PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bonifacio Martial (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Niko Reynolds (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reynolds has chosen Lights Out - Bobby Light as his entrance music. I'm sure you'll be fascinated to know that I was talking to some pointless Z list celebrity before the fight and he thought that Niko Reynolds was going to win. Let's see if he was right.

Martial
vs
Reynolds

185 cm
32
210 lbs
21 - 13 - 0

197 cm
29
224 lbs
12 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bonifacio Martial!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 12 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Niko Reynolds!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Franklin, Tiny Johnson and George Francis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reynolds shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Martial but Martial pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Reynolds moves into the clinch.
Martial working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Reynolds tries to circle away but Martial has him pinned against the cage.
Martial gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Reynolds.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Reynolds using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
Reynolds tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Reynolds.
Martial blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Reynolds lands with a left to the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Reynolds avoiding damage.
Reynolds lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Martial or not.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martial breaks from the clinch.
Reynolds misses with a looping left.
A combination from Reynolds does no damage.
Reynolds tries to close the distance and clinch up but Martial swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Reynolds lands an overhand right.
Martial keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Reynolds takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Nice straight punches there by Reynolds. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Reynolds.
Martial misses with a wild body shot.
Reynolds sizes up Martial with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Reynolds walks forward, straight into a front kick from Martial.
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!

Reynolds pushes Martial up against the cage in a clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martial is trying to break the clinch but Reynolds has him pressed against the cage.
Martial prevents a takedown attempt there.
Bonifacio Martial has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Niko Reynolds.
Reynolds lands a nice shot to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Reynolds.

Reynolds jumps into guard, dragging Martial to the mat.
Reynolds manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Martial is looking to improve his position but Reynolds isn't that keen on the idea.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reynolds scores with a couple of good head shots there.
Reynolds looking to finish with strikes here!
Martial taking shots to the head.
Reynolds scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Martial?

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reynolds looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Reynolds lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Reynolds throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Martial is breathing heavily.
Reynolds controlling from mount.
Martial avoids a series of strikes thrown by Reynolds.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Reynolds throws a right hand that Martial ducks under and follows up with a left that Martial also avoids with ease.
Reynolds looks to score with a jab to the body but Martial is just out of range.
Martial throws a nice head kick!
Martial keeps the fight on the outside.

Reynolds looking to score a takedown here. Martial is defending well but Reynolds drives through and ends up in Martial's guard.
Martial on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Martial tries to get out of the position.
Reynolds wants to control from the top but Martial keeps moving.
Niko Reynolds has got the better of the ground game so far.

Niko Reynolds has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Reynolds moves in looking to clinch but Martial pushes him off.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reynolds avoids the head kick by Martial.
Martial ducks under a wild hook from Reynolds.
Reynolds shoots in for a takedown but Martial shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Reynolds ducks under a wild hook from Martial.
Martial lands a head shot.
Nice body punch from Martial.
Reynolds tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Martial manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Bonifacio Martial is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Reynolds fails in his attempt to clinch.
Niko Reynolds is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Reynolds lands with a good body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Reynolds wants to clinch up but Martial keeps it at a distance.
A telegraphed right hand from Reynolds misses the target.
Martial dodges the punch combination from Reynolds.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martial thows a body shot but no joy.
Martial misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Reynolds tries a low kick but Martial avoids it.
Reynolds moves to clinch but Martial breaks away
and Martial counters with a big head kick but Reynolds shrugs it off.
Reynolds lands with a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Martial blocks the body kick.
Reynolds attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Reynolds fails with a takedown attempt.
Reynolds throws a nice looking combination but Martial bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Reynolds has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martial walks into a jab.

Reynolds darts in and clinches Martial up against the cage.

Reynolds manages to break the clinch.
Martial takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Reynolds shoots in but Martial avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Bonifacio Martial has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Niko Reynolds.
Nice defenses there by Martial.
Martial moves out of range as Reynolds throws a body kick.
Martial buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Reynolds throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Reynolds fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Martial, pushing him back against the cage.
Reynolds keeps control of Martial as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Reynolds dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Reynolds goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Reynolds tries to work over Martial's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Reynolds misses with a knee to the head.
Reynolds misses with a knee to the head.
Reynolds pushes off an throws an elbow but Martial leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Martial blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Reynolds struggles to land a body shot inside as Martial controls his hands.
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!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Martial is looking to control Reynolds's arms but Reynolds gets an underhook and turns him. Now Martial has his back to the cage.
Reynolds tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Reynolds misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Martial.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Niko Reynolds showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Reynolds takes the fight into the clinch.

Martial's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Reynolds is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Martial scores with a jab to the head.
Martial walks into a left hand.
Reynolds is looking to clinch.
Reynolds lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
A looping hook to the body misses from Martial. Reynolds does a little dance to reset his feet.
Crunch! Martial slams his shin into Reynolds's torso.
Reynolds looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Martial avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martial moves out of range of the strikes.

Reynolds moves into the clinch.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Reynolds.
Reynolds misses with a punch on the inside.
Martial wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Reynolds misses with a knee to the head.

Reynolds works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Reynolds working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Reynolds not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Bonifacio Martial has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Martial might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Niko Reynolds wasn't active enough on the ground.
Martial tests Reynolds's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Reynolds tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martial paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Reynolds will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Martial misses with an attempted mid kick.
Martial throws a sloppy head kick and Reynolds moves out of range easily.
Martial throws a head kick that misses.
Niko Reynolds seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reynolds tries to clinch but Martial is having none of it.
Martial walks into a jab.
Reynolds wants to clinch up but Martial keeps it at a distance.
Reynolds scores with a jab.

Reynolds throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Martial was covering up waiting for the punch and Reynolds finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Reynolds lands a couple of elbows.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Reynolds is looking to work some ground and pound but Martial has wrist control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Martial can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Reynolds controls the pace.
Niko Reynolds is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Niko Reynolds wasn't active enough on the ground.
Martial blocks a head kick by Reynolds.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Reynolds will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Reynolds scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Niko Reynolds comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Reynolds 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 Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Niko Reynolds!