PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Garry Almeida (ranked 3399 p4p, 2096 weight class) and Christopher Irwin (ranked 319 p4p, 207 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Almeida
vs
Irwin

180 cm
27
155
4 - 4 - 0

150 cm
28
148
5 - 2 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
Basic striking
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Garry Almeida!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Christopher Irwin!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Ryoma Takatsuka and Micheangelo Fripello.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Irwin drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Almeida is looking for a sweep.
Almeida sneaks back into half guard.
Irwin wants to pass the guard but Almeida is defending well.
Irwin working to pass to mount. He's got his hand pressing down on Almeida's thigh. Almeida counters though and makes it back to full guard.
Irwin stays in close to Almeida's body and controls the position.
Irwin tries to free his leg and advance position but Almeida is retaining full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Almeida has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Irwin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Irwin looking to pass the guard.
Irwin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irwin tries to free his leg and advance position but Almeida is retaining full guard.
Irwin sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Almeida's guard.
Irwin sitting and controlling from the half guard.
Irwin is pressing down on Almeida's thigh, looking to free his foot. Almeida is holding on for now.
Irwin controlling the action here.

Almeida looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Almeida keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Irwin is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Irwin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida is working to get back to half guard.
Irwin content just to control the position here.
Almeida tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Irwin sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Irwin with some aggressive grappling here, looking for the finish.
Irwin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
It looks like Irwin might be adopting somewhat of a lay and pray gameplan here, which I'm sure won't go down too well with the paying fans in attendance... Or the ring announcers come to think of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irwin's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Irwin pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Irwin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Irwin is continuing to stall.
More stalling from Irwin.
Irwin is looking to work his way around to Almeida's back. He needs to be careful though, as he's in danger of losing this dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Almeida has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.
Irwin controlling from the back.
Irwin with more of the same as he continues to hold on.
Almeida is trying to break free.
Irwin trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Almeida doesn't escape.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Our spies down at at Outlier Martial Arts inform us that Irwin has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Irwin dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Irwin shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Irwin controlling the action here.
The adventures of Irwin the control monster continue. Boring.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Almeida is trying to maintain the position but Irwin is very close to passing his half guard.
Almeida wants to improve his position but Irwin is controlling well.
Irwin with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Almeida actively working from the bottom here.
Irwin has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Irwin has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Irwin controlling from mount.

Irwin stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.

Irwin throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Almeida tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Irwin is in Almeida's guard.
Irwin is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Almeida looking for a guillotine here but Irwin defends easily.
Irwin not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Almeida 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.

Almeida throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Irwin stands up from Almeida's guard - Irwin perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Irwin looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Irwin engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

Irwin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Almeida has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Irwin has managed to get both his arms back between Almeida's legs - danger averted.
Irwin looking to pass the guard.
Irwin controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Irwin wants to pass the guard but Almeida is keeping the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irwin stands and throws Almeida's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Almeida struggling a bit here.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Almeida is trying to get back to half guard.
Irwin moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Almeida manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Irwin tries to pass the half guard into mount. Almeida knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Christopher Irwin has got the better of the ground game so far.
Irwin looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Christopher Irwin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Almeida shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.

Irwin makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Almeida darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Irwin wants to improve his position but Almeida is controlling well.
Irwin is holding on to half guard well.

Almeida is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Irwin wants to control but Almeida is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Irwin tries to roll over but Almeida keeps him under control.
Irwin is trying to control but can't.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Almeida seems to be looking for submissions.
Irwin keeping hold of Almeida's head, controlling as best he can.

Almeida is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Irwin defends it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Irwin works his way to full guard. Good work.
Irwin wants to sweep but no luck.
Almeida looking to pass the guard.
Irwin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Irwin pulls Almeida in to control the position.

That's two 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.
Irwin 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.
Irwin is adopting a defensive guard.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Almeida closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Irwin to the mat! Irwin manages to get full guard.
Irwin wants to sweep here but Almeida controlling him for the moment.
Almeida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Irwin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Almeida will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Irwin wants to sweep but no luck.
Irwin is still trying to improve position.
Irwin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irwin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Almeida 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.
Irwin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Irwin pulls Almeida in to control the position.
Christopher Irwin is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Irwin is looking to sweep but instead, Almeida has passed into half guard.
Irwin is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Almeida is looking for a kimura but Irwin is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Almeida to get the leverage.
Irwin is trying to get back to full guard.

Almeida looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Irwin is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Almeida's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Almeida's back!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Irwin keeps control of the position easily here as Almeida tries to buck him off.
Irwin is hanging on to Almeida's back as he tries to escape.
Irwin trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Almeida doesn't escape.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Almeida trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Almeida tries to roll but Irwin sticks to his back.
Garry Almeida has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Christopher Irwin.
Well Irwin 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 Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ryoma Takatsuka scores the fight 27:30
Judge Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christopher Irwin!
In his post fight interview, Christopher Irwin started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.