PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jake Harper (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Marshall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marshall has chosen Graduation Bitches as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Harper
vs
Marshall

225 cm
22
188 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

178 cm
18
183 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

Dangerous GnP
Brawler
Granite chin

Dangerous GnP
Counter striker
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jake Harper!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Marco Marshall!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Blasius, Patrick Alders and Radbod Blank.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Harper will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Marshall avoids a punch combination nicely.
Marshall avoids a punch combination nicely.
A punch combination from Harper misses.
Harper throws a right hand that Marshall ducks under and follows up with a left that Marshall also avoids with ease.
A punch combination from Harper misses.
Harper misses with a few strikes there.
Harper tries to bum rush Marshall with a series of wild strikes but Marshall uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Harper fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
No joy there for Harper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Jake Harper seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Harper is breathing heavily.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Marshall.
Harper throws a couple of strikes even though he's not really in a good position to do so.
Marshall working the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall working the head with strikes.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marshall controls the position from side control.
Marshall's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.
Marshall working the ground and pound.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marshall controlling from side mount.
Marshall scores with a couple of short elbows.
Marshall connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Harper some visible discomfort.
Marshall controls the position.
Marshall gets to mount! Harper was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
Marshall sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Harper really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marshall breaks from Harper's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Marshall controlling the position easily from mount.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marco Marshall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Marshall throws a sloppy head kick and Harper moves out of range easily.
No joy there for Harper, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A jab from Marshall misses.
A left lands for Marshall.
Harper staying out of range there.
Marshall finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Marshall is looking to slow Harper down with leg kicks.

Marshall shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Harper wants to hit a switch here but Marshall passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Harper there!
Marshall scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Harper?
Marshall sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Marshall has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Harper's face.
Marshall is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Harper can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Marshall controlling his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Harper flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Marshall looking to control and managing it successfully.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Marshall cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
Marshall lands a heavy elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Marshall dominated that round.
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.

Marshall gets the takedown into side control.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Marshall has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marco Marshall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Marshall closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Harper is working to avoid the ground and pound but Marshall connects with a decent elbow.
The referee tells the fighters to keep busy.
Harper tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Marshall working the head with strikes.
Marshall controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall takes advantage of some sloppy striking from Harper to pass into mount.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Marshall controlling the pace for now.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marco Marshall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Harper fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Harper swinging wildly here.
Marshall throws a head kick that misses.

Marshall changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Harper looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Marco Marshall has got the better of the ground game so far.
Marshall lands a decent elbow from side control.
Marshall taking a breather here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Marshall 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.
Marshall working the ground and pound.
Harper taking a bit of punishment here - Marshall scoring with strikes.
A lull in the action here.
Marshall lands an elbow.
Marshall controls the position.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marco Marshall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Harper takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Jake Harper is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marshall misses the jab.

Marshall decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Harper tries to roll over but Marshall keeps him under control.
Marshall perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Harper misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Marshall works his foot free and advances to mount.
Marshall sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marco Marshall 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!

Marshall slips a jab and a cross from Harper.
Harper throws a series of punches but Marshall avoids them all with ease.
Harper misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A head kick misses from Marshall.
Marshall misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Marshall throws out a loose jab but Harper uses good head movement to avoid it.
A head kick misses from Marshall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Marshall gets the takedown into side control.
Harper throwing some weak shots from the bottom that do no damage.
The referee asks Marshall politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Marshall prefers to stall for the moment though.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall working the ground and pound.
You can see the frustration on Harper's face as Marshall controls the position.
Jake Harper has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marco Marshall is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marco Marshall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Marshall scores a takedown into full mount!
Marshall takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Harper is trying desperately to improve position.
Marshall controlling the pace for now.

Despite being in the dominant position, Marco Marshall just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Harper misses with a two punch combination.

Harper gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Marshall not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Harper is striking off his back. Marshall thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Marshall performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marco Marshall comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Marshall has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Daniel Blasius scores the fight 25:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 25:30
Judge Radbod Blank scores the fight 25:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marco Marshall!