PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Clint Cartwright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Barton Fink (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Barton Fink was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Cartwright
vs
Fink

170 cm
22
141 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

170 cm
24
134 lbs
9 - 8 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Bad Man Clothing (Nothing Over $40)

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Clint Cartwright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 8 - 0, fighting out of New York, Barton Fink!
The judges for this bout are Ian Loll, Yves DeLean and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fink lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
Fink cracks Cartwright with a right hand to the side of the head.
Fink lands a jab-cross combination.
Fink thumps Cartwright with a low kick.
Fink misses with a straight left.
Cartwright attempts a counter takedown but Fink avoids it well and moves away.
Fink with a hook.
Fink pushes Cartwright away with a front kick.
Fink throws a quick inside leg kick.

Cartwright darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Fink told us pre-fight that he has been working on his escapes in training. Let's see if he can call on some of his new skills to get back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fink is trying to stand.
Cartwright is trying to control the action in half guard but Fink is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cartwright takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Cartwright trying to mount his opponent but Fink defends it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cartwright working over Fink with some ground and pound. Fink looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Cartwright content to control rather than advance.
Fink is refusing to be controlled, as Cartwright sits in half guard.
Cartwright tries to pass to full mount but Fink defends it.
Fink tries to kick Cartwright off but Cartwright keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Fink avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Cartwright.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Cartwright is figuring out what he wants to do next.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Fink lands a nice looking body kick.

Cartwright closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Cartwright lands in his opponent's guard.
Cartwright has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Cartwright pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fink is keeping the position for now.
Cartwright is working hard here to advance position.
Cartwright throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Cartwright pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fink is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright wants to control from the top but Fink keeps moving.
Cartwright loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Cartwright landing some decent shots from guard.
Fink keeping moving, preventing Cartwright from controlling successfully.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cartwright accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cartwright controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Cartwright seems to be moving with more speed, compared to his last bout. He must have been working on that in the gym.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fink stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
A nice leg kick lands there from Fink.

Cartwright shoots in and gets a takedown into Fink's guard.
Cartwright wants to control from the top but Fink keeps moving.
Cartwright looking to pass the guard.
Cartwright looking to sit in guard and control but Fink gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Fink preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Barton Fink will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Cartwright gets the takedown into side control.
Cartwright works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Fink is looking to regain half guard here but Cartwright keeps moving and retains side control.
Cartwright tries to score with some ground and pound. Fink controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Cartwright trying to control the action but Fink is working from the bottom.
Cartwright cracks Fink with a big elbow.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Fink taking punishment in the form of punches.
Fink wants to get back to his feet.
Cartwright cracks Fink with a big elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cartwright in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Cartwright wants to control but Fink is keeping him busy.
Fink is being controlled here.
Cartwright wants to lay and pray for a moment but Fink keeps working.

Cartwright is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Fink is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Fink is trying to get back to his feet.
Cartwright moving around in side mount but really he's just happy to control for now.

That's two 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.
An elbow from Cartwright crashes against the mat.
Clint Cartwright overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Fink manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Cartwright tries to get to full guard but Fink has control of the leg.

Fink seems to be working for a kimura but Cartwright defends the submission attempt.
Cartwright trying to control from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright tries to regain full guard. Instead though, Fink has advanced to mount. Uh oh.
Cartwright is squirming around, avoiding Fink's attempts to control the action.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Cartwright tries to lock up and control but Fink gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cartwright is looking to get to half guard.
Fink wants to control the pace but Cartwright is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Clint Cartwright dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Fink throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Fink connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Cartwright's hands.
Fink swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Barton Fink is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Fink misses with a body shot

and Cartwright counters with a single leg into guard. Fink didn't expect that.
Cartwright trying to control the position from guard on top but Fink is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cartwright postures up in Fink's guard and throws a big left but Fink blocks it.
Fink wants to stand but Cartwright is controlling the position.
Cartwright looking to pass the guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cartwright stays in close to Fink's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cartwright in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Cartwright controlling from the top position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Cartwright prevents Fink from getting back to his feet.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Cartwright dives in and scores a takedown into Fink's guard.
Cartwright trying to control the position from guard on top but Fink is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cartwright looking to pass the guard.
Cartwright engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright connects with a couple of short punches.
Cartwright sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Fink keeping moving, preventing Cartwright from controlling successfully.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fink throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.

Cartwright shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fink's guard.
Cartwright seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cartwright accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cartwright trying to control but Fink is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Cartwright drops back, looking for a kneebar! Fink looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Fink looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Fink!

Cartwright can't do much from the bottom here.
Cartwright is looking for a sweep.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cartwright is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Fink moves into full mount! Cartwright won't be happy about that!

And that's the end of the fight!
Clint Cartwright showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cartwright has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Clint Cartwright!
A relieved looking Clint Cartwright thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
Barton Fink was interviewed post fight and said 'I'm becoming very sentimental now, sorry art.'.