PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Gino Carano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matthew Whelan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Gino Carano has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Carano
vs
Whelan

200 cm
24
250 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

208 cm
21
277 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

Hell's Balls Fightwear
Das Labor

Valhalla War Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gino Carano!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matthew Whelan!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Whelan is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Carano looks to score with a jab to the body but Whelan is just out of range.
Whelan lands with a cross.

Carano rushes Whelan and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Whelan lands with a short shot to the head.
Whelan works on Carano's body with a couple of short punches.
Whelan is pushing Carano up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Whelan lands with a right to the head.
Whelan wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Whelan throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.
Whelan is leaning against Carano and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Whelan pushes Carano back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Whelan is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Carano is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Whelan pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Whelan stalling in the clinch.
Carano is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Whelan gets underhooks to prevent Carano's takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Gino Carano. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Carano jumps into guard, dragging Whelan to the mat.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
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!
Whelan trying to stand up but can't free himself from Carano's guard.
Whelan stays in close to Carano's body and controls the position.
Whelan wants to get up but he can't break Carano's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carano being controlled here, momentarily.
Whelan must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Carano working for a triangle but Whelan defends it easily.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Whelan slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Carano trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Whelan wanted to stand there but Carano had control of the position.
Whelan's corner is telling him to maintain position.

That's two 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.

Whelan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Whelan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Carano. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Carano looking for a guillotine here but Whelan defends easily.
Carano is breathing heavily.

Whelan avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

Carano looking for a guillotine here but Whelan defends easily.
Whelan not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Whelan has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Carano keeping full guard, as Whelan tries to pass.
Whelan is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Carano is looking for a triangle but Whelan pushes his legs off easily.
Whelan sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Carano keeping moving, preventing Whelan from controlling successfully.

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.

Despite being in the dominant position, Matthew Whelan just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Carano misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
A decent looking cross lands there for Whelan.

It looks like Gino Carano has been cut.
Carano misses with a straight right.
Matthew Whelan is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Whelan tries to clinch but Carano moves out of range.
Whelan takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Whelan looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Whelan moves away from the strike by Carano.

Whelan has managed to clinch.
Whelan will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Carano up against the cage.
Carano has Whelan pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Whelan manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Whelan is pressed up against the cage. Carano has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Whelan down to the mat. Whelan avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Whelan ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
Whelan stuffs the takedown attempt from Carano. Carano gets slowly back to his feet.
Carano takes a jab right on the kisser.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matthew Whelan dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gino Carano's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

A big right from Carano misses.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Carano.
A combination from Whelan does no damage.
Whelan connects with a stiff jab that staggers Carano - oh and he follows up with a huge uppercut that knocks him out cold! Man, that was brutal!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:17 of round 2, we have a winner by way of KO (Punches). Matthew Whelan!