PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jack Connelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ryan Marshall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ryan Marshall has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Connelly
vs
Marshall

150 cm
23
180 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

173 cm
22
175 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Inexperienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

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 Sydney, Jack Connelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ryan Marshall!
The judges for this bout are Damien Edna, Eliza Hachem and Steve Erwin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marshall throws a right and a left that both miss.
Marshall misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ryan Marshall seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Connelly instigates a clinch.
Marshall has had enough of the clinch but Connelly keeps him there for the moment.
Marshall takes an elbow to the temple.
Connelly stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Connelly has Marshall pressed against the cage, preventing Marshall from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Marshall wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Connelly has him pressed against the cage.
Marshall working hard to break the clinch.

Connelly breaks the clinch.

Connelly closes the distance and clinches.
Connelly gets through Marshall's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Connelly pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall swinging wildly here.

Connelly moves into range and clinches up with Marshall.
Marshall is looking to break free of the clinch but Connelly has double underhooks.
Marshall has had enough of the clinch but Connelly keeps him there for the moment.

Connelly breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Connelly decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Connelly 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.
Connelly trying to control the pace.
Marshall tries to kick Connelly off but Connelly keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Connelly stands up from half guard.

Connelly rushes Marshall and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Connelly is stalling here.

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

Connelly moves into the clinch.
Marshall is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Connelly gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.

Connelly breaks from the clinch.
Sloppy strikes from Marshall. Those never looked like landing.
Marshall misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Connelly looks to land a combination. Marshall sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.
A punch combination from Marshall misses.
Marshall looks gassed!

Connelly closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Connelly performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up because Jack Connelly just wasn't active enough.
Marshall throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped

and Connelly moves into the clinch.
Marshall wants to break free but Connelly has control.

Connelly manages to break the clinch.
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!

Connelly forces Marshall back against the cage and clinches.

Connelly pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Connelly really is a fat lump.
A left and a right from Connelly both land. Nice combination.
Connelly misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Connelly showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Marshall.
Marshall throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Connelly.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Connelly dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Connelly works over Marshall's head and body with a nice combination.
Marshall misses with a few strikes there.
Connelly misses with a wild combination.
Marshall throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Sloppy strikes from Marshall. Those never looked like landing.
Marshall throws a left and a right that both miss

and Connelly counters by moving into the clinch.
Marshall looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Connelly scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Marshall wants to get back to striking at distance but Connelly won't allow it.
Marshall is breathing heavily.
Marshall is trying to force a seperation but Connelly has the dominant position.
Marshall wants to get back to striking at distance but Connelly won't allow it.

Connelly's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall misses with a double jab

and Connelly counters by moving into the clinch.
Marshall is trying to break free.

Connelly jumps into guard, dragging Marshall to the mat.

Connelly had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Marshall defends it easily.
Marshall wanted to stand there but Connelly had control of the position.
Connelly lands a decent punch to the body there.
Marshall wants to stand and escape but instead Connelly has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connelly sitting in guard here, content to control.
Connelly working some strikes from top position.
Connelly forces his way into half guard.
Connelly is figuring out what he wants to do next.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Connelly moves into the clinch successfully.

Connelly manages to break the clinch.
Connelly dodges the punch combination from Marshall.

Marshall gets tackled into the cage by Connelly. Connelly maintains the clinch.
Marshall wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.

Connelly successfully pulls guard.
Connelly has a closed guard, preventing Marshall from standing up.
Jack Connelly overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Connelly looking for a guillotine here but Marshall defends easily.
Marshall wanted to stand there but Connelly had control of the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Connelly scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Connelly dodges the punch combination from Marshall.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Connelly dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Some wild striking there from Connelly.
Marshall falls off balance throwing a combination

and Connelly counters by moving into the clinch.

Connelly manages to pull guard.
Connelly is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Connelly looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Marshall wanted to stand there but Connelly had control of the position.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall wants to stand and escape but instead Connelly has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Connelly controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

We're going to have a standup here because Jack Connelly wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
No joy there for Marshall, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Connelly shoots in and bounces Marshall off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Marshall wants to stand but Connelly is controlling the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connelly seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

Connelly gets to his feet. Marshall looking to butt scoot but the ref puts an end to that. On your feet son!
Some wild striking there from Marshall.

Connelly closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Connelly lands in his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshall is looking to stand up but Connelly isn't so interested in that idea.
Connelly slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Connelly knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Marshall on the ground.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Jack Connelly.
Sloppy strikes from Marshall. Those never looked like landing.
Marshall throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Connelly.

Connelly pushes Marshall up against the cage in a clinch.

Connelly pulls guard successfully.
Marshall would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ryan Marshall has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jack Connelly is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

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

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Connelly showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Connelly 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 Damien Edna scores the fight 30:27
Judge Eliza Hachem scores the fight 30:27
Judge Steve Erwin scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Connelly!