PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Eric Ashton (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Osvaldo Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ashton comes to the cage accompanied by Zombie Nation. Osvaldo Martinez told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Ashton
vs
Martinez

182 cm
22
200 lbs
9 - 5 - 0

176 cm
22
181 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

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 9 - 5 - 0, fighting out of London, Eric Ashton!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Osvaldo Martinez!
The judges for this bout are Phil Schofield, James Ackerman and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A big left from Ashton misses.
Martinez dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Ashton misses the jab.
Martinez fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Ashton.
Jab from Martinez.

Ashton instigates a clinch.
Ashton blocks a body shot from Martinez.
A short uppercut from Martinez.
Martinez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ashton wants a takedown but no success here.
I was talking to Ashton's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Ashton drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Martinez gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Martinez swings wildly with an uppercut but Ashton uses good head movement to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Martinez throws a head punch that misses.
Martinez misses with some punches.
Ashton drops down looking for an ankle pick but Martinez pulls his leg out and moves away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Eric Ashton. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Martinez scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Martinez misses with a straight left.
Ashton was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
A shot to the liver by Martinez. Beautiful body shot.
Martinez darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Ashton on the wrong end of a kick to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Ashton moves away.
Martinez lands with a straight right. Ashton didn't see that one coming.
Martinez ducks under a wild hook from Ashton.
Ashton uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Martinez.
Ashton changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Martinez misses with a looping right.
Ashton was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

Martinez clinches.
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!
Ashton is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Martinez pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Martinez has a couple of punches blocked by Ashton.
Martinez gets through Ashton's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Ashton blocks a body shot from Martinez.
Ashton blocks an uppercut.
Martinez has a couple of punches blocked by Ashton.
Martinez misses with a body punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Martinez has a couple of punches blocked by Ashton.
Ashton blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Martinez can't find room to land a body shot as Ashton controls the action.
Martinez misses with a short punch on the inside.
Ashton blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Martinez working aggressively here.
Martinez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Martinez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Martinez swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Ashton avoiding damage.
Martinez tries to work over Ashton's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ashton blocking some punches.

Ashton has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Martinez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Martinez tries to escape but Ashton has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Martinez covers up after taking a massive shot to the side of the head.
Martinez felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Ashton misses with a punch to the head.
Ashton punches the canvas rather than the man.
Ashton missing with strikes from the back.
Ashton missing with strikes from the back.
Martinez trying to control the hands but Ashton breaks the grip.
Martinez has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Ashton.
Ashton is controlling the position but Martinez somehow manages to roll and ends up with half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Osvaldo Martinez dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ashton takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Martinez connects with a body shot.
Martinez connects with a solid leg kick.
Martinez tries a head kick but it misses.
Ashton ducks under a wild hook from Martinez.
Ashton thows a left - swing and a miss!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinez doesn't manage to clinch there - Ashton circles away.
Ashton was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Martinez feints and then cracks Ashton's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Ashton down.
Martinez lunges at Ashton with a hook that half lands and is half blocked by Ashton's hand.
Osvaldo Martinez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Ashton blocks a head kick by Martinez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Nice defenses there by Martinez.
Martinez let fly with a counter punch to the body but it didn't land.
Martinez works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
Ashton moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.
Ashton looks to throw the jab but Martinez is out of range.
Ashton keeps the fight on the outside.
Some bone on bone action there as Ashton checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Martinez throws a leg kick but Ashton moved away.
Martinez throws a leg kick that is checked
and Ashton counters with a lovely shot to the body.
Martinez throws a front kick that sends Ashton stumbling back into the cage.
Osvaldo Martinez seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Martinez.
Ashton scores with a jab to the head.

