PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Steve Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Middleton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Martin
vs
Middleton

168 cm
36
134 lbs
12 - 14 - 2

173 cm
24
144 lbs
4 - 3 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick

Good wrestler
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

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 12 - 14 - 2, fighting out of Sydney, Steve Martin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Josh Middleton!
The judges for this bout are George Francis, Chris Downing and Wesley Smith.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A looping hook to the body misses from Middleton. Martin does a little dance to reset his feet.
Middleton has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Middleton motions for Martin to come forward. Middleton throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
The fighters circling - Middleton throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Martin is looking to counter punch.
Martin throws a lazy right hand but Middleton sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Middleton paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Martin checks the leg kick nicely there.
Martin swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Martin steps to his left, right into the path of a big body kick from Middleton. That one must have hurt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin ducks under a wild hook from Middleton.
Martin tried to counter with a leg kick but Middleton avoided it.
Martin looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
A jab lands there for Middleton.
Middleton moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Martin loads up on a big right hand but Middleton slips the punch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin connects with a leg kick. Middleton looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Middleton misses with an uppercut
enabling Martin to counter with a crisp jab.
Middleton throws a jab when Martin was well out of range.
Martin throwing a counter right hand but Middleton manages to avoid it.
Middleton throws out a loose jab but Martin uses good head movement to avoid it.
Martin wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
A looping hook to the body misses from Middleton. Martin does a little dance to reset his feet.
Middleton pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Martin is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Middleton misses with a head kick.
Martin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Martin ducks under a wild hook from Middleton.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Middleton.
Martin throwing a counter right hand but Middleton manages to avoid it.
Middleton throws a leg kick
and Martin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Middleton connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A solid leg kick lands there for Middleton.
A lazy body kick from Middleton
and Martin counters with a two punch combo.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
A clash of legs there as Martin blocks the low kick.
Middleton fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Middleton connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
A good leg kick by Middleton.
Middleton dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Middleton swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Josh Middleton seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Martin looks to land a combination but Middleton avoids it well.
Middleton is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Martin bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Middleton rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Martin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Middleton tests Martin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Nice uppercut lands for Middleton. That snapped Martin's head back.
Middleton scores with a spinning back kick!
Middleton misses with a low kick as Martin jumps back.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Middleton moves into the clinch successfully.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Martin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Middleton.
Middleton pivots, looking for a leg kick but Martin is out of range and Middleton settles back down.
As Middleton looks to move away, Martin throws a big counter combo but Middleton just gets out of the way.
Middleton swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Martin counters nicely by changing levels and landing a hook to the body.
Middleton throws a solid leg kick but Martin takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Middleton.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Middleton misses with an uppercut
and Martin counters with a nice uppercut.
Martin takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
Middleton staying out of range there.
Middleton swings widly with a right hand
and Martin counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Middleton dominated that round.
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.

Martin works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Middleton connects with a nice looking jab.
Steve Martin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Middleton throws a leg kick
and Martin counters with a stiff right hand.
Middleton has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Middleton comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Middleton misses with a left hand
and Martin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Martin scores with a jab.
Middleton dips to his left and cracks Martin with an uppercut!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Middleton misses with a looping right.
Martin moves away from the strike by Middleton.
Martin throws a counter high kick but Middleton was just alert enough to avoid it.
Middleton looks to score with a jab to the body but Martin is just out of range.
Martin attempts a counter takedown but Middleton avoids it well and moves away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Middleton connects with a good right hand that stumbles Martin. Martin circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Middleton throws the kick towards the body but Martin avoids it.
Nice defenses there by Martin.
Middleton lands an overhand right.
Martin takes a jab right on the kisser.
Josh Middleton seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A punch lands to the side of Martin 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Middleton throws a leg kick but Martin sees it coming and moves out of range.
Martin takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Martin wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
A jab from Middleton misses.
Martin throwing a counter right hand but Middleton manages to avoid it.
Middleton is looking to score with low kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Middleton scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Martin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Middleton manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Middleton takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Middleton misses with a body kick.
Martin is looking to counter the offense by Middleton and move into the clinch.
Martin sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Middleton's jab looks to have found its range, popping Martin under the eye.
Middleton misses with a looping right.
As Middleton tries to get set, Martin tries to push him back and clinch up but Middleton manages to avoid the attempt.
Middleton throws a wild body kick that Martin sees coming a mile off.
Martin tries to counter with a takedown but Middleton is quick to defend against it.
Middleton blocks a head kick by Martin.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Middleton throws an off balance right hand
letting Martin counter with a right hand.
Middleton looks for the body kick but Martin saw that one coming.
A little feinted left hand from Martin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Middleton throws a leg kick but Martin checks it.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Middleton lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Martin has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Martin and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
Middleton throws a nice head kick!
Middleton keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Middleton bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Martin's head backwards.
Middleton throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Martin seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Middleton changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Middleton tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Martin manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Martin drops down looking for a counter takedown but Middleton sprawls and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Middleton swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Martin.
Middleton takes a swing at Martin's ribcage but misses.
Martin is looking to counter with a shot to the body.
Both fighters circling a little - Middleton finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Middleton tries to clinch but fails miserably
and he gets countered with a snapping leg kick.
Middleton looks to land a right hand but Martin moved out of range.
Middleton scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Martin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Middleton.
Martin is looking to counter punch.
Middleton misses with a combination
and Martin counters with a one-two to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Middleton showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Martin's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Middleton throws a leg kick
and Martin counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
A looping hook to the body misses from Middleton. Martin does a little dance to reset his feet.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Middleton.
Middleton scores with a body shot.
Martin fails to land with a series of punches.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Middleton stuns Martin with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
A low kick from Middleton misses
and Martin counters with a series of strikes. Middleton will be more careful next time no doubt.
Middleton scores with a decent looking hook.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A bone on bone clash there as Martin blocks the leg kick.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Martin enables Middleton to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Martin manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.

Martin has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Middleton off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
Middleton fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Middleton throws a sloppy head kick and Martin moves out of range easily.
Martin throwing a counter right hand but Middleton manages to avoid it.
Middleton misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
A little feinted left hand from Martin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Middleton throws a leg kick that is checked
and Martin counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Middleton rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Martin connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Martin shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Middleton pinned against the cage. Middleton gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Middleton looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
Middleton swings widly with a right hand
and Martin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Middleton takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Martin takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Martin ducks under a wild hook from Middleton.
Middleton takes a swing at Martin's ribcage but misses.
Martin looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Martin staying out of range there.
Middleton throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Martin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Good work by Martin as he checks the leg kick.
Martin throws a big counter combination but Middleton scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Middleton throws a hook but Martin blocks it.
Middleton misses with a left hand
and Martin counters with a nice body shot.
Steve Martin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Middleton throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Martin sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Martin tries to counter by clinching up but Middleton breaks away and moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Middleton throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A low kick from Middleton misses
letting Martin counter with a right hand.
A low kick from Middleton is predictable there
letting Martin counter with a right hand.
Middleton lands a nice leg kick that just misses Martin's sensitive parts.
Middleton throws a body punch but Martin moves out of range.
Middleton finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Middleton throws an off balance right hand
and Martin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Martin checks a leg kick.
Martin is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Middleton.
Martin takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Middleton scores with a hook.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Steve Martin.
I think Middleton has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 28:29
Judge Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Josh Middleton!
An out of breath Josh Middleton thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.