PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jose Marinas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Eli Samuel (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marinas comes into the arena with Linkin Park - Faint blaring out of the sound system. Samuel has chosen Stuck in the Moment as his entrance music. On his way into the cage it seems that Jose Marinas has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Jose Marinas seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Marinas
vs
Samuel

188 cm
19
187 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

185 cm
20
190 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
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 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jose Marinas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Eli Samuel!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Alec Ball and Trevor Gratis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marinas changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Samuel tries to avoid it but Marinas manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Samuel to the ground. Samuel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Samuel with a hook.

It looks like Jose Marinas has been cut.
Marinas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.

Samuel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Samuel tries to get to his feet but he's trapped momentarily.
Marinas manages to work his way to half guard, despite Samuel's best efforts.
Samuel wants to stand up but Marinas is controlling the position.
Marinas looks like he's trying to stand up.
Samuel tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Marinas gets full guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Samuel wanted to stand there but Marinas had control of the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samuel gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Marinas closes this distance looking for a takedown but Samuel circles away.
Samuel closes the distance but Marinas moves to the side

and Marinas counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Marinas.
Samuel is looking to stand back up... there's a bit of a scramble and Marinas dives into side control.

Marinas stands up.

Samuel fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Marinas, pushing him back against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Samuel slowing the pace effectively.
Marinas fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Marinas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marinas throws an elbow that misses.
Samuel throws a head punch that misses.
Nice body punch from Samuel.
Marinas pushes Samuel back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Samuel on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Samuel turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Samuel decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Samuel tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marinas swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Samuel scores with a takedown into Marinas's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samuel wants to stand but Marinas is controlling his posture from full guard.
Marinas bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Samuel's guard.

Marinas stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Samuel scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Samuel looks gassed!

Samuel decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Marinas shoots in for a takedown but Samuel shows good takedown defense.

Samuel is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Marinas's half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marinas is trying to stand up here but Samuel is controlling him well.
Samuel wants to stand up but Marinas has a hold of him and won't allow it.

Samuel decides to stand up and try his luck on the feet.

Samuel closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Marinas is trying is best to control the position here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Marinas slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marinas manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Samuel manages to get himself to full guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Eli Samuel dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jose Marinas's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Marinas tries for a takedown but Samuel circles away easily

and Samuel counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Samuel.
Samuel tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.

Marinas breaks the clinch.
Samuel throws out a loose jab but Marinas uses good head movement to avoid it.
Marinas keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Samuel fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Marinas checks it well.
Marinas changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Samuel tries to avoid it but Marinas manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Samuel to the ground. Samuel escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Jose Marinas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Samuel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Marinas moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Samuel clinches.
Samuel is trying to break the clinch but Marinas has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samuel blocks a body shot from Marinas.
Marinas is trying to break free.
Marinas avoiding damage as Samuel throws knees to the body.

Samuel manages to break the clinch.

Samuel shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Samuel tries to stand but his arm is trapped.
Samuel is breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marinas is controlling Samuel's position as best he can from this difficult position.
Marinas manages to get to full guard.
Samuel has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Marinas is proving hard to escape from.
Samuel is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marinas pushes Samuel off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Samuel throws a series of strikes that have Marinas backpedaling.
Marinas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Samuel pinned against the cage. Samuel gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Marinas. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Marinas gets the takedown into side control.
Samuel is not content to let Marinas control the position.
Samuel is pushing Marinas's head away, looking to escape. Marinas manages to hold on to the position though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sloppy strikes there by Marinas.
Marinas is looking to take a break and control but Samuel is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Samuel is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Marinas has just dragged him back down to the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Eli Samuel will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Jose Marinas's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Marinas shoots in but Samuel avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A bone on bone clash there as Marinas blocks the leg kick.
Samuel misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Marinas looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Samuel stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jose Marinas. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Samuel fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Marinas looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
Samuel throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Marinas.
Marinas looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Samuel is fending him off so far but Marinas persists. Nope, Samuel circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Marinas misses with a takedown

and Samuel counters with a nice double leg into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samuel decides he's had enough of the ground and stands up.
Samuel misses with a series of wild punches.
Samuel misses with a few strikes there.
Marinas fails with the takedown
and Samuel counters with a two punch combo.

Samuel instigates a clinch.

Samuel escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Samuel takes the fight into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marinas letting Samuel take a breather here.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Samuel.
Samuel with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Marinas using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Samuel has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Samuel has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Marinas clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marinas tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Marinas wants to control but Samuel is having none of it.

Samuel is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marinas displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Samuel throws out the jab.

Samuel drives through and clinches with Marinas against the cage.

Samuel manages to break the clinch.
Marinas dives in and grabs Samuel's left leg, looking for a takedown. Samuel pushes down on Marinas's head and hops out.
Marinas misses with a takedown
and Samuel counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Samuel.

Samuel closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Samuel lands in his opponent's guard.
Samuel wants to stand but Marinas is controlling his posture from full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samuel won't allow Marinas to sweep him here.

Samuel decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Marinas, up you get!
Samuel looks to land a combination but Marinas avoids it well.
Marinas showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Samuel.
Samuel stuffs the takedown.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Jab, jab by Samuel - just one landing.
Jose Marinas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Eli Samuel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marinas attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.

And that's the end of the fight!
Eli Samuel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Samuel has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 27:30
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Eli Samuel!