PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marlin Pena (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Elijah Robert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Robert has chosen Shosholoza as his entrance music. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Pena
vs
Robert

150 cm
18
214 lbs
1 - 4 - 1

185 cm
25
209 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

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 - 4 - 1, fighting out of Montreal, Marlin Pena!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Elijah Robert!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Trevor Gratis and Steve Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Pena gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Robert to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Pena has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Robert has passed into side control.
Pena is not content to let Robert control the position.

Robert decides to stand back up.

Pena closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Robert did well to prevent Pena getting side control.
Pena throwing shots but Robert is blocking nicely.
Robert is trying to get back to full guard.
Robert controlling the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robert blocking the ground and pound attempt from Pena.
Robert wants to get back to his feet.
Pena wants to get back to his feet.
Robert trying to control from the bottom.
Pena could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Pena misses with a head shot. Robert uses the momentum to regain guard.
Pena might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Robert wants to sweep but no luck.
Pena keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Robert's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Pena preventing the sweep.
Robert looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Pena puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.

Pena is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Pena seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Robert does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Pena content to control rather than advance.
Robert wants to get back to full guard.
Pena blocks the strikes from Robert.
Pena has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Robert wants to improve his position but Pena is controlling well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Robert works his way to full guard. Good work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Robert can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pena controls the pace.

Robert looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Pena passes into half guard.
Robert is trying to maintain the position but Pena is very close to passing his half guard.
Robert is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Robert slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Pena loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Pena landing some decent shots from guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Robert preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Pena distracts Robert with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Robert thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Pena content to stall in guard here.
Robert wants to stand but Pena is controlling the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Pena postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Elijah Robert will probably get the nod.
That's time! Pena's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Robert rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Pena moves out of range and avoids them all easily.

Robert shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Pena manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Pena wants to stand up but Robert is controlling him.
Pena is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Pena is on top in guard.
Pena in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Robert trying to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Robert can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Pena controls the pace.
Robert looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Robert seems keen to control Pena's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Elijah Robert.

Robert shoots in and gets a takedown into Pena's guard.
Pena is looking to stand up but Robert isn't so interested in that idea.
Robert working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Pena's head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robert showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Robert prevents Pena from getting back to his feet.
Robert must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Robert controlling from the top position.
Elijah Robert has got the better of the ground game so far.

Robert postures up as if he's going to throw some strikes but drops back for an ankle! Pena is in big trouble! He looks ready to tap! But no, he's escaped and dives on top of Robert, into his guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Pena postures up in Robert's guard and throws a big left but Robert blocks it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Robert is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Pena wants to control from the top but Robert keeps moving.
Pena postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Robert trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Robert keeping moving, preventing Pena from controlling successfully.
Robert is trying to keep Pena in close.
Pena landing some decent shots from guard.
Pena is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Pena with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Robert controlling the position.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Pena throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Robert was covering up waiting for the punch and Pena finishes the takedown easily into guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Elijah Robert 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. And we move into the final round!

Robert closes the distance and clinches.
Pena is trying to push Robert away but Robert has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Robert pulls guard successfully.
Robert looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Pena postures up in Robert's guard and throws a big left but Robert blocks it.
Robert is trying to keep Pena in close.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Pena accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Pena wants to control from the top but Robert keeps moving.

Pena got a little sloppy there for a moment and Robert has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Pena has managed to get both his arms back between Robert's legs - danger averted.
Pena working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Robert working a defensive guard but Pena passes into half guard.
Pena tries to stand and escape but Robert is controlling the position.
Robert makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Robert.
Pena is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Robert wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.
Robert looking to control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Robert is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Robert is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Pena controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.

We're going to have a standup here because Marlin Pena wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.

Robert throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Pena tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Robert is in Pena's guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Robert won't allow Pena to get back to his feet.
Robert works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Pena tries to get to full guard but Robert has control of the leg.
Pena is working hard here to advance position.
Robert trying to control the action but Pena is working from the bottom.
Pena flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Pena is trying to stand.
Pena is staying active underneath Robert, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Elijah Robert wasn't active enough on the ground.

Robert manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Pena on his heels. He'll look to pass Pena's guard now, I'm sure.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Robert sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Robert wants to control from the top but Pena keeps moving.
Pena controls Robert momentarily but Robert frees himself.
Marlin Pena has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Elijah Robert is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Elijah Robert hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
The fight stays on the outside here - Robert looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

And that's the end of the fight!
Elijah Robert comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Robert 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 Yves DeLean scores the fight 28:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Steve Smith scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Elijah Robert!
Elijah Robert made sure to give a little speech post fight, saying 'I just want to thank the Lord for blessing me everyday and giving me the opportunity to live life to the fullest.'.