PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Johnie Mcfadden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicholas Granlund (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Nicholas Granlund has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mcfadden
vs
Granlund

171 cm
18
177 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

178 cm
18
170 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Johnie Mcfadden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Nicholas Granlund!
The judges for this bout are Aleksandr Martynov, Igor Prikhodko and Fedor Mirinova.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Granlund fakes a strike and closes the distance, dragging Mcfadden to the ground. Granlund is now in Mcfadden's guard.

Mcfadden escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Granlund gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Mcfadden throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Granlund trying to control the position from guard on top but Mcfadden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Granlund is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

Granlund 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.
Mcfadden throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.
Mcfadden is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Granlund lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Granlund slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Mcfadden had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Granlund defends it easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Granlund looking to sit in guard and control but Mcfadden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Mcfadden won't allow Granlund to sweep him here.

Granlund has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Mcfadden has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Granlund wants the takedown. Mcfadden is fighting it off but Granlund persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Mcfadden's guard against the cage.
Granlund postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Granlund scoring with some ground and pound.
Granlund looking to sit in guard and control but Mcfadden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Mcfadden could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

Mcfadden stands up from guard. Let's bang!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Mcfadden tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Granlund was well out of range. Poor timing from Mcfadden.

Granlund darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Granlund trying to mount his opponent but Mcfadden defends it.
Mcfadden tries to get to full guard but Granlund has control of the leg.

Mcfadden is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Granlund pulls his head out easily.
Granlund drops an elbow to the side of Mcfadden's head.

Mcfadden is defending against the submission attempts here by Granlund.
Granlund wants to free his trapped foot but Mcfadden is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Granlund looks winded!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mcfadden slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Mcfadden keeping moving, preventing Granlund from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Mcfadden is on top in guard.
Mcfadden throwing strikes from guard but Granlund blocks nicely.
Mcfadden trying to control but Granlund is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcfadden advances position into side control!
Mcfadden working away.

Mcfadden wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Granlund, who protects the arm well.
Granlund tries to buck Mcfadden off but Mcfadden is having none of it.
Granlund struggling a bit here.
Mcfadden throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Granlund regains half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Mcfadden is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Granlund doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Mcfadden.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicholas Granlund dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Granlund shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Mcfadden tries to strike from the bottom.
Granlund stopping the sweep attempt from Mcfadden.
Mcfadden manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Granlund manages to get himself to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Granlund working a defensive guard here.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Granlund is on top in guard.
Granlund distracts Mcfadden with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mcfadden doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Granlund trying to control the position from guard on top but Mcfadden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Granlund showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Granlund wanted to stand there but Mcfadden had control of the position.
Mcfadden is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Granlund stays in close to Mcfadden's body and controls the position.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Nicholas Granlund.
Granlund fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mcfadden misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mcfadden throws a head kick but Granlund moves out of range.

Granlund closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Granlund lands in his opponent's guard.
Granlund is breathing heavily.
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!
Granlund cracks Mcfadden with a solid left hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Mcfadden has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Granlund can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Granlund won't allow Mcfadden to sweep him here.
Granlund working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Granlund wants to control from the top but Mcfadden keeps moving.
Mcfadden wants to sweep but no luck.
Granlund throwing strikes from guard but Mcfadden blocks nicely.
Granlund won't allow Mcfadden to sweep him here.
Mcfadden keeping moving, preventing Granlund from controlling successfully.
Granlund scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcfadden tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Granlund wants to get up but he can't break Mcfadden's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Mcfadden looking to hit a scissor sweep but Granlund is one step ahead there.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Granlund wants to stand but Mcfadden has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Granlund trying to control the position from guard on top but Mcfadden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mcfadden looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Granlund trying to control the position from guard on top but Mcfadden is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Nicholas Granlund wasn't active enough on the ground.
Mcfadden tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicholas Granlund showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Mcfadden tries to clinch up
and Mcfadden takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Granlund looking to score a takedown here. Mcfadden is defending well but Granlund drives through and ends up in Mcfadden's guard.
Mcfadden lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for Granlund!

Mcfadden goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Granlund turns into him and now he's in Mcfadden's guard.
Granlund won't allow Mcfadden to sweep him here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Granlund controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Granlund trying to control but Mcfadden is working from the bottom.
Mcfadden looking for a sweep. Not yet Mcfadden, not yet.
Granlund scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Mcfadden utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Granlund decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Mcfadden, up you get!
Granlund staying out of range there.
Mcfadden wants to clinch up but Granlund keeps it at a distance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mcfadden looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Granlund!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Mcfadden tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Granlund can't do much from the bottom here.
Granlund is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Mcfadden is staying active.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Mcfadden looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Granlund is looking for a sweep.
Granlund struggling a bit here.
Granlund sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Mcfadden tries to pass to full mount but Granlund defends it.
Granlund is controlling Mcfadden's position as best he can from this difficult position.

Mcfadden seems to be looking for submissions.
Mcfadden prevents Granlund from improving his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mcfadden wants to free his trapped foot but Granlund is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Granlund looking for submissions off his back.

Mcfadden 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.
Granlund trying to control from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Nicholas Granlund.
I've got Granlund 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 Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 27:30
Judge Igor Prikhodko scores the fight 27:30
Judge Fedor Mirinova scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicholas Granlund!
After winning the bout, Nicholas Granlund thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.