PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Eric Irwin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Julio Garcia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Irwin
vs
Garcia

221 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

181 cm
20
145 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Eric Irwin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Julio Garcia!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Alexandre Firmino and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Garcia changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Irwin tries to avoid it but Garcia manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Irwin to the ground. Irwin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Garcia misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Garcia shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Irwin counters by clinching up.
Garcia has had enough of the clinch but Irwin keeps him there for the moment.

Garcia manages to break the clinch.

Irwin fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Garcia, pushing him back against the cage.
Garcia prevents a takedown attempt there.

Garcia pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Garcia darts in looking for a takedown but Irwin gets double underhooks and turns Garcia into the cage.
Eric Irwin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Garcia.
Garcia defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Irwin.
As Irwin backs off Garcia throws a huge counter combo but Irwin manages to avoid it all.

Irwin has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irwin pushes off an throws an elbow but Garcia leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Irwin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Garcia gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Garcia pulls guard successfully.
Garcia utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Garcia had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Irwin defends it easily.

Irwin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Garcia has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Irwin has managed to get both his arms back between Garcia's legs - danger averted.
Garcia not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Irwin throwing strikes but missing.
Garcia has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Irwin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Irwin slaps away a takedown attempt from Garcia, before circling back to the center of the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia closes the distance and clinches up with Irwin, looking for a takedown. Garcia pushes Irwin against the cage but Irwin circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Garcia gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Irwin counters by moving into the clinch.
Irwin throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Irwin is trying to drag Garcia to the mat but Garcia just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Garcia just leaning against Irwin, taking a breather.
Irwin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Garcia pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Irwin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Irwin drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Garcia has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Irwin is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Garcia avoids the elbow strike from Irwin, against the cage.

Garcia jumps guard.
Garcia has momentary wrist control but Irwin slips an elbow through the middle.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Irwin accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Irwin landing some decent shots from guard.
Garcia pulls Irwin in to control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Irwin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Irwin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Irwin shoots in and bounces Garcia off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Irwin is working Garcia over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Irwin with a nice head shot there.

Garcia looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Irwin will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Garcia is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irwin loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Irwin throws a strike but Garcia rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Irwin working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Garcia.
Garcia tries to stand but Irwin is controlling from the bottom.
Irwin is trying to control the position but Garcia postures up.
Garcia trying to control the position from guard on top but Irwin is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Julio Garcia seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two 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.
Garcia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Irwin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Garcia looks for a takedown but Irwin sprawls well.
Irwin is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Garcia can do to turn this around?

Irwin gets the takedown into side control.
Irwin misses with the ground and pound.
Garcia can't do much from the bottom here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Garcia is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Irwin lands an elbow.
Irwin working away.
Garcia is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Garcia is still trying to improve position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Irwin lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Garcia down.
Garcia is trying to buck Irwin off.
Irwin working the head and body with strikes.
Garcia is looking to regain half guard here but Irwin keeps moving and retains side control.
Irwin working the head with strikes.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Irwin cracks Garcia with a big elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eric Irwin dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Garcia fails with a takedown attempt.
Irwin seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Irwin drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Garcia working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Irwin.
Irwin connects with a couple of short punches.
Garcia wants to control the position but Irwin says "no thanks buddy" and passes to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Irwin thows a huge punch but Garcia dodges it nicely.
Irwin working over Garcia with some ground and pound. Garcia looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
Irwin scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Eric Irwin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Irwin is nestled in close to Garcia, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Garcia is trying to control but Irwin passes into side control!
Garcia tries to improve position but can't.
Irwin cracks Garcia with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Garcia is looking for a sweep.
Irwin working the ground and pound.
Irwin throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Irwin working the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Irwin is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Garcia has escaped the position, nice work there.
Garcia dodges the ground and pound from Irwin.
Garcia is looking to reverse the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Garcia is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Irwin has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Garcia takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.

Irwin goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Garcia has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Irwin but great work by Garcia.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Irwin isn't going anywhere.
Irwin manages to work his way to half guard, despite Garcia's best efforts.
Irwin is refusing to be controlled, as Garcia sits in half guard.

Garcia decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Garcia tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Irwin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Garcia tries for a takedown but Irwin sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Garcia takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's four 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.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Garcia stalling in the clinch but Irwin improves position.
A frustrated look appears on Garcia's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Garcia throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Irwins head.
Irwin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Garcia has him pressed against the cage.
Irwin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Eric Irwin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Julio Garcia.
Irwin is defending well against a takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Garcia has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Irwin avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Irwin is looking for a takedown.
Julio Garcia has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eric Irwin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Garcia tries to throw a body punch but Irwin avoids it by throwing Garcia back against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eric Irwin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Irwin 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 30:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eric Irwin!