PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Nicholas Cardenas (ranked 25050 p4p, 0 weight class) and Kelcey Martel (ranked 6175 p4p, 0 weight class). This should be fireworks!

Cardenas
vs
Martel

201 cm
22
279 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

209 cm
25
247 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Nicholas Cardenas!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Kelcey Martel!
The judges for this bout are Roosa Järviläinen, Ben Zyskovitsi and Marco Blurström.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Martel bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Cardenas tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Martel trying to control but Cardenas is having none of it.
Martel sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Cardenas looking to escape from mount but he's given up his back!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
What can Cardenas do to escape this position? He's going to have to figure it out pretty quick if he wants to stay in the fight!
Martel is looking to control Cardenas but Cardenas is wriggling around and keeping busy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martel biding his time, controlling Cardenas.
Cardenas is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Cardenas is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Martel.

Martel is looking to finish the fight by rear naked choke. Cardenas knows exactly what he's got planned though, so he's defending well. Maybe a few strikes would soften Cardenas for a finish.
Cardenas is trying to stand back up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Cardenas is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Martel throws a big right hand but he misses and hits the mat. Ouch.
Cardenas tries to escape the position.

Martel working for a choke but Cardenas is defending well.
Cardenas has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Martel.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martel slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Martel throwing lazy shots from the back mount that aren't doing any damage.
Cardenas covering up well under a series of strikes from Martel.
Martel trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Cardenas defending nicely against the rear naked choke attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Martel doesn't have the hooks in and Cardenas manages to turn into his guard.
Cardenas throws a big elbow that misses.
Martel has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Cardenas has passed into side control.
You can see the frustration on Martel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Martel is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Kelcey Martel dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Martel misses with a head kick.
Martel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Martel tries to clinch up.
Cardenas is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Martel.

Martel moves into the clinch.
Martel wants to get back to striking at distance but Cardenas won't allow it.

Martel pulls Cardenas into guard.
Cardenas throws a big elbow that misses.
Cardenas showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Cardenas stopping the sweep attempt from Martel.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Cardenas working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Martel's head.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martel working a defensive guard here.

Martel throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Cardenas's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Cardenas scoring with punches to the head and body.
Cardenas works over Martel with some ground and pound from guard.
Cardenas connects with a couple of short punches.

Martel looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Cardenas stops Martel from standing up.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Martel shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Martel showed some decent athleticism there.
Cardenas is trying to escape back to his feet but Martel uses the scramble to pass into side control.
Martel wants to control but Cardenas is keeping him busy.
Cardenas gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martel throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Martel looks to land a strike but Cardenas avoids it nicely and regains full guard.
Kelcey Martel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Martel throws an elbow that misses. Cardenas uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Martel's guard. Nice move by Cardenas!

Cardenas distracts Martel with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Martel throws his legs up looking for a submission but Cardenas uses it to pass to side control.
Martel tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but Cardenas presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martel is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Martel is working to get back to half guard.
Cardenas looking to finish Martel with some ground and pound. This is bad for Martel!
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Martel is wriggling around trying to escape.
Cardenas lands a big shot there that rocks Martel but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Martel wants to control but Cardenas is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicholas Cardenas dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Martel fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Cardenas sprawls well initially but Martel persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Cardenas wants to improve his position but Martel is controlling well.
Martel controlling the action here.
Martel is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martel trying to control the position from guard on top but Cardenas is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Martel showing good wrestling skills to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Cardenas looking to hit a scissor sweep but Martel is one step ahead there.
Cardenas is looking to sweep but instead, Martel has passed into half guard.
Cardenas throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Martel missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Martel looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Martel is keen to just control but Cardenas is a slippery customer.
Martel with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Martel misses with a head shot. Cardenas uses the momentum to regain guard.
Martel trying to control but Cardenas is working from the bottom.
Cardenas is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Martel is controlling him.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martel misses with an attempted mid kick.

Martel closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Cardenas quickly recovers to half guard.
Martel throwing shots but Cardenas is blocking nicely.
Cardenas wants to get back to full guard.

Martel decides to return to a standing position.

Martel shoots in and bounces Cardenas off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Cardenas trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Martel decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Cardenas, up you get!
Cardenas shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Martel pinned against the cage. Martel gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Martel tries to clinch there but Cardenas circles away.
Cardenas looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Martel.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Cardenas is not content to let Martel control the position.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Cardenas tries to buck Martel off but Martel is having none of it.

And that's the end of the fight!
Kelcey Martel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Martel has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 28:29
Judge Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Marco Blurström scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Kelcey Martel!