PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Markcus Sparkus (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Artur Braun (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Sparkus
vs
Braun

190 cm
18
220 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

185 cm
24
211 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Tends to cut

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 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Markcus Sparkus!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Artur Braun!
The judges for this bout are James Glass, Paul Tew and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sparkus throws a chopping leg kick but Braun manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Sparkus fails to land the takedown.
Sparkus dodges the punch combination from Braun.
Braun displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Sparkus.
Some wild striking there from Braun.
Braun rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sparkus moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Sparkus drives through with a takedown into guard.
Braun is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Braun keeping moving, preventing Sparkus from controlling successfully.
Sparkus wants to get up but he can't break Braun's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparkus showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Braun wants to stand and escape but Sparkus is having none of it.

Braun scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Sparkus shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Markcus Sparkus. That's going to take a lot out of him.

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.
Braun misses with a few strikes there.
Sparkus dodges the punch combination from Braun.
Sparkus dodges the punch combination from Braun.
Artur Braun is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Braun will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Braun looks gassed!
Braun misses with a few strikes there.
Artur Braun seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sparkus fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Braun throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Sparkus.
Braun throws a series of punches but Sparkus avoids them all with ease.
Sparkus connects with a solid leg kick.
Braun keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Sparkus tries to clinch there but Braun circles away.
Sparkus shoots in and drives through. Braun sprawls well.
Braun fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Sparkus feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Sparkus trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Sparkus stands up from Braun's guard - Sparkus perhaps looking for a knockout.
Braun throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sparkus scoring well with a low kick there.
Braun misses with a few strikes there.
Sparkus throws a nice head kick!

Sparkus darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Sparkus trying to control from half guard but Braun is working away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Still in half guard, Sparkus seems content to control.
Braun is concentrating on defense, preventing Sparkus from advancing position.
Sparkus not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Braun is trying to stand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markcus Sparkus dominated that round.
That's time! Sparkus's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Braun misses with the combination.
Braun looks to land a combination but Sparkus avoids it well.
Sparkus misses with a takedown attempt - Braun sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Braun in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Sparkus ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Braun moves away.
Braun will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Sparkus fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Sparkus scoring well with a low kick there.
Braun misses with a double jab.
Braun looks to land a combination but Sparkus avoids it well.
Sparkus tries to score a power double leg takedown but Braun sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Sparkus somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Markcus Sparkus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Sparkus wants to land a leg kick but Braun is out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Braun misses with a two punch combination.
Braun moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
A nice leg kick lands there from Sparkus.

Sparkus shoots in and bounces Braun off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Sparkus advances to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sparkus tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Braun is refusing to be controlled, as Sparkus sits in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Sparkus missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Sparkus is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Braun has managed to free his arm - good work.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Braun misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Sparkus tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Braun paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Braun misses with a wild combination.
Braun swinging wildly here.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Sparkus is defended easily by Braun.
Braun rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Sparkus moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Sparkus shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Braun fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Braun throws a series of punches but Sparkus avoids them all with ease.

Sparkus closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Sparkus sitting and controlling from the half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Braun is trying to stand back up but Sparkus is controlling him
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Sparkus wants to work for an arm triangle but Braun is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markcus Sparkus dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes 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.

Braun misses with a double jab.
Sparkus tries to clinch but Braun is having none of it.
Braun throws a right and a left that both miss.
Some wild striking there from Braun.
Sparkus throws a nice outside leg kick.
A nice inside leg kick there by Sparkus. That's going to slow Braun down.
Sparkus misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Sparkus slips a jab and a cross from Braun.
Sparkus turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Sparkus looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Braun is fending him off so far but Sparkus persists. Nope, Braun circles away and we're back to standing.
Sparkus closes the distance and clinches up with Braun, looking for a takedown. Sparkus pushes Braun against the cage but Braun circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A combination from Braun does no damage.
Braun looks to land a combination but Sparkus avoids it well.
Sparkus fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Markcus Sparkus. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Braun misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
A combination from Braun does no damage.
Braun swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sparkus moves in looking to clinch but Braun pushes him off.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Sparkus drives through and clinches with Braun against the cage.
Braun is trying to force a seperation but Sparkus has the dominant position.

Braun manages to break the clinch.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Sparkus.
Braun throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Sparkus lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Braun swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Sparkus dodges the punch combination from Braun.
Sparkus scores with a body shot.
Braun misses with a two punch combination.
Sparkus shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Braun sprawls well. Braun wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sparkus gets slowly back to his feet.
Braun lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sparkus circles away quickly and effectively.
Sparkus fails with a takedown attempt.
Sparkus avoids a punch combination nicely.
A combination from Braun does no damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braun keeps the fight on the outside.
Sparkus shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Braun sprawls well. Braun wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Sparkus gets slowly back to his feet.
Sparkus throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Braun's waist but Braun gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Sparkus off to one side.
A punch combination from Braun misses.
Sparkus is looking to slow Braun down with leg kicks.
Sparkus avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sparkus shoots in for a double leg but Braun sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Sparkus tries for a takedown but Braun sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Braun misses with the combination.
Braun swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Sparkus shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Sparkus wants to pass to mount but Braun is defending the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sparkus sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Braun defending well though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Braun looks like he's trying to stand up.

That's four 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.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Sparkus in particular looking to stall.
Braun is staying active underneath Sparkus, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Artur Braun has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Markcus Sparkus is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Markcus Sparkus has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Sparkus digs a good hook to Braun's body.

And that's the end of the fight!
Markcus Sparkus showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Sparkus 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 James Glass scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Markcus Sparkus!