PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Joe Ranieri (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ranieri comes to the cage accompanied by Eminem – Kings Never Die. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Ranieri
vs
Martin

186 cm
29
190 lbs
13 - 4 - 0

184 cm
22
185 lbs
5 - 0 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Fast

Spartan Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 13 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Joe Ranieri!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 1, fighting out of New York, Frank Martin!
The judges for this bout are Ivan Kurochkin, Aleksandr Martynov and Konstantin Menshow.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ranieri has Martin up against the cage in a clinch.
Ranieri wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Ranieri lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Martin backwards.
Martin blocking some punches.

Ranieri pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Ranieri throws a half hearted mid kick.
Martin throws a leg kick that misses.
Martin stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Ranieri.
Ranieri cracks Martin with a good jab.
Ranieri misses with a jab, cross combination.
We've been told by Ranieri's head coaches at Heart Cave (10 elites, 3 double-elites, 1 triple) that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Joe Ranieri seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ranieri closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ranieri is trying to break free.

Ranieri breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ranieri throws a series of punches but Martin avoids them all with ease.
Martin tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ranieri 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.
Ranieri scores with a head kick.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Martin throws a solid leg kick but Ranieri takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Martin.

Ranieri has taken the fight to the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ranieris head.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Martin scores with a kick to the body.
Ranieri tries to clinch up but Martin circles away and keeps his distance.
Martin dodges the punch combination from Ranieri.
Martin lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Ranieri misses with a wild combination.
Ranieri scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Martin checks a leg kick.
Martin swats away the attempt to clinch by Ranieri.
Martin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Martin slips a jab and a cross from Ranieri.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ranieri tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Martin is able to avoid easily.
Martin is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Ranieri.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Ranieri misses with a wild combination.
And Martin responds with a good body kick, but Ranieri manages to step out the way in time.
Ranieri stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Martin.
Martin walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Martin thows a body kick. Ranieri tries to catch it but that hurt him.
A head kick misses from Martin.
Ranieri misses the jab.
Ranieri throws a right and a left that Martin avoids nicely.
Martin ducks under a wild hook from Ranieri.
A little jabbing left from Martin on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
A head kick by Ranieri misses
and Martin counters with a nice leg kick.

Ranieri drives through and clinches with Martin against the cage.

Martin's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Ranieri tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A combination from Ranieri does no damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ranieri takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Martin throws a half hearted mid kick.
Ranieri throws a series of punches but Martin moves out of range.
Ranieri misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Some wild striking there from Ranieri.
Ranieri throws a series of punches but Martin moves out of range.

Ranieri moves into the clinch.
Martin scores with a shoulder strike.
Ranieri lands with a light punch inside.
Ranieri jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Martin walks away with a smile on his face. Ranieri gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Martin throws a leg kick but Ranieri moved away.
Martin looks to land a body kick but Ranieri moved away.
Martin tries to score with an inside leg kick but telegraphs it and Ranieri is able to avoid easily.
Martin misses with a body kick.
Ranieri tries to close the distance and clinch but Martin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ranieri is looking to score with low kicks.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin scores with a body shot.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Martin delivers a nice body kick.
A punch combination from Ranieri misses.
Martin lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Martin with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Ranieri moves out of range of the leg kick from Martin.
Ranieri misses with a few strikes there.
Ranieri throws a jab, cross combination which is slipped
and Martin counters with an inside leg kick.
Crunch! Ranieri slams his shin into Martin's torso.
Martin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Ranieri has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
A big left from Martin misses.
Martin lands a high kick!
Ranieri checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Martin looks for the body kick but Ranieri saw that one coming.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Ranieri fails to land with a series of punches.
Ranieri is looking to clinch but Martin is avoiding it.
Ranieri misses with a looping right.
Martin feints a counter leg kick.
Martin lands a nice looking kick to the body. Ranieri takes a step back to recover.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Joe Ranieri will probably get the nod.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

