PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Dorian Rush (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Martins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Dorian Rush has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Rush
vs
Martins

213 cm
19
161 lbs
1 - 6 - 0

176 cm
24
160 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

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 1 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Dorian Rush!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, James Martins!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Rush scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Martins looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!
Martins avoids the head kick by Rush.
Rush throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

Martins shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Rush's guard.
Martins prevents Rush from getting back to his feet.
Rush keeping moving, preventing Martins from controlling successfully.
Martins sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Rush is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Martins is controlling him.

Rush had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martins defends it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rush is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martins got a little sloppy there for a moment and Rush has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Martins has managed to get both his arms back between Rush's legs - danger averted.
Martins pushes down on Rush's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Martins seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.

Martins is working for a submission of some sort.
Martins throws a strike but Rush avoids it easily and moves to full guard.

Rush looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Rush avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Martins avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Rush can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Martins controls the pace.
Martins slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Martins working the ground and pound but he's contacting the mat, not the fighter.
Martins fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Martins wants to lay and pray for a moment but Rush keeps working.
Rush is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martins lands a nice forearm strike.
An elbow from Martins crashes against the mat.
Rush parries the strikes from Martins easily there. Martins is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Rush to escape.
Martins is moving around in side control but his primary objective seems to be to maintain the position.
Martins wants to control but Rush is keeping him busy.
Rush tries to buck Martins off but Martins is having none of it.
Martins trying to control the position but Rush is working away.

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

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.
Rush wants to get back to his feet.
Rush gets back to half guard.
Rush moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Rush looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Rush escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Martins 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.

A close round but James Martins will probably get the nod.
That's time! Back to the action!

Left hook, right uppercut from Rush.
Dorian Rush is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Martins shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in side control! That's better than Martins was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Rush tries to buck Martins off but Martins is having none of it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Martins in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Rush is trying to get back to his feet.
Martins gets to mount! Rush was on the offensive and wasn't defending properly.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rush tries to hold on but Martins pushes him away.
The referee warns Rush that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
James Martins has got the better of the ground game so far.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rush is looking to get to half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martins controlling the position easily from mount.
Rush really wants to buck Martins off and get back to his feet.
Rush working to try and regain half guard.
Rush gets back to half guard.
Martins performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Martins is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Martins passes the guard and advances to mount!
Martins has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Martins goes for an armbar but he's not got it… Rush turns into him and now he's in Martins's guard.
Martins looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rush is one step ahead there.
Rush working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Martins's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush tries to stand but Martins is controlling from the bottom.
Rush has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Rush distracts Martins with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Rush in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Martins is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Rush lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Rush has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Martins is proving hard to escape from.
Rush really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Martins is trying to hold Rush in close to prevent damage but Rush has managed to pass into half guard.
Rush tries to stand and escape but Martins is controlling the position.

That's four 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.
Rush is keen to just control but Martins is a slippery customer.

Martins looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
Rush seems to have lost interest with the ground game and is thinking about standing back up.
Martins is looking for a sweep. Rush is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Martins on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Martins wants to control but Rush is keeping busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Rush working Martins over with strikes.
Rush 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Martins throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Rush was covering up waiting for the punch and Martins finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Martins postures up.

Rush kicks Martins off and gets to his feet.
Rush lunges at Martins with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Martins's hand.
Martins moves out of range of the body kick from Rush.
Rush is looking to clinch but Martins is avoiding it.

Rush gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Martins trying to control but Rush is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Martins stops Rush from standing up.
Martins pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Rush is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Rush is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Martins is aware though and is defending well.
Martins missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Martins trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martins looking to sit in guard and control but Rush gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Martins looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rush is one step ahead there.
Rush landing with the ground and pound.

Rush stands up from Martins's guard - Rush perhaps looking for a knockout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rush throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.

Martins shoots in for a takedown and gets it.

Rush is defending against the submission attempts here by Martins.
Rush pushes Martins off looking to stand but Martins dives back in and keeps control.
Martins thows a huge punch but Rush dodges it nicely.
Martins tries to pass to full mount but Rush defends it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rush is trying to stand.
Martins looks to land a strike but Rush avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Martins tries to free his leg and advance position but Rush is retaining full guard.
Martins trying to control the position from guard on top but Rush is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martins wants to pass the guard but Rush is keeping the position.
Rush is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

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.
Rush's corner calls for a 1, 2 combination and Rush duly obliges.
Rush throws a half hearted mid kick.

Rush gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Martins has clasped his hands together around Rush's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Martins trying to control the position but Rush is working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rush tries to buck Martins off but Martins is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dorian Rush showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Rush 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 Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:28
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 29:28
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Dorian Rush!