PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Dave Bates (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leo Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martinez is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Mafia Music. Leo Martinez will no doubt be looking to use his reach advantage to good effect.

Bates
vs
Martinez

160 cm
23
215 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

187 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Hates pizza

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Solid chin

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 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dave Bates!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leo Martinez!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, George Francis and Robert Twigg.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martinez with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Martinez fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.

Bates shoots in and bounces Martinez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Martinez looking for a sweep. Not yet Martinez, not yet.

Martinez pushes Bates off for just long enough to get back to his feet. Very athletic spring there.
Martinez fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Bates fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Martinez avoids it really well and circles away.

Bates moves into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.

Martinez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Martinez connects with a looping right hand.

Martinez has Bates up against the cage in a clinch.
Bates wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Bates avoiding damage as Martinez throws knees to the body.

Martinez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
That kick from Martinez tenderised Bates's leg. Bates is trying to keep his angry face on.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Knees to the body from Martinez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Martinez utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Martinez landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Knees in the clinch landing for Martinez.
Bates is breathing heavily.
Martinez tries to land knees in the clinch but Bates avoids the damage to the body.
Martinez unloads a knee to the mid-section.

Martinez breaks from the clinch.

Martinez rushes Bates and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Martinez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Martinez throws a nice outside leg kick.

Martinez moves into range and clinches up with Bates.
Martinez taking a breather.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bates takes a knee to the side of the body.
Martinez stalling.

Martinez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Bates throws a push kick but Martinez slaps the foot to one side.
Bates gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Martinez wants to clinch.

Bates clinches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Martinez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Martinez throws a front kick aimed at Bates's knee but Bates avoids it well.
Martinez tries to clinch up but Bates circles away and keeps his distance.
Martinez looks to score with a jab to the body but Bates is just out of range.
Martinez throws a nice outside leg kick.
Martinez leaves Bates with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Martinez tries to clinch up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Martinez throws a nice outside leg kick.
Bates fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Martinez avoids it really well and circles away.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Martinez dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Bates circles away from the clinch attempt.
Bates scores with a hook.
Martinez lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Martinez connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Bates misses with a leg kick
and Martinez counters with a leg kick.
Bates is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Bates will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Bates shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Martinez sprawls well. Martinez wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Bates gets slowly back to his feet.
Leo Martinez seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Martinez moves into the clinch successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bates is defending well for now.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Martinez in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.

Martinez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Bates throws a head kick that misses
enabling Martinez to counter with a crisp jab.
Leo Martinez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Martinez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bates paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Martinez throws a right and a left that both miss.

Martinez moves into the clinch successfully.
Martinez unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bates lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bates avoiding damage as Martinez throws knees to the body.
Martinez putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Bates in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bates fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Bates. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Bates slowing the pace effectively.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bates missing with knees to the body.

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

Bates gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Bates managing to block the knees to the body from Martinez.
Martinez tries to land knees in the clinch but Bates avoids the damage to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Bates avoiding damage as Martinez throws knees to the body.
Bates blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Bates wants a takedown but no success here.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Martinez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Martinez throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Bates's head.
Bates throws a leg kick that is checked
and Martinez counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Bates is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Martinez throws a quick inside leg kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martinez drives through and clinches with Bates against the cage.
Bates can't find room to land a body shot as Martinez controls the action.

Martinez breaks from the clinch.
Martinez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Martinez tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bates swats him away and circles back towards the center.
A nice inside leg kick there by Martinez. That's going to slow Bates down.
Martinez tries to clinch but Bates moves out of range.

Martinez drives through and clinches with Bates against the cage.
Bates blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Martinez taking a breather.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez lands a good knee to the midsection. Bates won't want to take too many of those.

Martinez pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Martinez will need to close the distance a bit before he attacks - that leg kick was thrown from too far away.
Martinez lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Bates swings for the body but Martinez moves out of range.

Martinez rushes Bates and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Bates avoiding damage as Martinez throws knees to the body.
Bates changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Martinez fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Bates closes the distance and clinches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Leo Martinez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Martinez jabs at Bates's body.
Martinez tries to close the distance and clinch but Bates swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Bates looks for the body kick but Martinez saw that one coming.
Bates fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Martinez rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Bates moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Martinez lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Martinez.
Bates throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Martinez.
Bates closes the distance and clinches up with Martinez, looking for a takedown. Bates pushes Martinez against the cage but Martinez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Bates takes one on the chin but keeps coming.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bates slips a jab and a cross from Martinez.
Bates shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Martinez defends it nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dave Bates. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Martinez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Leo Martinez seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Martinez misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Bates.
Martinez utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Martinez unloads a knee to the mid-section. Bates lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Martinez working Bates over with knees to the body.
Martinez is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Martinez working Bates over with knees to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez tries to land knees in the clinch but Bates avoids the damage to the body.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Bates blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Martinez obliges.
Martinez landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Martinez avoiding damage.

Martinez breaks the clinch.
Martinez is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Martinez connects with a solid leg kick.

Martinez rushes Bates and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Martinez landing knees to the body.
Bates tries to pull guard but Martinez won't allow it.

Martinez breaks from the clinch.

Martinez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez managing to block the knees to the body from Bates.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.
Martinez tries to land knees in the clinch but Bates avoids the damage to the body.
Martinez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bates is defending well for now.
Martinez trying to land knees to the body.
Martinez prevents Bates from breaking the clinch.
Martinez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bates is defending well for now.
Martinez missing with knees to the body.
Martinez trying to land knees to the body.
Martinez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bates is defending well for now.
Martinez is trying to stall.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez working Bates over with knees to the body.

Martinez breaks the clinch.

Bates has closed the distance and engaged Martinez in a clinch.
Martinez missing with knees to the body.
Martinez is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Bates is defending well for now.
Martinez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Bates has Martinez pressed against the cage.
Bates is looking to take this one to the mat.
Martinez lands a good knee to the midsection. Bates won't want to take too many of those.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Martinez tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Bates avoids it.
Bates managing to block the knees to the body from Martinez.
Dave Bates has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Leo Martinez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Bates lands with a left to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Leo Martinez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Martinez winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge George Francis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 27:30

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