PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Graig Buckner (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Martins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Buckner
vs
Martins

154 cm
24
162 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

176 cm
24
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Graig Buckner!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Martins!
The judges for this bout are Paulo Santos, Matheus Silva and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martins shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Buckner as he jumps to the side.

Buckner gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Buckner really is a fat lump.
Buckner prevents a takedown attempt there.
Buckner really is built like a bowling ball. I wonder if he'd roll if you pushed him down a hill...

Buckner manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Buckner wants to stand and escape but Martins is having none of it.

Martins drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Buckner dives on top into guard.

The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martins avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Buckner stays in close to Martins's body and controls the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Buckner postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Buckner won't allow Martins to get back to his feet.
Buckner working some strikes from top position.
Martins wants to hit a switch here but Buckner passes into full mount! Oh no, disaster for Martins there!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Buckner punishing his opponent with strikes.
Buckner in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Buckner lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Martins hang on?
Buckner connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Martins tries to hold on but Buckner pushes him away.
Buckner lands with some strikes.
Buckner with a couple of short strikes.
Martins can't escape the position.
Martins taking shots to the head.
Buckner is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Martins can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Buckner knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Martins on the ground.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Martins keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Martins takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Buckner breaks from Martins's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Martins tries to reverse the position but Buckner maintains control.
Buckner lands a big elbow.
Martins is looking to improve his position but Buckner isn't that keen on the idea.
Buckner working the ground and pound effectively.
Buckner landing strikes, looking to finish!
Buckner controlling his opponent.
Buckner is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Martins tries to hold on but Buckner pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckner wants to control the pace but Martins is squirming around nicely.
Buckner lands a nice shot to the head.
Martins is in all sorts of trouble here.
The referee warns Martins that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Buckner scoring with strikes but Martins is staying in there.
Buckner postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Martins looks a forlorn figure.
Buckner working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Buckner with a couple of short strikes.
Martins slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Martins avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Buckner.
Buckner takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckner looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Martins with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Buckner takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Martins pushes Buckner off looking to stand but Buckner dives back in and keeps control.
Buckner is nestled in close to Martins, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Buckner with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Martins is looking to control Buckner's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Martins avoid being mounted?
Buckner working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.

Martins looking for submissions off his back.
Buckner thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Martins's head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Buckner attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Martins shoots in but Buckner avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Martins fails with a takedown attempt.
Buckner is looking to counter with a body kick.
Martins fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Buckner avoids it really well and circles away.
Graig Buckner has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of James Martins.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Martins.
A quick step to the side and Buckner tries to counter with a shot to the body but it doesn't connect.
Buckner looks to score with a jab to the body but Martins is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martins misses with a takedown attempt

so Buckner counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Buckner might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Buckner trying to control the position from guard on top but Martins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martins is breathing heavily.
Buckner is looking to work some ground and pound but Martins has wrist control.
Buckner not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martins keeping moving, preventing Buckner from controlling successfully.
Buckner works over Martins with some ground and pound from guard.
Buckner landing with the ground and pound.
Buckner distracts Martins with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Buckner working some strikes from top position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Buckner loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Martins preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Buckner engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Buckner's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.

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

Buckner is trying for a guillotine from the top but the pressure isn't in the right place so Martins is just riding it out for now. Buckner eventually gives up the hold.
Buckner scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Buckner throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martins wants to improve his position but Buckner is controlling well.
Buckner takes advantage of the dominant position to land a couple of big hammer fists.
Buckner prevents Martins from improving his position.

Martins looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Ground and pound from Buckner.
Martins regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Buckner.
Martins working a defensive guard here.
Martins keeping moving, preventing Buckner from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Buckner with a nice head shot there.
Buckner trying to control but Martins is working from the bottom.
Buckner is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Martins can do to turn this around?
Buckner cracks Martins with a solid left hand.
Buckner connects with a couple of short punches.
Martins 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.
Buckner content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Martins is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Buckner is aware though and is defending well.
Buckner wants to control from the top but Martins keeps moving.
Buckner connects with a couple of short punches.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Graig Buckner dominated that second round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! And we move into the final round!

No luck with that takedown attempt from Martins.
Martins gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Buckner counters with a nice body shot.

Buckner moves into range and clinches up with Martins.

Buckner jumps into guard, dragging Martins to the mat.
Martins wants to control from the top but Buckner keeps moving.
Martins stops Buckner from standing up.
Buckner tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Martins stops Buckner from standing up.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martins postures up and lands a big shot to Buckner's brow.
Martins stops Buckner from standing up.
Martins landing some decent shots from guard.
Martins stopping the sweep attempt from Buckner.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martins not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Buckner looking to hit a scissor sweep but Martins is one step ahead there.
Buckner controlling Martins's posture.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Martins avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Martins passes into half guard.
Graig Buckner overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Buckner is looking to improve his position.
Martins passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Buckner!
Buckner is working to get back to half guard.
Buckner in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Martins lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Martins scoring with strikes but Buckner is staying in there.

Martins is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Buckner has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Martins lands a heavy elbow.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Buckner really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Buckner is squirming around, avoiding Martins's attempts to control the action.
Buckner regains half guard.
Buckner wants to stand back up but Martins manages to pass into side control.
Buckner wants to get back to his feet but Martins drags him back down.
Martins tries to score with some ground and pound. Buckner controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Martins has knee on belly and moves into mount.
James Martins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martins raining down hammerfists from mount.
Martins has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Buckner's face.
Buckner gets back to half guard.
Buckner tries to kick Martins off but Martins keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Buckner blocking the ground and pound attempt from Martins.
Martins is trying to control. Buckner wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Martins prevents Buckner from improving his position.
Buckner is staying active underneath Martins, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Buckner is looking to get back to is feet but Martins passes into side control.

Martins looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Graig Buckner is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Martins scores with a couple of short elbows.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Martins comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Buckner has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:27
Judge Matheus Silva scores the fight 29:27
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Graig Buckner!