The fighters circling - Ranieri throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Ranieri on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Ranieri tries to close the distance and clinch up but Martin swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Ranieri has managed to clinch.
Martin goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Martin lands a right hand that snaps the head of Ranieri backwards.
Martin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Ranieri doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
A head kick misses from Martin.
Ranieri throws the left hand but Martin avoids the punch easily.
Ranieri backing away here, and Martin unleashes a leg kick that just misses.
Ranieri throws a nice looking combination but Martin bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Martin feints a counter leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Sloppy strikes from Ranieri. Those never looked like landing.
Martin was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
Martin lands with a thumping leg kick.
Martin throws a chopping leg kick but Ranieri manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
Ranieri is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Ranieri lands with an overhand left.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Ranieri fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Martin on the side of the head.
Martin throws a solid leg kick but Ranieri takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Martin.
Ranieri fails with an attempt to clinch.
Martin misses with a body kick.
A nice leg kick lands there from Martin.
Martin tries to land a front kick but Ranieri steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
As Martin looks to move away, Ranieri throws a big counter combo but Martin just gets out of the way.
Ranieri moves out of range as Martin throws a body kick.
Ranieri tries to close the distance and clinch but Martin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Ranieri throws a right and a left that both miss.
Martin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Ranieri.
Martin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Ranieri.
Ranieri throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Martin throws a body kick that misses.
Ranieri takes a head kick and shrugs it off.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ranieri looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Ranieri throws a series of punches but Martin avoids them all with ease.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ranieri throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
And Martin responds with a good body kick, but Ranieri manages to step out the way in time.
A head kick misses from Martin.
Martin throws a leg kick but Ranieri moved away.
Martin checks a leg kick nicely.
Ranieri will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Martin checks the leg kick.
Ranieri moves out of range of the body kick from Martin.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Martin.
Ranieri checks a low kick from Martin.
Martin dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Ranieri. That did some damage!
Martin is looking to land body kicks.
Ranieri throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A punch combination from Ranieri misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ranieri moves out of range as Martin throws a body kick.
A combination from Ranieri does no damage.
Martin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Ranieri moves in looking to clinch but Martin pushes him off.
Martin throws a head kick that Ranieri semi-blocks.
Martin keeps the fight on the outside.
That kick from Ranieri tenderised Martin's leg. Martin is trying to keep his angry face on.
Martin throws a nice inside leg kick.
Joe Ranieri is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Ranieri throws a leg kick but Martin sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Ranieri moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Ranieri 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 scores with a shot to the body.
Some wild striking there from Ranieri.
Ranieri tries to land a leg kick but Martin saw it coming and moves away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin scores with a head kick.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Martin shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Martin connects with a jab.
Ranieri throws a head kick that misses.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Martin, right into the meat.
Ranieri walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sloppy strikes from Ranieri. Those never looked like landing.
Ranieri wants to clinch up but Martin keeps it at a distance.
Martin wants to slow Ranieri down by chopping away at his legs.

Ranieri clinches up against the cage.
Martin throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Ranieris head.
Ranieri holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Martin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Martin breaks the clinch.
Martin throws a head kick but Ranieri moves out of range.
Ranieri is looking to counter the offense by Martin and move into the clinch.
Martin throws a sloppy head kick and Ranieri moves out of range easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Frank Martin showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Martin fakes a couple of low kicks, before throwing one on the third attempt. It connects and Ranieri has to reset his feet before getting ready to engage.
Martin attempts a low kick but it misses it's target.
Martin throws a body kick that misses.
Ranieri tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Frank Martin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Ranieri on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Martin lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Martin throws a body kick that digs right into the meat.
Martin throws a sloppy head kick and Ranieri moves out of range easily.
Ranieri throws a right and a left that both miss.
Ranieri slips a straight right by Martin.
Ranieri lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Martin lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.
A combination from Ranieri does no damage.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Martin throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Ranieri stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Martin throws a jab when Ranieri was well out of range.
Martin checks a low kick from Ranieri.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
As Martin tries to get set, Ranieri tries to push him back and clinch up but Martin manages to avoid the attempt.
Ranieri moves out of range of the leg kick from Martin.
Ranieri went nuts there looking for a big combo counter but none of the flurry connected.
Martin attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Martin is looking to chop away at Ranieri's legs.
Some bone on bone action there as Ranieri checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Some wild striking there from Ranieri.
Ranieri throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Martin takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Martin scores with a head kick. Ranieri tried to block it but didn't get his arm up in time.
Martin blocks a low kick nicely.
Martin scoring well with a low kick there.
Ranieri tries to clinch up.
Martin was about to counter that last move with a leg kick but changes his mind.
A combination from Ranieri does no damage.
Ranieri misses with a double jab.
Martin feints a counter leg kick.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The fighters circle, before Martin throws a beautiful high kick that crashes into Ranieri's neck, sending him stumbling to the floor! Martin lands more strikes and forces a referee stoppage! That one ended in an instant!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:07 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick & Punches). Frank Martin!
After winning the bout, Frank Martin thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.