PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcus De Paula (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Cracker (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marcus De Paula could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jack Cracker's chin.

De Paula
vs
Cracker

185 cm
18
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
24
203 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marcus De Paula!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jack Cracker!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Robert Douchet and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
De Paula lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
De Paula throws a nice looking combination but Cracker bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Cracker keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Cracker tries to clinch up.
De Paula shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Cracker but Cracker pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Cracker tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
De Paula stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and De Paula wants it to stay on the feet.
A big right from De Paula misses.
De Paula has a takedown stuffed.
Cracker connects with a solid leg kick.
Cracker is looking to clinch but De Paula is avoiding it.
Cracker looks to land a combination but De Paula avoids it well.
Cracker misses with a takedown attempt

and De Paula counters with a single leg into guard. Cracker didn't expect that.
De Paula lands a couple of digs.
De Paula controlling from the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cracker keeping moving, preventing De Paula from controlling successfully.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Cracker can do anything to dispel that myth.
De Paula throws a strike but Cracker rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Cracker trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
De Paula is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Cracker looking for submissions off his back.
De Paula wants to pass to mount but Cracker is defending the position.

That's two 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.
De Paula stops Cracker from getting back to his feet.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with De Paula in particular looking to stall.

Cracker actively working from the bottom here.
Cracker looks gassed!
Cracker wants to get back to full guard.
Cracker is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Cracker is trying to defend against the ground and pound but De Paula scores with a couple of nice shots.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
De Paula works over Cracker's head and body with a nice combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cracker has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from De Paula finds it's way round the side to connect with Cracker's head.
De Paula lands a head shot.

De Paula shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Cracker is trying to defend but De Paula finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Nice strikes from De Paula there.
Cracker is not content to let De Paula control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Paula is nestled in close to Cracker, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Cracker blocking the ground and pound attempt from De Paula.

De Paula is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Cracker doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time De Paula.
De Paula missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Cracker uses good head movement to avoid the hook from De Paula.
Cracker uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from De Paula.
Cracker tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus De Paula dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

De Paula forces Cracker back against the cage and clinches.
Cracker tries to pull guard but De Paula won't allow it.
Cracker tries to pull guard but De Paula won't allow it.
Cracker tries for a takedown. No joy.
Marcus De Paula has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jack Cracker.
De Paula prevents Cracker from breaking the clinch.
Cracker misses with a hook from the clinch.
A right handed body shot lands from De Paula.
Cracker tries to pull guard but De Paula won't allow it.
De Paula is pressed up against the cage. Cracker has hold of a leg and is looking to drag De Paula down to the mat. De Paula avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.

De Paula moves into the clinch.

Cracker is fighting off a takedown attempt but De Paula is just too persistent for him and manages to trip Cracker to the mat. Cracker regains guard as soon as the fighters hit the mat.
De Paula throwing strikes but missing.
De Paula trying to control the position from guard on top but Cracker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
De Paula lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Cracker has an active guard here but De Paula has managed to pass into half guard.
De Paula lands with a punch from half guard.
Still in half guard, De Paula seems content to control.
De Paula working over Cracker with some ground and pound. Cracker looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

De Paula seems to be looking for submissions.
Cracker wants to get back to his feet.
Cracker is looking to improve his position.

De Paula is sneakily working for an arm triangle but Cracker sees it coming and defends easily.

That's two 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.
De Paula tries to pass the half guard into mount. Cracker knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
De Paula throwing shots but Cracker is blocking nicely.

Cracker makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Cracker wants to slow De Paula down by chopping away at his legs.
Cracker stooping low to avoid any incoming strikes and then lunges in with an uppercut come cross that lands flush.
De Paula dodges the punch combination from Cracker.
De Paula blocks the body kick.
Marcus De Paula is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
De Paula tries to close the distance and clinch up but Cracker swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cracker avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
De Paula scores with a body shot.
Cracker misses with a takedown attempt

and De Paula counters with a shoot takedown. Cracker fights it but they end up in guard.
Cracker working a defensive guard here.
De Paula wants to control from the top but Cracker keeps moving.
De Paula preventing the sweep.
De Paula wants to control from the top but Cracker keeps moving.
Cracker is trying to control the position but De Paula postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
De Paula trying to control but Cracker is working from the bottom.

Cracker working for a triangle but De Paula defends it easily.
Cracker trying to keep a closed guard but De Paula is proving a slippery customer.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
De Paula looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Cracker tries to keep at a distance but De Paula has taken the fight into the clinch.
Cracker tries for a takedown. No joy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marcus De Paula dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're 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.

De Paula fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
De Paula takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
De Paula closes the distance and clinches up with Cracker, looking for a takedown. De Paula pushes Cracker against the cage but Cracker circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Cracker falls off balance throwing a combination
and De Paula counters with a lovely straight right hand!
De Paula tries to clinch there but Cracker circles away.
De Paula swats away the attempt to clinch by Cracker.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cracker throws a right and a left that both miss.
Cracker closes the distance looking to clinch
and Cracker takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters circling - De Paula throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
De Paula scores with a jab to the head.
De Paula thows a body shot but no joy.
De Paula is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.
De Paula scores with a jab.
Cracker throws a shot to the body.
Cracker shoots for a double leg takedown but De Paula sprawls well. He's pushed Cracker's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
De Paula lunges at Cracker with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Cracker's hand.
De Paula ducks under a wild hook from Cracker.
Nice uppercut lands for De Paula. That snapped Cracker's head back.

De Paula pushes Cracker up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

De Paula has hold of one of Cracker's legs. Cracker is fighting the takedown attempt but De Paula gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
De Paula postures up in Cracker's guard and throws a big left but Cracker blocks it.
De Paula is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
De Paula throws a big right hand that misses.
De Paula postures up.
Cracker throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
De Paula is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
De Paula trying to control the position from guard on top but Cracker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Cracker trying to control the position here.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Cracker.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Cracker tries to score with some ground and pound. De Paula controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
De Paula wants to control but Cracker postures up.
Marcus De Paula is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Cracker working the ground and pound from side control.
Cracker wants to control but De Paula is keeping him busy.
De Paula is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Jack Cracker has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Cracker misses with an attempted head punch from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
De Paula struggling a bit here.
De Paula manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
De Paula tries to pass to full mount but Cracker defends it.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
De Paula misses with a double jab

and Cracker counters with a single leg into guard. De Paula didn't expect that.
Cracker thows a big elbow that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Cracker comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well De Paula 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 Steve Smith scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 29:28

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