PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Mack Branco (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Frank Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Branco might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to Stranglehold. Both fighters look pumped up here. Let's hope this is a good fight!

Branco
vs
Martin

184 cm
27
195 lbs
12 - 5 - 1

184 cm
25
185 lbs
9 - 2 - 1

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

BJJ Purple Belt
World class MT
Good gas tank

Bullet Proof System
Sully's Bar & Grill

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

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 12 - 5 - 1, fighting out of Las Vegas, Mack Branco!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Hilo, Frank Martin!
The judges for this bout are Andrew Berry, Daniel Bishop and William Gold.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Branco keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Branco is looking to counter punch.
Frank Martin seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Branco throws the left hand but Martin avoids the punch easily.
Martin misses with a body kick.
Martin throws an off balance right hand
and Branco counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.
A bone on bone clash there as Branco blocks the leg kick.
A head kick by Martin misses
and Martin takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Martin tries a head kick but it misses.
Martin throws a half hearted mid kick.
A solid leg kick lands there for Branco.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Martin, right into the meat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Branco.
Branco keeps his opponent at a distance with a nice jab.

It looks like Frank Martin has been cut.
Martin has been spending a lot of time sparring his boxing in the run up to the fight, trying to sharpen up those hands and look for a knockout.
Martin cracks a nice hook into Branco's ribs.
A decent looking cross lands there for Martin.
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!
A head kick by Martin misses
and Branco counters with a right hand to the body.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin slips a straight right by Branco.
Martin only half commits to the counter leg kick.
Branco has been working on his boxing with his coaches at The Wild Beasts Zoo in the buildup to the fight.
Martin throws a body kick that sends a sickening thudding noise reverberating around the arena.
Branco takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Branco goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Martin throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Branco misses with a hook. Martin ducked under it nicely.
Martin takes one to the side of the head.
A shot to the liver by Martin. Beautiful body shot.
Branco takes a kick to the body and keeps moving.
Branco has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Branco fakes the leg kick and cracks Martin in the body.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Martin will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin throws a shot from downtown. Branco moves away and avoids it.
Branco paws at his opponent with the jab and then lunges in with a straight, right on the button.
Martin slips under a jab from Branco.
Martin throws out a loose jab but Branco uses good head movement to avoid it.
Branco avoids a kick to the body.
A jab from Branco misses.
Branco moves out of range of the leg kick from Martin.
Martin throws a low kick but it's checked well by Branco.
Martin misses with a low kick.
Branco was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Branco throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Branco blocks a jab.
Branco swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Martin.
Branco feints and then cracks Martin's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Martin down.
Martin takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Branco just misses with a punch to the body.
Martin connects with an inside leg kick.
Martin fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Martin misses with a looping left.
Martin misses with a body kick.
Horrible takedown attempt by Branco or perhaps it was just good defense by Martin, which made it look bad.
Martin is looking to slow Branco down with leg kicks.
Martin misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Branco counters with a thumping low kick.
A head kick by Martin misses
and Branco counters with a nice uppercut.
Martin slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Martin scores with a sloppy right hand. Branco should have avoided that one.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Branco scores with a jab to the jaw.
Martin throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
It appears Branco was looking to counter with a kick there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Branco bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Branco throws a shot from downtown. Martin moves away and avoids it.
Martin thumps Branco with a low kick.
Martin pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Martin throws a head kick that misses.
Branco quickly followed up with a counter body kick but doesn't connect.
Branco swings for the body but Martin moves out of range.
Frank Martin is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Martin finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Martin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Branco counters with a stiff right hand.
Branco misses with a low kick.
Martin tries to score with a low kick but Branco moves his leg out of the way.
Branco drops down looking for a counter takedown but Martin sprawls and moves away.
Martin throws a chopping leg kick but Branco manages to avoid taking any serious damage.
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 cut man is working on Frank Martin's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

