PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jonathan McCurkie (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Craig Mantle (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Craig Mantle will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

McCurkie
vs
Mantle

200 cm
18
275 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
300 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Jonathan McCurkie!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Craig Mantle!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Daniel Bishop and Andrew Berry.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mantle stuns McCurkie with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
McCurkie is breathing heavily.
Mantle lands a head kick. McCurkie smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Jonathan McCurkie seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

McCurkie gets caught flat footed, as Mantle shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Mantle not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Mantle wants to control from the top but McCurkie keeps moving.
McCurkie wants to stand up but Mantle is controlling him.
Mantle pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. McCurkie is keeping the position for now.
McCurkie can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Mantle controls the pace.
Mantle looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantle is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Mantle decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on McCurkie, up you get!
Mantle throws a head kick that misses.

Mantle closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
McCurkie can't break the clinch.
Mantle wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but McCurkie has him pressed against the cage.
Mantle working hard to break the clinch.
Mantle tries to break the clinch but McCurkie is controlling the position.
Mantle wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mantle can't break the clinch.
McCurkie letting Mantle take a breather here.

Mantle turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Mantle manages to end up in side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mantle takes a little break here. McCurkie wants to take advantage but he is being controlled well.
McCurkie wants to get back to his feet but Mantle drags him back down.
McCurkie is trying to escape the position but Mantle is controlling the position.

Mantle stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Mantle swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by McCurkie.
Mantle looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Mantle throws a combination. McCurkie tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Mantle throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantle turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.

McCurkie tries to keep at a distance but Mantle has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mantle tries to circle away but McCurkie has him pinned against the cage.
Mantle looks to throw an elbow but misses.

Mantle's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mantle bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
A head kick misses from McCurkie.
McCurkie misses with a body punch
and Mantle finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
McCurkie closes the distance but Mantle moves to the side
and McCurkie takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Mantle gets in close and instigates a clinch.

McCurkie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
McCurkie closes the distance but Mantle moves to the side
and Mantle counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
McCurkie misses with a hook to the body

and Mantle counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mantle is looking to take a break and control but McCurkie is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
McCurkie is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mantle's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mantle's back!
McCurkie controls the action.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Mantle dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

McCurkie misses with a combination

and Mantle counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Mantle.
Mantle tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Mantle has had enough of the clinch but McCurkie keeps him there for the moment.
McCurkie scores a nice knee to the body.

Mantle pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McCurkie swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Mantle connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.

Mantle shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in McCurkie's guard.
McCurkie wants to stand up but Mantle is controlling him.
McCurkie has a closed guard, preventing Mantle from standing up.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Mantle stops McCurkie from standing up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mantle trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mantle trying to control but McCurkie is working from the bottom.
Mantle sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mantle wants to control from the top but McCurkie keeps moving.

McCurkie is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Mantle is trying to drag McCurkie to the mat but McCurkie just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Mantle has had enough of the clinch but McCurkie keeps him there for the moment.
Mantle has McCurkie pressed against the cage, preventing McCurkie from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

McCurkie's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
McCurkie has his takedown stuffed
letting Mantle counter with a right hand.
McCurkie throws a predictable looking body shot
enabling Mantle to counter with a crisp jab.
Mantle lands a two punch combo.

Mantle closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Mantle is trying to break the clinch but McCurkie is controlling him.

McCurkie manages to break the clinch.
McCurkie misses with a takedown attempt

and Mantle counters by clinching up.
Mantle can't break the clinch.
Mantle scores with a shoulder strike.
Mantle tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. McCurkie smiles and moves away.
Jonathan McCurkie has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Craig Mantle.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mantle throws a combination. McCurkie tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
McCurkie stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Mantle.
Mantle tries to clinch up.
Mantle lands with a cross.
McCurkie closes this distance looking for a takedown but Mantle circles away.
McCurkie looks for the body kick but Mantle saw that one coming.
McCurkie darts in trying to clinch

and Mantle counters with a takedown into side control.
Mantle laying and praying for a moment but McCurkie takes advantage and regains half guard.
Mantle stops McCurkie from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mantle wants to stand up but McCurkie has a hold of him and won't allow it.
Mantle is keen to just control but McCurkie is a slippery customer.
Mantle is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Mantle wants to control the pace but McCurkie is squirming around nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Craig Mantle showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

McCurkie wants to clinch but Mantle slips to the side
and Mantle counters with a series of strikes. McCurkie will be more careful next time no doubt.

Mantle shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Mantle tries to control but McCurkie wriggling away.

Mantle is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
McCurkie falls off balance throwing a combination

and Mantle counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Mantle is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Mantle is trying to break the clinch but McCurkie has him pressed against the cage.

McCurkie pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
McCurkie moves out of range as Mantle throws a body kick.

McCurkie has managed to clinch.
Mantle tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. McCurkie just stands there and leans against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mantle is looking to break free of the clinch but McCurkie has double underhooks.
McCurkie has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCurkie has Mantle pressed against the cage, preventing Mantle from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

McCurkie breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
McCurkie misses with a takedown attempt

and Mantle counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Mantle.
Mantle trying to control but McCurkie is working from the bottom.
Mantle must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
McCurkie wants to stand and escape but Mantle is having none of it.
Mantle's corner is telling him to maintain position.

McCurkie scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Mantle lands an overhand right.
Mantle throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mantle moves into the clinch successfully.
Mantle blocks a punch to the side of the head.

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

Mantle gets in close and instigates a clinch.

McCurkie escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
McCurkie swats away the attempt to clinch by Mantle.
McCurkie throws a sloppy head kick and Mantle moves out of range easily.
Jonathan McCurkie is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Mantle gets a takedown into half guard.
McCurkie is trying to maintain the position but Mantle is very close to passing his half guard.
Mantle stops McCurkie from getting back to his feet.
Jonathan McCurkie has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mantle stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows McCurkie to get to his feet.
A head kick misses from McCurkie.
McCurkie misses with a head kick.
Mantle lands a two punch combo.
Mantle tries to work over McCurkie's front leg with a kick but McCurkie checks it.
Mantle works over McCurkie's head and body with a nice combination.
McCurkie falls off balance throwing a combination

and Mantle counters by moving into the clinch.
Knees to the body from McCurkie.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Mantle turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Mantle manages to end up in side control.
McCurkie might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Mantle wants to lay and pray for a moment but McCurkie keeps working.
Mantle might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control McCurkie kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.

And that's the end of the fight!
Craig Mantle comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mantle has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Craig Mantle!