PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Jim Jo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Bob Marley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marley has chosen Bob Marley-One Love as his entrance music. Fingers crossed for an exciting fight - I'm sure both fighters are looking for a nice under the table bonus!

Jo
vs
Marley

180 cm
25
197 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
21
192 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Solid Muay Thai
KO power

BJJ White 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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jim Jo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Bob Marley!
The judges for this bout are Tarja Halkonen, Matti Vanhoillinen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Jo throws a body kick, spinning off balance
and Marley counters with a nice body kick.
Marley misses with a hook.

Jo closes the distance and clinches.
Jo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Marley looking for a takedown.
Jo fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Marley tries for a takedown. No joy.
Marley is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Marley is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.
Marley throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jo blocks it with crossed arms.
Jo looking for a takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jim Jo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marley can't get the takedown.
Jo tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Marley looking to throw knees to the head but Jo is blocking nicely.
Jo is looking for a takedown.
Marley can't find room to land a body shot as Jo controls the action.
Marley is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Jo lands a nice uppercut.
Jo jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Marley walks away with a smile on his face. Jo gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.

Jo closes the distance and clinches.
Marley misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Jo.
Jo jumps guard but Marley stands there with Jo around his waist. Jo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.
Marley tries to throw a body punch but Jo avoids it by throwing Marley back against the cage.
Jo tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Jo missing with knees to the body.

Jo breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marley tries to clinch but Jo moves out of range.
Jo closes this distance looking for a takedown but Marley circles away.
Marley throws a sloppy head kick and Jo moves out of range easily.
Jo is looking to clinch but Marley is avoiding it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jo misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Marley throws a head kick that misses.
Jo shoots in looking for a takedown. Marley tries to sprawl out of it but Jo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Marley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Jo is breathing heavily.
Jo wants to clinch up but Marley keeps it at a distance.
Marley avoids the body shot from Jo.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Jo takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Jo thuds a left hand into Marley's body.
Marley moves out of range as Jo throws a body kick.
Jo throws a head kick that misses.
Jo tries to score a power double leg takedown but Marley sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Jo somewhat.
Marley throws a nice inside leg kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Jo shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Bob Marley will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Jo gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.

Marley closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Jo goes for a takedown attempt but Marley pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Jo moves to clinch but Marley breaks away
and Marley counters with a body kick that brings a smile to the face of both fighters.
Jo tries to clinch but Marley moves out of range.
Jo closes the distance and clinches up with Marley, looking for a takedown. Jo pushes Marley against the cage but Marley circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Jo clinches with his opponent.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jo wants to break free but Marley has control.
Jo tries to land knees in the clinch but Marley avoids the damage to the body.
Jo gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Marley.
Jo is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jim Jo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Jo is trying to force a seperation but Marley has the dominant position.
Marley blocks a body shot from Jo.
Marley misses with an elbow strike.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Marley is looking to take this one to the mat.
Marley blocks a body shot from Jo.
Marley stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marley with an attempt at a knee that misses.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Marley takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Jo is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Marley is defending well.
Marley pressing his opponent against the cage.
Marley jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Jo walks away with a smile on his face. Marley gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Marley uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Jo.
Jo shoots for a double leg takedown but Marley sprawls well. He's pushed Jo's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Jo shoots for a takedown but Marley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.

Marley takes the fight into the clinch.
Marley will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Jo up against the cage.
Marley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Jo pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Marley missing with knees to the body.
Marley stalling.
Marley looking to throw knees to the head but Jo is blocking nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
Marley looking to stall.
Marley stalling the fight.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Bob Marley.
Jo shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Marley but Marley pushes him off and we're back to square one.

Jo closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Marley with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Jo prevents a takedown attempt there.
Jo tries for a takedown but Marley manages to get underhooks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bob Marley showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Jo shoots in looking for a takedown. Marley tries to sprawl out of it but Jo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Marley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Marley lands with a kick to the temple. Jo shrugs as if to say "is that all you've got?"
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Jo is defended easily by Marley.
Jo moves in looking to clinch but Marley pushes him off.
Marley motions for Jo to come forward. Marley throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Jo pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Jim Jo is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Jo tries to clinch
and Marley makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Jim Jo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Jo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Marley counters with a slapping leg kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jim Jo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marley tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in the close the distance. Jo manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
No luck for Jo with that takedown attempt.
Marley misses with a jab, cross combination.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Jo swings wildly with a couple of big hooks

and Marley counters by clinching up.
Marley looking to stall.
Jo wants a takedown.
Marley missing with knees to the body.
Marley throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Jo blocks it with crossed arms.
Jo avoiding damage as Marley throws knees to the body.
Jo avoids a wild elbow strike from Marley.
Marley's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Marley continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Jo tries to pull guard but Marley holds him up against the cage and eventually Jo drops back down to his feet.
Marley tries to stall but Jo uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Marley with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Marley drags the fight down to the ground.
Marley keeping moving, preventing Jo from controlling successfully.
Marley is pulling down on Jo's head to control his posture.
Marley tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Marley pulls Jo in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Nice takedown defense from Marley. No joy for Jo on that attempt.
Marley throws out a leg kick but Jo moves out of range and Marley only half commits.
Jo looks to score with a jab to the body but Marley is just out of range.

Marley closes the distance and pushes Jo back into the cage.
Jo is trying to break the clinch but Marley has him pressed against the cage.
Jo blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Jim Jo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Bob Marley is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bob Marley seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Jo tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Marley just stands there and leans against the cage.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Marley comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Marley 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 Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 28:30
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 27:30
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Bob Marley!
A victorious Bob Marley thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.