PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Hyuga Neji (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ed Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Neji
vs
Martin

170 cm
18
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

165 cm
18
168 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Hyuga Neji!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ed Martin!
The judges for this bout are Yukihiro Shimada, Shigeki Fujiwara and Tatsuya Matsuyama.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Neji lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Martin falls off balance throwing a combination

and Neji counters by moving into the clinch.
Neji managing to block the knees to the body from Martin.

Martin decides to pull guard.
Martin throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Martin wants to stand up but Neji is controlling him.

Martin pushes Neji off and gets back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Martin.
Martin wants to clinch.
Neji fails with an attempt to clinch.
Neji ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Martin looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Martin stuffs the takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin keeps the fight on the outside.
Martin throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.

Martin drives through and clinches with Neji against the cage.
Martin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Martin tries to break free but Neji pushes him back against the cage.
Neji dodges an elbow strike from Martin.
Martin is trying to break the clinch but Neji has him pressed against the cage.
Neji is working for takedown but Martin is calmly controlling the position for now.
Martin wants to break free but Neji has control.
Neji utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Neji on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Neji looking to slow down the pace here.
Martin wants to break the clinch but can't.
A frustrated look appears on Martin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Martin wants to get back to striking at distance but Neji won't allow it.
Martin wants a takedown but no success here.
Neji blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Martin looks gassed!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A frustrated look appears on Martin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Martin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Neji blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Neji unloads a knee to the mid-section. Martin lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Neji has Martin pressed against the cage, preventing Martin from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Neji wants to stall.

Neji gets control of Martin's arms and successfully pulls guard. Neji will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martin prevents Neji from getting back to his feet.
Martin throwing strikes but missing.
Neji preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.

Neji is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Neji controls Martin momentarily but Martin frees himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Neji is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Martin is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Martin must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Martin would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Martin.
Martin misses with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Martin tries to clinch but Neji is having none of it.
Martin closes the distance looking to clinch

and Neji moves into the clinch.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Neji breaks the clinch.
Neji tries to clinch there but Martin circles away.
Martin tries a head kick but it misses.
Martin keeps the fight on the outside.
Neji changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Martin tries to avoid it but Neji manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Martin to the ground. Martin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hyuga Neji. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Martin thuds his shin into the meat of Neji's side.
Neji avoids the head kick by Martin.
Martin connects with a good right hand that stumbles Neji. Neji circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Ed Martin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Neji is looking to clinch but Martin is avoiding it.
Martin tries a head kick but it misses.
Neji looks to land a combination. Martin sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
Martin tries a head kick but it misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hyuga Neji dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Martin tries to clinch but Neji moves out of range.
Martin tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Neji avoids the head kick by Martin.
Martin wants to clinch.
Martin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Neji fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Martin throws a head kick that misses.
Neji lands a high kick!
Neji tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Neji tries to clinch up but Martin circles away and keeps his distance.
Neji tries to close the distance and clinch but Martin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Martin throws a head kick that misses.
Martin tries to close the distance and clinch but Neji swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
The fight stays on the outside here - Neji looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin circles away from the clinch attempt.
Martin throws a lazy head kick
and Neji counters with a nice body shot.
Neji tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Neji lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Neji tries to close the distance and clinch up but Martin swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Neji closes the distance and lands a one-two.
Neji tries to clinch but Martin moves out of range.
Neji blocks a head kick by Martin.
Martin throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Neji's head.
Martin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Neji swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Ed Martin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Neji lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Neji.
Neji tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Martin throws out a loose jab but Neji uses good head movement to avoid it.
Martin throws a head kick that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin tries to clinch but Neji moves out of range.
Neji takes a jab right on the kisser.

Neji closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Neji lands in his opponent's guard.
Neji trying to control but Martin is working from the bottom.
Neji prevents Martin from getting back to his feet.

Martin has his foot on Neji's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Neji works his way back into a safe position though.
Neji trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Neji stops Martin from standing up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin tries to strike from the bottom.

Martin working for a triangle but Neji defends it easily.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Neji tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Martin.
Martin swats away the attempt to clinch by Neji.
Neji tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martin paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
A nice leg kick lands there from Martin.
Hyuga Neji is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Neji takes a head kick and keeps coming.
A slapping leg kick lands for Martin.
Martin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Martin misses with the body kick
and Neji counters with a straight right hand.
Martin gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Neji avoids the head kick by Martin.
Martin moves in looking to clinch but Neji pushes him off.
The fight stays on the outside here - Neji looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The fight stays on the outside here - Martin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Martin wants to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Hyuga Neji dominated that second round.
That's time! Neji's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Martin tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Neji fails with an attempt to clinch.
A jab from Martin misses.
Martin tries a head kick but it misses.
Neji fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Martin avoids it really well and circles away.
Martin throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Neji.
Neji circles away from the clinch attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Neji avoids the head kick by Martin.
Neji is trying hard to land a takedown here. Martin sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Martin looks to land a left hand but Neji moved out of range nicely.
Martin throws a leg kick

and Neji counters by moving into the clinch.
Martin is trying to break free.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin missing with knees to the body.

Martin manages to break the clinch.
Martin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Neji fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Hyuga Neji. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Neji wants to clinch.
Martin tries to clinch up but Neji circles away and keeps his distance.

Martin gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Martin breaks the clinch.
Martin throws a head kick but Neji moves out of range.
Martin tries to clinch but Neji moves out of range.
Neji punishes Martin's body with a nice straight punch.
Neji dives in and grabs Martin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Martin pushes down on Neji's head and hops out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Martin throws a sloppy head kick and Neji moves out of range easily.
Neji has a takedown stuffed.
Martin throws a sloppy head kick and Neji moves out of range easily.
Martin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Martin misses with a head kick.
Martin tries a head kick but it misses.
Martin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Neji gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Neji gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Martin wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Martin looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Martin slows down the pace here.
Neji stalling in the clinch but Martin improves position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Martin's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Martin gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Neji is trying to keep Martin in close.
Martin wants to stand but Neji is controlling his posture from full guard.

Martin stands and steps away. Neji gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Martin lands with a cross.
Martin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neji pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Martin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Martin throws the kick towards the body but Neji avoids it.
Martin throws a lazy head kick

so Neji counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Neji won't allow Martin to get back to his feet.
Ed Martin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

Martin looking for a guillotine here but Neji defends easily.
Neji forces his way into half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ed Martin.
I think Neji 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 Yukihiro Shimada scores the fight 29:28
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 29:28
Judge Tatsuya Matsuyama scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Hyuga Neji!