PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Gianfranco Pagliera (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Pagliera comes to the cage accompanied by Snot - Get Some. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Pagliera
vs
Martin

175 cm
20
175 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

182 cm
25
180 lbs
7 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Very strong

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Solid 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 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Gianfranco Pagliera!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, James Martin!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Pagliera tries to clinch there but Martin circles away.

Martin scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.

Martin is looking for a kimura here.

Martin is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Pagliera is controlling Martin's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Martin not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Martin looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Martin missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Pagliera swings for the body but Martin moves out of range.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Martin has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Pagliera is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Stalling in the clinch from Pagliera.
Pagliera misses with a knee to the head.
Pagliera misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Martin.
Martin has Pagliera pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Pagliera manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Martin is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Pagliera pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Gianfranco Pagliera has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Martin.
Pagliera avoiding damage.
Martin tries for a takedown. No joy.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pagliera is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Martin is defending well for now.
Martin looking for a takedown.
Knees to the body from Pagliera.
Pagliera lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like James Martin has been cut.
Pagliera stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Pagliera keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Martin's efforts to push away.
Pagliera just leaning against Martin, taking a breather.
Pagliera landing knees to the body.
Pagliera missing with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Martin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Pagliera scores a nice knee to the body.
Pagliera lands a knee to the head.
Martin looking for a takedown.
Pagliera stops a takedown attempt from Martin.
Pagliera trying to land knees to the body.
Pagliera misses with a short punch on the inside.
Pagliera prevents the takedown attempt.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Martin goes for a takedown attempt but Pagliera pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.

Pagliera pushes Martin up against the cage in a clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gianfranco Pagliera dominated that round.
The cut man is working on James Martin's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Pagliera throws a head kick that misses.
Pagliera avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Gianfranco Pagliera is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Martin takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Pagliera throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Martin looks to score with a jab to the body but Pagliera is just out of range.
Pagliera thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Martin if he has to take too many more of those.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A good leg kick by Pagliera.
A nice inside leg kick there by Pagliera. That's going to slow Martin down.
Pagliera lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Pagliera cracks the inside of Martin's front leg.
Gianfranco Pagliera seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Pagliera ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Martin takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Pagliera just misses with a punch to the body.
A slapping body kick lands there for Pagliera.
Martin is breathing heavily.

Pagliera rushes Martin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Pagliera connects with a knee to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Knees in the clinch landing for Pagliera.
Pagliera digs a right hand underneath Martin's ribcage. Martin let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Pagliera obliges.
Pagliera lands a body shot in the clinch.
Pagliera tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Martin avoids it.
Martin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Pagliera has him pressed against the cage.
The referee is keeping an eye on Pagliera - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
Martin drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Pagliera gets the underhooks and prevents it.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pagliera tries to land knees in the clinch but Martin avoids the damage to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pagliera tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Martin is trying to drag Pagliera to the mat but Pagliera just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Pagliera will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Martin up against the cage.
Pagliera using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Pagliera stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Gianfranco Pagliera.
Martin blocks a head kick by Pagliera.
Gianfranco Pagliera is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Martin avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Pagliera lands a high kick!
Pagliera fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Martin is out of range.
Pagliera throws a quick inside leg kick.
Martin checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
A slapping body kick lands there for Pagliera.
A nice leg kick lands there from Pagliera.
Good leg kick by Pagliera there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.
A nice inside leg kick there by Pagliera. That's going to slow Martin down.
Martin takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Pagliera fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Martin.
Pagliera scoring well with a low kick there.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Pagliera wants to clinch.
Pagliera lands a head kick. Martin smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gianfranco Pagliera dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on James Martin's cut.
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. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Pagliera throws a low kick, looking for Martin's leg but Martin calmly moves out of range.
Martin blocks a head kick by Pagliera.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Pagliera.
Some wild striking there from Pagliera.
Pagliera moves forwards but Martin connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Pagliera is looking to land body kicks.
A big right from Martin misses.
Pagliera takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Martin takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Pagliera is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Martin can do to turn this around?
Martin swats away the attempt to clinch by Pagliera.
Martin throws a hook to the side of Pagliera's head but Pagliera sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Martin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Nice uppercut there from Martin.
Pagliera throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Martin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pagliera pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Pagliera throws and low kick but Martin moves out of range easily.
Pagliera tries to land a leg kick but Martin saw it coming and moves away.
Pagliera lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Pagliera on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
A head kick misses from Pagliera.
Pagliera goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Martin's leg has a nasty welt from taking a succession of leg kicks. That must be slowing him down.

Martin closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Martin in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Martin throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Pagliera parries the strikes from Martin easily there. Martin is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Pagliera to escape.

Martin is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Pagliera is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Pagliera parries the strikes from Martin easily there. Martin is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Pagliera to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin working away.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Martin goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Pagliera has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Martin but great work by Pagliera.
Pagliera in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Pagliera in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Martin tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pagliera lands a knee to the body and follows it up with some ground and pound to the head. That will wear Martin down.
Pagliera wants to stand but Martin has his arm trapped.
You can see the frustration on Martin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.

Pagliera stands up.
Martin takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Pagliera steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Martin.
Pagliera fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Martin.
Pagliera keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
James Martin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Martin shoots in but no luck this time.
Pagliera fails with an attempt to clinch.
Martin misses with a hook.
Martin misses with a hook.
Pagliera throws the kick towards the body but Martin avoids it.

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 Gianfranco Pagliera.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Pagliera, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gianfranco Pagliera!