PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Santiago Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Alexandre Zanelli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Alexandre Zanelli will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Martin
vs
Zanelli

166 cm
19
175 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
19
175 lbs
2 - 5 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Determined

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Santiago Martin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alexandre Zanelli!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Elvis Blanc and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Zanelli tries for a takedown but Martin circles away easily
and Martin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.

Martin gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Martin looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Zanelli advances to half guard.
Zanelli prevents Martin from improving his position.

Zanelli is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Martin is just riding it out for now. Zanelli eventually gives up the hold.
Martin moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Martin is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Zanelli drops back looking for a leg! Martin is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Martin manages to kick Zanelli off! Zanelli jumps back into Martin's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Zanelli drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Zanelli jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Martin looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

Zanelli has gone for a leg lock! Martin slips out almost immediately though and dives into Zanelli's guard.
Martin tries to free his leg and advance position but Zanelli is retaining full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martin trying to control but Zanelli is working from the bottom.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.

Zanelli is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Martin defends well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin wants to control from the top but Zanelli keeps moving.

Zanelli working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Martin has passed into half guard!

Zanelli looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Zanelli looks gassed!

Zanelli looking to force a kimura from the bottom here. He's concentrating on that move too much though and Martin pushes past his half guard into mount!
Martin throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Martin is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Zanelli has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Martin controlling the position easily from mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin throwing sloppy strikes, which aren't doing any damage.
Zanelli is trying to escape the mount.
Martin controlling from mount.
Zanelli is wriggling around trying to escape.

Martin is going oldschool here, as he tries to force Zanelli to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Zanelli shrugs it off.
Zanelli wriggling around on the bottom manages to avoid the strikes thrown by Martin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Martin wants to control the pace but Zanelli is squirming around nicely.
Zanelli wants to use the cage to get back to his feet here.
Martin unloads with some shots from mount but Zanelli bucks and avoids them well.
Zanelli tries to improve his position but instead Martin has taken his back!
Martin biding his time, looking for the opening.
A lull in the action here.
Martin is trying to stick to Zanelli's back but Zanelli is turning into Martin. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Martin's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Zanelli.
Martin is pulling down on Zanelli's head to control his posture.
Zanelli preventing the sweep.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Martin dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Zanelli misses with a takedown
and Zanelli takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Martin misses with a few strikes there.
Martin throws the kick towards the body but Zanelli avoids it.
Alexandre Zanelli seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Martin throws a right hand that Zanelli ducks under and follows up with a left that Zanelli also avoids with ease.

Martin shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Martin was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Zanelli is in all sorts of trouble here.
Zanelli is trying to stand.
Zanelli can't escape the position.
Zanelli wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Zanelli tries to roll but Martin sticks to his back.
Martin has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Zanelli's body.
Zanelli is breathing heavily.
Martin has his opponent trapped and is landing shots. Not a good position for Zanelli.
Martin is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Zanelli.
Even with his hooks in, Martin manages to miss with strikes from the back.

Martin looking to break Zanelli's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Zanelli remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Martin will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Martin throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Zanelli is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Martin keeps control of the position as Zanelli tries to break free.
Zanelli looking very determined here, making life difficult for Martin.
You can see the frustration on Zanelli's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Zanelli fending off the submission attempt from Martin.
Martin keeps control of the position as Zanelli tries to break free.
Martin punches the canvas rather than the man.
Martin keeps control of the position easily here as Zanelli tries to buck him off.
Martin wants to control but Zanelli is keeping busy.
Zanelli is defending well here and trying to improve his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Zanelli defends a rear naked choke attempt by controlling one of Martin's arms.
Martin missing with strikes from the back.
Martin thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
A bit of a pause in the action here. Martin controlling the positon.
Martin throwing wild punches that miss their target.
Zanelli has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Martin.
Martin is hanging on to Zanelli's back as he tries to escape.

Martin is persistently looking for the submission but Zanelli is defending it well.
Martin biding his time, controlling Zanelli.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin is looking to control Zanelli but Zanelli is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Martin is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Martin controlling well, preventing Zanelli from escaping the position.
Martin keeps control of the position easily here as Zanelli tries to buck him off.

Martin is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Zanelli defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Zanelli looking very determined here, making life difficult for Martin.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Santiago Martin dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Zanelli enables Martin to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Zanelli manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Martin got a little sloppy there for a moment and Zanelli has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Martin has managed to get both his arms back between Zanelli's legs - danger averted.
Martin has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Martin wants to control from the top but Zanelli keeps moving.
Martin looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

Zanelli is looking for a triangle but Martin pushes his legs off easily.
Martin might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Martin trying to control the position from guard on top but Zanelli is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Santiago Martin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Zanelli wants to sweep but no luck.
Zanelli takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Santiago Martin just wasn't active enough.
Zanelli fails with the takedown

and Martin counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Martin.
Martin trying to control but Zanelli is working from the bottom.
Martin controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

Zanelli has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Martin is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Zanelli.
Martin advances to full mount.
Martin can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Zanelli is looking to escape.
Zanelli is bucking up trying to escape but Martin cracks him with another couple of good strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin controlling the pace for now.
Zanelli really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The referee warns Zanelli that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Martin controlling the pace for now.
Martin unloads with some shots from mount but Zanelli bucks and avoids them well.

Martin looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Martin tries to control but Zanelli wriggling away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Zanelli is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Martin raining down shots from the mount!
Martin thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Martin thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

Martin working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Martin controlling the position easily from mount.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Martin looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Alexandre Zanelli has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Zanelli keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Zanelli is trying to stand.
Zanelli is working to get back to half guard.
Martin content just to control the position here.
Santiago Martin is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Martin looking to ground and pound but Zanelli is blocking nicely.

And that's the end of the fight!
Santiago Martin showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Martin 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 30:27
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:26
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Santiago Martin!