PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between clark McCahon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Ghandi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). clark McCahon had real problems making weight for this fight. After initially coming in at 136.0lbs, he had two hours to make the official fight weight. He made it but it will have taken a lot out of him to cut those extra few pounds. The key to victory for clark McCahon has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

McCahon
vs
Ghandi

175 cm
21
145 lbs
3 - 7 - 0

180 cm
19
135 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Improved boxing
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Determined

Blueprint Clothing

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 7 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, clark McCahon!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Ghandi!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Edson Gomes and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCahon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
McCahon doesn't manage to clinch there - Ghandi circles away.
McCahon looks for a takedown but Ghandi sprawls well.
McCahon moves in looking to clinch but Ghandi pushes him off.
Ghandi circles away from the clinch attempt.

McCahon shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Ghandi is looking to improve his position but McCahon isn't that keen on the idea.
Ghandi is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Ghandi wants to hold on but McCahon pushes him away.
Ghandi regains half guard.
McCahon wants to control but Ghandi is keeping him busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ghandi moves into full guard.

Ghandi is looking for a triangle but McCahon pushes his legs off easily.
Ghandi is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Ghandi frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
McCahon avoids a series of strikes thrown by Ghandi.
McCahon wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Ghandi.
McCahon tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCahon is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.

Ghandi jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but McCahon manages to avoid the submission attempt.
Ghandi looks gassed!
McCahon is looking for a sweep.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Ghandi throwing strikes but McCahon manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Ghandi manages to work his way to half guard, despite McCahon's best efforts.
McCahon trying to mount his opponent but Ghandi defends it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Ghandi works his way to full guard. Good work.
Ghandi throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCahon advances position into side control!
McCahon works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Ghandi tries to improve position but can't.
Ghandi gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Ghandi wants to improve his position but McCahon is controlling well.
Ghandi is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

Ghandi looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Ghandi misses with some strikes from the bottom.

That's four 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.

Ghandi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ghandi tries to get to full guard but McCahon has control of the leg.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
McCahon tries to clinch up.
McCahon shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Ghandi changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. McCahon looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
McCahon pushes Ghandi away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Ghandi gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Ghandi goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, McCahon rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Ghandi's guard! Nice work there by McCahon!

Ghandi is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

McCahon drives through and clinches with Ghandi against the cage.
McCahon wants to get back to striking at distance but Ghandi won't allow it.

McCahon pulls guard effortlessly.
Ghandi is in close to McCahon's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Ghandi trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Ghandi passes McCahon's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Ghandi slips a nice elbow through McCahon's hands, connecting with McCahon's forehead.
Ghandi throwing shots but McCahon is blocking nicely.
Ghandi trying to control the pace.
Ground and pound from Ghandi.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCahon manages to get to full guard.
Ghandi forces his way into half guard.
Ghandi wants to take a breather but McCahon is having none of it.

Ghandi is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so McCahon is just riding it out for now. Ghandi eventually gives up the hold.

McCahon kicks Ghandi off and gets back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCahon swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
clark McCahon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ghandi drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Ghandi throwing strikes from guard but McCahon blocks nicely.
McCahon working a defensive guard but Ghandi passes into half guard.

Ghandi is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. McCahon doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Ghandi.
McCahon is in trouble now - Ghandi has advanced to mount!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghandi looking to control but McCahon is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
McCahon has given up his back - I don’t know if this is a deliberate ploy to try and escape or if he is just struggling down there.

Ghandi is looking for the choke from the back position but McCahon is controlling his hands well.

That's four 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.
McCahon wants to escape the position.

McCahon defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

McCahon is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Ghandi gets his way!
Ghandi thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.

Ghandi working for the choke.
Ghandi wants to control but McCahon is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Ghandi showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

McCahon bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Ghandi manages to get back to half guard.
Ghandi tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ghandi makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Ghandi.
Ghandi throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
McCahon has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Ghandi wants to improve his position but instead McCahon has moved into half guard.
McCahon prevents Ghandi from improving his position.
McCahon blocks the strikes from Ghandi.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ghandi actively working from the bottom here.
Matt Ghandi has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Ghandi looking for submissions off his back.
Ghandi tries to get to full guard but McCahon has control of the leg.

Ghandi looking for submissions off his back.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
McCahon fails with an attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Ghandi changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. McCahon tries to avoid it but Ghandi manages to keep hold of a leg and drag McCahon to the ground. McCahon escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
McCahon fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
McCahon pulls out of a head kick attempt.
clark McCahon is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Ghandi.

McCahon looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Ghandi!
Ghandi is wriggling around trying to escape.
Ghandi regains half guard.

Ghandi looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ghandi is pressing down on McCahon's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ghandi thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
McCahon looking to sit in guard and control but Ghandi gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Ghandi drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but McCahon manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Ghandi has McCahon in his guard.

Ghandi is looking for a triangle but McCahon pushes his legs off easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ghandi looking to hit a scissor sweep but McCahon is one step ahead there.

Ghandi has his foot on McCahon's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. McCahon works his way back into a safe position though.
McCahon trying to control but Ghandi is working from the bottom.
Ghandi throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Ghandi has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. McCahon is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Ghandi.
clark McCahon has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Ghandi is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked McCahon off and has taken his back!

And that's the end of the fight!
clark McCahon showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Ghandi 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Ghandi!