PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Ryan Cullen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tony Carlos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ryan Cullen could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Tony Carlos's chin.

Cullen
vs
Carlos

178 cm
22
165 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

183 cm
18
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ryan Cullen!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tony Carlos!
The judges for this bout are David Schapiro, John Kavanagh and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cullen displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Carlos throws out the jab.
Cullen uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Carlos.
Ryan Cullen seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Cullen defending well as Carlos loads up on a big left hand.
Carlos looks to land a right hand but Cullen moved out of range.
A big right from Carlos misses.
Carlos throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cullen's corner calls for a 1-2. Cullen obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Carlos rushes in with a sloppy looking punch

and Cullen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Carlos's guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Carlos swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Carlos wants to stand and escape but Cullen is having none of it.
Cullen trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Cullen 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.
Cullen sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Carlos's guard.
Carlos is refusing to be controlled, as Cullen sits in half guard.

Cullen 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.
Carlos really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Cullen. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Cullen is tying to control. Carlos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cullen scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Cullen is tying to control. Carlos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Carlos is trying is best to control the position here.

Cullen seems to be working for a kimura but Carlos defends the submission attempt.
Carlos is looking to control Cullen's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Carlos avoid being mounted?
Carlos is looking to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlos tries to kick Cullen off in order to stand up. Cullen Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Cullen tries to advance to mount but can't.
Cullen working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.

Cullen tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Cullen has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Cullen is breathing heavily.
Cullen is looking to take a break and control but Carlos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Carlos can do anything to dispel that myth.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Cullen throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Carlos manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Carlos wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cullen keeps working.
Carlos controlling the action here.
Cullen is staying active underneath Carlos, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cullen wants to improve his position but Carlos is controlling well.
Carlos thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Cullen dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Carlos throws a right hand that misses

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

Cullen thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Carlos keeping moving, preventing Cullen from controlling successfully.
Cullen wants to pass the guard but Carlos is keeping the position.
Carlos can't keep his opponent in guard - Cullen advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Carlos is looking for a sweep. Cullen is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Cullen not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Carlos is trying to stand up here but Cullen is controlling him well.
Cullen wants to pass to mount but Carlos is defending the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Cullen swings for the body but Carlos moves out of range.
Carlos throws a right hand that misses

and Cullen decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Carlos's guard.
Carlos not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Cullen trying to control the position from guard on top but Carlos is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cullen 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.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

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

Carlos stands up and we're back to a striking position.
Cullen wants to clinch.
Cullen misses with a few strikes there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlos swings widly with a right hand

and Cullen counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Cullen.
Cullen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Cullen drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cullen jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cullen slips nicely into half guard.
Cullen thows a huge punch but Carlos dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cullen is tying to control. Carlos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Cullen works his way into full mount!
Cullen trying to control but Carlos is having none of it.
Cullen thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Ryan Cullen overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Cullen swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Carlos is now in Cullen's guard. A big mistake from Cullen there, giving up the dominant position!
Cullen not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan Cullen dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cullen looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Cullen swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Carlos rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cullen counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Cullen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Carlos is fending him off so far but Cullen persists. Nope, Carlos circles away and we're back to standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cullen fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ryan Cullen. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cullen throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cullen doesn't manage to clinch there - Carlos circles away.
Carlos might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
Carlos takes one on the button.
Cullen looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Carlos is fending him off so far but Cullen persists. Nope, Carlos circles away and we're back to standing.
Cullen looks shocked there as he takes a right hand to the temple.

Cullen is rocked!

It looks like Ryan Cullen has been cut.
Ryan Cullen is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cullen closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Cullen is looking to stall here but Carlos recovers full guard.
Cullen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Cullen won't allow Carlos to get back to his feet.
Cullen throwing strikes from guard but Carlos blocks nicely.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Cullen accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Carlos wants to stand and escape but Cullen is having none of it.
Cullen stands and throws Carlos's legs to the side, diving into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Carlos is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Cullen tries to clinch but Carlos is having none of it.
Cullen fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Carlos throws an off balance right hand

and Cullen counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Carlos pushes Cullen off and scrambles back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cullen fails with a takedown attempt.
Carlos throws a hook to the side of Cullen's head but Cullen sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Cullen shoots in for a double leg but Carlos sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Tony Carlos has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
A punch combination from Cullen misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Ryan Cullen.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Cullen, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 David Schapiro scores the fight 30:27
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 30:27
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan Cullen!