PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Orlando Cardigan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Pin Head (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Cardigan
vs
Head

180 cm
20
185 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

189 cm
20
191 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

Boomerang! Nutrition and Development Center

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Orlando Cardigan!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Pin Head!
The judges for this bout are Skip Squint, Hugh Johnson and John Mangel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cardigan will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Head looks to land a body kick but Cardigan moved away.
Head throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Head tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Cardigan moves into the clinch.
Cardigan has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Head is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Head throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Cardigan blocks it with crossed arms.

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

Cardigan gets a clinch.

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

Cardigan drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Cardigan working the ground and pound but Head is defending the strikes.
Head being controlled for a moment.
Head tries to buck Cardigan off but Cardigan is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cardigan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Head is looking for a sweep.
Cardigan is looking to take a break and control but Head is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Cardigan is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Head knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Head throws a sloppy head kick and Cardigan moves out of range easily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Head checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Cardigan throws a head kick that half lands.
Head plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Head throws a sloppy head kick and Cardigan moves out of range easily.

Cardigan 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.
Cardigan advances position into side control!
Cardigan trying to control the action but Head is working from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Head can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cardigan trying to control the position but Head is working away.
Head is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Cardigan sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Head is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Cardigan working the ground and pound but Head is defending the strikes.
Head is looking to regain half guard here but Cardigan keeps moving and retains side control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Cardigan tries to clinch up but Head circles away and keeps his distance.
Pin Head is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

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.
Cardigan tries to clinch up.
Cardigan moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Head throws a sloppy head kick and Cardigan moves out of range easily.
Cardigan throws a head kick that misses.
Head throws a lazy head kick

and Cardigan counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Head is trying to stall.
Cardigan throws an elbow that misses.
Head on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

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

Cardigan scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Cardigan is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
Head looks gassed!
Head keeping full guard, as Cardigan tries to pass.
Cardigan wants to control from the top but Head keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Orlando Cardigan 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.

Head fails in his attempt to clinch.
Head keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Cardigan shoots in looking for a takedown. Head tries to sprawl out of it but Cardigan keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Head manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Head fakes the leg kick and cracks Cardigan in the body.
Cardigan has a takedown stuffed.
Head misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Cardigan throws a lazy body kick
and Head counters with a head kick.
Orlando Cardigan is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Cardigan rushes Head and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Head is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Cardigan using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Head is trying to break free.
Head controlling the action here for a moment.
Cardigan stalling.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Head wants to stall.
Head lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Head tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Head with a knee to the head.
Cardigan tries to land knees in the clinch but Head avoids the damage to the body.

Cardigan breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
A head kick by Cardigan misses
and Head counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Cardigan blocks a head kick by Head.

Cardigan instigates a clinch.

Head manages to break the clinch.
Cardigan scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Cardigan.
The fight stays on the outside here - Cardigan looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
A nice inside leg kick there by Cardigan. That's going to slow Head down.

Cardigan clinches with his opponent.
Head throws a knee to the head but misses.
Head gets underhooks to prevent Cardigan's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Orlando Cardigan. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cardigan lands an elbow that stopped Head in his tracks for a moment.

Cardigan manages to break the clinch.
A head kick misses from Head.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Head looking to slow down the pace here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cardigan fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Head wants to stall.
Head tries to land knees in the clinch but Cardigan avoids the damage to the body.
Head tries to stall but Cardigan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
With the fighters up against the cage, Cardigan throws an elbow but misses.
Head tries to land knees in the clinch but Cardigan avoids the damage to the body.
Cardigan is trying to break the clinch but Head has him pressed against the cage.
Cardigan misses with an elbow strike.
Head wants to get back to striking at distance but Cardigan won't allow it.
Cardigan is trying to break the clinch but Head has him pressed against the cage.
Head wants to break free but Cardigan has control.
Head is trying to break the clinch but Cardigan has him pressed against the cage.
Cardigan can't break the clinch.
Cardigan avoiding damage as Head throws knees to the body.
Head wants to break free but Cardigan has control.
Head wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Cardigan has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Head avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Head tries to stall but Cardigan uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Head is trying to slow the pace down but that's a couple of times in a row that he's tried to get underhooks and Cardigan has denied him.
Head trying to land knees to the body.
Head looking to throw knees to the head but Cardigan is blocking nicely.
Head tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Cardigan misses with an elbow strike.
Head wants to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Head wants to break free but Cardigan has control.
Cardigan drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Head gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Head looking to stall.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Pin Head.
Cardigan walks forward, straight into a front kick from Head.
Cardigan doesn't manage to clinch there - Head circles away.
Head throws a head kick but Cardigan moves out of range.
A head kick by Head misses

and Cardigan counters with a nice double leg into side control. Head won't be happy with that.
Cardigan misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

Cardigan working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Cardigan wants to control but Head is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Head is looking to regain half guard here but Cardigan keeps moving and retains side control.

Cardigan swings around for an armbar but Head sees it coming a mile off and turns beautifully into Cardigan's guard.
Head stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cardigan swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Cardigan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Orlando Cardigan will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Cardigan 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.

Cardigan moves into the clinch.
Cardigan with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Cardigan avoiding damage as Head throws knees to the body.
Cardigan tries to break the clinch but Head is controlling the position.
Cardigan lands a knee to the body.
Cardigan tries to score a body lock takedown but Head shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Head with a knee to the head.
Head connects with a knee to the head.
Head tries to land a knee to the head but Cardigan blocks with his arms.
Cardigan is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Head trying to stall but Cardigan improves his position.
Cardigan prevents Head from breaking the clinch.
Head looking to throw knees to the head but Cardigan is blocking nicely.
Head wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cardigan prevents Head from breaking the clinch.
Head goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cardigan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Head has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Cardigan is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Head is trying to maintain a safe position but Cardigan gets an underhook and turns Head into the cage.
Cardigan holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Cardigan tries to land a knee to the head but Head blocks with his arms.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Come on Cardigan - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Head managing to block the knees to the body from Cardigan.
Head tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

Cardigan pulls guard effortlessly.

Cardigan looking for a guillotine here but Head defends easily.

Cardigan has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Head can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Cardigan is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cardigan is trying to work for a kimura but Head is defending well.
Head preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Cardigan works his way into full mount!
Head tries to hold on but Cardigan postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cardigan is working for a guillotine from mount but Head frees his head quite easily.
Cardigan throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.

Cardigan goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Head turns into him and now he's in Cardigan's guard.
Head is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cardigan controls Head momentarily but Head frees himself.
Cardigan keeping moving, preventing Head from controlling successfully.

Cardigan looking for a guillotine here but Head defends easily.
Pin Head has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cardigan throws some sloppy strikes off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Orlando Cardigan showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cardigan, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Skip Squint scores the fight 30:27
Judge Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Orlando Cardigan!