PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Takis Kotsaris (ranked 5838 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Marven (ranked 8203 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Kotsaris
vs
Marven

191 cm
20
220 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
23
275 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Self confident

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Powerful

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 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Takis Kotsaris!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, John Marven!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Nard Betker and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kotsaris keeps the fight on the outside.
Kotsaris tries to counter by clinching up but Marven breaks away and moves out of range.
Marven slaps away a takedown attempt from Kotsaris, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Marven stuffs the takedown attempt from Kotsaris. Kotsaris gets slowly back to his feet.
Marven pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Kotsaris has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Takis Kotsaris. That's going to take a lot out of him.
No luck for Kotsaris with that takedown attempt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marven shoots in and drives through. Kotsaris sprawls well.

Marven is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Kotsaris's half guard.

Kotsaris manages to escape and get back to his feet!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotsaris looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Marven wants to counter the offense by Kotsaris and move into the clinch position.
Kotsaris shoots in but no luck this time.
Kotsaris shoots in and drives through. Marven sprawls well.

Kotsaris gets caught flat footed, as Marven shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

Kotsaris has his feet on Marven's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.
Kotsaris is breathing heavily.

Marven moves into the clinch.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Kotsaris lands an elbow that stopped Marven in his tracks for a moment.

Marven gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Kotsaris regains guard.

Kotsaris manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Kotsaris is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Marven pulls him back up using the underhooks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Kotsaris is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Kotsaris is trying to maintain a safe position but Marven gets an underhook and turns Kotsaris into the cage.
Marven goes for a takedown in the clinch but Kotsaris prevents it.
Kotsaris is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Marven gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Kotsaris is looking to control Marven's arms but Marven gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kotsaris has his back to the cage.
Marven slows down the pace here.
Marven tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Kotsaris avoids it.
Kotsaris is pressed up against the cage. Marven has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Kotsaris down to the mat. Kotsaris avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Kotsaris shoots in but Marven avoids the takedown attempt easily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marven fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Marven scores with a takedown into Kotsaris's guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Kotsaris controlling Marven's posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kotsaris is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Kotsaris will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Kotsaris thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Marven must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.

Marven stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Marven slaps away a takedown attempt from Kotsaris, before circling back to the center of the mat.
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 Takis Kotsaris will probably get the nod.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

A big right from Kotsaris misses.
Marven throws a big counter head kick but Kotsaris avoids it with no problem.
Marven fails with the takedown
and Kotsaris counters with a nice uppercut.
Marven looks for a takedown but Kotsaris sprawls well.
Kotsaris lands with a slapping head kick.

Kotsaris drives through and clinches with Marven against the cage.
Kotsaris has Marven pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Marven manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marven has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Kotsaris avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Takis Kotsaris has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of John Marven.
Kotsaris jumps guard but Marven turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Marven is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Kotsaris is defending well.
Kotsaris wants to take the fight to the mat but Marven manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kotsaris has Marven pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Marven manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Kotsaris looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Kotsaris is trying to pull guard but Marven has him pressed against the cage.
Kotsaris prevents a takedown attempt there.
Marven wants to get back to striking at distance but Kotsaris won't allow it.
Marven trying to stall but Kotsaris improves his position.
Marven gets underhooks to prevent Kotsaris's takedown attempt.
Marven throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Kotsaris blocks it with crossed arms.
Kotsaris is trying to pull guard but Marven has him pressed against the cage.
Marven is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Kotsaris to keep the fight standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Marven breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Kotsaris gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Marven counters with a straight punch to the midsection.

Marven has Kotsaris up against the cage in a clinch.
Marven displaying some good clinch control by pressing Kotsaris up against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
Kotsaris trying to control the position but instead, Marven has worked for underhooks and has pushed Kotsaris into the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marven has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Kotsaris tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Marven just stands there and leans against the cage.
Marven jumps guard but Kotsaris turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Kotsaris is looking to control Marven's arms but Marven gets an underhook and turns him. Now Kotsaris has his back to the cage.
Marven is trying to push Kotsaris away but Kotsaris has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Kotsaris pulls guard effortlessly.
Kotsaris pulls Marven in close to prevent any damage.
Marven wants to get up but he can't break Kotsaris's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.
Takis Kotsaris overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's four 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.
Kotsaris is controlling Marven's posture.
Kotsaris trying to keep a closed guard but Marven is proving a slippery customer.
Marven is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Kotsaris keeping moving, preventing Marven from controlling successfully.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kotsaris pulls Marven in close to prevent any damage.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
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 Takis Kotsaris will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Marven tries to close the distance and clinch up but Kotsaris swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Kotsaris shoots for a takedown but Marven saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Kotsaris looks for a takedown but Marven sprawls well.
Marven is trying hard to land a takedown here. Kotsaris sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Kotsaris digs a good body shot into Marven's ribs.
Kotsaris tries to clinch up but Marven circles away and keeps his distance.
Kotsaris circles away from the clinch attempt.
Marven takes a body punch that cleary hurt but he's trying not to show any weakness.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Marven has Kotsaris up against the cage in a clinch.

Kotsaris escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Marven lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Kotsaris at a distance.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marven shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Marven is looking to advance position but Kotsaris won't allow it.
Nice strikes from Marven there.
Marven really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Kotsaris. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Kotsaris is looking to improve his position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marven working Kotsaris over with strikes.
Marven seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Kotsaris does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Kotsaris is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Kotsaris is trying to stand up here but Marven is controlling him well.

Kotsaris actively working from the bottom here.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marven is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marven drives through with a takedown into guard.
Kotsaris looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Kotsaris is trying to keep Marven in close.
Marven wants to control from the top but Kotsaris keeps moving.
Marven lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Kotsaris has a closed guard, preventing Marven from standing up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Kotsaris has control of Marven's left arm, preventing Marven from doing any damage.
Kotsaris is trying to keep Marven in close.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Some wild striking there from Marven.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Kotsaris.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Kotsaris lands a right hook to the body.
John Marven has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Takis Kotsaris is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Takis Kotsaris is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marven fails to land with a series of punches.

And that's the end of the fight!
John Marven comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Kotsaris 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 29:28
Judge Nard Betker scores the fight 29:30
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Takis Kotsaris!
John Marven spoke after the fight, saying 'There Always A Next Time '.