PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Brandon Marsden (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Takeshi Naoki (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marsden comes to the cage accompanied by Feiticeira by Deftones. 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.

Marsden
vs
Naoki

176 cm
42
170 lbs
41 - 32 - 2

182 cm
37
179 lbs
29 - 11 - 0

Abu Dhabi Champ
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 41 - 32 - 2, fighting out of London, Brandon Marsden!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 29 - 11 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Takeshi Naoki!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Naoki gets in close and instigates a clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Naoki.
Marsden tries a body shot but Naoki blocks it.
We've been hearing reports that Marsden has been drilling takedowns in recent sessions so let's see if that has an impact on the result of this fight.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Marsden.
Marsden tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Naoki tries to stall but Marsden uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
An uppercut to the body lands inside from Marsden.
Naoki lands with a short head shot on the inside.
The fighters are pressed against the cage, as the pace of the fight slows.

Naoki manages to break the clinch.

Marsden moves into the clinch.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Naoki.
Naoki swings wildly with an uppercut but Marsden uses good head movement to avoid it.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marsden tries to throw a body punch but Naoki avoids it by throwing Marsden back against the cage.
Marsden working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Marsden is trying to drag Naoki to the mat but Naoki just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Naoki pushes Marsden back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki lands with a right to the head.

Naoki has clasped his hands together around Marsden's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marsden is looking to regain half guard here but Naoki keeps moving and retains side control.
Naoki wants to control but Marsden is keeping him busy.
Naoki is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Marsden's shoulder. That is not cool.
Naoki trying to control the action but Marsden is working from the bottom.
Marsden is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Naoki's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Marsden is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marsden gets back to full guard.
Naoki slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Naoki has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Marsden is proving hard to escape from.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Naoki looking to sit in guard and control but Marsden gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsden stands and throws Naoki's legs to the side, diving into side control.
You can see the frustration on Naoki's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Naoki tries to buck Marsden off but Marsden is having none of it.
Marsden is chipping away with strikes.
Naoki is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Marsden has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Naoki prevents Marsden from moving into mount.
Naoki is working to avoid the ground and pound but Marsden connects with a decent elbow.
Marsden lands an elbow.
Both fighters take a look at the clock.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The ground and pound from Marsden seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Marsden tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Marsden misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Naoki sneaks back into half guard.
Marsden thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Naoki's head.

Naoki makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Naoki avoids the body shot from Marsden.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marsden takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Naoki tries to land a front kick but Marsden steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
An attempted straight right counter from Marsden misses the target.
Nice straight punches there by Marsden. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Marsden.
Naoki needs to keep his hands up - Marsden had a free shot at his head there.
Naoki uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Marsden.
Naoki tries to counter with a clinch but Marsden shakes him off and moves away.
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 Brandon Marsden will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Marsden lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Marsden moves out of range as Naoki strikes.
Naoki defending well as Marsden loads up on a big left hand.
Naoki throws a hook but Marsden avoids it easily.
Marsden jabs at Naoki's body.
Marsden scores with a jab to the body.
Nice defenses there by Marsden.
No joy there for Marsden, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Marsden doesn't manage to clinch there - Naoki circles away.
Marsden misses the shot to the body.
Marsden lands a jab to the head.
Marsden takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Marsden bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Naoki's head.
Naoki blocks a leg kick.
Naoki works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marsden closes the distance and clinches up with Naoki, looking for a takedown. Marsden pushes Naoki against the cage but Naoki circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
A little jabbing left from Naoki on the counter but it doesn't find it's target.
Marsden uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Naoki.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marsden cracks a nice hook into Naoki's ribs.
Marsden jabs at Naoki's body.
Marsden uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Naoki.
Marsden's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Naoki connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Marsden scrambles back to his feet.
A head kick misses from Naoki.
Nice cross by Marsden.
Takeshi Naoki is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Marsden tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Naoki paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Naoki misses with a head kick.
Naoki blocks a jab.
Marsden lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Naoki at a distance.
Marsden thumps Naoki with a low kick.
Marsden pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Naoki throws a hook to the side of Marsden's head but Marsden sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Naoki feints a straight left to the body, then turns around with a flashy move and hits Marsdens jaw with a dramatic spinning back fist!
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Marsden stuns Naoki with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Marsden misses with a straight left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Naoki takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Marsden on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Marsden moves out of range of the body kick.
Naoki uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Marsden.
Naoki tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Marsden was well out of range. Poor timing from Naoki.
Marsden misses with a wild body shot.

Marsden closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Marsden scores with a couple of short elbows.
Naoki takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
Marsden grinds an elbow into Naoki's temple.
Naoki sneaks back into half guard.
Naoki is controlling Marsden's trapped leg to prevent Marsden from advancing to side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marsden is looking for a kimura but Naoki is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Marsden to get the leverage.
Naoki is looking for a sweep. Marsden is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Marsden thows a huge punch but Naoki dodges it nicely.
Marsden lands strikes from half guard.

Marsden is trying to work for a kimura but Naoki is defending well.
Naoki desperately trying to maintain half guard.

Marsden is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Naoki defends it well.
Marsden thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Naoki's head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marsden stops Naoki from getting back to his feet.
Marsden lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Naoki looks like he's trying to stand up.
Marsden tries to pass to full mount but Naoki defends it.
Naoki controlling the position for now.
Naoki tries to kick Marsden off in order to stand up. Marsden Avoids the leg push though and dives into side control.
Naoki dodges the ground and pound from Marsden.
Naoki struggling a bit here.
Marsden throws an elbow but Naoki slips to the side and avoids it well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Brandon Marsden dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Naoki clinches up with Marsden and pushes him back against the cage.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Marsden.
Naoki wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Marsden misses with a short punch on the inside.
Marsden has a couple of punches blocked by Naoki.
Still in the clinch, Naoki scores with a nice short uppercut.
Marsden is trying to pull guard but Naoki has him pressed against the cage.
Naoki blocks a body shot from Marsden.
Marsden tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Naoki just stands there and leans against the cage.
Naoki lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
A shot in the inside from Naoki.
Naoki misses with a shot to the kidneys.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A nice right hand lands inside from Marsden.
Naoki working aggressively here.
Marsden goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
A nice right hand lands inside from Marsden.
A battle for position here, against the cage.

Marsden gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Naoki regains guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Naoki wants to stand and escape but Marsden is having none of it.
Marsden throwing strikes from guard but Naoki blocks nicely.
Naoki working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marsden.
Naoki is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Marsden scoring with punches to the head and body.
Naoki is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Marsden gets back to full guard.
Naoki trying to control but Marsden is working from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marsden is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Naoki has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Marsden is proving hard to escape from.

Marsden is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Naoki sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Takeshi Naoki has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marsden looking to hit a scissor sweep but Naoki is one step ahead there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Naoki wants to get up but he can't break Marsden's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Marsden looking for a sweep. Not yet Marsden, not yet.
Naoki showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

Marsden throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Marsden 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.
Marsden utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Naoki passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Naoki grinds an elbow into Marsden's temple.
Brandon Marsden overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Marsden is working to avoid the ground and pound but Naoki connects with a decent elbow.
Marsden taking a bit of punishment here - Naoki scoring with strikes.

Naoki is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Marsden is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Naoki works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.

And that's the end of the fight!
Takeshi Naoki comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Marsden 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 28:29
Judge Don Winkell scores the fight 29:28
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Brandon Marsden!
Post fight, Brandon Marsden stared into the camera and said 'A weakling like you doesn't deserve fists to fight with, now go fade to nothingness!'.