PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Mara (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dick Valentine (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Valentine's choice of entrance music: I Buy the Drugs. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mara
vs
Valentine

180 cm
30
180 lbs
18 - 11 - 0

181 cm
28
180 lbs
14 - 10 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
World class MT
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 18 - 11 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Matthew Mara!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 14 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Dick Valentine!
The judges for this bout are Robert Douchet, Elvis Blanc and Ian Loll.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Valentine lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Valentine lands a jab to Mara's midsection.
Valentine throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mara looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Dick Valentine seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Mara blocks a head kick by Valentine.
Valentine lands a jab to Mara's midsection.

Mara shoots in and bounces Valentine off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Mara throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Valentine tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Valentine is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Mara wants to control from the top but Valentine keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mara stopping the sweep attempt from Valentine.
Mara would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mara wants to control from the top but Valentine keeps moving.
Valentine is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Valentine not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Valentine not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mara is trying to stand.
Valentine missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Valentine sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mara defending well though.
Valentine missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Valentine thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mara's head.
Mara is trying to get back to full guard.
Mara avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Valentine.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mara defending well though.
Mara blocking the ground and pound attempt from Valentine.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Valentine connects with a nice short shot to Mara's temple.
Mara on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Valentine wants to pass to mount but Mara is defending the position.
Mara looks like he's trying to stand up.
Valentine looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mara with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Valentine landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Valentine sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Mara defending well though.
Valentine looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Mara with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Valentine missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Valentine missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Valentine drops an elbow to the side of Mara's head.
Mara avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Valentine.
Mara avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Valentine.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mara blocking the ground and pound attempt from Valentine.
Valentine scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Valentine not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Valentine missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Valentine throwing shots but Mara is blocking nicely.
Valentine stops Mara from getting back to his feet.
Valentine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Valentine stops Mara from getting back to his feet.
Mara is breathing heavily.
Valentine not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Valentine thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Mara's head.
Valentine thows a huge punch but Mara dodges it nicely.
Valentine looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mara tries to kick Valentine off but Valentine keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Mara avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Valentine.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dick Valentine dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Valentine tries to clinch up.
Valentine shoots for a double leg takedown but Mara sprawls well. He's pushed Valentine's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Valentine throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Valentine scores with a takedown into Mara's guard.
Valentine throwing strikes but missing.
Dick Valentine has got the better of the ground game so far.
Valentine trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Valentine throwing strikes from guard but Mara blocks nicely.
Valentine throwing strikes but missing.
Mara avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Valentine working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Valentine stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Mara swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Valentine postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valentine scoring with some ground and pound.
Valentine throwing strikes from guard but Mara blocks nicely.
Mara is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Valentine is controlling him.
Valentine postures up in Mara's guard and throws a big left but Mara blocks it.
Valentine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Valentine working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Mara preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Valentine throws an elbow that misses. Mara uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Valentine's guard. Nice move by Mara!
Mara wants to stand and escape but instead Valentine has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Mara pushes Valentine off and gets back to his feet.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Valentine misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Mara.
Valentine lands a nice hook to Mara's body. Mara takes it in his stride and looks to land his own strikes.
Valentine wants to clinch but Mara slips to the side
and Mara connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Valentine is looking to clinch but Mara is avoiding it.
Mara tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
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!

A momentary lapse in concentration from Mara enables Valentine to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Mara manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Valentine works over Mara with some ground and pound from guard.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Valentine's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Valentine throwing strikes but missing.
Valentine is looking to work some ground and pound but Mara has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mara looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Mara trying to control the position.
Valentine passes Mara's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Mara blocking the ground and pound attempt from Valentine.
Valentine lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Mara keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Mara on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Valentine missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

Mara looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Valentine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mara keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Valentine thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Valentine throwing shots but Mara is blocking nicely.
Valentine not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Valentine throwing shots but Mara is blocking nicely.
Valentine not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Valentine throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Valentine throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Valentine trying to control from half guard but Mara is working away.
Valentine is taking a breather. Mara says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Valentine thows a huge punch but Mara dodges it nicely.
Mara has hold of Valentine's hands but Valentine slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dick Valentine showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Valentine fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Mara, pushing him back against the cage.
Valentine has Mara pressed against the cage, preventing Mara from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Mara is trying to push Valentine away but Valentine has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Mara is trying to break the clinch but Valentine has him pressed against the cage.

Valentine pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Matthew Mara is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Valentine misses with a left hand

and Mara decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Valentine's guard.
Valentine is pulling down on Mara's head. It's preventing any offense from Mara, at least for the moment.
Mara wants to stand and escape but instead Valentine has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Valentine throwing strikes but missing.
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!
Valentine prevents Mara from getting back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Valentine is in close to Mara's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Valentine postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Valentine landing some decent shots from guard.
Valentine is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Valentine throwing strikes from guard but Mara blocks nicely.
Valentine in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Valentine throwing strikes but missing.
Mara avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Valentine wants to pass the guard but Mara is keeping the position.
Valentine trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Valentine with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mara wants to stand up but Valentine is controlling him.
Valentine working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Mara's head.
Valentine advances position into side control!
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!
Mara is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Valentine is controlling him well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mara is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Mara takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Valentine scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Mara to see if he's OK.
Valentine has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Valentine cracks Mara with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Valentine grinds an elbow into Mara's temple.

Mara is rocked!
Mara pushes Valentine away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Valentine gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.
Oh Mara is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Valentine working the ground and pound.
Matthew Mara has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Valentine tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Valentine lands some shots froms side control.
Valentine lands an elbow.
Mara is trying to buck Valentine off.
Valentine is putting a hurting on Mara here, landing some big shots from side control.
The strikes coming from Valentine are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Valentine misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Valentine works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Valentine lands a few punches from side control.
Valentine misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Check out the look on Valentine's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Mara tries to bench press Valentine off him but Valentine keeps the position.
Valentine scores with a big shot from side control... and another... and another! Oh Mara is done here - save him referee! More strikes land and eventually the ref does step in and Valentine can finally stop beating on his defenseless opponent!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Dick Valentine!
Dick Valentine very nearly forgot to thank For Sale. (Q159) amongst all the excitement of his win but just as the interview came to a close, he screamed their name. Hopefully he'll get a few nice freebies in the mail as a thank you.