PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Brian McCarthy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Sy (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). McCarthy comes to the cage accompanied by Here I Go Again. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

McCarthy
vs
Sy

176 cm
25
155 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

170 cm
21
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Brian McCarthy!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, John Sy!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
McCarthy throws a nice head kick!
Sy is looking to clinch but McCarthy is avoiding it.
Sy cracks McCarthy with a right hand to the side of the head.
Sy on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by McCarthy. McCarthy obviously looking to wear him down.

McCarthy gets the takedown into side control.

McCarthy is trying to get an arm triangle but Sy is defending well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

McCarthy is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Sy knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sy keeping his opponent close.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sy is looking to reverse the position.
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.
Sy is not content to let McCarthy control the position.

McCarthy working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
McCarthy throwing strikes but Sy manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sy working the strikes but McCarthy uses the opportunity to regain half guard.
Sy passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for McCarthy!

Sy goes for an armbar but he's not got it… McCarthy turns into him and now he's in Sy's guard.
McCarthy tries to free his leg and advance position but Sy is retaining full guard.
Sy looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Sy keeping moving, preventing McCarthy from controlling successfully.
Sy keeping full guard, as McCarthy tries to pass.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy trying to control but Sy is working from the bottom.
Sy keeping full guard, as McCarthy tries to pass.
Sy preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
McCarthy wants to control from the top but Sy keeps moving.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sy passes into half guard.
Sy missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Sy wants to control but McCarthy is keeping him busy.
McCarthy works his way to full guard. Good work.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sy stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. McCarthy swivels though and keeps the full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sy is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brian McCarthy dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

McCarthy throws a leg kick but Sy sees it coming and checks it nicely.
McCarthy throws a sloppy head kick

and Sy moves into the clinch.

McCarthy escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

McCarthy gets tackled into the cage by Sy. Sy maintains the clinch.
Our sources have told us that McCarthy has been working on his knees in the buildup to the fight.
Sy with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Sy fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for McCarthy.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
McCarthy tries for a takedown but Sy manages to get underhooks.
Sy connects with a knee to the head.
Sy scores with a knee to the head.
Sy blocks an elbow strike from McCarthy.
McCarthy is looking to control Sy's arms but Sy gets an underhook and turns him. Now McCarthy has his back to the cage.
McCarthy fails to pull guard.

McCarthy breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
McCarthy scores with a leg kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sy tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
McCarthy avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Brian McCarthy is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

McCarthy pushes Sy up against the cage in a clinch.
Come on McCarthy - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.
Sy landing knees to the head.
Sy with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but McCarthy has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
McCarthy creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Sy scores with a knee to the head.

McCarthy breaks from the clinch.
Sy looking to land some kicks to the body here.

McCarthy closes the distance and pushes Sy back into the cage.
Sy misses with a knee strike.
Sy looking to throw knees to the head but McCarthy is blocking nicely.
McCarthy misses with an elbow strike.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy tries to circle away but Sy has him pinned against the cage.
McCarthy lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
Sy misses with a knee strike.
McCarthy tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
McCarthy with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Sy tries a knee to the head but McCarthy blocks it.
Sy tries to land knees in the clinch but McCarthy avoids the damage to the body.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Sy lands a knee to the head.
McCarthy is trying to break free.
Sy prevents McCarthy from breaking the clinch.
Sy scores with a knee to the head.
Sy with a knee to the head.
McCarthy lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.
McCarthy wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
McCarthy blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
McCarthy wants to break the clinch but can't.
McCarthy tries a knee to the head but Sy blocks it.
McCarthy is pushing Sy up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
McCarthy misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Sy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but McCarthy has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Sy takes an elbow to the temple.
McCarthy lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Sy displaying some good clinch control by pressing McCarthy up against the cage.
McCarthy wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Brian McCarthy. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sy throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but McCarthy blocks it with crossed arms.
A knee to the head by Sy.

McCarthy is rocked!
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Sy obliges.
Sy lands a nice knee to the body.
Sy lands a knee to the body.
Sy looking to throw knees to the head but McCarthy is blocking nicely.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sy avoiding damage as McCarthy throws knees to the body.
Sy looking to throw knees to the head but McCarthy is blocking nicely.
Sy stalls.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sy looking to throw knees to the head but McCarthy is blocking nicely.
Sy throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but McCarthy blocks it with crossed arms.
McCarthy is trying to break the clinch but Sy has him pressed against the cage.
Sy taking a breather.
Sy avoiding damage as McCarthy throws knees to the body.
Sy throws a knee to the head but misses.
Sy using the Thai plumb to throw knees but McCarthy has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
McCarthy looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Sy connects with a knee to the head.

McCarthy's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Sy tries to clinch there but McCarthy circles away.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McCarthy tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Sy is able to avoid easily.

McCarthy rushes Sy and presses him up against the cage.
Sy with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

John Sy showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

A solid leg kick lands there for McCarthy.
Sy closes the distance looking to clinch
and McCarthy counters with an inside leg kick.
McCarthy misses with a leg kick.
McCarthy throws a leg kick but Sy moved away.
Sy tries to clinch but McCarthy moves out of range.
McCarthy keeps the fight on the outside.
Good leg kick by McCarthy there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
McCarthy shapes like he's going to throw a leg kick but settles back down.
The fight stays on the outside here - Sy looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
McCarthy throws a low kick but Sy moves out of range easily.
McCarthy on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
John Sy is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Sy misses with an uppercut.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from McCarthy lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Sy has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Sy and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Brian McCarthy seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sy checks the leg kick.
A bone on bone clash there as Sy blocks the leg kick.
Sy on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by McCarthy. McCarthy obviously looking to wear him down.
McCarthy throws a leg kick which misses Sy's front leg but catches the back leg as Sy tries to avoid it.
McCarthy lands a nice leg kick that just misses Sy's sensitive parts.
McCarthy throws a wild body kick that Sy sees coming a mile off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sy on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by McCarthy. McCarthy obviously looking to wear him down.
Sy tries to clinch up

and McCarthy counters with a single leg into guard. Sy didn't expect that.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
McCarthy wants to control from the top but Sy keeps moving.
McCarthy postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
McCarthy has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Sy throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Sy manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
McCarthy tries to lock up and control but Sy gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Sy takes McCarthy's back. Could be looking for a rear naked choke here - either way, McCarthy is in trouble.

Sy working for a choke but McCarthy is defending well.

Sy working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sy working for the choke.
McCarthy is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
McCarthy prevents Sy from getting a body triangle.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
McCarthy avoids the strikes from Sy.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Brian McCarthy.
I think McCarthy has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 29:28
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brian McCarthy!
An out of breath Brian McCarthy thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.