PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ryland Cantu (ranked 4265 p4p, 3808 weight class) and Nick Cline (ranked 442 p4p, 413 weight class). Nick Cline has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Cantu
vs
Cline

192 cm
25
265
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
25
265
1 - 0 - 0

Good takedowns
Brawler
Self confident

Good wrestler
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Ryland Cantu!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Nick Cline!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Jack Bonds and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cline fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Cline darts in and clinches Cantu up against the cage.
Cline working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Cantu has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Cline prevents Cantu from breaking the clinch.
Cline has Cantu pressed against the cage.

Cline manages to break the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cline feints and as Cantu raises his hands in defense, Cline changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Cline won't allow Cantu to sweep him here.

Cantu escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Cline gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cantu keeping full guard, as Cline tries to pass.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantu is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Cantu wants to sweep here but Cline controlling him for the moment.
Cantu seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Cline wants to pass the guard but Cantu is keeping the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cline accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cline looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Cline throws a big elbow that misses.

Cantu had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Cline defends it easily.
Cantu wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Cantu trying to keep a closed guard but Cline is proving a slippery customer.
Cline really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cantu. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cantu wants to get back to his feet but Cline is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Cantu looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Cline is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Cantu lands a nice looking kick to the body. Cline takes a step back to recover.
Cantu looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Cline changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Cantu rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Cline moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Nice sprawl there from Cline as Cantu shoots in.
Cline stuffs the takedown attempt from Cantu. Cantu gets slowly back to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Cantu is defended easily by Cline.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryland Cantu. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cline lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Cline.
Cline fails with the takedown.
Cline tries to work over Cantu's front leg with a kick but Cantu checks it.
Cantu fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Cline avoids it really well and circles away.
Cline throws out a counter right but Cantu avoids it with no problem.
Cantu fails with the takedown

and Cline counters with a nice double leg into side control. Cantu won't be happy with that.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cline tries to stand but Cantu is controlling his head.
Cantu gets back to half guard.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Nick Cline dominated that round.
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.

Cline clinches up with Cantu and pushes him back against the cage.

Cline pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Cantu shoots in but Cline avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Cline scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cantu is trying to get back to full guard.
Cline throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cline wants to control but Cantu is keeping him busy.
Cline has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Cantu regains full guard. Nicely done.
Cline wants to stand but Cantu has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cantu not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cline trying to control but Cantu is working from the bottom.
Cline throwing strikes from guard but Cantu blocks nicely.
Cline stopping the sweep attempt from Cantu.
Cantu working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Cline.

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

Cline has Cantu up against the cage in a clinch.

Cantu pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

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.

Cantu looking to score a takedown here. Cline is defending well but Cantu drives through and ends up in Cline's guard.
Cline is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Cantu dives into side control.

Cantu taking a breather here.
The ground and pound from Cantu seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cline can do anything to dispel that myth.
Cline tries to improve position but can't.
Cantu wants to control but Cline is keeping him busy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cline sneaks back into half guard.
Cline lands one or two decent shots to the body here. Although from his own half guard, he's not going to be causing too much damage.

Cantu is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Cline has managed to free his arm - good work.
Cline makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cline.
Cline 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.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cline has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Cantu has passed into side control.
Cline prevents Cantu from improving position.
Cline sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Cline tries to get to full guard but Cantu has control of the leg.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cline lands a couple of sideways elbows.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Nick Cline will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action!

Cantu moves into range and clinches up with Cline.

Cantu has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Cline uses from the top position.
Cline trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Nick Cline has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cantu 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.
Cline looking to sit in guard and control but Cantu gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cantu trying to stand up but can't free himself from Cline's guard.
Cantu showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Cline holds on and takes a little breather.
Cantu tries to stand but Cline is controlling from the bottom.
Cantu's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cline wants to stand up but Cantu is controlling him.

Cline looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Cline pulls Cantu in close to his closed guard and prevents Cantu from doing any damage or advancing position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Cantu misses with a two punch combination.
Cline throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Cantu changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Cline tries to avoid it but Cantu manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Cline to the ground. Cline escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Cantu shoots in for a takedown but Cline shows good takedown defense.
Cantu takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

Cantu is rocked!

Cline shoots in for a takedown. SLAM! Brutal! Cantu is out cold and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:43 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Slam). Nick Cline!