PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marcos Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tariq Joey (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Marcos Martinez has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Martinez
vs
Joey

188 cm
19
205 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

187 cm
25
205 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Intelligent

Decent wrestler
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcos Martinez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Tariq Joey!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Emerson Jorge and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Joey closes the distance and clinches up with Martinez, looking for a takedown. Joey pushes Martinez against the cage but Martinez circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Martinez swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Joey fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
Martinez feinted with a counter takedown.
Joey fails with the takedown.
Marcos Martinez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tariq Joey.

Martinez manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Joey on his heels. He'll look to pass Joey's guard now, I'm sure.
Martinez's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Martinez trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but Joey manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!

Martinez working for a triangle but Joey defends it easily.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Joey avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martinez looking for subs off his back but Joey has passed one foot through into half guard.

Martinez looking for subs from the bottom but Joey mounts him!
Martinez is working to get back to half guard.
Martinez is working hard here to advance position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez tries to hold on but Joey pushes him away.
Martinez is in all sorts of trouble here.
Joey takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Martinez can't escape the position.
Martinez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Joey takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Martinez is in a tricky position. We've heard reports from his gym mates at Palace of Pain Gym - VCL - Rio that he's been drilling escapes, so let's see if he can get back to his feet.
Martinez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Martinez wants to hold on but Joey pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Martinez tries to lock up and control but Joey gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Martinez is trying desperately to improve position.
Martinez wants to hold on but Joey pushes him away.
Martinez manages to regain half guard. Good work.
Joey is thwarting Martinez's attempts to control the position.

Martinez actively working from the bottom here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Martinez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Joey is working away from the top position though.

Martinez looking for submissions from an awkward position here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Martinez has guillotine here! It looks pretty tight! Could this be all over! No, Joey escapes and passes into side control at the same time. Nice work there by Joey!
Martinez tries to buck Joey off but Joey is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Martinez trying his best to control but Joey has mounted him.
Martinez flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tariq Joey dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Joey looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Joey controls the pace of the fight for a moment.
Martinez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Martinez throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Martinez is looking to take a break and control but Joey is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Martinez is looking for a kimura but Joey is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Martinez to get the leverage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joey regains full guard. Nicely done.
Martinez is looking to stand up but Joey won't let him.
Martinez wants to control from the top but Joey keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Martinez tries to free his leg and advance position but Joey is retaining full guard.
Joey is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

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

Martinez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Joey defends well.

Martinez isolates an arm and boxes in a triangle. Joey stacks Martinez on his neck as he steps over and passes to the side. He's now in a much more dominant position where he can look to do some serious damage. Nice move by Joey!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez seems a little lost for a moment, as Joey dominates the positioning.
Martinez sneaks back into half guard.
Joey perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Joey has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

Martinez actively working from the bottom here.

Martinez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Martinez is trying to get back to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martinez looking for submissions off his back.

Martinez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Martinez tries to roll over but Joey keeps him under control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Martinez wants to control but Joey passes into side.
Martinez is trying to improve his position.
Martinez looks to move to half guard but instead Joey has passed into mount! Damn!
Martinez is trying desperately to improve position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tariq Joey showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Joey looks for a takedown but Martinez sprawls well.
Joey looks for a takedown but Martinez sprawls well.
Joey fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Marcos Martinez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tariq Joey.

Martinez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Joey manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Joey wants to stand but Martinez is controlling the position.
Martinez wants to control from the top but Joey keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Martinez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Martinez wants to get up but he can't break Joey's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Martinez throwing strikes from guard but Joey blocks nicely.
Martinez working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Martinez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Joey is keeping the position for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Martinez gets the takedown into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Martinez tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Joey manages to land a sweep and he's now on top! Lovely Jiu Jitsu!
Martinez is looking to control Joey's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Martinez avoid being mounted?

Martinez looking for submissions off his back.
Joey keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martinez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Joey pulls his head out easily.

Martinez actively working from the bottom here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Joey perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Martinez trying to control from the bottom.
Martinez wants to get back to full guard.
Tariq Joey has got the better of the ground game so far.
Martinez trying to control but Joey postures up.

Martinez with the active half guard here but Joey passes nicely into side control.

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.
Martinez is looking to regain half guard here but Joey keeps moving and retains side control.
Joey is staying tight to Martinez's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Martinez tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Joey presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Marcos Martinez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tariq Joey is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Martinez is desperately trying to improve his position but Joey has a good base and remains in mount.

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 Marcos Martinez.
I think Joey 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tariq Joey!
A victorious Tariq Joey thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.