A punch combination from Martin misses.
Branco scores with a spinning back kick!
Martin connects with a leg kick. Branco looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Martin misses with a hook. Branco ducked under it nicely.
And Branco counters with a quick kick to the body but Martin blocks it.
Branco slips under a jab.
Frank Martin seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Martin throws a head kick but Branco moves out of range.
Martin throws a nice outside leg kick.
Martin 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.
Branco lands a nice leg kick that just misses Martin's sensitive parts.
Martin looks to land a left hand but Branco moved out of range nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin avoids a kick to the body.
Martin throws a looping overhand right but Branco ducks down to avoid it.
A jab from Branco misses.
Martin tried to score with a low kick but Branco checks it.
Branco appears to be looking for a counter takedown.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martin pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Martin lands a really nice looking cross but Branco seems unphased.
Nice body punch from Branco.
Branco connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Martin's hands.
Branco's jab looks to have found its range, popping Martin under the eye.
Martin throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Branco.
Branco is looking to counter the offense by Martin and move into the clinch.
Martin pivots, looking for a leg kick but Branco is out of range and Martin settles back down.
Branco was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.
Branco with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Branco bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Martin's head backwards.
Branco throws the left hand but Martin avoids the punch easily.
Branco misses with a body kick.
Martin sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Martin tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Branco is looking to counter punch.
Martin takes a swing at Branco's ribcage but misses.
Martin thows a left - swing and a miss!
Martin looks to land a combination. Branco sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

It looks like Mack Branco has been cut.
Martin looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Martin fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Branco.

Branco clinches.
Branco doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Branco misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Martin working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Branco motions for Martin to come forward. Branco throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Martin keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.
Branco connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Martin momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Branco.
Martin lands a glancing blow to the side of Branco's head.
Martin throws a leg kick which misses Branco's front leg but catches the back leg as Branco tries to avoid it.
Martin lands a vicious shot with the stealth of a sniper and the strength of a viper. Are vipers that strong? I can think of lots of things that are stronger than a viper - not many rhyme with sniper though.
Martin scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Branco doesn't seem bothered though.

Branco has closed the distance and engaged Martin in a clinch.

Martin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Martin throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Branco takes one on the chin but seems OK.
Martin throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Branco displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Martin throws out the jab.
Branco was looking to counter that move with a punch but didn't quite pull the trigger.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Branco looking to throw a kick but he's pulled out of it.
Martin throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
A slow jab from Martin misses its intended target.
Branco swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Martin throws a hook but Branco blocks it.
Branco bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Branco tests Martin's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Branco listening to his corner there, landing a nice uppercut.

That has opened up Frank Martin's cut even more.
Branco uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Martin.
Martin lands with a thumping leg kick.

Branco forces Martin back against the cage and clinches.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Branco.
Branco misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Branco scores with a shoulder strike.
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 Mack Branco will probably get the nod.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Branco bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Martin's head backwards.
Martin displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Branco throws out the jab.
A swing and a miss from Martin.
Branco jabs Martin to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Branco ducks under a wild hook from Martin.
A little feinted left hand from Branco on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Martin on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Martin throws a solid leg kick but Branco takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Martin.
Branco walks into a straight right hand from Martin.
Branco throws a hook but Martin avoids it easily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Branco lands a jab to Martin's midsection.
Branco cracks the inside of Martin's front leg.
Martin misses with a kick to the body
and Branco counters with a straight right hand.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Branco thows a body kick. Martin tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Branco checks the leg kick.
Branco is looking to clinch but Martin is avoiding it.
Branco digs a good body shot into Martin's ribs.
Martin ducks under a wild hook from Branco.
Branco defending well as Martin loads up on a big left hand.
A clash of legs there as Martin blocks the low kick.
Branco pushes Martin away with a front kick.
Branco wants to clinch up but Martin keeps it at a distance.
Martin is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A bone on bone clash there as Martin blocks the leg kick.
An inside leg kick lands from Martin.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Martin, right into the meat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
The crowd cheers as Branco lands an impressive looking overhand right. Martin doesn't seem phased though.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Branco connects with a nice looking jab.
Martin takes a swing at Branco's ribcage but misses.
Branco bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Martin throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Branco counters with a stiff right hand.

Martin is rocked!
Martin ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Branco moves away.
Martin is still on wobbly legs! Can Branco finish him?
Martin looks up at the clock. Bad move! Branco lands a right hand from hell, dropping Martin. Branco pounces and finishes the fight with a flurry of punches and elbows.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:40 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Mack Branco!
After the fight, Mack Branco was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.