PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Xavier Worner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Leonard Marucio (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Worner
vs
Marucio

170 cm
25
135 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

173 cm
25
132 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Great elbows
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Xavier Worner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Leonard Marucio!
The judges for this bout are Gwen Towbar, Cecil Peabody and Chris Downing.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marucio avoids the body shot from Worner.
Marucio throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Worner misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Worner moves out of range of the body kick from Marucio.
Worner shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Marucio sprawls well. Marucio wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Worner gets slowly back to his feet.
Marucio misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Marucio lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Worner swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A head kick misses from Marucio.
Marucio looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Worner tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marucio paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Marucio stuffs the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xavier Worner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marucio lands a jab, followed by a cross and another cross, as Worner backs up against the cage.
Marucio closes the distance and lands a one-two.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marucio throws a sloppy head kick and Worner moves out of range easily.
Leonard Marucio seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Worner shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Marucio defends it nicely.
Worner throws a head kick that misses.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marucio fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Marucio tries to clinch but Worner is having none of it.
Marucio throws a two punch combo that lands nicely.
A punch combination from Marucio misses.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Worner is defended easily by Marucio.
Worner fails with an attempt to clinch.
Marucio misses with a few strikes there.
Decent striking displayed by Marucio there.
Marucio stuffs the takedown.
Worner darts in looking for a takedown but Marucio gets double underhooks and turns Worner into the cage.

Worner breaks the clinch.
A punch combination from Marucio misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marucio stuffs the takedown attempt from Worner. Worner gets slowly back to his feet.
Worner throws a head kick that half lands.
Marucio slaps away a takedown attempt from Worner, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Worner tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Marucio swivels and escapes.
Worner is breathing heavily.
Marucio lunges in with an uppercut that skims his opponent's chin.
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!
Worner looks to land a right hand but Marucio moved out of range.
Worner wants to clinch.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Worner.
Marucio swinging wildly here.
Marucio throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Leonard Marucio is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner tries to clinch up but Marucio circles away and keeps his distance.
Worner throws a head kick but Marucio moves out of range.
Marucio tries a head kick but it misses.
Marucio throws a nice looking combination but Worner bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Marucio throws a series of punches but Worner moves out of range.
Marucio swats away the attempt to clinch by Worner.
Marucio blocks a head kick by Worner.
Horrible takedown by Worner or perhaps it was just good defense by Marucio which made him look bad.
Marucio throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Worner.
Marucio defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Worner.
Marucio moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Worner shoots in but Marucio avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Marucio throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Worner.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marucio stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Marucio wants it to stay on the feet.
Marucio throws a series of punches but Worner moves out of range.
Marucio is working the combinations to good effect here.
Marucio swats away the attempt to clinch by Worner.
A punch combination from Marucio misses.
Worner tries to clinch up.

Worner gets caught flat footed, as Marucio shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Worner is on top in guard.
Worner trying to control but Marucio is working from the bottom.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marucio working a defensive guard here.
Marucio keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Worner fails with the takedown
and Marucio counters with a two punch combo.
Worner looks for a takedown but Marucio sprawls well.
Worner will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Xavier Worner. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marucio changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Marucio throws a right hand that Worner ducks under and follows up with a left that Worner also avoids with ease.
Marucio throws a series of punches but Worner moves out of range.
Marucio fails to land with a series of punches.
Marucio misses with a head kick.
Marucio is looking to clinch.
Worner shoots and misses
and Marucio counters with a left and a right that stings Worner.
Marucio misses with the combination.
Worner fails with the takedown
and Marucio counters with a one-two to the body.
Worner goes for a double leg but Marucio avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Marucio continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice elbow from Worner.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Marucio swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Marucio is pressed up against the cage. Worner has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Marucio down to the mat. Marucio avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Worner blocks a head kick by Marucio.
Worner fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Marucio avoids it really well and circles away.
Marucio circles away from the clinch attempt.
Worner tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Marucio was well out of range. Poor timing from Worner.
Marucio misses with the combination.

Worner forces Marucio back against the cage and clinches.
Worner keeps control of Marucio as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Worner tries for a takedown but Marucio manages to get underhooks.
Worner jumps guard but Marucio turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marucio is trying to break the clinch but Worner has him pressed against the cage.
Worner is trying to pull guard but Marucio has him pressed against the cage.
Worner has Marucio pressed against the cage, preventing Marucio from circling away and getting back to striking at range.

Worner manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Marucio would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Marucio really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Worner. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Worner manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Marucio manages to get himself to full guard.
Marucio keeping moving, preventing Worner from controlling successfully.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Marucio wants to get back to his feet but Worner is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Worner advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Worner lands with a punch from half guard.

Worner has hold of the far side arm. He's working for the Kimura, can Marucio defend it? Worner steps over the head and cranks it - Marucio is tapping out! That was textbook stuff right there - nice submission victory for Worner!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:11 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kimura). Xavier Worner!