It looks like Osvaldo Martinez has been cut.
Martinez chopping away at his opponent's legs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ashton loads up on a big right hand but Martinez slips the punch.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ashton scores with a jab to the head.
Martinez throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Ashton looks to throw the jab but Martinez is out of range.
A countering left hand to the body from Martinez misses.
Martinez takes one to the chin there.
Martinez misses with a body shot.
Martinez throws a nice inside leg kick.
Martinez takes a swing at Ashton's ribcage but misses.
Ashton blocks a head kick by Martinez.
A head kick by Martinez misses
and Ashton counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Ashton bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Martinez's head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ashton misses with an uppercut.
Ashton throws a lazy right hand but Martinez sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Nice body kick from Martinez.
Martinez blocks a jab.
Martinez throws a head kick that misses
letting Ashton counter with a right hand.
Nice defenses there by Martinez.
Martinez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Martinez comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Martinez chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Martinez digs a good hook to Ashton's body.
Ashton takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Martinez tries to clinch
and Ashton counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Martinez thinking.
Martinez gets cracked there but stands up to it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Ashton takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
Martinez throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Martinez dives in for a single leg takedown but Ashton sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
The fighters circling - Martinez throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Martinez defending well as Ashton loads up on a big left hand.
Martinez only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Martinez misses with a kick to the body

and Ashton counters with a nice double leg into side control. Martinez won't be happy with that.
Ashton has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Ashton content to control the pace. The referee will try and keep them active though.
Martinez dodges the ground and pound from Ashton.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Eric Ashton will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Osvaldo Martinez's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Ashton misses with a looping left.
Ashton throws a looping overhand right but Martinez ducks down to avoid it.
Martinez throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Martinez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ashton.

Martinez gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A head punch on the inside from Martinez fails to land.
Martinez can't find room to land a body shot as Ashton controls the action.
Ashton goes for a takedown attempt but Martinez pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinez tries a head kick but it misses.
Ashton is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Martinez connects with a solid leg kick.
Ashton takes one to the chin there.
Martinez plants his feet and lands a nice head kick!
Ashton is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Martinez looks for a takedown but Ashton sprawls well.
A big left from Martinez misses.
Martinez throws a right hand that misses
enabling Ashton to counter with a crisp jab.
Martinez scoring well with a low kick there.
Martinez swinging wildly here.
Martinez lands a leg kick and bounces back out of range.
Eric Ashton is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Martinez throws a nice inside leg kick.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
A big left from Ashton misses.
Nice defenses there by Martinez.
Martinez feints a counter leg kick.
Ashton swats away the attempt to clinch by Martinez.
Ashton scores with the left hand. Martinez knows he should have avoided that one.
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!
Martinez buckles his opponent's knee momentarily with a nice leg kick.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Martinez, as that shot connected.
Ashton scores with a hook.
Martinez rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Ashton counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez throws a solid leg kick but Ashton takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Martinez.
A slow jab from Ashton misses its intended target.
Martinez scores with a leg kick.
Ashton throws a poor cross that misses
and Martinez counters with a slapping leg kick.
Martinez misses the shot to the body.
Martinez is looking to slow Ashton down with leg kicks.
Martinez feints with a shoulder and throws a nice leg kick to Ashton's calf.
Ashton on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Martinez. Martinez obviously looking to wear him down.
Nice defenses there by Martinez.
Martinez lands with a right hand.
A big right from Ashton misses.
Martinez feints a counter leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Ashton checks a low kick from Martinez.
Ashton was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Martinez lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ashton's sensitive parts.
Ashton throws the left hand but Martinez avoids the punch easily.
And an attempted straight right on the counter from Martinez! But no joy.
Eric Ashton has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Martinez keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Ashton.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Martinez lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
Martinez chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Martinez lands a nice leg kick that just misses Ashton's sensitive parts.
Martinez misses the jab.
Ashton swings for the body but Martinez moves out of range.
Martinez scoring well with a low kick there.

And that's the end of the fight!
Osvaldo Martinez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Martinez 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 Phil Schofield scores the fight for Osvaldo Martinez!
Judge James Ackerman scores the fight for Osvaldo Martinez!
Judge Colin Fotheringham scores the fight for Osvaldo Martinez!

Osvaldo Martinez wins by unanimous decision!
In his post fight interview, Osvaldo Martinez started talking himself up. Luckily his charisma kept the crowd on side and gave him a good reception.