PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Donnie Larkin (ranked 1104 p4p, 1268 weight class) and Bo Garrett (ranked 179 p4p, 207 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Larkin
vs
Garrett

181 cm
41
188
28 - 18 - 0

175 cm
32
185
19 - 13 - 2

Great wrestler
Excellent boxer
Very quick

Olympic wrestler
Great elbows
Good gas tank

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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 28 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Donnie Larkin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 19 - 13 - 2, fighting out of New York, Bo Garrett!
The judges for this bout are Steven Brown, Paul Tew and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Good exchange - Larkin coming out on top.
Larkin lands a leg kick that knocks Garrett off balance momentarily.
Larkin throws a shot from downtown. Garrett moves away and avoids it.
And Garrett tries to counter it with a takedown but Larkin pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Garrett misses with a jab to the body
and Larkin counters with a head kick. That will keep Garrett thinking before he tries any more sloppy attacks!
Bo Garrett seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Larkin takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Larkin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Garrett.
Larkin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Garrett.

Garrett clinches up with Larkin and pushes him back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Garrett fails to land.
Larkin's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Garrett creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Garrett can't find room to land a body shot as Larkin controls the action.
Garrett misses with a hook to the ribs.
Garrett throws a head punch that misses.
Garrett tries to throw a body punch but Larkin avoids it by throwing Garrett back against the cage.

Larkin breaks the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garrett misses with an uppercut. Larkin saw that one coming.
Garrett moves out of range of the strikes.
Larkin tries a head kick but it misses.
Garrett has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Garrett on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Garrett shoots in for a takedown but Larkin shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Larkin throws a nice outside leg kick.
Garrett throws a body punch but Larkin moves out of range.
Garrett throws a hook to the side of Larkin's head but Larkin sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Garrett moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.
Larkin waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Garrett.
Garrett swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Garrett clinches up against the cage.
Garrett misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garrett tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Garrett changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Larkin fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Garrett scores with a jab to the head.
Garrett misses the shot to the body.
Larkin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Garrett gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Larkin prevents a body shot from Garrett.
Garrett lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.
Larkin blocks a body shot from Garrett.
Garrett lands with a light punch inside.
Garrett misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garrett fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Garrett has a couple of punches blocked by Larkin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larkin works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Garrett fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Larkin.
Larkin gets underhooks to prevent Garrett's takedown attempt.
Donnie Larkin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Bo Garrett.
Larkin prevents a body shot from Garrett.
Garrett swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Garrett tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Garrett lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Larkin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Garrett misses with a hook from the clinch.
Larkin blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Garrett has Larkin pushed against the cage.
Garrett fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Garrett misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Larkin as Garrett tries to tie him up.
Garrett has Larkin pressed against the cage, preventing Larkin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Garrett misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garrett lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Larkin backwards.
Garrett misses with the head strike.

Larkin breaks from the clinch.
Garrett throws a lazy right hand but Larkin sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Larkin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Nice body punch from Larkin.

Garrett clinches up with Larkin and pushes him back against the cage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Larkin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Larkin misses with an uppercut.
Garrett misses the shot to the body.
Garrett misses with a body punch
and Larkin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bo Garrett dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Larkin looks to throw the jab but Garrett is out of range.
Garrett wants to clinch
letting Larkin counter with a right hand.
Garrett tries to clinch but Larkin moves away
and Larkin counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Garrett throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Larkin on the side of the head.
Garrett jabs at Larkin's body.

Garrett looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Garrett stands up over Larkin, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Garrett with a flurry of punches that miss.
Garrett with a flurry of punches that miss.
Garrett throws an elbow that misses. Larkin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Garrett's guard. Nice move by Larkin!

There's a bit of a scramble here and now Garrett is on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Garrett throws a strike but Larkin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Larkin 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.
Garrett looking to hit a scissor sweep but Larkin is one step ahead there.
Garrett has Larkin pulled in close to control his posture.

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.
Larkin looking to pass the guard.
Garrett seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Larkin looking to pass the guard.
Larkin trying to control the position from guard on top but Garrett is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Larkin looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Larkin won't allow Garrett to sweep him here.
Larkin sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Garrett is trying to control the position from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Larkin preventing the sweep.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Larkin takes a swing at Garrett's ribcage but misses.
Larkin slips a straight right by Garrett.
Larkin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Larkin looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.
Garrett lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Garrett tries to close the distance and clinch up but Larkin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Larkin looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Larkin does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Garrett! But no joy.
Larkin shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Garrett but Garrett pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Bo Garrett showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Larkin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Larkin gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Garrett shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Larkin as he avoids it easily.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Larkin.
Garrett takes a swing at Larkin's ribcage but misses.
Garrett fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Garrett throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Garrett throws a big shot that misses.
Larkin throws a quick counter head kick but Garrett was just out of range.
A big right from Garrett misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garrett throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Larkin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Garrett lands an overhand right.
Larkin scores with a leg kick.
Larkin throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Garrett takes a swing at Larkin's ribcage but misses.
A counter left hand to the body from Larkin misses its target.
Larkin takes a really solid shot there but just smiles back and shrugs his shoulders.
Garrett throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Larkin blocks a jab.
Larkin takes one to the chin there.
Garrett takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Garrett with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Larkin throws a jab but it's blocked by Garrett.
Larkin throws a shot from downtown. Garrett moves away and avoids it.
Garrett misses the shot to the body.
Larkin is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Garrett scores with a shot to the body.
Garrett misses with a body shot
and Larkin counters with a nice uppercut.
Garrett with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Garrett takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
An inside leg kick from Larkin misses.
Garrett throws a poor cross that misses
and Larkin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Larkin misses with a straight right.
Garrett moves in looking to clinch but Larkin pushes him off.
Garrett scores with a jab to the body.
Larkin throws a leg kick but Garrett sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Garrett tries to clinch up but Larkin circles away and keeps his distance.
Donnie Larkin is winning the standup battle so far.
Garrett waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Larkin.
The fighters circling - Garrett throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Larkin throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Larkin thumps Garrett with a low kick.
Bo Garrett is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garrett misses the shot to the body.
Larkin misses with a leg kick.
And Garrett tries to counter it with a takedown but Larkin pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Larkin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Larkin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Garrett.
Larkin scoring well with a low kick there.
Larkin lands a really nice looking cross but Garrett seems unphased.
Donnie Larkin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Larkin scores with a jab.
Larkin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Garrett.
Larkin avoids the body shot from Garrett.
Garrett is looking to clinch but Larkin is avoiding it.
Garrett is looking to clinch but Larkin is avoiding it.

Garrett drives through and clinches with Larkin against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garrett misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Larkin prevents a body shot from Garrett.
Garrett wants a takedown but no success here.
Larkin tries to break the clinch but Garrett is controlling the position.
Garrett keeps control of Larkin as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Garrett working aggressively here.
Garrett misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Garrett misses with a punch on the inside.
Garrett tries a body shot but Larkin blocks it.
Garrett prevents Larkin from breaking the clinch.

Larkin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Garrett defending well as Larkin loads up on a big left hand.

Garrett clinches.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Bo Garrett.
I've got Garrett winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 28:30
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 28:29
Judge William Gold scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Bo Garrett!
During a confident post fight interview, Bo Garrett thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.