PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Melvin Manhoef (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gareth McCall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Manhoef comes to the cage accompanied by Killing In The Name. McCall has chosen Bobby Darin - Mack The Knife as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Manhoef
vs
McCall

173 cm
40
194 lbs
35 - 36 - 1

185 cm
28
195 lbs
15 - 9 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Good wrestler
World class MT
Granite chin

Fury Nutrition Inc.

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 35 - 36 - 1, fighting out of London, Melvin Manhoef!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 9 - 0, fighting out of New York, Gareth McCall!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and James Ackerman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCall tries a head kick but it misses.

McCall gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Manhoef is trying to break the clinch but McCall is controlling him.
Manhoef tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
McCall lands a nice elbow.

It looks like Melvin Manhoef has been cut.
Manhoef looking to slow down the pace here.
McCall struggles to land a body shot inside as Manhoef controls his hands.
McCall throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
McCall has a couple of punches blocked by Manhoef.
A head punch on the inside from McCall fails to land.
McCall avoids the elbow strike from Manhoef, against the cage.
With the fighters up against the cage, McCall throws an elbow but misses.
McCall misses with a hook from the clinch.
McCall misses with a hook to the ribs.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCall prevents Manhoef from breaking the clinch.
McCall keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Manhoef's efforts to push away.
McCall lands a right hand that snaps the head of Manhoef backwards.
McCall swings wildly with an uppercut but Manhoef uses good head movement to avoid it.
McCall lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Manhoef's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Manhoef misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
McCall attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Manhoef tries a head kick but it misses.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by McCall.
McCall just misses with a punch to the body.
McCall throws a right and a left that Manhoef avoids nicely.
McCall looks to land a right hand but Manhoef moved out of range.
Manhoef defending well as McCall loads up on a big left hand.
Manhoef lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but McCall circles away quickly and effectively.
McCall ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Manhoef swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
A clash of legs there as McCall blocks the low kick.
Manhoef blocks a head kick by McCall.
A punch combination from Manhoef misses.
Manhoef throws a nice looking combination but McCall bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
McCall showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Manhoef.
We've been informed that McCall 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.
McCall tried to score with a low kick but Manhoef checks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A combination from Manhoef does no damage.
McCall fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Melvin Manhoef seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
McCall tries to clinch there but Manhoef circles away.
Manhoef tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Manhoef throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
The fighters circling - McCall throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
McCall slips a straight right by Manhoef.
Manhoef misses with a leg kick
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
McCall tries to close the distance and clinch but Manhoef swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

McCall closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
McCall lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Manhoef is trying to force a seperation but McCall has the dominant position.
McCall lands a hook to the side of the head.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from McCall.
Manhoef is breathing heavily.
McCall lands a left hand that snaps the head of Manhoef backwards.
McCall lands a shoulder strike.
Manhoef is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
McCall misses with some punches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCall keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Manhoef's efforts to push away.
Our sources have told us that Manhoef has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
McCall throws an elbow but it's blocked.
McCall keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Manhoef's efforts to push away.
Manhoef has had enough of the clinch but McCall keeps him there for the moment.
Manhoef avoiding damage as McCall throws knees to the body.
Manhoef wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Manhoef tries to break free but McCall pushes him back against the cage.

Manhoef's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

McCall closes the distance and clinches.
McCall throws an elbow but it's blocked.
McCall tries to land knees in the clinch but Manhoef avoids the damage to the body.
McCall misses with a punch to the body.
McCall lands an elbow inside that Manhoef shrugs off.
Manhoef tries to break the clinch but McCall is controlling the position.
McCall lands a nice elbow.
McCall creates a bit of space for himself and sneaks an elbow through Manhoef's defenses.

Manhoef is rocked!
A short right hand to the side of the head by McCall.
Oh Manhoef is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
McCall softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCall misses with a hook to the ribs.
Manhoef takes an elbow to the forehead.
Manhoef is pressed against the cage. McCall pushes back and unleashes a big elbow that really hurts Manhoef! Two more big strikes from McCall and Manhoef crumples to the mat and taps out furiously due to the strikes!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:12 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Strikes). Gareth McCall!
Our winner, Gareth McCall, made sure he spent some time buttering up the crowd during his post fight interview, which will no doubt bring him a few more fans.