PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Heraclion Demler (ranked 2654 p4p, 3044 weight class) and Callum McCewen (ranked 296 p4p, 330 weight class). McCewen has chosen Highway to Hell - AC/DC as his entrance music. Callum McCewen told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Demler
vs
McCewen

180 cm
21
180
5 - 2 - 0

175 cm
22
163
7 - 4 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Heraclion Demler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Callum McCewen!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Dmitry Maklakov and Ivan Kurochkin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Demler takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

It looks like Heraclion Demler has been cut.
McCewen takes a swing at Demler's ribcage but misses.
McCewen scores with a crisp jab that stopped Demler in his tracks.
Demler lands with a nice combination. McCewen backs away looking to recover.
Demler lands a nice looking body kick.
Demler takes one on the button.

Demler is rocked!

Demler closes the distance and clinches.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Demler tries to throw a body punch but McCewen avoids it by throwing Demler back against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, Demler throws an elbow but misses.
Demler blocks an uppercut.
Demler throws an elbow but it's blocked.
McCewen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
McCewen taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Demler letting McCewen take a breather here.
McCewen receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
Demler tries a body shot but McCewen blocks it.

Demler breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Demler has closed the distance and engaged McCewen in a clinch.
Demler throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but McCewen blocks it with crossed arms.
Demler is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but McCewen is keeping busy.
Demler working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCewen is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Demler is defending well for now.

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

Demler forces McCewen back against the cage and clinches.
Demler lands a hook that snaps the head of McCewen backwards.
Demler using the Thai plumb to throw knees but McCewen has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Demler managing to block the knees to the body from McCewen.
McCewen lands a right hand that snaps the head of Demler backwards.
McCewen misses with a hook to the ribs.
A short right from McCewen on the inside.
McCewen misses with a punch on the inside.
McCewen lands with a light punch inside.
A body shot lands from Demler.

Demler breaks from the clinch.

Demler clinches up against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
We've been informed that McCewen has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
Demler tries to land a knee to the head but McCewen blocks with his arms.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Demler throws a head punch that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCewen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
McCewen avoids a wild elbow strike from Demler.

McCewen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Demler has McCewen up against the cage in a clinch.

Demler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
McCewen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
McCewen looks to land a right hand but Demler moved out of range.
Demler misses with a head kick.
McCewen moves out of range of the body kick.
McCewen throws a nice looking combination but Demler bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
McCewen lands with a cross.

Demler closes the distance and pushes McCewen back into the cage.
McCewen lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Demler working aggressively here.
McCewen misses with a knee to the head.
Demler creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Demler looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Demler content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCewen throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Demlers head.
A head punch on the inside from McCewen fails to land.
Demler lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of McCewen backwards.
McCewen lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
McCewen swings wildly with an uppercut but Demler uses good head movement to avoid it.
Demler lands an elbow just above McCewen 's eye.

It looks like Callum McCewen has been cut.
Demler throws a punch but it's blocked by McCewen.
McCewen tries to work over Demler's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Demler managing to block the knees to the body from McCewen.
Demler creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through McCewen's defenses.
McCewen landing some nice looking knees to the body.

McCewen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
McCewen lands a body shot.
Demler is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.

Heraclion Demler's cut is getting worse.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A head kick misses from Demler.
Demler showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from McCewen.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Demler lands a nice leg kick that just misses McCewen's sensitive parts.
McCewen stuns Demler with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
McCewen uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Demler has time to react.
Demler swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Callum McCewen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Demler is breathing heavily.
McCewen throws a looping overhand right but Demler ducks down to avoid it.
McCewen swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!

Demler has taken the fight to the clinch.
Demler wants to break free but McCewen has control.
McCewen misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Demler.
Demler trying to stall but McCewen improves his position.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Demler.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Demler.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Demler escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
McCewen fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Demler checks it well.
Demler has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Demler there as he acknowledges the shot.
Demler blocks a low kick nicely.

Demler gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Callum McCewen will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Demler walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
McCewen with the inside leg kick.

Demler takes the fight into the clinch.
Demler looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Demler misses with a hook to the ribs.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, McCewen creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.

Demler breaks the clinch.
Demler bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Demler uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from McCewen.
The step up in weight doesn't seem to be a problem for McCewen. He's performing admirably here against the bigger man.
McCewen lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Demler throws a body shot but no joy.
McCewen throws out a counter right but Demler avoids it with no problem.
We've been told by Demler's head coaches at Tycoon Coaching & Sparring that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.

Demler has closed the distance and engaged McCewen in a clinch.
Demler takes a shot to the head.
McCewen swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
McCewen gets through Demler's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
McCewen with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Demler throws a punch but it's blocked by McCewen.
McCewen tries to land knees in the clinch but Demler avoids the damage to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCewen working Demler over with knees to the body.

McCewen breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Demler avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
McCewen loads up on a big right hand but Demler slips the punch.

Demler fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with McCewen, pushing him back against the cage.
A shot in the inside from McCewen.
McCewen lands a knee to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McCewen is trying to stall.
Demler takes a shot to the head.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
McCewen lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
McCewen lands with a short punch from the clinch.

McCewen breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Demler walks into a straight right hand from McCewen.

Heraclion Demler's cut is bleeding quite badly. He's got to try and protect it.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McCewen takes a swing at Demler's ribcage but misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCewen misses with a double jab.
Demler throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
McCewen misses with a looping right.
As McCewen backs away, Demler returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Demler on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
McCewen throws a sloppy head kick and Demler moves out of range easily.
Demler throws a leg kick that is checked
and McCewen counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Oh Demler is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
McCewen throws a low kick but Demler avoids it.
Demler uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McCewen.
Demler seems to have got his legs back now.
McCewen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
McCewen connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Demler momentarily.
McCewen lands an uppercut out of nowhere! Demler falls backwards - clearly groggy! McCewen dives in and finishes the fight with more strikes for a TKO finish!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:37 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Callum McCewen!
Callum McCewen was full of energy after the big win and talked about how he thinks he can do big things in this sport. The crowd were appreciative of his determination to succeed.