PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Athos Knox (ranked 622 p4p, 707 weight class) and Mickey Garcia (ranked 94 p4p, 107 weight class). Knox's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Click Click Boom | Saliva. Garcia has chosen S.G. Sinnicks - St Patrick Battalion as his entrance music. Mickey Garcia has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Knox
vs
Garcia

185 cm
30
188
16 - 11 - 1

180 cm
27
185
18 - 6 - 0

Great wrestler
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class MT
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Brooklyn Threads
Brooklyn Apothecary

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 16 - 11 - 1, fighting out of London, Athos Knox!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mickey Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Percy O'Donnell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garcia needs to keep his hands up - Knox had a free shot at his head there.
Knox keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox is looking to counter punch.
Knox throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Garcia stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Garcia bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Knox's head backwards.
Knox bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Garcia walks into a stiff left hand from Knox.
Knox steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Garcia.
Knox fails to land with a series of punches.
Knox scores with a jab.
Knox cracks Garcia with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Garcia throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Knox missing with a left hand there. Garcia was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.

Garcia closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garcia tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Knox smiles and moves away.
Knox lands an overhand right.
Garcia swings away with a body shot that misses
and Knox counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Garcia throws a hook but Knox blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knox lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Garcia circles away quickly and effectively.
Garcia appears to be waiting to throw a counter punch to the body.
Knox uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Garcia.
Garcia takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Knox looks to land a left hand but Garcia moved out of range nicely.
Knox cracks Garcia with a right hand to the side of the head.
Garcia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Knox manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Knox slips a jab from Garcia.
Garcia drops his hands momentarily and Knox takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Knox throws a hook but Garcia blocks it.
Garcia shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Nice straight punches there by Knox. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Knox.
Knox rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Garcia moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Garcia ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Knox paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garcia avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Knox tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Garcia was well out of range. Poor timing from Knox.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia misses with a hook. Knox ducked under it nicely.
Knox thows a left - swing and a miss!
Knox misses with a hook to the body
and Knox takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Nice defenses there by Knox.
Garcia slips a jab from Knox.
Garcia's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Knox connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Garcia scrambles back to his feet.
Garcia blocks a jab.
A cross from Knox lands.
Knox throws out a powerful jab.
Garcia ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
A nice side step and Garcia releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
Nice uppercut lands for Knox. That snapped Garcia's head back.
Garcia missing with a left hand there. Knox was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Knox digs a good hook to Garcia's body.
Garcia stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.

It looks like Athos Knox has been cut.
Jab from Knox.
Knox connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Knox is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Garcia swings widly with a right hand
and Garcia takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox thows a left - swing and a miss!
Garcia misses with an uppercut
and Knox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
A telegraphed right hand from Knox misses the target.
A big left from Knox misses.
Mickey Garcia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Nice defenses there by Knox.
A little feinted left hand from Knox on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A big left from Garcia misses.
A telegraphed right hand from Garcia misses the target.
Knox is looking to counter punch.
A swing and a miss from Garcia.
Knox lands a jab to Garcia's midsection.
Knox keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Knox scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.
Nice uppercut there from Knox.
Knox changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Knox is really peppering his opponent's head with punches.
Garcia misses with a looping right.
Garcia on the wrong end of a nice jab.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garcia fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia ducks under a wild hook from Knox.
Garcia looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Garcia misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Knox.
Knox doesn't manage to clinch there - Garcia circles away.
Knox connects with a body shot that sends Garcia's belly button to the back.
Knox scores with a hook.
Garcia throws out a token jab with nothing on it.

Knox moves into the clinch.
Garcia has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Garcia swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Garcia lands a nice elbow.

Garcia jumps guard.
Knox being controlled here momentarily.
Knox is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Knox passes into half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Athos Knox dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Athos Knox's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare each other down, ready to get back to the action.

