PBP Commentary

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

Macias
vs
Darrow

193 cm
24
178 lbs
0 - 4 - 1

180 cm
25
177 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
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 0 - 4 - 1, fighting out of New York, Kraig Macias!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Christian Darrow!
The judges for this bout are Lou da Vinci, John Kavanagh and Alyssa Summers.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Darrow gets a clinch.
Darrow keeps control of Macias as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

Darrow manages to break the clinch.

Darrow takes the fight into the clinch.

Macias is fighting off a takedown attempt but Darrow is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Macias to the mat. Macias regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
Macias wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Macias tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Macias has Darrow pulled in close to control his posture.
Darrow postures up in Macias's guard and throws a big left but Macias blocks it.

Darrow 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.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Darrow tries to stand but Macias is controlling from the bottom.
Macias is controlling Darrow's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Darrow throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Macias has Darrow pulled in close to control his posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Darrow shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Darrow with a flurry of punches that miss.
Macias pulls Darrow in close to prevent any damage.
Darrow looking to sit in guard and control but Macias gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Macias postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darrow wants to sweep here but Macias controlling him for the moment.
Macias throws a big elbow that misses.
Macias won't allow Darrow to get back to his feet.
Macias won't allow Darrow to sweep him here.
Macias controlling from the top position.
Macias throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrow is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Macias controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Darrow instigates a clinch.
Macias is pushing Darrow up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.

Darrow gets a trip takedown into half guard.
Macias is doing well to control the position and prevent Darrow from advancing to side control.
Macias wants to get back to full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Macias keeps control of the position for the meantime.
Macias is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Darrow's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Darrow's back!
Good control from Macias.
Darrow is trying to get back to his feet but Macias has full control of the position and if anything, Darrow has just worked his way into a worse spot.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Darrow is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Macias.
Macias lands a shot to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Christian Darrow dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Darrow closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Darrow lands in his opponent's guard.

Darrow stands and steps away. Macias gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

Darrow gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Macias wants the takedown. Darrow is fighting it off but Macias persists and manages to bring the fight to the ground, ending up in Darrow's guard against the cage.
Macias throws a big right hand that misses.
Macias stopping the sweep attempt from Darrow.
Macias landing some decent shots from guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Darrow working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Macias.
Macias controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Macias postures up in Darrow's guard and throws a big left but Darrow blocks it.
Macias controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Macias working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Macias working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Macias keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Darrow's head.
Macias lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Macias controlling from the top position.
Macias throwing strikes but missing.
Macias wants to get up but he can't break Darrow's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

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.
Macias looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Macias content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Macias looking to control the position here, rather than advance.
Macias has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Macias trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Macias tries to keep at a distance but Darrow has taken the fight into the clinch.
Macias has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Macias turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Macias manages to end up in side control.
Darrow tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Macias is throwing punches to the body, looking to soften Darrow up.
Macias softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Macias will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Macias controlling the positon.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Macias is punishing Darrow with strikes - can he finish him?!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Macias is hanging on to Darrow's back as he tries to escape.
Darrow keeps trying to improve his position.
Darrow is breathing heavily.
Macias cracks Darrow with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Darrow from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Macias just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Macias gets his hands free as Darrow looks to control.
Macias connects with a big shot to the side of Darrow's head.
Macias scores with punches to the body.
Darrow is trying to remain composed but Macias is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Macias throwing strikes from the back - he gets a warning from the referee for striking the back of the head but all these shots are hurting Darrow!
Macias keeps control of the position easily here as Darrow tries to buck him off.
Macias is punishing Darrow with strikes - can he finish him?!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kraig Macias dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Darrow darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Macias tries to get to full guard but Darrow has control of the leg.
Macias gets full guard.
Macias has Darrow pulled in close to control his posture.
Darrow preventing the sweep.
Darrow postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Macias controlling Darrow's posture.
Macias lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Macias throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Darrow works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Macias sitting in guard here, content to control.
Darrow is looking to stand up but Macias isn't so interested in that idea.
Macias postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Darrow is looking to stand up but Macias isn't so interested in that idea.
Macias postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Darrow wants to stand up but Macias is controlling him.
Darrow takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Macias throws a big elbow that misses.
Macias really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two 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.
Macias slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Macias moves into the clinch.
Macias stalling the fight.
Macias has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.

Macias is trying to trip Darrow. He has hold of a leg but Darrow is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Macias persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Macias throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Macias throwing strikes from guard but Darrow blocks nicely.
Macias engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darrow is trying to control the position but Macias postures up.
Macias controls the pace of the fight for a moment.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Macias has Darrow up against the cage in a clinch.
Macias is working for takedown but Darrow is calmly controlling the position for now.

That's four 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.
Darrow works on Macias's body with a couple of short punches.
Macias doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Darrow connects with a knee to the head.

It looks like Kraig Macias has been cut.
Darrow lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Darrow lands a left hand.

Darrow has Macias pressed up against the cage. He's trying to work for a single leg takedown. Darrow pulls back from the cage and twists to the side, sending Macias tumbling to the mat - Darrow dives into Macias's guard.
Macias has his hands on Darrow's head, controlling the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Darrow postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Macias is looking to sweep but instead, Darrow has passed into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Christian Darrow.
I think Darrow has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Lou da Vinci scores the fight 28:29
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alyssa Summers scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Christian Darrow!