PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ryan McCarthy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mikko Rourke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rourke has chosen Rolling Stones - Paint it black as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. Mikko Rourke will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

McCarthy
vs
Rourke

170 cm
21
195 lbs
6 - 3 - 0

182 cm
20
196 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Powerful

Rusty Cage Fightwear

FinnFighters Nutrition

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 6 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ryan McCarthy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Mikko Rourke!
The judges for this bout are Hugh Johnson, John Mangel and Skip Squint.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCarthy ducks down and throws a hook to the body.

McCarthy looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rourke keeping moving, preventing McCarthy from controlling successfully.
McCarthy trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Rourke manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
Rourke looking to sit in guard and control but McCarthy gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
McCarthy prevents Rourke from getting back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Rourke looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

McCarthy drops back, looking for a kneebar! Rourke looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Rourke looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Rourke!

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy tries to get back to half guard but can't.
McCarthy might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Rourke throwing strikes but McCarthy manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Rourke manages to get back to half guard.

McCarthy seems to be working for a kimura but Rourke defends the submission attempt.
McCarthy wants to free his trapped foot but Rourke is holding on for dear life with his legs.

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.
McCarthy trying to advance position but Rourke counters by regaining guard.
McCarthy showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
McCarthy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Rourke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
McCarthy stands and throws Rourke's legs to the side, diving into side control.
McCarthy misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rourke sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
McCarthy seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Rourke does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
McCarthy sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Rourke defending well though.
Rourke is trying to escape back to his feet but McCarthy uses the scramble to pass into side control.
McCarthy is chipping away with strikes.
McCarthy working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Rourke is not content to let McCarthy control the position.
Rourke takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rourke keeps working.
McCarthy is staying tight to Rourke's torso, preventing him from escaping.
McCarthy working the strikes but Rourke uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan McCarthy dominated that round.
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.

McCarthy punishes Rourke's body with a nice straight punch.
Rourke fails with an attempt to clinch.
Rourke tries to clinch up but McCarthy circles away and keeps his distance.
Rourke tries to clinch there but McCarthy circles away.
Rourke tries to clinch there but McCarthy circles away.
Rourke swinging wilding here.

McCarthy scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

McCarthy is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
McCarthy is pressing down on Rourke's thigh, looking to free his foot. Rourke is holding on for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Rourke's head.
McCarthy not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Rourke is refusing to be controlled, as McCarthy sits in half guard.
McCarthy missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
McCarthy has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Rourke shoots and misses

and McCarthy counters with a nice double leg into guard.
McCarthy is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy trying to control but Rourke is working from the bottom.
McCarthy won't allow Rourke to sweep him here.
McCarthy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Rourke keeping moving, preventing McCarthy from controlling successfully.
Rourke 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.
McCarthy trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy won't allow Rourke to sweep him here.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rourke.
McCarthy throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
McCarthy swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rourke tries to clinch
and McCarthy counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
McCarthy misses with a wild combination.
McCarthy lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Rourke at a distance.
Rourke closes the distance looking to clinch

and McCarthy counters with a takedown into side control.

McCarthy goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Rourke has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for McCarthy but great work by Rourke.
Rourke wants to lay and pray for a moment but McCarthy keeps working.
McCarthy parries the strikes from Rourke easily there. Rourke is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable McCarthy to escape.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy is looking to reverse the position.
McCarthy gets back to half guard.
Rourke is trying to advance to mount but he's lost his balance and McCarthy reverses the position - he's now on top in Rourke's guard.
McCarthy preventing the sweep.
Rourke controls McCarthy momentarily but McCarthy frees himself.
McCarthy wants to pass the guard but Rourke is keeping the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryan McCarthy dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

McCarthy shoots in but Rourke avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Rourke wants to clinch
and McCarthy counters with a series of strikes. Rourke will be more careful next time no doubt.
Rourke darts in trying to clinch

and McCarthy decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Rourke's guard.
McCarthy throwing strikes from guard but Rourke blocks nicely.
McCarthy missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
McCarthy pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rourke is keeping the position for now.
McCarthy trying to control but Rourke is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy is really struggling to control Rourke but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Rourke seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
McCarthy trying to control but Rourke is working from the bottom.
McCarthy stands and throws Rourke's legs to the side, diving into side control.
An elbow from McCarthy crashes against the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Rourke is trying to get back to half guard.
McCarthy working away.
McCarthy landing a few strikes.
Rourke struggling a bit here.
Rourke wants to get back to his feet but McCarthy drags him back down.
McCarthy advances to mount.
Ryan McCarthy overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
McCarthy takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rourke keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Rourke is squirming around, avoiding McCarthy's attempts to control the action.
McCarthy with the ground and pound from mount.
McCarthy breaks from Rourke's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Ryan McCarthy is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy is in the full mount, landing strikes.
McCarthy unloading with bombs!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
McCarthy tries to control but Rourke wriggling away.
McCarthy landing strikes from the mount.
Rourke is bucking up trying to escape but McCarthy cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Mikko Rourke has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Rourke wants to control but McCarthy is having none of it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
McCarthy throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.

McCarthy looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ryan McCarthy showed his dominance in that final round.
Well McCarthy has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Hugh Johnson scores the fight 30:26
Judge John Mangel scores the fight 30:26
Judge Skip Squint scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ryan McCarthy!