PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ryan McCarthy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Boot Head (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Head is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by New Divide. This should be a great matchup!

McCarthy
vs
Head

170 cm
23
195 lbs
11 - 5 - 0

183 cm
22
195 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

Battalion Athletics

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 11 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ryan McCarthy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Boot Head!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Summer Carpenter and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Head thuds a left hand into McCarthy's body.
Head throws a front kick that sends McCarthy stumbling back into the cage.
Nice cross by Head.
Head misses with a body shot.
McCarthy swings for the body but Head moves out of range.

Head instigates a clinch.
Head effectively controlling the action here.
McCarthy misses with a punch to the body.
Head lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Head tries a body shot but McCarthy blocks it.
McCarthy misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Head is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but McCarthy is keeping busy.
McCarthy can't break the clinch.
Come on Head - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Head is pressed up against the cage. McCarthy has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Head down to the mat. Head avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
McCarthy takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Head stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.

McCarthy feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Head wants to stand but McCarthy is controlling the position.
Head is trying to control the position but McCarthy postures up.
Head tries to land a sweep but no joy.
McCarthy postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
McCarthy looking to pass the guard.

Head scrambles and gets back to his feet.
McCarthy uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Head.
Boot Head is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

McCarthy decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
McCarthy thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Head's head.
Head wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy tries to pass the half guard into mount. Head knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Head gets full guard.
McCarthy advances to half guard.
McCarthy wants to take a breather but Head is having none of it.
McCarthy looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
McCarthy wants to pass to mount but Head is defending the position.

McCarthy is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Head is just riding it out for now. McCarthy eventually gives up the hold.
Head is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Head is controlling McCarthy's trapped leg to prevent McCarthy from advancing to side control.
Head is looking to escape.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McCarthy controlling the action here.
Head pushes McCarthy off looking to stand but McCarthy dives back in and keeps control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Head is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by McCarthy.
Head thows a body shot but no joy.
Head lands a jab to the head.

That's four 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.
Nice defenses there by McCarthy.
Head will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Head misses with a hook. McCarthy ducked under it nicely.
McCarthy takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Head cracks McCarthy with an open hand slap.
McCarthy throws a leg kick but Head sees it coming and checks it nicely.
McCarthy swings and misses with a hook to the body.
McCarthy swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Head stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan McCarthy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Head keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
McCarthy looks for a takedown but Head sprawls well.
McCarthy has a takedown stuffed.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Boot Head will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Head misses with a jab to the body

and McCarthy counters with a shoot takedown. Head fights it but they end up in guard.
McCarthy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Head is keeping the position for now.

Head scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Head thuds his right hand into McCarthy's forehead from close range. That could be painful for both fighters.
McCarthy swats away the attempt to clinch by Head.
Head staying out of range there.
McCarthy looks to score with a jab to the body but Head is just out of range.
Head throws a hook but McCarthy blocks it.
McCarthy fails to land the takedown.
McCarthy changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Head tries to avoid it but McCarthy manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Head to the ground. Head escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy looks for a takedown but Head sprawls well.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan McCarthy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
McCarthy steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Head.
Head misses with a hook.
Head is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
The fighters circling - Head throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ryan McCarthy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Head displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from McCarthy.
Head throws a jab when McCarthy was well out of range.
Head thows a left - swing and a miss!
Head moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
McCarthy swings for the body but Head moves out of range.
McCarthy takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
McCarthy slips a straight right by Head.
A big left from Head misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

McCarthy scores a takedown into full mount!
Head holding onto his opponent's waist for dear life, as McCarthy tries to land some strikes to get him to release his grip.
Head is wriggling around trying to escape.
Head tries to hold on but McCarthy pushes him away.
Head's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.
McCarthy landing punches.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Head taking shots to the head.
Head avoids a series of strikes thrown by McCarthy.
Head tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Head blocking the ground and pound.
McCarthy thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy trying to control but Head is having none of it.

McCarthy goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Head turns into him and now he's in McCarthy's guard.
Head slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
McCarthy bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Head's guard.
McCarthy stands and throws Head's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

McCarthy looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Head is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Head won't allow McCarthy to pass to mount.
McCarthy seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
McCarthy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Head keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
McCarthy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

McCarthy is trying to work for a kimura but Head is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Head is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan McCarthy dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Head gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows McCarthy to score an easy takedown into full guard.
McCarthy prevents Head from getting back to his feet.
McCarthy scoring with some ground and pound.
McCarthy stops Head from standing up.
McCarthy with a nice head shot there.

McCarthy thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Head is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst McCarthy is controlling him.
McCarthy throws and elbow that misses. Head uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in McCarthy's guard. Nice move by Head!
Head slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Head trying to control the position from guard on top but McCarthy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Head would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
McCarthy not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Head wants to stand but McCarthy has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

McCarthy looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Head won't allow McCarthy to pass to mount.
McCarthy is trying to control. Head wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
McCarthy is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Head is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Head blocking the ground and pound attempt from McCarthy.

McCarthy is looking for a kimura but Head is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for McCarthy to get the leverage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Head has hold of McCarthy's hands but McCarthy slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Head is trying to stand back up but McCarthy is controlling him

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Head throws a hook to the side of McCarthy's head but McCarthy sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
A slow jab from McCarthy misses its intended target.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy throws a right and a left that both miss.
Head misses the shot to the body.
McCarthy walks into a straight right hand from Head.
Head stuffs the takedown attempt from McCarthy. McCarthy gets slowly back to his feet.
Head throws a nice inside leg kick.
McCarthy walks into a jab.
McCarthy takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Head tries to close the distance and clinch but McCarthy swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Head avoids the head kick by McCarthy.
Head scores with a hook.
McCarthy fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Head looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
McCarthy keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Head.
Head swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Head lands the left hand.
McCarthy ducks under a wild hook from Head.
McCarthy tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Head swivels and escapes.
Donk. Head catches McCarthy right on the button with a cross.
Head with a nice cross.
A telegraphed right hand from McCarthy misses the target.
A punch lands to the side of Head 's head but he takes it in his stride.
McCarthy walks into a straight right hand from Head.

McCarthy scores a takedown into full mount!
This has been an exciting period of action!
Head is trying to escape the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Boot Head.
I think Head 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Boot Head!