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's entrance music is Eminem – Kings Never Die. A fine choice. 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 - 5 - 0

184 cm
22
185 lbs
6 - 0 - 1

BJJ Brown Belt
Dangerous knees
Very quick

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent MT
Good gas tank

Spartan Nutrition 160Q with Proof

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 - 5 - 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 6 - 0 - 1, fighting out of New York, Frank Martin!
The judges for this bout are Igor Prikhodko, Dmitry Maklakov and Valeri Chadov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martin on the wrong end of a nice hook.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Martin.

Ranieri has closed the distance and engaged Martin in a clinch.
Ranieri utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Ranieri trying to land knees to the body.
Ranieri tries to pull guard but Martin won't allow it.
Martin scores with a nice hook to the head.
Ranieri working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Martin scores with a shot to the side of Ranieri's head.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A cross from Martin lands.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ranieri wants to clinch.
Martin with a hook.
Martin pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Ranieri tries to clinch up
and Martin counters with a low kick, right behind Ranieri 's knee.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ranieri will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Joe Ranieri seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Ranieri closes the distance and clinches.
Ranieri misses with a short punch on the inside.

Martin manages to break the clinch.
Thud! ouch! good body kick from Martin - that will leave a mark!
Ranieri tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Martin paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Martin misses with a head kick.
Ranieri looks to clinch
and Martin counters with a slapping leg kick.
Martin cracks the inside of Ranieri's front leg.
Martin swings away with a leg kick that misses.

Ranieri has taken the fight to the clinch.
A short right from Martin on the inside.
Martin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ranieri throws a punch but it's blocked by Martin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ranieri misses with the head strike.
Martin lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Martin fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Ranieri lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Ranieri misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Martin.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Ranieri obliges.

Ranieri jumps into guard, dragging Martin to the mat.
Martin content to stall in guard here.
Martin's corner are shouting for him to control the position and he seems happy to oblige.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ranieri manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Martin manages to get himself to full guard.

Martin keeping full guard, as Ranieri tries to pass.
Martin is looking to stand up but Ranieri isn't so interested in that idea.
Ranieri wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Martin 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.
Ranieri wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.

Ranieri has gone for a leg lock! Martin slips out almost immediately though and dives into Ranieri's guard.

Ranieri throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Frank Martin will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Martin throws a low kick but Ranieri avoids it.
Ranieri takes a nasty kick to the mid section... That should keep him thinking. Does he try and block and risk a head kick landing?

Ranieri drives through and clinches with Martin against the cage.
Ranieri throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Martin blocks it with crossed arms.
Ranieri tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Martin just stands there and leans against the cage.
Martin blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Ranieri missing with knees to the body.
Martin pushes Ranieri back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Ranieri swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ranieri with an attempt at a knee that misses.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Martin connects with a nice looking jab.
Martin uses good footwork to get in and out, landing a nice hook.
Frank Martin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Some wild striking there from Ranieri.
Martin tries a head kick but it misses.
Ranieri is looking for a counter combo.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Martin misses with a leg kick.
Martin throws a nice hook to the body that draws an oooh from the crowd.
Ranieri drops his hands momentarily and Martin takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin swats away the attempt to clinch by Ranieri.
Martin raises up his leg as if looking to counter with a high kick.
Martin throws a nice outside leg kick.
Ranieri is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Martin is looking for the big counter here.
Martin swats away the attempt to clinch by Ranieri.
Ranieri tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Martin throws a leg kick which misses Ranieri's front leg but catches the back leg as Ranieri tries to avoid it.

Ranieri has managed to clinch.
Ranieri using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Martin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Martin pushes Ranieri back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

Martin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
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 looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Martin throws the kick towards the body but Ranieri avoids it.
Good leg kick by Martin there. It's the ones that make that thud noise that hurt and that was an almighty thud.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head kick from Martin lands but Ranieri takes it in his stride.

Ranieri is rocked!
Ranieri chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Martin can pounce on him.
Oh Ranieri is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Joe Ranieri is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
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!
Ranieri looks up at the clock. Bad move! Martin lands a right hand from hell, dropping Ranieri. Martin pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:13 of round 2, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Frank Martin!
Frank Martin thanked the fans post fight for their support.