PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Francis Paul (ranked 4846 p4p, 4794 weight class) and Frank Carney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Paul
vs
Carney

150 cm
18
143
0 - 0 - 0

205 cm
24
205
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

Good wrestler
Good kicks
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Francis Paul!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Frank Carney!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Illya Tyunina and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Carney scores with a kick to the midsection.
Carney lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Carney scoring well with a low kick there.
Carney throws a nice outside leg kick.
A solid body kick from Carney.
Nice body kick there by Carney.

Carney gets caught flat footed, as Paul shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Paul wants to stand but Carney has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

Carney working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Paul doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Paul manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Carney keeping moving, preventing Paul from controlling successfully.
Carney is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Paul passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
Carney is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Paul jumps into side control!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Carney is looking to reverse the position.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Carney can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Paul thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Paul blocks the strikes from Carney.
Carney really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Paul. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Paul is working Carney over with some ground and pound from side control.
Paul works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Carney tries to improve position but can't.
Paul takes advantage of some sloppy striking from Carney to pass into mount.
Carney is desperately trying to improve his position but Paul has a good base and remains in mount.
Paul 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.
Carney throwing hammer fists to the chest of Paul. What's that going to do exactly?
Carney tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Carney looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carney tries to roll but Paul sticks to his back.
Carney covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Paul tries to get the hooks in deep but Carney pushed the leg off.

Paul looking to break Carney's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Carney remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Paul will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Paul is hanging on to Carney's back as he tries to escape.
Paul punches Carney on the ear.
Paul controlling well, preventing Carney from escaping the position.
This has been an exciting period of action!
I would not like to be Carney right now.
Carney can't escape the position.
Will Paul go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Paul is breathing heavily.
Paul struggling to keep hold of the position.
Carney rolls, trying to escape but Paul keeps control of the position.
Carney is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Carney rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Carney punching from the bottom.
Carney moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Carney is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Paul defends well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carney tries to strike from the bottom.
Carney throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Carney throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Carney throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Carney throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Carney looking to hit a scissor sweep but Paul is one step ahead there.
Carney throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

Carney is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Carney throws a leg kick which misses Paul's front leg but catches the back leg as Paul tries to avoid it.
Paul steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Carney. That one must have hurt.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Francis Paul dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Carney throws a leg kick which misses Paul's front leg but catches the back leg as Paul tries to avoid it.

Paul pushes Carney up against the cage in a clinch.
Paul fails to pull guard.
Carney throws a knee to the head but misses.
Carney looking to throw knees to the head but Paul is blocking nicely.
Carney with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Paul pulls guard.

Paul throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Carney postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Paul controls Carney momentarily but Carney frees himself.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Paul manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Carney manages to get himself to full guard.

Carney throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Carney is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Paul is aware though and is defending well.
Carney will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.

Carney isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Paul stacks Carney on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Paul!
Carney striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Carney striking from the bottom but nothing landed.
Francis Paul overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Carney is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Carney throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Carney misses with an elbow from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carney tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Carney throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
Paul blocks the strikes from Carney.
Carney defending against the ground and pound.
Carney is looking to regain half guard here but Paul keeps moving and retains side control.
Paul avoids the strikes from the bottom by Carney.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Carney turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Carney throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Carney throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Carney connects with a leg kick.
Carney keeps Paul at a distance using the push kick.
A chopping leg kick lands by Carney.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Carney.
Carney lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Paul on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Paul will be looking to protect his midsection after taking some solid kicks to the body.
Paul takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Carney lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Carney throws a quick inside leg kick.
Frank Carney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Paul sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Paul stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Carney.
Carney throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Carney turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Carney. Paul shrugs it off though.
Carney is looking to slow Paul down with leg kicks.
Carney lands a leg kick that knocks Paul off balance momentarily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Paul tries to check a leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carney lands with a thumping leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Carney. That's going to slow Paul down.
Paul is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Carney throws a quick inside leg kick.
Paul on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Carney buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Frank Carney seems to be getting the better of the standup.
An inside leg kick lands from Carney.
Carney with the inside leg kick.
Carney connects with an inside leg kick.
Carney throws a quick inside leg kick.
Carney buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Carney throws a nice inside leg kick.
Carney turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Carney thows a body kick. Paul tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A thudding body kick lands there by Carney!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Carney showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Carney thumps Paul with a low kick.
Carney lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.

Paul closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Carney is trying to get back to half guard.
Paul tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Carney has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Carney is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Carney is trying to work for a sweep but Paul has mounted him!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Paul is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Carney can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.
Carney throws a strike from the bottom but Paul uses the opportunity to take his back.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carney is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Paul tries to keep control of the position but Carney is staying busy.
Paul is hanging on to Carney's back as he tries to escape.
Paul lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.

Paul is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Carney is defending well though. Paul let's go of the attempt for now.
You can see the frustration on Carney's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Carney has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Paul.
Carney rolls, trying to escape but Paul keeps control of the position.
Carney rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Paul blocks the strikes from Carney.
Carney tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Carney misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Carney flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Paul blocks the strikes from Carney.
Carney tries to get to full guard but Paul has control of the leg.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paul blocks the strikes from Carney.
Carney flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Carney throws a leg kick which misses Paul's front leg but catches the back leg as Paul tries to avoid it.
Crunch! Carney slams his shin into Paul's torso.
Carney lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Carney lands with a nice body kick.
Carney lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
A solid leg kick lands there for Carney.
Francis Paul is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Carney buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carney scores with a spinning back kick!
Carney scores with a leg kick.
Paul takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?
Carney throws a leg kick which misses Paul's front leg but catches the back leg as Paul tries to avoid it.
That kick from Carney tenderised Paul's leg. Paul is trying to keep his angry face on.
Both fighters circling a little - Carney finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Frank Carney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Carney looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Carney scores with a leg kick.
A nice leg kick from Carney, right into the meat of the thigh.
Carney scores with a spinning back kick!
Carney thuds his shin into the meat of Paul's side.
An inside leg kick lands from Carney.
Good leg kick by Carney.
Francis Paul has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Carney scores with a nice body kick.

And that's the end of the fight!
Frank Carney comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Carney 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 Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight for Frank Carney!
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight for Frank Carney!
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight for Frank Carney!

Frank Carney wins by unanimous decision!