PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Ben Schaefer (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Richard Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martinez has chosen Iced Earth - A Question of Heaven as his entrance music. The fight MMA fans around the world have waited their entire lives for!

Schaefer
vs
Martinez

178 cm
24
178 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

178 cm
23
183 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Powerful takedowns
World class boxer
Good gas tank

Crashforce Nutrition

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 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Ben Schaefer!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Richard Martinez!
The judges for this bout are Paulsen Ambrosius, Paul Aken and Albert Achterberg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martinez throws a solid leg kick but Schaefer takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Martinez.
Schaefer takes a jab right on the kisser.
Martinez throws a head kick that looked like it stung.

Schaefer darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.

Martinez actively working from the bottom here.
Schaefer thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Martinez's head.
Schaefer is keen to just control but Martinez is a slippery customer.
Martinez has a hand on Schaefer's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. Schaefer takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!
Martinez wants to hold on but Schaefer pushes him away.
Martinez is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Schaefer thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schaefer trying to control but Martinez is having none of it.
Martinez wants to control but Schaefer is having none of it.

Schaefer goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Martinez is on top in guard.
Martinez looking to pass the guard.
Martinez's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Martinez trying to control but Schaefer is working from the bottom.
Schaefer keeping full guard, as Martinez tries to pass.

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.

Martinez got a little sloppy there for a moment and Schaefer has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Martinez has managed to get both his arms back between Schaefer's legs - danger averted.
Schaefer manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Martinez manages to get himself to full guard.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Martinez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Schaefer advances position into side control!
Schaefer advances nicely into full mount.
Martinez tries to hold on but Schaefer postures up.
Schaefer lands a nice shot to the head.

Schaefer jumps to side control looking for an arm triangle but Martinez manages to avoid the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez wants to control but Schaefer postures up.
Martinez is looking for a sweep.
Martinez prevents Schaefer from improving position.
Schaefer working away.
Schaefer has knee on belly and now moves to full mount! Trouble for Martinez!
Poor strikes thrown by Schaefer there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Martinez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Schaefer misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Martinez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Schaefer looking to control but Martinez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's four 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.
Martinez is desperately trying to improve his position but Schaefer has a good base and remains in mount.
Schaefer lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Schaefer controlling the position easily from mount.
Schaefer avoids the attempt from Martinez to control.
Martinez working to try and regain half guard.

Schaefer is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Martinez to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Martinez shrugs it off.
Schaefer trying to control but Martinez is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Martinez fails with the takedown.
Martinez is looking to score with low kicks.
Schaefer throws a body punch but Martinez moves out of range.
Schaefer looks to land a left hand but Martinez moved out of range nicely.
Schaefer checks the leg kick nicely there.
Schaefer on the wrong end of a vicious looking body shot.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Schaefer checks a leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Schaefer with a poor takedown
and Martinez counters with a big head kick but Schaefer shrugs it off.

Martinez closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Schaefer manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Schaefer manages to get to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martinez avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Martinez passes Schaefer's left leg - he's now in half guard.

Schaefer looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Schaefer is looking to get back to full guard here but Martinez has managed to pass to side control instead.
Martinez tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Schaefer tries to hold on but Martinez pushes him away.

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.
Martinez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Schaefer is looking to escape.
Martinez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Martinez might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Schaefer kaven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Schaefer tries to reverse the position but Martinez maintains control.
Martinez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Ben Schaefer overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez misses with a series of strikes from mount. He'll no doubt be working on his ground and pound when he gets back to the gym.
Schaefer is controlling an arm, preventing Martinez from taking his back. Although keeping him in mount is no better to be honest.
Martinez controlling from mount.
Schaefer is working to get back to half guard.
Martinez fails to move to back control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Martinez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Schaefer is looking to escape.
Schaefer is working to get back to half guard.

Martinez with some aggressive grappling here. He's looking for submissions here, rather than waiting for the opportunity to counter.
Schaefer is in all sorts of trouble here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Martinez manages to capitalize on a mistake by Schaefer to take his back!
Schaefer is keeping busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Richard Martinez 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! This is the final round!

Martinez closes the distance and gets a double leg, slamming Schaefer to the mat! Schaefer manages to get full guard.
Schaefer looking to control.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Schaefer is on top in guard.

Martinez looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Schaefer passes into side control.
Martinez is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Schaefer off and has taken his back!
Schaefer wants to control his opponent's hands but Martinez gets his hands free.
Martinez really has the hooks in deep now - there seems like no escape for Schaefer.
Martinez trying to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Schaefer is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Martinez is throwing shots to the body but Schaefer manages to wriggle free. Martinez pounces on him again and ends up in Schaefer's guard.

Schaefer looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Martinez wants to control from the top but Schaefer keeps moving.
Martinez won't allow Schaefer to sweep him here.
Martinez trying to control the position from guard on top but Schaefer is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Schaefer is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Schaefer pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Martinez is keeping the position for now.

Martinez working for a triangle but Schaefer defends it easily.
Schaefer looking to pass the guard.
Schaefer preventing the sweep.
Schaefer connects with a couple of short punches.
Schaefer trying to control but Martinez is working from the bottom.
Schaefer passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Schaefer is pressing down on Martinez's thigh, looking to free his foot. Martinez is holding on for now.

Schaefer is looking for a kimura here.

Schaefer seems to be looking for submissions.
Schaefer prevents Martinez from improving his position.

Martinez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Martinez is trying to maintain the position but Schaefer is very close to passing his half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Schaefer wants to free his trapped foot but Martinez is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Schaefer is working hard here to advance position.
Martinez is trying to get back to full guard.
Schaefer winds up and cracks Martinez with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Schaefer prevents Martinez from improving his position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Schaefer is looking to advance position but Martinez won't allow 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 Ben Schaefer.
I think Schaefer has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 29:28
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 29:28
Judge Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ben Schaefer!