PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Carpenter (ranked 1851 p4p, 24021 weight class) and Brazilian Gremlin (ranked 269 p4p, 608 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Carpenter
vs
Gremlin

182 cm
33
276
13 - 18 - 0

225 cm
28
269
3 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Knockout power

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Mike Carpenter!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian Gremlin!
The judges for this bout are Jorge Garcia, Russell Pearce and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gremlin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Carpenter's waist but Carpenter gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Gremlin off to one side.
Carpenter misses with a straight right.
Gremlin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Carpenter half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Carpenter tries to close the distance and clinch up but Gremlin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Gremlin steps in looking to clinch after the strikes miss from Carpenter.
Gremlin is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Gremlin fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Carpenter avoids it really well and circles away.
Mike Carpenter has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Brazilian Gremlin.

Carpenter closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Carpenter is trying to trip Gremlin. He has hold of a leg but Gremlin is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Carpenter persists though and gets the takedown into guard.

Gremlin looking for a guillotine here but Carpenter defends easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carpenter controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gremlin managing to control the position.
Carpenter has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Carpenter slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Gremlin is trying to keep Carpenter in close.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Gremlin wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Carpenter gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Gremlin to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Gremlin trying to control the position from guard on top but Carpenter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Carpenter has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Gremlin is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.
Gremlin tries a body shot but Carpenter blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Gremlin has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Carpenter uses from the top position.
Gremlin seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Carpenter stays in close to Gremlin's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Carpenter stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Gremlin swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Gremlin tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Gremlin is trying to control the position but Carpenter postures up.
Carpenter distracts Gremlin with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Gremlin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Carpenter is stalling in the full guard.
Carpenter seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Gremlin for as long as he can get away with.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.

Gremlin looking to score a takedown here. Carpenter is defending well but Gremlin drives through and ends up in Carpenter's guard.
Gremlin trying to control the position from guard on top but Carpenter is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Carpenter is wriggling around but Gremlin manages to pass to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Carpenter dominated that round.
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.

Gremlin ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Gremlin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Carpenter tries to clinch there but Gremlin circles away.

Carpenter moves into the clinch.

Carpenter tightens his grip and picks Gremlin up, before dumping him to the ground. Gremlin manages to land in guard.
Carpenter might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Gremlin working a defensive guard but Carpenter manages to pass into side control anyway.
Carpenter working the ground and pound from side control.
Gremlin tries to buck Carpenter off but Carpenter is having none of it.
Gremlin struggling a bit here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carpenter working the ground and pound.
Gremlin is being controlled here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carpenter has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.
Gremlin taking a bit of punishment here - Carpenter scoring with strikes.
Carpenter staying calm.
Gremlin wants to control but Carpenter postures up.
Gremlin takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Gremlin is being controlled here.
Carpenter is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Gremlin can do to turn this around?
Carpenter is working Gremlin over with some ground and pound from side control.
Carpenter cracks Gremlin with a big elbow.
Gremlin is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Carpenter's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Carpenter drops an elbow to the side of Gremlin's head.
Carpenter sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gremlin wants to control but Carpenter is keeping busy.
Carpenter controlling the action here.
Gremlin has hold of Carpenter's hands but Carpenter slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Carpenter stalling.
Gremlin is trying to get back to full guard.
We've been hearing that Carpenter has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Carpenter controlling the pace.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.

Carpenter is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Gremlin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Carpenter.
Gremlin keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Gremlin gets full guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Carpenter scoring with punches to the head and body.
Carpenter working some strikes from top position.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Carpenter dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Carpenter tries to clinch up.
Gremlin tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Carpenter swivels and escapes.
Carpenter misses with a head kick.

Carpenter fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Gremlin to the ground. Carpenter is now in Gremlin's guard.
Carpenter seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Gremlin seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Carpenter missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Carpenter won't allow Gremlin to sweep him here.
Carpenter engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carpenter's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Carpenter throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Gremlin stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Carpenter fails in his attempt to clinch.

Gremlin ducks straight into an uppercut from Carpenter and tumbles to the canvas! It’s a flash knockdown though - Gremlin manages to regain guard straight away.

Gremlin is rocked!

It looks like Brazilian Gremlin has been cut.
Mike Carpenter overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Carpenter arches his back and unloads with a massive left and a right! Gremlin's eyes roll back into his head, he's out cold! The ref dives in to stop the fight - wow, they were hard shots!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Strikes). Mike Carpenter!