PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Francesco Pirlo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan McCarthy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Pirlo
vs
McCarthy

167 cm
18
142 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

160 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

Good takedowns
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Francesco Pirlo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Ryan McCarthy !
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Dirk Anderson and Santiago Holmes.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

McCarthy has taken the fight to the clinch.

McCarthy gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Pirlo regains guard.
McCarthy wants to stand but Pirlo is controlling his posture from full guard.

Pirlo is looking for a triangle but McCarthy pushes his legs off easily.
McCarthy works over Pirlo with some ground and pound from guard.

Pirlo is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and McCarthy defends well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Pirlo working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. McCarthy doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. McCarthy manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Pirlo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Pirlo is looking for a triangle here but McCarthy uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McCarthy working the ground and pound but Pirlo is defending the strikes.

McCarthy tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no McCarthy has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pirlo tries to get back to half guard but can't.
McCarthy tries to stand but Pirlo is controlling his head.
McCarthy is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Pirlo gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
McCarthy looks to land a strike but Pirlo avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy wants to control from the top but Pirlo keeps moving.
Pirlo avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
McCarthy throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Pirlo works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
McCarthy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Pirlo is keeping the position for now.

Pirlo has an active guard here but McCarthy has managed to pass into half guard.

McCarthy looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

McCarthy is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Pirlo defends it well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pirlo is staying active underneath McCarthy , who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
McCarthy working Pirlo over with strikes.

Pirlo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but McCarthy pulls his head out easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan McCarthy dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Pirlo changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. McCarthy tries to avoid it but Pirlo manages to keep hold of a leg and drag McCarthy to the ground. McCarthy escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
It seemed like McCarthy was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
McCarthy throws a head kick but Pirlo moves out of range.
McCarthy has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

McCarthy darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
McCarthy not landing any meaningful shots this time.
McCarthy throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Pirlo knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for McCarthy on the ground.

Pirlo is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but McCarthy pulls his head out easily.
McCarthy should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McCarthy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Pirlo keeps working.
Ryan McCarthy has got the better of the ground game so far.
McCarthy is looking to advance position but Pirlo won't allow it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
McCarthy seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.

Pirlo actively working from the bottom here.
Pirlo is looking for a sweep. McCarthy is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.
McCarthy wants to control from the top but Pirlo keeps moving.

Pirlo looking for submissions from the bottom but instead McCarthy passes into side control.

McCarthy in side control, working for a kimura. He's got hold of an arm and he's torquing it... Pirlo is tapping! That's the end of the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:18 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Ryan McCarthy !