PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Austin Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rubiao Macarenco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Worner
vs
Macarenco

170 cm
28
146 lbs
13 - 16 - 0

159 cm
27
130 lbs
5 - 6 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Good knees
Good chin

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Good gas tank

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 13 - 16 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Austin Worner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Rubiao Macarenco!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Frank Antenori and Don Winkell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Worner drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Macarenco looking for a sweep. Not yet Macarenco, not yet.
Worner wants to control from the top but Macarenco keeps moving.
Macarenco is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Worner landing with the ground and pound.
Worner pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Macarenco is keeping the position for now.

Macarenco looking for subs off his back but Worner has passed one foot through into half guard.
Worner tries to stand but his hand is stuck under Macarenco.
Worner is trying to control. Macarenco wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Worner is taking a breather. Macarenco says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner wants to control but Macarenco is keeping him busy.
Worner throwing shots but Macarenco is blocking nicely.
Worner wants to lay and pray for a moment but Macarenco keeps working.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Austin Worner just wasn't active enough.

Macarenco gets tackled into the cage by Worner. Worner maintains the clinch.
Macarenco drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Worner gets a trip takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Worner is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Macarenco is looking to improve his position.
Macarenco trying to control but Worner postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Worner trying to control the action but Macarenco is working from the bottom.
Worner will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Macarenco regains full guard. Nicely done.
Worner wants to stand but Macarenco is controlling his posture from full guard.
Worner content to stall in guard here.
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!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Worner stopping the sweep attempt from Macarenco.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Worner lands a couple of digs.
Worner trying to control the position from guard on top but Macarenco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Austin Worner wasn't doing enough on the ground.

Worner is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Macarenco's half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macarenco wants to improve his position but Worner is controlling well.
Macarenco is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Worner's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Worner's back!

Worner is in a bad position with Macarenco working for a choke. Worner manages to spin nicely into guard and the danger is over for the moment.
Worner controls from within his opponent's guard.
Worner trying to control the position from guard on top but Macarenco is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Worner is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Macarenco escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Worner gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Worner has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Macarenco is proving hard to escape from.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Austin Worner.

Worner changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Macarenco looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Worner wants to control but Macarenco is keeping him busy.
Worner tries to advance to mount but can't.
Macarenco is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Macarenco is pressing down on Worner's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
Macarenco controls Worner momentarily but Worner frees himself.
Macarenco being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Austin Worner dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Worner shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Worner was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Macarenco is looking to regain half guard here but Worner keeps moving and retains side control.
Worner trying to control the position but Macarenco is working away.
Worner has control of an arm but Macarenco manages to advance to Worner's back!

Macarenco has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Worner trying to control the hands but Macarenco won't let him.

Macarenco working for the choke.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Worner tries to escape the position.
Worner is trying to stand back up.

Macarenco has his hand under the chin of his opponent looking for the choke. He's nearly got it! This one could be all over! But no, Worner has freed his hand and lives to survive another… well, another couple of seconds at least!
Worner tries to break free.
Worner rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.

Macarenco seems to be looking for submissions.
Worner is doing well to control the position and prevent Macarenco from advancing to side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Macarenco 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.
Macarenco throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

Macarenco 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.
We've been informed that Macarenco has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.
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!
Macarenco is thwarting Worner's attempts to control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macarenco is trying to control. Worner wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Macarenco prevents Worner from improving his position.
Macarenco is looking to take a break and control but Worner is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Worner is defending against the submission attempts here by Macarenco.
Worner blocking the ground and pound attempt from Macarenco.
Macarenco stops Worner from getting back to his feet.
Austin Worner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Worner controlling the leg, holding on to half guard.

Macarenco is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Worner is looking to improve his position.
Macarenco prevents Worner from standing back up.
Worner trying to control here.
Worner wants to get back to full guard.
Macarenco thows a huge punch but Worner dodges it nicely.

Macarenco is looking for a kimura but Worner is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Macarenco to get the leverage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Worner is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rubiao Macarenco showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Worner pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Worner moves into the clinch.

Worner has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Macarenco uses from the top position.
Worner is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Macarenco forces his way into half guard.
Worner is trying to stand up here but Macarenco is controlling him well.
Macarenco throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

Worner is defending against the submission attempts here by Macarenco.
Worner wants to control but Macarenco is keeping busy.
Worner wants to improve his position but Macarenco is controlling well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Macarenco is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Worner tries to reverse the position but Macarenco maintains control.

Macarenco with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.

Macarenco goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Worner turns into him and now he's in Macarenco's guard.
Macarenco looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Worner trying to control but Macarenco is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Worner is looking to stand up but Macarenco won't let him.
Worner stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Macarenco swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

Austin Worner has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Macarenco shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Worner defends it nicely.
Macarenco fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Worner looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Worner is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Worner decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Macarenco, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Macarenco looks for a takedown but Worner sprawls well.
Austin Worner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Rubiao Macarenco.
Macarenco closes this distance looking for a takedown but Worner circles away.
Macarenco misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Worner bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Worner is looking to take a break and control but Macarenco is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Worner scoring with punches from side control.
Macarenco sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Worner lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Macarenco is looking to control Worner's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Macarenco avoid being mounted?
Worner wants to control but Macarenco is keeping him busy.
Worner sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Macarenco defending well though.
Worner wants to get back to his feet.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Worner is keen to just control but Macarenco is a slippery customer.
Macarenco trying to control here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Worner looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Macarenco makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Macarenco.

And that's the end of the fight!
Austin Worner showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Worner has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Austin Worner!