Garcia throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Garcia swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Garcia throws a jab when Knox was well out of range.
Garcia looks to throw the jab but Knox is out of range.
Knox throws a hook but Garcia blocks it.
Knox is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Garcia can do to turn this around?
Knox jabs at Garcia's body.
Garcia misses with an uppercut.
Knox jabs Garcia to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Knox avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Garcia swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Knox swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Garcia digs a good hook to Knox's body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia works Knox's body with a nice hook.
Knox swings for the body but Garcia moves out of range.
Knox moves out of range of the strikes.
Garcia moves out of range as Knox strikes.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Garcia! But no joy.
Knox listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.
Garcia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Knox manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes from Garcia. Those never looked like landing.
Knox moves out of range of the strikes.
Knox misses the jab.
Garcia wants to counter with a clinch but Knox pushes him away.
Garcia punishes Knox's body with a nice straight punch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Knox. Garcia does a little dance to reset his feet.
A little jabbing left from Garcia on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Athos Knox is winning the standup battle so far.
Garcia tries to move into range but Knox moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Knox throws a looping overhand right but Garcia ducks down to avoid it.
Knox misses with a straight left.
Garcia throws a hook but Knox blocks it.
Knox is looking to counter punch.
Garcia scores with a jab.
Knox digs a good body shot into Garcia's ribs.
Knox throws a jab when Garcia was well out of range.
Garcia connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Knox's hands.
Knox thows a left - swing and a miss!
Knox lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Garcia throws out a loose jab but Knox uses good head movement to avoid it.
Knox swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Garcia throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Knox clobbers Garcia with an overhand right that has the crowd gasping. That made a horrendous noise.
Garcia lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Knox at a distance.
Garcia tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Knox counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Garcia is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Knox throws a jab but it's blocked by Garcia.
Garcia moves away from the strike by Knox.
Knox staying out of range there.
Knox throws out a loose jab but Garcia uses good head movement to avoid it.
Knox is looking to clinch but Garcia is avoiding it.
Nice straight punches there by Knox. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Knox.
Knox misses with a hook. Garcia ducked under it nicely.
Garcia avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
Garcia throws a shot to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Knox takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Knox tries to clinch up.
Garcia looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Knox lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Knox looks to land a right hand but Garcia moved out of range.
A looping hook to the body misses from Garcia. Knox does a little dance to reset his feet.
Garcia swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Garcia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Knox lands with an uppercut that bounces Garcia off the cage and back into range.
Garcia tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Garcia rushes Knox and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Knox avoids a wild elbow strike from Garcia.
Our sources have told us that Knox has been working on his elbows in the gym.
Knox tries to throw a body punch but Garcia avoids it by throwing Knox back against the cage.
A right hook to the body lands for Garcia.
Garcia fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Knox is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Garcia is keeping busy.
Knox blocking some punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Garcia successfully pulls guard.
Knox wants to control from the top but Garcia keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Knox stopping the sweep attempt from Garcia.
Garcia lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Knox is trying to control the position from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Garcia scoring with punches to the head and body.
Knox can't keep his opponent in guard - Garcia advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Knox makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Knox.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Mickey Garcia will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Athos Knox's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Garcia looks to score with a jab to the body but Knox is just out of range.
A jab lands there for Knox.
Garcia throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Knox connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Knox misses with a wild body shot.
A little jabbing left from Garcia on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Garcia throws a body shot but no joy.
Knox needs to keep his hands up - Garcia had a free shot at his head there.
Knox scores with a hook to the body. Garcia takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.
Garcia takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Knox throws a jab when Garcia was well out of range.
Knox swings away with a body shot that misses
and Garcia counters with a right hand to the body.
Garcia misses with an uppercut. Knox saw that one coming.
Knox throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Knox throws a big shot that misses.
Garcia moves in looking to clinch but Knox pushes him off.
Knox misses the jab.
Garcia throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garcia moves out of range as Knox strikes.
Garcia tries to counter by closing the distance.
Garcia takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Good exchange - Knox coming out on top.
Knox slips under a jab from Garcia.
Donk. Garcia catches Knox right on the button with a cross.
Knox fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Garcia is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Garcia misses with a wild body shot.
Garcia misses with a looping left.
Garcia thows a left - swing and a miss!
Garcia misses with an uppercut.
Knox slips a straight right by Garcia.

Garcia pushes Knox up against the cage in a clinch.
A short body shot lands from Garcia as the two fighters clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garcia tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Knox's elbow.
The referee is keeping an eye on Knox - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Garcia swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Garcia tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Knox blocks an elbow strike from Garcia.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garcia jumps guard but Knox stands there with Garcia around his waist. Garcia gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Garcia blocks the elbow strike.

Knox pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Knox throws a hook but Garcia blocks it.
Garcia tries to counter by closing the distance.
Garcia throws a good cross that connects.
Garcia uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Knox.
Garcia looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Knox throws a body shot but no joy.
Garcia lands with a good body shot.
Garcia tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Knox paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Garcia's jab looks to have found its range, popping Knox under the eye.
Garcia misses with a left hand
letting Knox counter with a right hand.
Knox throws a series of punches but Garcia avoids them all with ease.
Knox cracks Garcia with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.

Garcia has managed to clinch.
Knox is trying to break free.
Good body shot from Garcia.
Garcia lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Garcia lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Garcia jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Knox walks away with a smile on his face. Garcia gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Knox misses with an uppercut.
Garcia throws a poor cross that misses
and Knox counters with a straight right hand.
Knox cracks Garcia with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Garcia is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Garcia misses with an uppercut. Knox saw that one coming.
Knox throwing a counter right hand but Garcia manages to avoid it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia moves away from the strike by Knox.
Knox takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Knox uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Garcia.
Garcia connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Garcia throws a looping overhand right but Knox ducks down to avoid it.
Knox needs to keep his hands up - Garcia had a free shot at his head there.

Knox is rocked!

Athos Knox's cut is getting worse.
Knox waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Garcia.
A countering left hand to the body from Garcia misses.
Garcia bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Knox throws out a powerful jab.

Garcia has Knox up against the cage in a clinch.

Knox breaks from the clinch.
Knox lands a slapping body shot.
Garcia tries to clinch
and Knox makes him pay by landing a nice hook to the body before moving out of range.
Knox swings for the body but Garcia moves out of range.

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 Athos Knox.
I think Knox has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:29
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 28:29

The fight is ruled a draw!