PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Cain Marko (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Brad Paxton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marko's ring entrance music is that housewives' favourite, Smash. Brad Paxton has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Marko
vs
Paxton

225 cm
25
337 lbs
4 - 6 - 0

194 cm
23
295 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very quick

Powerful takedowns
Counter striker
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Cain Marko!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Brad Paxton!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Ian Loll and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marko steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Paxton.
Marko uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Paxton.
No luck for Marko with that takedown attempt.
Paxton keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.

Paxton scores a takedown into full mount!
Paxton sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Paxton looks like he's working for a submission but he's not found anything just yet.
Paxton controlling the position easily from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marko is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Marko is working hard here to advance position.
Paxton tries to control but Marko wriggling away.
Marko keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Paxton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Marko is looking to escape.

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.
Marko is in all sorts of trouble here.
Marko regains half guard.
Marko wants to get back to full guard.
Marko trying to hold on to Paxton's head to control him but Paxton postures up.
Marko on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Marko tries to get out of the position.
Paxton trying to advance position but Marko counters by regaining guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marko is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Marko is breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marko being controlled here, momentarily.
Paxton wants to pass the guard but Marko is keeping the position.
Marko knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Paxton on the ground.
Marko controls Paxton momentarily but Paxton frees himself.
Paxton trying to control the position from guard on top but Marko is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Paxton throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Marko.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Marko avoids the body shot from Paxton.
Marko has his takedown stuffed

and Paxton counters with a nice double leg into side control. Marko won't be happy with that.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Cain Marko. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Paxton trying to control the action but Marko is working from the bottom.
Paxton is trying to ground and pound but Marko uses the momentary lack of control by Paxton to regain half guard.
Paxton with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Paxton dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Paxton misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Marko.
Marko with a poor takedown
and Paxton cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Marko shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Paxton is trying to defend but Marko finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Paxton blocking the ground and pound attempt from Marko.
Marko missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Paxton moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Paxton not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Paxton throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Paxton working a defensive guard here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marko missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Marko preventing the sweep.
Paxton not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Marko is looking to advance position but Paxton has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!
Paxton controlling from the full mount.
Paxton thowing shots but they're missing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Paxton looking to control but Marko is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Paxton looking to control and managing it successfully.
Paxton tries to control but Marko wriggling away.
Paxton fails to move to back control.
Paxton controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Paxton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Marko is looking to escape.
Paxton looking to finish with strikes here!
Paxton wants to control the pace but Marko is squirming around nicely.
Paxton looking to ground and pound but Marko is blocking nicely.

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.
Marko working to try and regain half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Paxton can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Marko is looking to escape.

Despite being in the dominant position, Brad Paxton just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Marko misses with a takedown
and Paxton counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Paxton looks to throw the jab but Marko is out of range.
Marko keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Paxton.
Paxton throws a shot from downtown. Marko moves away and avoids it.
Marko shoots and misses

Paxton tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Paxton has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brad Paxton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Paxton looks to land a right hand but Marko moved out of range.
Marko shoots and misses

and Paxton counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Paxton content to stall in guard here.
Paxton works over Marko with some ground and pound from guard.
Paxton sitting in guard here, content to control.
Paxton pushing down on Marko's thigh, trying to pass to half guard. He's managed it... Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Paxton thows a huge punch but Marko dodges it nicely.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Marko is looking to control Paxton's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Marko avoid being mounted?
Paxton wants to pass the guard but Marko is defending well.
Paxton throwing shots but Marko is blocking nicely.
Marko wants to improve his position but Paxton is controlling well.
Paxton uses his free foot to push down on Marko's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Marko.
Paxton controlling from mount.

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.
Paxton lands a big elbow.

Paxton swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Marko is now in Paxton's guard. A big mistake from Paxton there, giving up the dominant position!
Paxton trying to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Paxton looking for a guillotine here but Marko defends easily.
Paxton preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Brad Paxton is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Marko has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Paxton keeping moving, preventing Marko from controlling successfully.
Paxton manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Marko manages to get himself to full guard.
Marko keeping moving, preventing Paxton from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Paxton is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Marko is trying to keep Paxton in close.
Cain Marko has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marko will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Paxton passes Marko's left leg - he's now in half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Brad Paxton comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Paxton 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 27:30
Judge Ian Loll scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Brad Paxton!