PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yunel Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and michael jackson (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.

Martinez
vs
jackson

169 cm
18
152 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

225 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Yunel Martinez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, michael jackson!
The judges for this bout are , Timothy Bukovac and Jack Bonds.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
jackson throws a sloppy head kick and Martinez moves out of range easily.
An inside leg kick lands from jackson.
jackson lands a high kick!
Yunel Martinez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Martinez.
Martinez throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
jackson sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Martinez tries to pass the half guard into mount. jackson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Martinez in particular looking to stall.
jackson is looking to control Martinez's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can jackson avoid being mounted?
Martinez controlling the pace.

That's one minute gone in the round.
jackson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Martinez is working away from the top position though.

Martinez seems to be working for a kimura but jackson defends the submission attempt.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.

jackson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Martinez sitting in guard here, content to control.
Martinez is breathing heavily.
jackson keeping moving, preventing Martinez from controlling successfully.
Martinez trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
jackson is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.

jackson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Martinez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
jackson wants to sweep but no luck.
Martinez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Martinez might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
jackson looking to control.
Martinez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Martinez is looking to stand up but jackson won't let him.
jackson is trying to keep Martinez in close.
jackson wants to get back to his feet but Martinez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Martinez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Martinez throws a leg kick

and jackson counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
jackson looking to slow down the pace here.
jackson wants a takedown.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martinez breaks the clinch.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Martinez scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
jackson wants to control but Martinez is keeping busy.
Martinez with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
jackson wants to get back to his feet.
Martinez is pressing down on jackson's thigh, looking to free his foot. jackson is holding on for now.
jackson manages to get to full guard.
jackson is trying to hold Martinez in close to prevent damage but Martinez has managed to pass into half guard.
Martinez content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
jackson is refusing to be controlled, as Martinez sits in half guard.

jackson makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!

Martinez rushes jackson and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Martinez lands a body shot in the clinch.
Martinez misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from jackson.
Martinez trying to land knees to the body.
jackson drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Martinez gets the underhooks and prevents it.
jackson jumps guard but Martinez stands there with jackson around his waist. jackson gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Yunel Martinez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of michael jackson.
jackson tries to break the clinch but Martinez is controlling the position.
jackson tries to break the clinch but Martinez is controlling the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yunel Martinez dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Martinez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and jackson counters by clinching up.
jackson tries to pull guard but Martinez won't allow it.
jackson is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Martinez tries to break the clinch but jackson is controlling the position.
Martinez stops a takedown attempt from jackson.
Martinez lands a knee to the head.

Martinez pulls guard successfully.
jackson wants to control from the top but Martinez keeps moving.
jackson wanted to stand there but Martinez had control of the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinez 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.
jackson is breathing heavily.
Martinez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed jackson's head.
Martinez wants to take a breather but jackson is having none of it.
Martinez moves into full mount! jackson won't be happy about that!
Martinez raining down shots from the mount!
jackson takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Martinez fails to take his opponent's back.
Martinez avoids the attempt from jackson to control.
jackson is squirming around, avoiding Martinez's attempts to control the action.
jackson is looking to get back to his feet - it's going to be hard from this position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
jackson is wriggling around trying to escape.
jackson looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
Martinez controls the action.
jackson wants to control his opponent's hands but Martinez gets his hands free.
jackson is trying to avoid being dragged into an even worse position than he's already in but Martinez is staying active.
jackson rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Martinez is looking to take a break and control but jackson is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
jackson is trying to maintain the position but Martinez is very close to passing his half guard.
jackson is refusing to be controlled, as Martinez sits in half guard.
Martinez trying to control from jackson's half guard. jackson has other ideas though and has regained full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
jackson is trying to control the position but Martinez postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.
Martinez scoring well with a low kick there.

Martinez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Martinez has freed up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Martinez landing strikes from the mount and jackson is in trouble!
Martinez looking to control but jackson is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

jackson defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Martinez.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Martinez avoids the attempt from jackson to control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez with a couple of short strikes.

Martinez swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and jackson is now in Martinez's guard. A big mistake from Martinez there, giving up the dominant position!
Martinez is trying to control the position but jackson postures up.
jackson is working Martinez over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Martinez working a defensive guard but jackson manages to pass into side control anyway.
Martinez is looking for a sweep.
You can see the frustration on Martinez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Martinez is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on jackson's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yunel Martinez dominated that second round.
That's time! Martinez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Martinez is looking to chop away at jackson's legs.
Martinez shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
jackson shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Martinez counters with a single leg into guard. jackson didn't expect that.

jackson is working an open guard so Martinez takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Martinez scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Martinez scoring with strikes to the body and head.
jackson is trying to stand back up but Martinez is controlling him
Martinez seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
jackson wants to get back to his feet.
jackson wants to control but Martinez is keeping busy.
Yunel Martinez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Martinez wants to work for an arm triangle but jackson is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
jackson flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Martinez slows the pace down in half guard.
jackson is looking for a sweep. Martinez is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

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

Excellent takedown into side control there by Martinez.

Martinez has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

jackson closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
jackson takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Martinez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Martinez seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez looking to control.
jackson pushes down on Martinez's leg and manages to get into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martinez is trying to maintain the position but jackson is very close to passing his half guard.
jackson wants to stand up but Martinez is controlling the position.

Martinez actively working from the bottom here.
Martinez makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Martinez.
jackson wants to get up but he can't break Martinez's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
jackson stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Martinez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
jackson has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Martinez is proving hard to escape from.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez is trying to control the position but jackson postures up.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Martinez drives through with a takedown into guard.

Martinez gets to his feet - jackson follows without any prompting.
A lazy body kick from Martinez
and jackson counters with a leg kick.
Martinez wants to clinch
and jackson counters with a two punch combo.

jackson scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Martinez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
You can see the frustration on Martinez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
jackson trying to control the position but Martinez is working away.
Martinez misses with a strike from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
jackson is looking to take a break and control but Martinez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Martinez wants to control but jackson postures up.

jackson has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.
Martinez tries to clinch

and jackson counters with a shoot takedown. Martinez fights it but they end up in guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
jackson working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
jackson looking to pass the guard.
Martinez working a defensive guard but jackson passes into half guard.
Martinez is pressing down on jackson's left leg trying to get back to full guard. He's managed it.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Martinez controls jackson momentarily but jackson frees himself.
jackson wants to control from the top but Martinez keeps moving.
michael jackson has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
jackson missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yunel Martinez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Martinez, 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 Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 30:27
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 30:27
Judge Jack Bonds scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yunel Martinez!