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PBP Commentary |
Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Steve Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andre Souza (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Souza is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Brazil National Anthem. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.
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| 168 cm
37
134 lbs
12 - 16 - 2 |
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165 cm
24
145 lbs
4 - 4 - 0 |
Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Very quick |
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Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Good gas tank |
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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 - 16 - 2, fighting out of New York, Steve Martin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of
4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of New York, Andre Souza!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Steve Montenegro and Russell Pearce.
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Souza dives in and grabs Martin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Martin pushes down on Souza's head and hops out.
Martin tries to counter with a takedown but Souza is quick to defend against it.
Souza looks to throw the jab but Martin is out of range.
Martin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Souza has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Martin is landing a low percentage of strikes.
Souza tries to clinch up but Martin circles away and keeps his distance.
A little feinted left hand from Martin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Martin just misses with a punch to the body.
Souza feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Martin's calf.
Souza throws a body kick despite being completely out of range
and Martin counters with a one-two to the body.
Souza uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Martin.
Souza dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Martin. That did some damage!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Souza bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Martin's head.
Martin throws a head kick that misses.
Souza shoots in for a takedown but Martin shows good takedown defense.
Martin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin jabs Souza right on the nose. Souza blinks but takes it well.
Souza lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Martin at a distance.
Martin throws a half hearted mid kick.
Nice takedown defense from Souza. No joy for Martin on that attempt.
Souza jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Souza misses with a body shot
letting Martin counter with a right hand.
Martin avoids the body shot from Souza.
Martin feinted there with a counter leg kick.
Souza throws a leg kick that misses.
It looked like Martin was trying to counter with a body shot coming off that last attack from Souza.
Souza throws the left hand but Martin avoids the punch easily.
Martin seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Souza fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Martin manages to avoid it.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza tries to clinch up.
Souza swings for the body but Martin moves out of range.
A jab from Souza misses.
Andre Souza seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Souza throws an off balance right hand
and Martin counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Souza scores with a kick to the body.
Souza rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Martin counters with a stiff right hand.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Martin misses with a few strikes there.
Souza swings away with a counter right hand but no contact made.
Souza 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.
A little feinted left hand from Martin on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Souza misses with a body shot
and Martin counters with a stiff right hand.
Souza just misses with a punch to the body.
A counter left hand to the body from Martin misses its target.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza throws a lazy uppercut
enabling Martin to counter with a crisp jab.
Souza looks to land a left hand but Martin moved out of range nicely.
Martin is looking for a counter combo.
Souza swings and misses with a shot to the body
and Martin counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Martin seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
Martin postures up and lands a big shot to Souza's brow.
Martin landing with the ground and pound.
We've been hearing good reports from Martin's training camp. Apparently he has been rolling around with some good quality BJJ practitioners and has been sharpening his skills. Let's see if that has an impact on the fight today.
Martin throws a big right hand that misses.
Souza looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Martin is looking to work some ground and pound but Souza has wrist control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Souza working for a triangle but Martin defends it easily.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin with a flurry of punches that miss.
Souza bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Martin's guard.
Martin looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Souza is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Souza pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Martin is keeping the position for now.
Souza passes Martin's left leg - he's now in half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
Steve Martin 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.
Souza tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Martin was well out of range. Poor timing from Souza.
Martin was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A shot to the body from Souza misses
and Martin counters with a three punch combo that has Souza backing up. Souza nods at Martin to acknowledge the strikes.
Steve Martin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
An inside leg kick lands from Martin.
Martin moves out of range of the strikes.
Souza misses the shot to the body.
Souza gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Martin counters with a straight right hand.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin moves into the clinch.
Martin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Souza lands the left hand.
Souza defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Martin.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Souza jabs Martin to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Souza takes the fight into the clinch.
Martin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Martin is struggling to control the position.
Martin misses with a short punch on the inside.
Souza blocks a body shot from Martin.
Martin gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Souza.
Martin is pressed up against the cage. Souza has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Martin down to the mat. Martin avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Steve Martin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andre Souza.
Martin takes a body punch but keeps moving.
Souza uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Martin.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Souza throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Souza will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Souza misses the body punch
and Martin counters with a nice uppercut.
Martin tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Souza paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Martin lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Martin slips a jab from Souza.
Martin went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Souza keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.
Souza thows a leg kick but Martin checks it
and Martin counters with a left and a right that stings Souza.
Martin throws a hook to the side of Souza's head but Souza sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Souza scores with a shot to the body.
Martin throws a series of punches but Souza moves out of range.
Souza connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Martin on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Souza dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Martin. That did some damage!
Souza throws a shot to the body.
Martin uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Souza.
As Souza looks to move away, Martin throws a big counter combo but Souza just gets out of the way.
Souza throws a hook but Martin avoids it easily.
Martin checks the leg kick.
Martin is looking for a counter combo.
Martin bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Souza's head backwards.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A big left from Souza misses.
Souza throws a jab when Martin was well out of range.
Martin throwing a counter right hand but Souza manages to avoid it.
Martin slips under a jab.
Souza lands a nice shot to the body.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Souza misses with a shot to the body
and Martin cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Souza swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Souza throws a hook but Martin avoids it easily.
No joy there for Martin, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Souza lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Martin moves out of range of the strikes.
Martin swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.
A close second round but Andre Souza will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!
Souza swings and misses with a shot to the body
so Martin counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Souza throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Souza working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Martin doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Martin manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Souza working a defensive guard here.
Souza is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Martin thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Martin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin advances to half guard.
Martin is pressing down on Souza's thigh, looking to free his foot. Souza is holding on for now.
Martin not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Martin seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Souza gets full guard.
Souza working for a triangle but Martin defends it easily.
Souza wants to sweep here but Martin controlling him for the moment.
Martin throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Souza works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Martin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Souza has his foot on Martin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Martin works his way back into a safe position though.
That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Souza looking for a guillotine here but Martin defends easily.
Martin pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Souza is keeping the position for now.
Martin with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Souza looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Souza utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Martin throwing strikes but missing.
Souza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Martin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Martin showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Martin trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Martin landing some decent shots from guard.
Martin slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Steve Martin overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Souza is trying to control the position from the bottom.
That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Martin trying to control but Souza is working from the bottom.
Souza has his foot on Martin's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Martin works his way back into a safe position though.
Martin works over Souza with some ground and pound from guard.
Souza is trying to control the position but Martin postures up.
Martin postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Souza is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Martin landing some decent shots from guard.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Souza has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Martin can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Martin throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
And that's the end of the fight!
Steve Martin showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Martin 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 29:28
Judge Steve Montenegro scores the fight 29:28
Judge Russell Pearce scores the fight 29:28
In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Steve Martin!
An out of breath Steve Martin thanked his loyal fans in his post fight interview, giving them credit for his success over the course of his career.
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| S |
C
A |
G |
S |
C
B |
G |
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C |
G |
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energy
A | B |
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hype
A | B |
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pop
A | B |
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mgr
A | B |
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FIGHT
RATING
42% |
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