PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between George Marquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Marquez
vs
Kelly

183 cm
22
189 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

185 cm
18
185 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
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 Sydney, George Marquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Bob Kelly!
The judges for this bout are Eliza Hachem, Bruno Hogan and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Marquez moves into the clinch successfully.
Kelly wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Kelly tries for a takedown but Marquez manages to get underhooks.
Marquez has Kelly pressed against the cage, preventing Kelly from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Kelly tries for a takedown but Marquez manages to get underhooks.
Kelly can't break the clinch.

Marquez lands a takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marquez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Marquez stands and throws Kelly's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Marquez is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Kelly is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Marquez lands a decent elbow from side control.
Marquez misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Marquez throwing ground and pound but whilst doing so, he forgets to control position and Kelly works his way back to half guard. Good composure under pressure.
Marquez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Kelly looks gassed!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Marquez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kelly's head.
Marquez lands with a punch from half guard.
Kelly is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Marquez scores with a couple of nice shots.
Marquez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kelly defending well though.
Marquez scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Marquez lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Marquez takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

Marquez is looking for a kimura here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marquez not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Marquez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kelly defending well though.
Marquez missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Marquez working the head and body with strikes.
Marquez working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Marquez throwing shots but Kelly is blocking nicely.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Marquez connects with a nice short shot to Kelly's temple.
Marquez lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice strikes from Marquez there.
Marquez not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Marquez looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Kelly with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Marquez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kelly defending well though.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Kelly keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Ground and pound from Marquez.
Marquez winds up and cracks Kelly with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Marquez lands strikes from half guard.
Marquez thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Kelly's head.
Marquez seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Marquez throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marquez is looking to take a break and control but Kelly is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Marquez landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Marquez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Kelly defending well though.
Marquez wants to free his trapped foot but Kelly is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Kelly avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Marquez.

Marquez is working for a kimura but Kelly is defending it quite comfortably.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Kelly regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Marquez.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Marquez dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Marquez closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Kelly did well to prevent Marquez getting side control.
Marquez slips a nice elbow through Kelly's hands, connecting with Kelly's forehead.
Marquez winds up and cracks Kelly with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Marquez is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Marquez with the ground and pound but Kelly uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Marquez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Marquez throws and elbow that misses. Kelly uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Marquez's guard. Nice move by Kelly!
Kelly missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez looking for a sweep. Not yet Marquez, not yet.

Marquez wriggles free and stands up.

Marquez forces Kelly back against the cage and clinches.
Kelly wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Marquez lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

Marquez pulls guard.
Kelly with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kelly with a flurry of punches that miss.
Kelly working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Marquez's head.
Kelly trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kelly would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Marquez has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Kelly off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Marquez throws a head kick that half lands.
Marquez moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

Marquez closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Marquez lands in his opponent's guard.
Marquez scoring with punches to the head and body.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Marquez's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Marquez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquez stands up over Kelly, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Marquez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Marquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Kelly wants to get back to his feet but Marquez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Kelly working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marquez.
Marquez stops Kelly from standing up.
Kelly working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marquez.
Marquez tries to free his leg and advance position but Kelly is retaining full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Marquez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Marquez won't allow Kelly to get back to his feet.
Marquez throwing strikes from guard but Kelly blocks nicely.
Marquez connects with a couple of short punches.
Marquez throwing strikes from guard but Kelly blocks nicely.
Kelly wants to stand and escape but Marquez is having none of it.
Marquez throws and elbow that misses. Kelly uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Marquez's guard. Nice move by Kelly!
Marquez pulls Kelly in close to prevent any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Marquez dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Marquez moves into the clinch successfully.
A frustrated look appears on Kelly's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Kelly looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Marquez connects with a nasty looking knee right to Kelly's face.
Marquez with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

Marquez gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Marquez wants to pass the guard but Kelly is keeping the position.
Marquez lands a couple of elbows.
Marquez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Marquez content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Kelly working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marquez.
Marquez is in close to Kelly's body, working some short punches and elbows.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Marquez is looking to work some ground and pound but Kelly has wrist control.
Marquez prevents Kelly from getting back to his feet.
Marquez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Kelly working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marquez.
George Marquez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Marquez is looking to work some ground and pound but Kelly has wrist control.
Marquez throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Marquez throws and elbow that misses. Kelly uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Marquez's guard. Nice move by Kelly!
Kelly throws a strike but Marquez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Bob Kelly has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two 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.
Marquez won't allow Kelly to get back to his feet.
Marquez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Kelly working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marquez.
Kelly utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Kelly wants to get back to his feet but Marquez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Marquez throws a big right hand that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquez works over Kelly with some ground and pound from guard.
Marquez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Marquez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Kelly works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Marquez landing some decent shots from guard.

Marquez postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Kelly is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Marquez, into his guard.
Kelly throws a big right hand that misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Kelly trying to control the position from guard on top but Marquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Marquez pushes Kelly off and gets back to his feet.
Kelly lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Marquez has taken the fight to the clinch.

Marquez tightens his grip and picks Kelly up, before dumping him to the ground. Kelly manages to land in guard.
Marquez working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Marquez working some strikes from top position.
Marquez has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Marquez landing some decent shots from guard.
George Marquez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Kelly is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

And that's the end of the fight!
George Marquez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Marquez, 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 Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:26
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 30:26
Judge Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... George Marquez!