PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marcus Houston (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Vladimir Mordant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Houston
vs
Mordant

182 cm
18
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
19
165 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Basic striking
Cardio machine

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

GC 4 LIFE CLOTHING ITUMS $15 OR LESS

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcus Houston!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Vladimir Mordant!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yasuomi Hirokawa and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mordant throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Houston throws a push kick but Mordant slaps the foot to one side.
Houston throws a head kick but Mordant moves out of range.
Mordant changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Houston tries to avoid it but Mordant manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Houston to the ground. Houston escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Mordant is trying hard to land a takedown here. Houston sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Mordant moves out of range of the body kick from Houston.
Mordant moves out of range of the body kick.
Marcus Houston seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Houston shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Mordant defends it nicely.
Mordant with a lazy takedown attempt

and Houston moves into the clinch.
Marcus Houston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vladimir Mordant.
Houston using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Mordant has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Houston tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Mordant tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Houston smiles and moves away.
Mordant fails with the takedown

so Houston counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Houston wants to stand but Mordant is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mordant is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Mordant missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Mordant has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mordant trying to control from half guard but Houston is working away.

Houston pushes Mordant off and gets back to his feet.

Houston has taken the fight to the clinch.
Mordant blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Houston has picked Mordant up - he's going for a ride! Houston dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Mordant tries to get to full guard but Houston has control of the leg.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Houston tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Mordant manages to get to full guard.
Mordant has a closed guard, preventing Houston from standing up.
Mordant wants to sweep here but Houston controlling him for the moment.
Mordant looks gassed!
Mordant trying to keep a closed guard but Houston is proving a slippery customer.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mordant doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Houston counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Houston.
Houston preventing the sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Houston stands and steps away. Mordant gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Houston throws a series of punches but Mordant avoids them all with ease.
A combination from Houston does no damage.
Houston looks for the body kick but Mordant saw that one coming.
Some wild striking there from Houston.

Houston instigates a clinch.
Mordant blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Houston lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Mordant wants to control but Houston is keeping busy.
Mordant slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Houston wants to stand but Mordant has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Houston knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Mordant on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mordant throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Houston wants to stand but Mordant has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Mordant wants to sweep but no luck.
Houston is looking to stand up but Mordant won't let him.
Houston has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Houston circles away from the clinch attempt
and Houston counters with a right hand to the body.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mordant avoids a punch combination nicely.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Houston dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Houston tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Houston will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Mordant doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Houston counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Mordant looking for a sweep. Not yet Mordant, not yet.
Houston wanted to stand there but Mordant had control of the position.
Marcus Houston overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mordant will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
Mordant is breathing heavily.
Mordant looking to hit a scissor sweep but Houston is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston wants to stand but Mordant is controlling his posture from full guard.
Mordant trying to control the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Mordant has his takedown stuffed

and Houston counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Mordant avoids the elbow strike from Houston, against the cage.
Houston fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Houston tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Mordant's elbow.
Houston goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Houston lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Vladimir Mordant has been cut.
Mordant on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

That's two 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.
Houston with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Houston is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Mordant is defending well for now.
Houston throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mordant blocks it with crossed arms.
Houston working aggressively here.
Houston fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Mordant blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Mordant fails to pull guard.
Marcus Houston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vladimir Mordant.
Houston misses with an elbow over the top.
Houston trying to land knees to the body.

Houston lands a takedown into guard.
Houston is looking to stand up but Mordant won't let him.
Mordant is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Mordant has a closed guard, preventing Houston from standing up.
Mordant is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Houston postures up.

Houston stands up from Mordant's guard - Houston perhaps looking for a knockout.

Houston shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Mordant is trying to defend but Houston finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Houston tries to stand and escape but Mordant is controlling the position.
Mordant trying to control but Houston postures up.
Houston tries to stand but can't do so whilst Mordant controls his leg.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mordant moves into full guard.
Mordant has a closed guard, preventing Houston from standing up.
Mordant is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mordant misses with a takedown attempt

and Houston counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Houston is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Houston trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus Houston dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Vladimir Mordant's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Mordant with a poor takedown

and Houston decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Mordant's guard.
Houston wanted to stand there but Mordant had control of the position.
Mordant not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Houston stands and steps away. Mordant gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Mordant avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Houston misses with a kick to the body.
Houston throws a hook but Mordant avoids it easily.
Mordant avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mordant shoots in for a takedown but Houston shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Houston misses with a body shot

and Mordant counters with a single leg into guard. Houston didn't expect that.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Houston wants to get back to his feet but Mordant is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Mordant trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Houston is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.

Houston has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Mordant off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Mordant looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Houston is fending him off so far but Mordant persists. Nope, Houston circles away and we're back to standing.
Marcus Houston has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Vladimir Mordant.
Houston looks to score with a jab to the body but Mordant is just out of range.
Houston throws a jab when Mordant was well out of range.

Houston gets a clinch.
Houston goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

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.
Houston throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mordant blocks it with crossed arms.
Houston pushes off an throws an elbow but Mordant leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Houston throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Mordant blocks it with crossed arms.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Houston.
Houston tries a body shot but Mordant blocks it.
Houston misses with a knee to the head.
Mordant jumps guard but Houston stands there with Mordant around his waist. Mordant gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Houston misses with a punch on the inside.
Houston misses with a body punch.
Mordant has Houston pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Houston manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Houston lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Houston wants to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mordant tries to get to full guard but Houston has control of the leg.
Houston wants to stand but Mordant has hold of a leg and an arm, so he's trapped for now.
Mordant tries to get to full guard but Houston has control of the leg.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Mordant tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Houston swivels and escapes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Houston throws a series of punches but Mordant moves out of range.
A clash of legs there as Mordant blocks the low kick.
Houston tries a head kick but it misses.
Mordant shoots and misses

and Houston counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Houston misses with a hook from the clinch.

Houston pulls Mordant into guard.
Vladimir Mordant has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Houston wants to stand but Mordant is controlling the position.
Mordant looking to pass the guard.
Marcus Houston is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Houston is looking to stand up but Mordant isn't so interested in that idea.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Houston showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Houston 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 Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marcus Houston!