PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Derfel Cadarn (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Byrne (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cadarn comes to the cage accompanied by Old England's Glory. Both these guys have really solid chins. Will we see a standup war or will they both decide that a knockout is unlikely and try to win the fight elsewhere?

Cadarn
vs
Byrne

199 cm
23
280 lbs
7 - 1 - 0

203 cm
24
240 lbs
7 - 3 - 0

Good wrestling
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

MMA Hype Apparel
Spartan Nutrition

Bullet Proof System

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 7 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Derfel Cadarn!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Byrne!
The judges for this bout are Tiny Johnson, Frank Dennis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Byrne steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Cadarn.
Cadarn shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Cadarn throws a leg kick but Byrne sees it coming and checks it nicely.
A clash of legs there as Byrne blocks the low kick.
Cadarn pushes Byrne away with a front kick.
Cadarn throws out a loose jab but Byrne uses good head movement to avoid it.
Byrne rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Cadarn counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Byrne misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cadarn.
Cadarn feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Cadarn feints and then cracks Byrne's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Byrne down.
Byrne takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cadarn scores with a nice body kick.
Cadarn will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Cadarn misses with a jab, cross combination.
A jab from Byrne misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cadarn misses with the body kick

and Byrne counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Byrne trying to control but Cadarn is working from the bottom.

Cadarn is looking for a triangle but Byrne pushes his legs off easily.

Cadarn is looking for a triangle but Byrne pushes his legs off easily.
Byrne is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Cadarn working a defensive guard but Byrne manages to pass into side control anyway.
You can see the frustration on Cadarn's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Cadarn tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Byrne wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cadarn seems a little lost for a moment, as Byrne dominates the positioning.
Cadarn dodges the ground and pound from Byrne.
Cadarn gets back to half guard.
Byrne tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cadarn knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Byrne working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
Cadarn makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cadarn.
Cadarn avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Cadarn is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Byrne is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cadarn being controlled here, momentarily.

The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cadarn is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Byrne defends well.
Byrne wants to pass the guard but Cadarn is keeping the position.

Cadarn escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Byrne gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Cadarn keeping full guard, as Byrne tries to pass.

That's four 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.
Cadarn keeping moving, preventing Byrne from controlling successfully.

Cadarn has his foot on Byrne's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Byrne works his way back into a safe position though.
Byrne works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Cadarn looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are battling for position here. Cadarn manages to regain full guard. Nice work.
Byrne wants to pass the guard but Cadarn is keeping the position.
Byrne wants to control from the top but Cadarn keeps moving.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Byrne got a little sloppy there for a moment and Cadarn has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Byrne has managed to get both his arms back between Cadarn's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Byrne connects with a body shot.
Byrne misses with a looping left.
Byrne slips a straight right by Cadarn.
Byrne takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Cadarn throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Byrne counters with a nice double leg into side control. Cadarn won't be happy with that.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Cadarn wants to control but Byrne postures up.
Cadarn is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Byrne grinds an elbow into Cadarn's temple.
Cadarn looking for a sweep but Byrne has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Byrne trying to control but Cadarn is having none of it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cadarn is trying to escape the mount.
Cadarn tries to lock up and control but Byrne gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Byrne prevents Cadarn from getting the reversal.
Cadarn manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Cadarn trying to control but Byrne postures up.
Byrne trying to control the action but Cadarn is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cadarn actively working from the bottom here.
Byrne lands with a punch from half guard.
Byrne is looking to advance position but Cadarn won't allow it.
Byrne prevents Cadarn from improving his position.
Byrne seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Cadarn does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.

Cadarn looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Byrne takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cadarn trying to control from the bottom.
Cadarn wants to get back to full guard.

Cadarn looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.

Cadarn looking for submissions off his back.
Cadarn definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

Cadarn looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Byrne not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Byrne content to control rather than advance.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Cadarn wants to slow Byrne down by chopping away at his legs.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cadarn lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Byrne has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Byrne and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Cadarn ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Byrne misses with a low kick as Cadarn jumps back.
As Byrne looks to move away, Cadarn throws a big counter combo bu Byrne just gets out of the way.
Cadarn is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Byrne.
Byrne blocks the body kick.
Cadarn ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Byrne moves away.
Cadarn feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Byrne's calf.
Cadarn wants to slow Byrne down by chopping away at his legs.
Byrne has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Cadarn.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Cadarn does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Cadarn looks for the body kick but Byrne saw that one coming.
Cadarn lands with a straight right. Byrne didn't see that one coming.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Matt Byrne will probably get the nod - 10:9.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Cadarn throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Byrne drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cadarn defends it well.
Cadarn defending well as Byrne loads up on a big left hand.
Cadarn scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Cadarn throws a solid leg kick but Byrne takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Cadarn.
Byrne walks into a left hand.
Cadarn misses with a body kick.
Byrne steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Cadarn. That one must have hurt.
Cadarn has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Cadarn there as he acknowledges the shot.
Cadarn misses the jab.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Byrne! But no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Good leg kick by Cadarn there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
Byrne scores with a jab. Cadarn acknowledges it with a nod of the head.
Cadarn misses with a kick to the body
and Byrne counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Cadarn pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Derfel Cadarn is winning the standup battle so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cadarn with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Cadarn takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
Cadarn throws a leg kick but Byrne moved away.
Byrne now looks to counter with a shot at the body.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cadarn lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Byrne has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Byrne and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Byrne throws a body punch but Cadarn moves out of range.
Cadarn shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
Nice body kick from Cadarn.
Cadarn throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Derfel Cadarn seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Byrne takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Byrne missing with a left hand there. Cadarn was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Cadarn misses with a low kick.
Byrne lands with a straight right. Cadarn didn't see that one coming.
Cadarn throws a leg kick that is checked
and Byrne counters with a lovely straight right hand!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cadarn throws a half hearted mid kick.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Cadarn lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Byrne has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Byrne and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Cadarn attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Cadarn throws a half hearted mid kick.
Byrne checks the leg kick.
Byrne with the counter takedown but Cadarn avoids it easily.
Cadarn tries to land a leg kick but Byrne saw it coming and moves away.
Byrne avoids a kick to the body.
And Byrne tries to counter it with a takedown but Cadarn pushes his down on his head and steps out.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cadarn uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Byrne.
Byrne has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Cadarn.
Byrne takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Cadarn throws a front kick aimed at Byrne's knee but Byrne avoids it well.
Byrne drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Cadarn defends it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Byrne misses with a series of wild punches.
As Byrne backs away, Cadarn returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Byrne misses with a looping left.
Byrne moves out of range of the leg kick from Cadarn.
Cadarn thuds his shin into the meat of Byrne's side.
Cadarn lands a jab.
Cadarn throws a low kick but Byrne moves out of range easily.
Cadarn tries to clinch but Byrne moves out of range.
Jab by Cadarn.
Cadarn takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Cadarn tries to clinch but Byrne is having none of it.
Cadarn misses with a looping right.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Cadarn - that will leave a mark!
Byrne walks forward, straight into a front kick from Cadarn.
Cadarn fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Byrne with the counter takedown but Cadarn avoids it easily.
The fighters circle momentarily. Byrne darts into range and connects with a nice straight punch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
A big left from Byrne misses.
Byrne throws a body shot but no joy.
Byrne throws a head kick that misses.
Byrne lands a high kick!
Cadarn attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Byrne throws out a counter right but Cadarn avoids it with no problem.
Cadarn scores with a nice right hand.
Cadarn fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Cadarn with a hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
Derfel Cadarn showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Cadarn has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Tiny Johnson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Derfel Cadarn!
A relieved looking Derfel Cadarn thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.