PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sam Ponjev (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Connor McGuinness (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ponjev
vs
McGuinness

185 cm
36
180 lbs
28 - 7 - 0

183 cm
31
185 lbs
18 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 28 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Sam Ponjev!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 18 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Connor McGuinness!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Jonathan Paton and Chad Campbell.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slow jab from Ponjev misses its intended target.
McGuinness throws a counter combo.
Ponjev tries to clinch up.
McGuinness misses the shot to the body.
McGuinness slips a straight right by Ponjev.
McGuinness misses with a right hand
and Ponjev cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
McGuinness thows a left - swing and a miss!
Sam Ponjev seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ponjev shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has McGuinness pinned against the cage. McGuinness gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from McGuinness! But no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
McGuinness moves out of range of the strikes.
McGuinness takes a swing at Ponjev's ribcage but misses.
McGuinness misses with a lunging right hand
and McGuinness takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ponjev misses with a body shot.
Ponjev is looking to clinch but McGuinness is avoiding it.
McGuinness throws out a counter right but Ponjev avoids it with no problem.
Connor McGuinness is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
McGuinness is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
McGuinness is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Ponjev.
Ponjev throwing a counter right hand but McGuinness manages to avoid it.
Ponjev drops his hands momentarily and McGuinness takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Ponjev looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? McGuinness is fending him off so far but Ponjev persists. Nope, McGuinness circles away and we're back to standing.
Ponjev takes a swing at McGuinness's ribcage but misses.
Ponjev swings for the body but McGuinness moves out of range.
McGuinness throws out a counter right but Ponjev avoids it with no problem.
McGuinness jabbing away but nothing is landing.
McGuinness fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Ponjev ducks under a wild hook from McGuinness.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ponjev uses good head movement to avoid the hook from McGuinness.
McGuinness will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Ponjev fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sam Ponjev. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ponjev misses with a right hand
letting McGuinness counter with a right hand.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as McGuinness checks a leg kick.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
No luck for Ponjev with that takedown attempt.
A nice side step and McGuinness releases a counter shot to the body, but it doesn't find it's home.
A punch combination from Ponjev misses.
McGuinness rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Ponjev moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sloppy strikes from McGuinness. Those never looked like landing.
Ponjev appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Ponjev rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and McGuinness counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Ponjev thinking.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McGuinness throws a body shot but no joy.
Ponjev is looking to counter punch.
Ponjev blocks a jab.
McGuinness lands a nice shot that snaps Ponjev's head back.
McGuinness avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
McGuinness throws a looping overhand right but Ponjev ducks down to avoid it.
Ponjev smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
McGuinness throws a series of punches but Ponjev avoids them all with ease.
Ponjev fails with a takedown attempt.
It seemed like McGuinness was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
Ponjev's jab looks to have found its range, popping McGuinness under the eye.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McGuinness fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Ponjev looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
McGuinness connects with a crisp jab.
The fighters circling - McGuinness throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
McGuinness scores with a body shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
McGuinness ducks under a wild hook from Ponjev.
McGuinness misses the shot to the body.
Ponjev misses with a straight right.
A countering left hand to the body from McGuinness misses.
McGuinness misses with a hook. Ponjev ducked under it nicely.
Ponjev feinted with a counter takedown.
McGuinness connects with a jab.
Ponjev misses with a series of wild punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Connor McGuinness dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

McGuinness slaps away a takedown attempt from Ponjev, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Ponjev bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
McGuinness is trying to control Ponjev's posture but Ponjev avoids it.
McGuinness is looking to reverse the position.
McGuinness is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Ponjev off and has taken his back!
McGuinness scores with punches from the back.
McGuinness is looking to control Ponjev but Ponjev is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Ponjev avoids the strikes from McGuinness.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McGuinness lands an elbow to the side of the head.
You can see the frustration on Ponjev's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Ponjev showing good submission defense here.
McGuinness missing with strikes from the back.
Ponjev looking very determined here, making life difficult for McGuinness.
McGuinness lands with a hammerfist to the side of Ponjev's head.
Ponjev has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from McGuinness.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McGuinness controlling well, preventing Ponjev from escaping the position.

Ponjev showing good submission defense here.
Ponjev tries to escape the position.

McGuinness is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Ponjev is really stuck here.
Connor McGuinness has got the better of the ground game so far.
McGuinness gets his hands free as Ponjev looks to control.

McGuinness has the rear naked choke here! This is very bad for Ponjev! Can he survive? No! He's out! McGuinness gets to his feet and celebrates with his cornermen. He looks absolutely delighted. In the post fight interviews he takes time to thank his parents and everyone who has believed in him from the start. How sweet.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:57 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Connor McGuinness!
Connor McGuinness decided to go for the less than humble approach in his post fight interview, telling everyone how he is going to conquer the world. The crowd seemed to like it when really that sort of approach could have gone either way.