PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Ceoghan Cartwright (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Miguel Fernandez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Cartwright comes to the cage accompanied by Disciples of Power - Born Unto Death. Fernandez has chosen The Eagles - Hotel Calafornia as his entrance music, which hasn't gone down very well with the crowd. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Cartwright
vs
Fernandez

188 cm
29
195 lbs
8 - 14 - 0

186 cm
41
201 lbs
29 - 18 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
Great elbows
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

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 8 - 14 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Ceoghan Cartwright!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 18 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Miguel Fernandez!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fray, Jeff Smith and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Cartwright slips a straight right by Fernandez.
Cartwright moves out of range as Fernandez strikes.
Cartwright shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fernandez throws a lazy uppercut

and Cartwright counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Cartwright trying to control the position from guard on top but Fernandez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fernandez pulls Cartwright in to control the position.
Fernandez keeping full guard, as Cartwright tries to pass.
Cartwright advances position into side control!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Cartwright is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Fernandez has escaped the position, nice work there.

Cartwright tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Fernandez struggling a bit here.
We've been hearing that Cartwright has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cartwright tries to move into full mount but can't pass Fernandez's legs.

Cartwright is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Fernandez has escaped the position, nice work there.
Fernandez is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Cartwright off and has taken his back!
Cartwright is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Fernandez is working the ground and pound. Can Cartwright escape?
Cartwright is trying to remain composed but Fernandez is hammering down strikes to the side of his head.
Cartwright is in bad spot here.
Cartwright wants to control his opponent's hands but Fernandez gets his hands free.
You can see the frustration on Cartwright's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Cartwright trying to control the action but Fernandez just sinks the hooks in.
Cartwright is in bad spot here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Cartwright manages to reverse the position and now he's in Fernandez's guard. Nice work there by Cartwright.

Cartwright drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Cartwright jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Cartwright trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Fernandez looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Cartwright drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Fernandez dives on top into guard.

Cartwright is trying to control the position but Fernandez postures up.
Fernandez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Fernandez is in close to Cartwright's body, working some short punches and elbows.

Cartwright has his foot on Fernandez's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Fernandez works his way back into a safe position though.
Fernandez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Fernandez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Cartwright is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Fernandez is aware though and is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Cartwright looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

Cartwright throws his legs up looking for a submission but Fernandez uses it to pass to side control.
Fernandez is staying tight to Cartwright's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Fernandez trying to control the position but Cartwright is working away.
Fernandez is chipping away with strikes.
Cartwright manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Fernandez tries to get to full guard but Cartwright has control of the leg.
Cartwright wants to take a breather but Fernandez is having none of it.
Fernandez regains full guard. Nicely done.
Fernandez keeping full guard, as Cartwright tries to pass.
Cartwright wants to control from the top but Fernandez keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Cartwright slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Cartwright stopping the sweep attempt from Fernandez.
Cartwright trying to control but Fernandez is working from the bottom.
Cartwright pushes down on Fernandez's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Cartwright is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Fernandez defends it well.

Cartwright is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Fernandez works his way to full guard. Good work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Ceoghan Cartwright will probably get the nod.
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.

Cartwright jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Fernandez lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Cartwright at a distance.
A swing and a miss from Fernandez.
Fernandez changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.

Fernandez looking to score a takedown here. Cartwright is defending well but Fernandez drives through and ends up in Cartwright's guard.
Fernandez stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cartwright swivels though and keeps the full guard.

Cartwright working for a triangle but Fernandez defends it easily.
Fernandez looking to sit in guard and control but Cartwright gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Cartwright wants to pass the guard but Fernandez is keeping the position.
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Cartwright wants to control from the top but Fernandez keeps moving.
Cartwright pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fernandez is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fernandez manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Cartwright manages to get himself to full guard.

Cartwright can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Fernandez controls the pace.
Fernandez must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Cartwright working for a triangle but Fernandez defends it easily.
Fernandez postures up.

Cartwright escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Fernandez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Fernandez trying to control the position from guard on top but Cartwright is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Cartwright is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Fernandez defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Cartwright working for a triangle but Fernandez defends it easily.
Cartwright keeping moving, preventing Fernandez from controlling successfully.

Cartwright looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Fernandez passes into side control.
Cartwright wants to control but Fernandez postures up.
Cartwright is looking for a sweep.
Fernandez wants to lay and pray for a moment but Cartwright keeps working.
Fernandez lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Cartwright is trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here.
Let's hope that Fernandez has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Cartwright is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Fernandez lands with a punch from half guard.
Fernandez looks to score some points with some ground and pound.

Cartwright actively working from the bottom here.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Fernandez connects with a nice short shot to Cartwright's temple.
Fernandez working the head and body with strikes.
Fernandez is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Cartwright makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Cartwright.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fernandez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

Cartwright working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Fernandez doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Fernandez manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Fernandez with a nice head shot there.
Fernandez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cartwright is keeping the position for now.
Miguel Fernandez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fernandez lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Cartwright looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Fernandez trying to control the position from guard on top but Cartwright is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Fernandez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fernandez cracks Cartwright with a solid left hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Miguel Fernandez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Cartwright will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
A slow jab from Fernandez misses its intended target.
Nice takedown defense from Fernandez. No joy for Cartwright on that attempt.
Fernandez feints the counter takedown.
Fernandez lands a nice leg kick that just misses Cartwright's sensitive parts.
Fernandez swings for the body but Cartwright moves out of range.
Cartwright misses with a series of wild punches.
Cartwright shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fernandez as he avoids it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Ceoghan Cartwright. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Cartwright darts in looking for a takedown but Fernandez gets double underhooks and turns Cartwright into the cage.
Fernandez scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cartwright drops his hands momentarily and Fernandez takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Cartwright doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Fernandez counters with a crisp one two that drops Cartwright! Fernandez thinks about following him to the mat for a moment but instead steps back and waves Cartwright to his feet! Cartwright is in big trouble!

Cartwright is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Fernandez scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Oh Cartwright is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Cartwright leaves his chin hanging out and Fernandez seizes the opportunity with an uppercut! Cartwright crumbles to the floor in a heap! The referee steps in and tends to the downed fighter! What a knockout!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:55 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Miguel Fernandez!
Post fight, Miguel Fernandez took to the microphone: 'Hey guys, that's it now. I'm done. It's been a helluva run but it's time to hang up the gloves. Thank you.'.