PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Sal Atkinson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marlon Junior (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). There are an array of beautiful celebrities at ringside tonight! I wonder if any of them paid for their tickets.

Atkinson
vs
Junior

187 cm
18
193 lbs
1 - 2 - 0

180 cm
18
190 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sal Atkinson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Marlon Junior!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Aafke Stam and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Atkinson tries to close the distance and clinch but Junior swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Junior is looking for the big counter here.

Atkinson shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Junior is trying to defend but Atkinson finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Junior keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Junior has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Atkinson is working away from the top position though.
Atkinson missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Junior is looking to improve his position.
Junior avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Atkinson.

Junior actively working from the bottom here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Atkinson sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Junior defending well though.
Junior regains full guard. Nicely done.
Atkinson landing with the ground and pound.

Junior looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Atkinson is looking to work some ground and pound but Junior has wrist control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atkinson stopping the sweep attempt from Junior.
Atkinson wants to stand but Junior is controlling his posture from full guard.
Atkinson throwing strikes from guard but Junior blocks nicely.
Atkinson showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Junior utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

Junior looking for a guillotine here but Atkinson defends easily.
Junior keeping moving, preventing Atkinson from controlling successfully.
Junior looking to control.
Atkinson scoring with some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Junior not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Junior is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Atkinson is looking to work some ground and pound but Junior has wrist control.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Atkinson accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Junior avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Junior is looking for a triangle but Atkinson pushes his legs off easily.
Junior looks winded!
Atkinson wants to stand but Junior has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Junior is trying to control the position but Atkinson postures up.
Atkinson preventing the sweep.
Atkinson wants to stand but Junior is controlling his posture from full guard.
Junior working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Atkinson.
Junior keeping moving, preventing Atkinson from controlling successfully.
Atkinson with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atkinson trying to control but Junior is working from the bottom.
It looks like the ref is thinking about a standup.
Atkinson throws a big elbow that misses.

Atkinson avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Junior utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Atkinson has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

Junior has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Atkinson can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Atkinson trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Atkinson connects with a couple of short punches.
Atkinson wants to stand but Junior is controlling his posture from full guard.
Atkinson with a flurry of punches that miss.
Atkinson with a nice head shot there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Junior is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Atkinson has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Junior is working away from the top position though.

Atkinson is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Junior pulls his head out easily.
Atkinson wants to control but Junior is keeping busy.
Junior tries to pass the half guard into mount. Atkinson knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Junior seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Atkinson does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Atkinson trying to control here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Atkinson shoots and misses

and Junior moves into the clinch.
Junior is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Atkinson jumps guard and drags Junior to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Junior not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Junior tries to free his leg and advance position but Atkinson is retaining full guard.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Atkinson holds on and takes a little breather.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Junior controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Junior trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atkinson trying to keep a closed guard but Junior is proving a slippery customer.
Junior content to stall in guard here.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Atkinson leaves Junior with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Junior is breathing heavily.
Atkinson throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Junior fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Atkinson avoids it really well and circles away.
Sal Atkinson has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marlon Junior.

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.

Atkinson throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Junior was covering up waiting for the punch and Atkinson finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Junior keeping moving, preventing Atkinson from controlling successfully.
Junior tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Junior working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Atkinson doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Atkinson manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Junior bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Atkinson's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Junior is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Junior is fighting to break Atkinson's control of his arms but Atkinson is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.
Junior is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Junior is looking to advance position but Atkinson has hit a scissor sweep - now he's on top in mount!

Atkinson looking to control but Junior is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Atkinson putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!

Atkinson has control of Junior's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Junior regains control of the situation pretty easily.
Junior can't escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Atkinson with good strikes from the mount here!
Atkinson raining down hammerfists from mount.
Atkinson cracks Junior with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Junior working to try and regain half guard.
Atkinson landing strikes from the mount and Junior is in trouble!
Both fighters have adopted an aggressive gameplan on the ground!
Junior working to try and regain half guard.
BOOM! Atkinson connects with a massive shot to the dome!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Junior gets back to half guard.
Atkinson drops an elbow to the side of Junior's head.

Atkinson is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Atkinson working Junior over with strikes.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sal Atkinson dominated that second round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Junior stuffs the takedown.
Junior misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Marlon Junior is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Atkinson shoots in for a takedown but Junior shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Sal Atkinson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Atkinson goes for a double leg but Junior avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Junior continues to drive forward.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sal Atkinson. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Atkinson as Junior shoots in.
A little feinted left hand from Atkinson on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Junior with a poor takedown
and Atkinson counters with a series of strikes. Junior will be more careful next time no doubt.
Junior shoots in for a takedown but Atkinson shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Atkinson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Junior swivels and escapes.
Despite the aggression on Junior's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Atkinson misses the shot to the body.
Atkinson doesn't succeed with the takedown

so Junior counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Atkinson keeping moving, preventing Junior from controlling successfully.

Junior 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.
Atkinson is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Junior can do to turn this around?
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Atkinson holds on and takes a little breather.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Atkinson trying to control the position.
Atkinson is trying to hold Junior in close to prevent damage but Junior has managed to pass into half guard.
Atkinson is trying to control but can't.
Junior controlling the action here.
Junior works his way into full mount!
Junior controlling from the full mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Atkinson is squirming around, avoiding Junior's attempts to control the action.
Atkinson tries to lock up and control but Junior gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Junior is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Atkinson is in real trouble.

Junior is remaining active here, looking for the choke. The more discerning members of the crowd will appreciate his efforts.
Atkinson tries to break free.
Atkinson looking very determined here, making life difficult for Junior.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Junior is not going to allow Atkinson to sit and survive in this position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
You know, I was talking to some of our celebrities at ringside tonight and they were split right down the middle on who was going to win this fight.
Atkinson staying busy and making it hard for Junior to control.
Marlon Junior has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Sal Atkinson is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Atkinson is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Junior gets his way!

And that's the end of the fight!
Marlon Junior comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Atkinson has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 29:28
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 29:28
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sal Atkinson!