PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Ryan McCarthy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Makua Koa (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McCarthy comes to the cage accompanied by False Pretense. Makua Koa told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

McCarthy
vs
Koa

225 cm
18
130 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

173 cm
22
135 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ryan McCarthy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Makua Koa!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCarthy's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and McCarthy duly obliges.

Koa drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Koa throws an elbow but McCarthy slips to the side and avoids it well.
Koa looks up at the clock and then as McCarthy takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Koa smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Koa is looking to take a break and control but McCarthy is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Koa tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.

Koa stands up and beckons McCarthy to his feet.
Koa looks to score with a jab to the body but McCarthy is just out of range.
Some bone on bone action there as McCarthy checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
McCarthy gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Koa counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
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!
McCarthy is staying active underneath Koa, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Koa sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. McCarthy defending well though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy punching from the bottom.
Koa controlling the action here.
Koa working the head and body with strikes.

Koa is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and McCarthy defends it well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Koa controlling the action here.
Koa lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
McCarthy throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Koa thows a huge punch but McCarthy dodges it nicely.
McCarthy misses with some strikes from the bottom.
McCarthy trying to hold on to Koa's head to control him but Koa postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
McCarthy lands a jab-cross combination.
McCarthy misses with a few strikes there.
A head kick misses from McCarthy.
Koa slips a jab and a cross from McCarthy.

Koa decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
McCarthy is breathing heavily.
McCarthy tries to kick Koa off but Koa keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
McCarthy tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Koa takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.

Koa is trying to work for a kimura but McCarthy is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koa slips a nice elbow through McCarthy's hands, connecting with McCarthy's forehead.

Koa is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. McCarthy doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Koa.
McCarthy is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

Koa stands up and beckons McCarthy to join him on the feet.
Koa throws a combination that misses
and McCarthy counters with a two punch combo.
McCarthy checks a low kick from Koa.
McCarthy tries to clinch up

and Koa decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in McCarthy's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy trying to keep a closed guard but Koa is proving a slippery customer.
Koa must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Koa trying to control but McCarthy is working from the bottom.

Koa gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Koa shoots in and bounces McCarthy off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
McCarthy keeping full guard, as Koa tries to pass.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Koa trying to control the position from guard on top but McCarthy is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makua Koa dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Koa connects with a good right hand that stumbles McCarthy. McCarthy circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Koa checks a leg kick nicely.
Koa swings away with a leg kick that misses.
McCarthy pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Koa showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from McCarthy.
McCarthy really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Koa is looking to chop away at McCarthy's legs.
Koa looks to land a combination but McCarthy avoids it well.

Koa bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
A lull in the action here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
McCarthy takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
A lull in the action here as Koa stalls from top position.

Koa working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Koa is putting a hurting on McCarthy here, landing some big shots from side control.

Koa decides to stand back up.
Koa thows a body shot but no joy.
Koa is looking to land body kicks.
McCarthy tries a head kick but it misses.
Ryan McCarthy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Koa swings away with a leg kick that misses.
McCarthy swats away the attempt to clinch by Koa.
Koa checks a leg kick.
McCarthy takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

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.

Koa changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. McCarthy looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Koa scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at McCarthy to see if he's OK.
McCarthy taking a bit of punishment here - Koa scoring with strikes.
McCarthy is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Koa lands a decent elbow from side control.
McCarthy is trying to escape the position but Koa is controlling the position.
McCarthy taking punishment in the form of punches.
Koa working the ground and pound from side control.
McCarthy takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Koa decides to stand up, so the ref orders McCarthy to his feet.
Koa misses with a double jab.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koa slips under a jab.

Koa scores with a takedown into McCarthy's guard.

Koa is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
McCarthy working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Koa.
Koa scoring with punches to the head and body.
Koa wanted to stand there but McCarthy had control of the position.
McCarthy wants to stand and escape but Koa is having none of it.
Koa really doesn't want to stay on the ground with McCarthy. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Koa won't allow McCarthy to sweep him here.
Koa wants to control from the top but McCarthy keeps moving.
Koa is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
McCarthy blocks a low kick nicely.
Koa throws out a loose jab but McCarthy uses good head movement to avoid it.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Koa.
Koa remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

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

Koa stands up and beckons McCarthy to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Makua Koa showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Koa shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Koa lands strikes from half guard.

McCarthy is defending against the submission attempts here by Koa.
Koa not doing much here.
The fighters are battling for position here. McCarthy manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Koa has gone for a leg lock! McCarthy slips out almost immediately though and dives into Koa's guard.
Makua Koa has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
McCarthy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koa is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
McCarthy loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
McCarthy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
McCarthy is fighting to break Koa's control of his arms but Koa is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Koa keeping moving, preventing McCarthy from controlling successfully.
McCarthy throwing strikes but missing.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Koa can do anything to dispel that myth.
Koa managing to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Koa wants to sweep but no luck.
McCarthy trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Koa pulls McCarthy in close to prevent any damage.
McCarthy in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Koa has his hands on McCarthy's head, controlling the position.

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.
McCarthy tries to stand but Koa is controlling from the bottom.
McCarthy trying to move into half guard but instead Koa has managed to sweep!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Koa showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Koa trying to control but McCarthy is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Makua Koa comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Koa winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 26:30
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 26:30
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Makua Koa!