely.
McGraw misses with a head shot.
Poppins is not a happy chappy… he wants out of there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Poppins avoids a series of strikes thrown by McGraw.
Poppins is trying to get back to his feet but can't.
Poppins blocking the ground and pound.
Poppins holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as McGraw tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
McGraw sends his fist crashing into the mat - the crowd let out a collective ooooooh. Let's hope he's not broken it!
McGraw looking to finish with strikes here!
Poppins avoids a series of strikes thrown by McGraw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGraw throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Poppins is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Poppins tries to buck McGraw off but he can't manage it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McGraw trying to control but he's not successful this time.
McGraw throwing strikes here but Poppins is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

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.
You get the feeling that Poppins really doesn't like being in this position too much.
Poppins blocking the ground and pound.
Poppins wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by McGraw.
Poppins is trying to stand up.
McGraw controlling the position easily from mount.
Poppins holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as McGraw tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Cato McGraw showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Harry Poppins's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Poppins is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Poppins tries to clinch up

and McGraw counters with a single leg into guard. Poppins didn't expect that.
McGraw wants to control from the top but Poppins keeps moving.
McGraw looking to pass the guard.
McGraw trying to control but Poppins is working from the bottom.
McGraw trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGraw looking to sit in guard and control but Poppins gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
McGraw wants to hit a switch here but Poppins passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for McGraw there!

Poppins gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
A punch lands to the side of Poppins 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Poppins throws a hook to the side of McGraw's head but McGraw sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Harry Poppins is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Poppins blocks a jab.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Poppins clinches but McGraw breaks the clinch
and McGraw counters with a nice uppercut.
Poppins is looking to clinch but McGraw is avoiding it.
Poppins moves in looking to clinch but McGraw pushes him off.
Poppins wants to clinch but McGraw slips to the side

and McGraw decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Poppins's guard.
McGraw stops Poppins from standing up.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McGraw looking to pass the guard.
McGraw trying to control the position from guard on top but Poppins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Poppins is looking to stand up but McGraw isn't so interested in that idea.
Poppins preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Poppins wants to stand up but McGraw is controlling him.
McGraw is looking to work some ground and pound but Poppins has wrist control.
McGraw showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
McGraw misses with a wild body shot.
Poppins tries to clinch up
enabling McGraw to counter with a crisp jab.

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.
McGraw fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Poppins takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Poppins lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
McGraw circles away from the clinch attempt.
Cato McGraw seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Poppins uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before McGraw has time to react.

Poppins moves into the clinch.
Nice body punch from Poppins - that landed with a thud.
Harry Poppins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Poppins lands a nice shot to the body.
Poppins gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
McGraw is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Knees to the body from Poppins.
A right hand to the body from Poppins.
Knees to the body from Poppins.
A knee to the head by Poppins.
McGraw is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Poppins lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt McGraw or not.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Poppins creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Poppins presses McGraw against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Poppins landing knees to the body.
A nice left hand lands by Poppins.
McGraw stalling in the clinch but Poppins improves position.
McGraw is trying to break free.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Harry Poppins.
I think McGraw has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Steven Brown scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 28:29
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Cato McGraw!