PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Donato Bilancia (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martin is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Power by Kayne West. Michael Martin will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Bilancia
vs
Martin

175 cm
20
180 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

170 cm
19
169 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter fighter
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent boxing
Knockout power

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 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Donato Bilancia!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Michael Martin!
The judges for this bout are Jeff Smith, Paul Gruel and Roger Salmon.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martin throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Bilancia sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Martin swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Bilancia tries to keep at a distance but Martin has taken the fight into the clinch.
Bilancia jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Martin walks away with a smile on his face. Bilancia gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Some wild striking there from Martin.
Bilancia drops down looking for a counter takedown but Martin sprawls and moves away.
Martin throws a left and a right that both miss

and Bilancia counters with a shoot takedown. Martin fights it but they end up in guard.
Bilancia pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Martin is keeping the position for now.
Bilancia trying to control but Martin is working from the bottom.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Bilancia pushes down on Martin's leg and manages to get into half guard.

Bilancia is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin pushes Bilancia off looking to stand but Bilancia dives back in and keeps control.

Bilancia is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Bilancia is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Martin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bilancia.

Bilancia is looking for a kimura here.
Martin has found himself in a tricky position here. He's been working his transitions in training so let's see if he can work his way out of it.

Bilancia is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Martin defends it well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.

Bilancia is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Martin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bilancia.
Martin is trying to maintain the position but Bilancia is very close to passing his half guard.
Martin is staying active underneath Bilancia, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bilancia wants to pass the guard but Martin is defending well.
Bilancia is looking to take a break and control but Martin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Martin is trying to maintain the position but Bilancia is very close to passing his half guard.
Martin wants to improve his position but Bilancia is controlling well.
Bilancia is pressing down on Martin's thigh, looking to free his foot. Martin is holding on for now.

Bilancia seems to be working for a kimura but Martin defends the submission attempt.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Bilancia seems to be trying to get a kimura but instead Martin has recovered full guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Martin wants to sweep but no luck.
Bilancia won't allow Martin to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Bilancia is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

Bilancia thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Bilancia stops Martin from standing up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Martin tries to clinch but Bilancia is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Donato Bilancia dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Bilancia moves out of range as Martin strikes.
Martin throws a head kick that misses.
Bilancia dives in for a single leg takedown but Martin sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Martin throws a nice looking combination but Bilancia bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Bilancia feinted with a counter takedown.

Bilancia shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Martin napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Martin wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
Bilancia looking to control but instead Martin has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Martin is trying to stand back up but Bilancia is controlling him
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin is looking to control Bilancia's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Martin avoid being mounted?

Bilancia is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Martin doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time Bilancia.
Bilancia prevents Martin from improving his position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bilancia is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.

Bilancia is trying to work for a kimura but Martin is defending well.
Martin wants to improve his position but Bilancia is controlling well.

Martin has one foot on Bilancia's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin wants to clinch.
Bilancia attempts a counter takedown but Martin avoids it well and moves away.
Martin lands with a kick to the ribs.
Martin tries to close the distance and clinch up but Bilancia swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Bilancia drops down looking for a counter takedown but Martin sprawls and moves away.
Martin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Michael Martin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bilancia fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Martin avoids it really well and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martin gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Bilancia avoiding damage as Martin throws knees to the body.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Bilancia scores with a takedown into Martin's guard.
Bilancia wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
Martin not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Martin wants to stand and escape but Bilancia is having none of it.
Martin trying to keep a closed guard but Bilancia is proving a slippery customer.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Martin is on top in guard.

Bilancia looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Bilancia seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.

Bilancia has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Martin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.

Bilancia is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Bilancia working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Martin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Martin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Bilancia escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Martin gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Donato Bilancia will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Martin tries to clinch

and Bilancia counters with a takedown into side control.
Martin tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Donato Bilancia overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

Bilancia tries for a kimura but Martin is defending well.
Martin tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Bilancia wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Bilancia is looking to take a break and control but Martin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Bilancia looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Bilancia is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Martin has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Bilancia is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Martin is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.

Bilancia tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bilancia has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

Bilancia wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Martin, who protects the arm well.

Bilancia tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Bilancia has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Bilancia thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Martin struggling a bit here.
Bilancia trying to control the position but Martin is working away.

Bilancia thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Bilancia is looking to take a break and control but Martin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin wants to get back to his feet but Bilancia drags him back down.
Bilancia is looking to take a break and control but Martin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Bilancia prevents Martin from escaping the position.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
You can see the frustration on Martin's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Martin doesn't manage to clinch there - Bilancia circles away.
Bilancia drops down looking for a counter takedown but Martin sprawls and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Bilancia slips under a jab from Martin.
Martin throws a body kick, spinning off balance

and Bilancia counters with a single leg into guard. Martin didn't expect that.
Martin is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Bilancia trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Martin manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Martin is trying to tuck his arms in to keep them safe but Bilancia has managed to isolate one of them and has got a loose triangle. Martin is looking to defend but Bilancia has done well to lock his legs together - this could be big trouble for Martin! Bilancia pulls down on the head and a little smile comes across his face - he knows he's got it. Yep, Martin taps out and this one is all over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:45 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Triangle). Donato Bilancia!
A very excited looking Donato Bilancia rambled incoherently for about 5 minutes post fight about how awesome he is. It was kinda funny for a while but then everyone got annoyed.
Michael Martin was interviewed post fight and said 'Das Some Bullshit'.