PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Drake Kartella (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Thane (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kartella comes to the cage accompanied by Real G's. 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.

Kartella
vs
Thane

191 cm
27
180 lbs
8 - 1 - 1

175 cm
26
183 lbs
3 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
KO power

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Determined

Hellbent

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 8 - 1 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Drake Kartella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, Michael Thane!
The judges for this bout are Summer Carpenter, John Mangel and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kartella moves out of range as Thane strikes.
Nice shot lands for Kartella.
Kartella just misses with a punch to the body.
Some bone on bone action there as Kartella checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Thane keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Kartella.
Kartella misses the shot to the body.
Thane scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Kartella doesn't seem bothered though.
Thane missing with a left hand there. Kartella was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Thane misses with a looping left.
Thane misses with a looping left.

Thane has Kartella up against the cage in a clinch.
Kartella struggles to land a body shot inside as Thane controls his hands.
Kartella tries to work over Thane's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Kartella misses with a body punch.
Kartella struggles to land a body shot inside as Thane controls his hands.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kartella's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Kartella tries to throw a body punch but Thane avoids it by throwing Kartella back against the cage.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Thane.

Thane gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Kartella tries to get to full guard but Thane has control of the leg.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thane trying to control the pace.
Thane missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thane not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Thane not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Thane is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Thane throws a strike but Kartella avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Thane trying to control the position from guard on top but Kartella is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Thane trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Thane throws a strike but Kartella rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Kartella being controlled here momentarily.
Kartella connects with a couple of short punches.

Thane is looking for a triangle here but Kartella uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Thane tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Kartella wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Kartella working away.
Thane misses with an elbow from the bottom.
Thane tries to improve position but can't.
Kartella working away.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Thane can do anything to dispel that myth.
Thane is looking to reverse the position.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Thane rushes Kartella and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Thane scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Kartella being controlled against the cage.
Kartella tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thane's elbow.
Thane lands with a light punch inside.
Kartella tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thane's elbow.
Kartella tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Thane blocks a body shot from Kartella.
Thane prevents a body shot from Kartella.
Kartella is working Thane over against the cage.
Thane blocks a body shot from Kartella.
Kartella tries to throw a body punch but Thane avoids it by throwing Kartella back against the cage.
Kartella throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Kartella tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thane's elbow.
Thane misses with a body punch.
Thane lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Kartella or not.
Kartella misses with a hook to the ribs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Thane dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Nice shot by Thane.
Kartella works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Thane throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Kartella sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Kartella tries to bum rush Thane with a series of wild strikes but Thane uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Kartella lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Thane with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Kartella to score with a decent uppercut.
Thane tries to clinch but Kartella moves out of range.
Kartella swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Kartella lands a jab.
Nice defenses there by Thane.
Thane has done a lot of speed work in the buildup to this fight.
Thane is looking to land body kicks.
Thane misses with a hook.
Thane steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Kartella.
Kartella lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Thane throws a hook but Kartella blocks it.
Thane misses with a straight left.
Thane fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
Kartella on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
Thane uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Kartella.

Thane closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Kartella quickly recovers to half guard.
Thane thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Thane sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kartella defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Thane is working for a submission of some sort.
Thane missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Thane prevents Kartella from standing back up.
Thane looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Kartella with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Thane is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Kartella tries to get to full guard but Thane has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Thane is looking to stall here but Kartella recovers full guard.
Michael Thane has got the better of the ground game so far.
Thane not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Thane tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Thane shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kartella scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Kartella throws a big shot that misses.
The crowd cheers as Kartella lands an impressive looking overhand right. Thane doesn't seem phased though.
Thane cracks Kartella with an open hand slap.
Nice cross by Kartella.
Kartella cracks Thane with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Kartella on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Kartella throws a shot from downtown. Thane moves away and avoids it.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Thane pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Kartella gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Kartella misses with a wild body shot.
Kartella is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
Kartella scores with a hook.
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!
Thane scores with a hook to the body. Kartella takes a step back and tries to catch his breath.

Kartella gets caught flat footed, as Thane shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Thane working some strikes from top position.
Thane looking to sit in guard and control but Kartella gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Kartella wants to control from the top but Thane keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thane wants to hit a switch here but Kartella passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Thane there!
Thane is trying desperately to improve position.
Thane regains half guard.
Thane wants to improve his position but Kartella is controlling well.
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 Drake Kartella 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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Thane takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Thane moves into range and clinches up with Kartella.
Thane prevents a body shot from Kartella.
Thane scores with a shoulder strike.
Kartella struggles to land a body shot inside as Thane controls his hands.
Kartella tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Thane's elbow.
Kartella misses with a body punch.
Kartella misses with a hook to the ribs.
Kartella works on Thane's body with a couple of short punches.
Kartella misses with a punch to the body.
Kartella misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kartella goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Kartella is using his height advantage well here, landing a good percentage of his punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thane prevents a body shot from Kartella.
Thane lands a shot to the body.
Kartella tries a body shot but Thane blocks it.
A hook to the body from Thane.
Kartella tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Kartella tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thane unloads a knee to the mid-section. Kartella lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Kartella tries a body shot but Thane blocks it.
Thane lands a body punch in the clinch.
Kartella misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Kartella goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Thane lands a body shot in the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Thane lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Kartella tries to throw a body punch but Thane avoids it by throwing Kartella back against the cage.
Kartella tries to throw a body punch but Thane avoids it by throwing Kartella back against the cage.

Thane gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Thane throwing shots but Kartella is blocking nicely.
Thane trying to pass the guard but Kartella defending well.

Thane seems to be looking for submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kartella avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Thane.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Thane lands a nice short elbow.
Kartella regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Thane.
Kartella keeping moving, preventing Thane from controlling successfully.
Thane controls from within his opponent's guard.
Thane trying to control but Kartella is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thane throws a strike but Kartella rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Kartella will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Thane is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Thane is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Thane is trying to keep Kartella in close.

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.
Thane tries to strike from the bottom.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Kartella throws a hook but Thane avoids it easily.
Thane tries to clinch up.
Thane slips a jab and a cross from Kartella.
Kartella slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.

Thane drives through with a takedown into Kartella's guard. Let's see what he can do from the top position.
Thane with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Thane with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Thane accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kartella avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Thane's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Thane comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Thane 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 Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Michael Thane!
After winning the bout, Michael Thane thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
The defeated Drake Kartella had this to say: 'Sergio and I trained long and hard for this fight. We have spend countless hours figuring out what we need to do to beat each other. I just came up short. I want a rematch. I want to win back my title and bring it home. But until then, I'm going to rest and recover, go home and spend time with my w'.