PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Luke Mcgregor (ranked 2488 p4p, 3392 weight class) and Mikkel Philips (ranked 119 p4p, 158 weight class). Luke Mcgregor has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Mcgregor
vs
Philips

170 cm
24
143
2 - 0 - 0

160 cm
25
140
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Big right hand

Good takedowns
Brawler
Determined

SpeeDee BBQ

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the bantamweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Luke Mcgregor!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mikkel Philips!
The judges for this bout are Ben Hemmingworth, Winston Howard and Bruno Hogan.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A punch lands to the side of Philips 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Mcgregor scores with a jab to the jaw.

It looks like Mikkel Philips has been cut.

Philips clinches up with Mcgregor and pushes him back against the cage.
Mcgregor blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
A shot in the inside from Mcgregor.
Mcgregor has Philips pressed against the cage.
Mcgregor content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Mcgregor content to slow the pace in the clinch.
Philips tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Philips tries to score a body lock takedown but Mcgregor shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mcgregor makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Mcgregor struggles to land a body shot inside as Philips controls his hands.
Mcgregor is trying to push Philips away but Philips has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Mcgregor pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Philips keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Mcgregor.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Philips tries to clinch up
and Philips takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.

Philips drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Mcgregor is trying to get back to half guard.
Philips controls the position.
Mcgregor has improved his flexibility recently so we will have to see if he can use that to his advantage.
Philips scoring with punches from side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Philips trying to control the action but Mcgregor is working from the bottom.
Mcgregor gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Philips blocks the strikes from Mcgregor.
Mcgregor keeping control of the leg, stopping his opponent passing to mount.
Mcgregor wants to get back to full guard but Philips has passed into side control.
Mcgregor is looking to reverse the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Philips wants to lay and pray for a moment but Mcgregor keeps working.
Mcgregor parries the strikes from Philips easily there. Philips is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Mcgregor to escape.
Mcgregor tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Philips advances nicely into full mount.
Mcgregor bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!

Philips is looking to cinch up a triangle. Mcgregor throws the leg off to one side though and gets in tight to Philips's body to avoid the submission. Philips has instead reached around Mcgregor's neck and now has a guillotine! Oh, this is biiiig trouble! Philips arches his back and squeezes and forces the tap from his hapless opponent.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:57 of round 1, we have a winner by way of Submission (Guillotine). Mikkel Philips! Mikkel Philips retains his bantamweight title!
A relieved looking Mikkel Philips thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.