PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mathew Alexander (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricky Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Alexander
vs
Martin

157 cm
21
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Determined

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, Mathew Alexander!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Ricky Martin!
The judges for this bout are Francis DeMontford, Topper Green and Ron Honeybunn.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martin explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
Martin misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Sloppy strikes from Martin. Those never looked like landing.
Martin slips a jab and a cross from Alexander.

Alexander gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Alexander misses with a hook to the ribs.
Martin taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Martin pulls guard successfully.
Alexander might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Martin keeping moving, preventing Alexander from controlling successfully.
Alexander postures up.
Martin controlling Alexander's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martin looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Martin controlling Alexander's posture.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Martin moves to clinch but Alexander breaks away
and Alexander counters with a big head kick but Martin shrugs it off.
Martin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Alexander fails with an attempt to clinch.
A head kick by Alexander misses

and Martin moves into the clinch.
Alexander wants a takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Martin is trying to pull guard but Alexander turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Alexander tries to pull guard but Martin holds him up against the cage and eventually Alexander drops back down to his feet.

Martin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Alexander wants to clinch up but Martin keeps it at a distance.
Nice takedown defense from Alexander. No joy for Martin on that attempt.
Mathew Alexander has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Martin.
Martin fails in his attempt to clinch.

Martin moves into range and clinches up with Alexander.
Martin lands a shot to the body.
Come on Martin - let's have some action - none of this stalling nonsense.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin jumps guard but Alexander stands there with Martin around his waist. Martin gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Martin tries to break the clinch but Alexander is controlling the position.
Alexander really is a fat lump.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Alexander is trying to pull guard but Martin has him pressed against the cage.
Martin fails to pull guard.
Martin jumps guard but Alexander stands there with Martin around his waist. Martin gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Martin scores with a hook to the body.
Alexander is trying to pull guard but Martin has him pressed against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Alexander gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Alexander tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Martin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Martin goes for a takedown attempt but Alexander pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Martin avoids the head kick by Alexander.

Martin instigates a clinch.

Martin manages to break the clinch.
Alexander shoots in for a takedown but Martin shows good takedown defense.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Alexander stuffs the takedown attempt from Martin. Martin gets slowly back to his feet.
Alexander misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Martin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Alexander manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Martin has a takedown stuffed.

Martin forces Alexander back against the cage and clinches.
Alexander is trying to drag Martin to the mat but Martin just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
A short right from Martin.

Martin breaks the clinch.

Martin gets tackled into the cage by Alexander. Alexander maintains the clinch.
Martin has Alexander pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Alexander manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Martin is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Alexander gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Mathew Alexander has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Martin.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexander is looking to control Martin's arms but Martin gets an underhook and turns him. Now Alexander has his back to the cage.

Martin manages to break the clinch.
Martin looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mathew Alexander is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Alexander shoots in but no luck this time.
Alexander has a takedown stuffed.
Martin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Martin fails with a takedown attempt.
Martin is breathing heavily.
Martin shoots in looking for a takedown. Alexander tries to sprawl out of it but Martin keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Alexander manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Martin fails in his attempt to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Martin is defended easily by Alexander.
Martin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Alexander sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Martin swats away the attempt to clinch by Alexander.
Alexander slaps away a takedown attempt from Martin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Alexander tries a head kick but it misses.
Martin avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Alexander moves out of range of the body kick from Martin.

Alexander has taken the fight to the clinch.
Martin has Alexander pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Alexander manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Martin tries to pull guard but Alexander won't allow it.
Alexander tries to pull guard but Martin won't allow it.
Alexander lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Martin or not.
Martin tries to pull guard but Alexander forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
Alexander is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Martin is defending well.
Martin tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Alexander just stands there and leans against the cage.
Ricky Martin seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Alexander fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Alexander pulls guard successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin trying to control the position from guard on top but Alexander is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martin is standing up over Alexander. Alexander looks to escape but Martin dives into side control.
Alexander wants to get back to his feet.
Martin tries to cartwheel into mount but he doesn't manage it.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Martin has control of an arm but Alexander manages to advance to Martin's back!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Ricky Martin will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Alexander shoots for a double leg takedown but Martin sprawls well. He's pushed Alexander's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Alexander keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Martin thows a body shot but no joy.
Martin misses with a series of wild punches.
Martin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Martin darts in looking for a takedown but Alexander gets double underhooks and turns Martin into the cage.
Mathew Alexander has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ricky Martin.
Alexander is looking for a takedown.
Martin takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Alexander misses with some punches.
Alexander tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Martin smiles and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Alexander doesn't manage to clinch there - Martin circles away.
Martin is trying hard to land a takedown here. Alexander sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Martin throws a right hand that Alexander ducks under and follows up with a left that Alexander also avoids with ease.
Martin throws a big shot that misses.
Alexander shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Martin but Martin pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Martin will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Martin misses with a wild combination.
Alexander lands a high kick!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Martin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Martin leaves Alexander with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Alexander throws a lazy head kick
and Martin counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Alexander is lucky that one didn't land flush.
Ricky Martin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Alexander is looking to clinch but Martin is avoiding it.
Martin shoots in for a double leg but Alexander sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Alexander shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Martin sprawls well. Martin wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Alexander gets slowly back to his feet.
Alexander throws a sloppy head kick
and Martin counters with a nice body kick.
Nice sprawl there from Alexander as Martin shoots in.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Alexander looks for the body kick but Martin saw that one coming.
Martin goes for a double leg but Alexander avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Alexander continues to drive forward.
Alexander is trying to pull guard but Martin turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Alexander looking to slow down the pace here.
Alexander is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Martin to keep the fight standing.
Martin is trying to drag Alexander to the mat but Alexander just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Martin is struggling to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Alexander tries to pull guard but Martin won't allow it.
Alexander trying to control the position but instead, Martin has worked for underhooks and has pushed Alexander into the cage.
Alexander swings wildly with an uppercut but Martin uses good head movement to avoid it.

Martin manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ricky Martin.
Well Martin 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 Francis DeMontford scores the fight 27:30
Judge Topper Green scores the fight 28:30
Judge Ron Honeybunn scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricky Martin!