PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ashton Bell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Orlando Cardigan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Bell
vs
Cardigan

185 cm
21
190 lbs
8 - 9 - 0

180 cm
25
202 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good kicks
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 8 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ashton Bell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Orlando Cardigan!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Skip Squint and Summer Carpenter.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bell lunges at Cardigan with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cardigan's hand.
Bell throws a right and a left that both miss.
Bell tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Cardigan is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Bell's half guard.
Cardigan trying to pass the guard but Bell defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cardigan is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Cardigan is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Bell has managed to free his arm - good work.
Cardigan thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Bell's head.
Bell punching from the bottom.
Bell trying to control here.
Bell looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bell gets full guard.

Bell looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Cardigan passes into side control.

Cardigan goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Bell rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Cardigan's guard! Nice work there by Bell!
Cardigan is trying to keep Bell in close.

Cardigan is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Bell is aware though and is defending well.
Bell stopping the sweep attempt from Cardigan.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Bell with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell stands up over Cardigan, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Bell passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Cardigan is looking to regain half guard here but Bell keeps moving and retains side control.
Cardigan takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Bell tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Cardigan is pushing Bell's head away, looking to escape. Bell manages to hold on to the position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Cardigan sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Cardigan manages to work his way to half guard, despite Bell's best efforts.

Cardigan is defending against the submission attempts here by Bell.

Cardigan actively working from the bottom here.
Cardigan looks gassed!
Cardigan works his way to full guard. Good work.
Cardigan working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Bell.
Bell throwing strikes but missing.

Cardigan working for a triangle but Bell defends it easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cardigan trying to keep a closed guard but Bell is proving a slippery customer.
Bell lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Cardigan looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Cardigan is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Bell defends well.

Cardigan looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Orlando Cardigan will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Bell fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Cardigan on the side of the head.
Horrible takedown by Cardigan or perhaps it was just good defense by Bell which made him look bad.
Bell is looking to clinch.
Cardigan moves forwards but Bell connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Cardigan avoids a punch combination nicely.
Bell fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cardigan ducks under a wild hook from Bell.
Bell looks to land a combination but Cardigan avoids it well.

Cardigan rushes Bell and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Cardigan breaks the clinch.
Bell lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Bell throws a low kick but Cardigan moves out of range easily.
Cardigan tries a head kick but it misses.
Bell is looking to land body kicks.

Bell darts in and clinches Cardigan up against the cage.
Cardigan landing knees to the body.

Bell manages to break the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardigan dodges the punch combination from Bell.
Cardigan misses with a head kick.
Cardigan fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Cardigan closes the distance but Bell moves to the side
and Bell counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Bell tries to bum rush Cardigan with a series of wild strikes but Cardigan uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Cardigan is looking to clinch but Bell is avoiding it.
Bell tries to clinch but Cardigan moves away

and Cardigan counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Cardigan lands an elbow just above Bell 's eye.
Bell has had enough of the clinch but Cardigan keeps him there for the moment.
Bell fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Bell is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Cardigan throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Bell blocks it with crossed arms.
Cardigan is breathing heavily.
Cardigan misses with a knee to the head.
Bell blocks an elbow strike from Cardigan.
Bell wants to break the clinch but can't.

Bell gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Cardigan regains guard.
Cardigan tries to strike from the bottom.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Cardigan is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Bell knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Bell defending against the ground and pound.

Cardigan goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Bell has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Cardigan but great work by Bell.
Cardigan manages to get back to half guard.

Cardigan actively working from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cardigan looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Cardigan is looking to improve his position.

Bell 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.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cardigan wants to sweep but Bell has passed to side control!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Cardigan is working to avoid the ground and pound but Bell connects with a decent elbow.

Bell tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bell has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Cardigan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Cardigan is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ashton Bell dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Bell is looking to clinch.
Cardigan tries to close the distance and clinch but Bell swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bell looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Bell swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Cardigan counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Cardigan.
Cardigan keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Bell's efforts to push away.
Cardigan using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Bell has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Bell works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Bell throws and elbow that misses. Cardigan uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Bell's guard. Nice move by Cardigan!
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cardigan accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Cardigan stands and throws Bell's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Bell's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bell tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Cardigan wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cardigan tries for a kimura but Bell is defending well.
Orlando Cardigan has got the better of the ground game so far.
Cardigan postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Bell gets back to half guard.

Cardigan wants to work for an arm triangle but Bell is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

Bell actively working from the bottom here.
Cardigan frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bell is in a horrible position here. Cardigan smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Cardigan lands a big shot there that rocks Bell but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.

Cardigan is looking to secure an arm. He's managed it! He's pivoting for an armbar - that looks tight! But Bell has managed to get out of it and now he's in a dominant position. Nice work from Bell!

Bell stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Cardigan throws a head kick that misses.
Cardigan tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bell swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bell wants to clinch.
Cardigan misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bell misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Bell throws a combination that misses

and Cardigan counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.

Cardigan is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Bell has managed to free his arm - good work.
Cardigan misses with a head shot. Bell uses the momentum to regain guard.
Cardigan won't allow Bell to get back to his feet.
Cardigan connects with a couple of short punches.
Cardigan trying to control but Bell is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bell wants to sweep but no luck.
Bell trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Cardigan gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Good leg kick by Cardigan there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Cardigan closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.

Cardigan shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Bell's guard.

Bell is looking for a triangle but Cardigan pushes his legs off easily.
Cardigan wants to control from the top but Bell keeps moving.

Cardigan gets to his feet - Bell follows without any prompting.

And that's the end of the fight!
Orlando Cardigan comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Cardigan has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 28:29
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 28:29
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Orlando Cardigan!