PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Conor Martin (ranked 25010 p4p, 704 weight class) and Tim St John (ranked 7825 p4p, 641 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying St John's choice of entrance music: Machine gun Kelly - Till I Die. I don't know about you partner, but I'm pumped for this one!

Martin
vs
St John

190 cm
18
150 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

185 cm
23
165 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Top Nutrition 160Q\250$ 140Q\150$ 100Q\50$
Juggernaut And Gladiators(90% Laundry)

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Conor Martin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of New York, Tim St John!
The judges for this bout are Reed Andrews, Jonathan Paton and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Martin has a takedown stuffed.
Martin fails to land the takedown.
St John pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
St John lands a nice leg kick that just misses Martin's sensitive parts.
Martin walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts St John as he jumps to the side.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Conor Martin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Martin looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? St John is fending him off so far but Martin persists. Nope, St John circles away and we're back to standing.
St John fakes a jab and then connects with a hook.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin takes one to the side of the head.
St John throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Martin on the side of the head.
Martin really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Martin ducks under a wild hook from St John.
St John scores with a leg kick.
Martin tries to clinch up but St John circles away and keeps his distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A head kick from St John lands but Martin takes it in his stride.

Martin is rocked!
Martin misses with a takedown

and St John moves into the clinch.
Oh Martin is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
I was talking to Martin's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
St John leaning his opponent against the cage.
St John scores with a nice hook to the head.
Martin on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
St John lands a knee to the body.

St John breaks from the clinch.
Martin seems to have got his legs back now.
St John misses with a series of wild punches.
St John misses with a double jab.
St John takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
St John bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Martin's head.
St John has worked on his takedown defense in the runup to this fight and it is paying off so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

St John moves into range and clinches up with Martin.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
St John lands an elbow inside that Martin shrugs off.
St John missing with knees to the body.
Martin stalling in the clinch but St John improves position.
Martin is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables St John to keep the fight standing.
Martin jumps guard but St John stands there with Martin around his waist. Martin gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
St John lands with a short head shot on the inside.

Martin breaks from the clinch.
Martin takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
St John fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
St John changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Martin fails with a takedown attempt.
St John throws a counter combo.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St John checks a leg kick.
Martin shoots in for a double leg but St John sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
St John throws a counter combo.
St John bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Martin's head backwards.
St John throws a series of strikes that have Martin backpedaling.
A lazy left from St John finds it's target.
Good standup being displayed there by St John as he connects with a hook.
St John throws a head kick but Martin moves out of range.
St John is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Martin had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into pâté.
Martin drops his hands momentarily and St John takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Martin tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. St John manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
As Martin backs off St John throws a huge counter combo but Martin manages to avoid it all.
A head kick misses from St John.

St John pushes Martin up against the cage in a clinch.
St John gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
St John content to slow the pace in the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St John tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Martin's elbow.
St John throws an elbow but it misses.
With the fighters up against the cage, St John throws an elbow but misses.
St John lands with a light punch inside.
St John is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Martin is defending well.
St John lands a shoulder strike that jolts his opponent's head backwards.

St John breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
St John checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
St John blocks the body kick.

St John rushes Martin and presses him up against the cage.
St John using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Martin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.

Martin breaks the clinch.
Martin dives in for a single leg takedown but St John sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim St John dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Martin takes one to the side of the head.
St John tries a head kick but it misses.
St John throws a body punch but Martin moves out of range.
Martin takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Martin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Martin shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says St John as he avoids it easily.
St John scores with a jab to the jaw.
St John throws a nice outside leg kick.
Martin shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. St John defends it nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
St John fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St John explodes with a nice body kick and back out of range. Nice work.
St John lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.

St John lands a big head kick that sends Martin tumbling to the mat! St John takes a step backwards and waves Martin back to his feet - he wants the finish!
St John throws a head kick but Martin moves out of range.
A punch combination from St John misses.
St John looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Martin shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Martin showed some decent athleticism there.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.

Martin is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and St John defends it well.
St John blocking the ground and pound attempt from Martin.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martin wants to take a breather but St John is having none of it.

St John actively working from the bottom here.
St John keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.
Martin slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
St John is looking to improve his position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
St John blocking the ground and pound attempt from Martin.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Martin sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. St John defending well though.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Martin tries to move into range but St John moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Martin throws a body kick that misses.
St John unleashes a big counter combination but Martin bobs and weaves and avoids any damage.

St John rushes Martin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin tries to pull guard but St John forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Conor Martin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Martin tries to pull guard but St John holds him up against the cage and eventually Martin drops back down to his feet.

St John manages to break the clinch.
Tim St John seems to be getting the better of the standup.
A solid leg kick lands there for St John.
Martin throws an overhand right that lands on St John's shoulder, as St John tries to avoid the shot.
St John leaves Martin with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
St John avoids a kick to the body.
St John thuds a left hand into Martin's body.
Martin looks to throw the jab but St John is out of range.
St John chopping away at his opponent's legs.
St John misses with the combination.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim St John showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
OK. That's time! The bell goes 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.

A left lands for St John.
Conor Martin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
St John slaps away a takedown attempt from Martin, before circling back to the center of the mat.
St John lands a glancing blow to the side of Martin's head.
St John cracks a nice hook into Martin's ribs.
Martin fails in his attempt to clinch.
Martin takes a kick to the side of the head.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin fails with a takedown attempt from distance.

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

Martin looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
St John thows a huge punch but Martin dodges it nicely.

That's one minute gone in the round.
St John seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Martin does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Martin 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.
Martin missing with punches from the bottom.
Martin works his way to full guard. Good work.
St John throwing strikes but missing.
St John tries to free his leg and advance position but Martin is retaining full guard.
Martin utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
St John postures up in Martin's guard and throws a big left but Martin blocks it.
St John throwing strikes from guard but Martin blocks nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
St John looking to sit in guard and control but Martin gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Martin stands up from St John's guard - Martin perhaps looking for a knockout.
Tim St John seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Martin blocks a head kick by St John.
Martin fails with the takedown
and St John counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Conor Martin. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
St John throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
Martin looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
The fight stays on the outside here - Martin looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Martin feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.

St John is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Martin presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.

St John breaks from the clinch.
A chopping leg kick lands by St John.
Tim St John is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Martin tries to clinch but St John moves away
and St John counters with a nice uppercut.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Martin is defended easily by St John.
Martin throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around St John's waist but St John gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Martin off to one side.
Martin blocks a head kick by St John.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
St John dances in quickly and lands a nice inside leg kick on Martin. That did some damage!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
A good leg kick by St John.
Martin is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
St John moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Martin takes one on the button.
Martin pulls out of a head kick attempt.

St John takes the fight into the clinch.
Martin can't find room to land a body shot as St John controls the action.
Martin is looking for a takedown.
St John is pressed up against the cage. Martin has hold of a leg and is looking to drag St John down to the mat. St John avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Conor Martin has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
St John lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim St John comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got St John winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Reed Andrews scores the fight 26:30
Judge Jonathan Paton scores the fight 26:30
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tim St John!
Tim St John managed to slip a mention for his sponsors, Top Nutrition 160Q250$ 140Q150$ 100Q50$, into his post fight interview.
In defeat, Conor Martin stepped up to the mic, saying 'Was I doing it right? I have to return strong again.'.