PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Qhorin Halfhand (ranked 529 p4p, 48 weight class) and Carl Menger (ranked 2534 p4p, 258 weight class). Halfhand comes into the arena with Portugal. The Man - Feel It Still blaring out of the sound system. Menger comes into a darkened arena with his song building. Shiny kicks in, the lights come on and the crowd goes wild! What a showman! Carl Menger has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Halfhand
vs
Menger

195 cm
24
270 lbs
9 - 4 - 0

187 cm
31
250 lbs
11 - 9 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Basic striking
Good gas tank

KOMBAT KLOTHING
Aspire Clothing

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 9 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Qhorin Halfhand!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 11 - 9 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Carl Menger!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Alan Glass and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Menger shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Halfhand as he avoids it easily.
Menger on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.

It looks like Carl Menger has been cut.
Menger wants to clinch.
An attempted straight right counter from Halfhand misses the target.
Menger moves away from the strike by Halfhand.
Halfhand misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Halfhand swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Menger.
Halfhand misses with a head kick.

Menger looking to score a takedown here. Halfhand is defending well but Menger drives through and ends up in Halfhand's guard.
Menger is looking to work some ground and pound but Halfhand has wrist control.
Halfhand is trying to keep Menger in close.
Halfhand is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

This has been an exciting period of action!
Menger has his hands clasped together around Halfhand's back. He's all about the action.
Menger has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Halfhand is working away from the top position though.
Menger is looking to improve his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halfhand working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Menger is looking to improve his position.
Menger works his way to full guard. Good work.
Menger managing to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Halfhand preventing the sweep.
Halfhand looking to pass the guard.
Halfhand has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Halfhand throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Halfhand throws a big elbow that misses.
Halfhand works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Menger tries to get to full guard but Halfhand has control of the leg.
Halfhand trying to control from half guard but Menger is working away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halfhand wants to pass the guard but Menger is defending well.
Halfhand is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That has opened up Carl Menger's cut even more.
Halfhand trying to control the action but Menger is working from the bottom.
Menger wants to improve his position but Halfhand is controlling well.
Menger is trying to stand.
Halfhand thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Halfhand wants to control but Menger is keeping him busy.
Menger wants to get back to full guard.
Halfhand thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Menger's head.
Halfhand tries to pass the half guard into mount. Menger knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Halfhand perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Menger is trying to get back to full guard.
Halfhand looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Menger keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Halfhand tries to stand but can't do so whilst Menger controls his leg.
Menger trying to control here.
Halfhand prevents Menger from improving his position.
Menger is looking to control Halfhand's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Menger avoid being mounted?
Halfhand thows a huge punch but Menger dodges it nicely.
Menger trying to control here.
Menger tries to roll over but Halfhand keeps him under control.

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.
Halfhand thows a huge punch but Menger dodges it nicely.
Halfhand throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Halfhand missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Halfhand thows a huge punch but Menger dodges it nicely.
Menger blocking the ground and pound attempt from Halfhand.
Menger tries to roll over but Halfhand keeps him under control.
Menger is staying active underneath Halfhand, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Menger is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Halfhand's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Halfhand's back!
Our spies down at at Roosters Coop inform us that Menger has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Halfhand tries to escape the position.
Menger 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 Halfhand!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Halfhand wants to escape the position.
Halfhand rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Menger connects with a nice short shot to Halfhand's temple.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Qhorin Halfhand dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Carl Menger's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Menger takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

The cut above Carl Menger's eye is starting to cause him problems now.
Menger fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
As Menger looks to move away, Halfhand throws a big counter combo but Menger just gets out of the way.
A left lands for Halfhand.
Halfhand is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Menger can do to turn this around?
Halfhand missing with a left hand there. Menger was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Menger tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Menger moves out of range of the body kick from Halfhand.
And Menger tries to counter it with a takedown but Halfhand pushes his down on his head and steps out.

Halfhand cracks Menger with an uppercut from hell and Menger crumples to the canvas, he's out! Oh no, he's recovered and he's grabbed one of Halfhand's legs and pulled him into guard. The ref thought about stopping it there but he's let it go - good reffing!

Carl Menger's cut is absolute horrible now. This looks like something out of a horror film with blood covering both fighters.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Halfhand wants to control from the top but Menger keeps moving.
Menger pulls Halfhand in to control the position.
Halfhand stands and throws Menger's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Menger tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Halfhand prevents Menger from escaping the position.
Menger is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Halfhand thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Menger's head.
Halfhand is keen to just control but Menger is a slippery customer.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Menger is holding on to half guard well.
Menger moves into full guard.

Halfhand gets to his feet - Menger follows without any prompting.
Qhorin Halfhand is winning the standup battle so far.
Halfhand throws a hook but Menger blocks it.
Menger uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Halfhand.
We've been told by Halfhand's head coaches at Winds of Winter that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Menger fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

Menger shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Halfhand working a defensive guard here.
Halfhand on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Halfhand tries to get out of the position.
Menger postures up in Halfhand's guard and throws a big left but Halfhand blocks it.
Qhorin Halfhand overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Halfhand pulls Menger in close to his closed guard and prevents Menger from doing any damage or advancing position.
Menger is looking to work some ground and pound but Halfhand has wrist control.
Halfhand is pulling down on Menger's head. It's preventing any offense from Menger, at least for the moment.
Halfhand manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Menger manages to get himself to full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Menger has his hands on Halfhand's head, controlling the position.
Menger bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Halfhand's guard.

Menger with a nice head shot there.
Menger slips nicely into half guard.
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!
Menger missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Menger lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Menger lands with a punch from half guard.

Menger seems to be looking for submissions.
Menger lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halfhand wants to control but Menger is keeping busy.
Menger thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Menger sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Halfhand defending well though.
Halfhand regains full guard. Nicely done.
Menger stands up over Halfhand, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Menger trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Halfhand holds on and takes a little breather.
Menger working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Halfhand 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.
Menger landing some decent shots from guard.
Menger is working Halfhand over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Menger missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Menger missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halfhand wants to stand up but Menger is controlling him.
Menger working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Halfhand utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Menger throws a big right hand that misses.
Menger postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Halfhand 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.
Halfhand utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Menger throws a big right hand that misses.
Halfhand utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Menger with a flurry of punches that miss.
Menger stands up over Halfhand, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Menger throws a big right hand that misses.
Menger scoring with punches to the head and body.
Halfhand controls Menger momentarily but Menger frees himself.
Menger lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Qhorin Halfhand will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Carl Menger's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Menger is trying hard to land a takedown here. Halfhand sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Halfhand cracks Menger with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Menger shoots for a double leg takedown but Halfhand sprawls well. He's pushed Menger's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Halfhand swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Menger takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Menger crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Halfhand - the referee stops the clock and Menger gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Halfhand. Menger manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Menger fails with the takedown
and Menger takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Qhorin Halfhand has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Carl Menger.
Halfhand scores with a hook.
Menger tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Halfhand defends well and Menger ends up having to push Halfhand into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Menger dodges the punch combination from Halfhand.
Menger drops down looking to force a counter takedown but Halfhand defends it well.

Halfhand lands a big shot that drops Menger! Can he finish him?

Menger is rocked!

The referee calls the doctor in to look at Carl Menger's cut. Oh no, the doctor has called an end to the bout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:57 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Cut). Qhorin Halfhand!