PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Marcellus Ford (ranked 5797 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nicolas Torres (ranked 5812 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Ford
vs
Torres

181 cm
19
151 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

180 cm
20
145 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcellus Ford!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Nicolas Torres!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Leandro Rodrigues and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Torres wants to clinch.
Ford drops down looking for a counter takedown but Torres sprawls and moves away.

Torres has Ford up against the cage in a clinch.
Ford tries for a takedown but Torres manages to get underhooks.

Torres breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ford avoids a kick to the body.
Torres throws a body kick that misses

and Ford counters with a nice double leg into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ford missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ford landing with the ground and pound.
Ford postures up in Torres's guard and throws a big left but Torres blocks it.

Ford is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ford stays in close to Torres's body and controls the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Ford wants to stand but Torres has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Ford loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

Ford has gone for a leg lock! Torres slips out almost immediately though and dives into Ford's guard.

Torres stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Ford swivels though and keeps the full 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.
Ford trying to control the position here.
Ford tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Torres wants to stand but Ford is controlling his posture from full guard.
Torres wants to control from the top but Ford keeps moving.

Torres got a little sloppy there for a moment and Ford has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Torres has managed to get both his arms back between Ford's legs - danger averted.
Ford has his hands on Torres's head, controlling the position.
Torres not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Torres stopping the sweep attempt from Ford.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Torres is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ford misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Torres tries a head kick but it misses.
Torres moves out of range as Ford strikes.
Ford throws a right and a left that Torres avoids nicely.
Torres lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Ford 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.
Torres swinging wildly here.
Ford changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fight stays on the outside here - Torres looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Ford tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Torres was well out of range. Poor timing from Ford.
Torres is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Torres scores with a nice body kick.
Torres swinging wildly here.
Ford changes levels looking for a counter takedown but doesn't commit.
Nicolas Torres seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Torres fails to land with a series of punches.
Torres throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.
Torres throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Torres closes the distance and clinches.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Ford changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Torres fights it off and pushes away nicely.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marcellus Ford. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Torres misses with a kick to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Ford shoots in for a takedown but Torres shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Torres tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Ford paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Torres misses with the body kick

and Ford counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Torres!

Torres sneaks out the side door and pushes Ford away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
Marcellus Ford is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Torres throws a push kick but Ford slaps the foot to one side.
Ford avoids a kick to the body.
Torres lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Torres swinging wildly here.
Ford throws a quick counter head kick but Torres was just out of range.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Torres turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Ford misses with a jab, cross combination.

Torres has closed the distance and engaged Ford in a clinch.
Ford tries a body shot but Torres blocks it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ford turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Ford manages to end up in side control.
Torres taking punishment in the form of punches.
Sloppy strikes there by Ford.

Ford is trying to get an arm triangle but Torres is defending well.
Torres is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
An elbow from Ford crashes against the mat.
Ford 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.
Ford throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Ford goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Torres rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Ford's guard! Nice work there by Torres!
Torres wants to control from the top but Ford keeps moving.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ford trying to keep a closed guard but Torres is proving a slippery customer.
Ford is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

Ford prevents Torres from standing back up.
Ford not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Ford is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

Ford looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ford with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Ford winds up and cracks Torres with a swinging punch to the side of the head.

Ford looking for a submission but Torres manages to get full guard, putting an end to that submission attempt.
Marcellus Ford overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Torres wants to stand up but Ford is controlling him.

That's four 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.
Ford has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Torres is proving hard to escape from.
Torres wants to get back to his feet but Ford is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Ford is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Torres displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Torres is breathing heavily.
Torres is looking to clinch.
A combination from Ford does no damage.
Ford fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Nicolas Torres showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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.

Ford moves out of range of the body kick.
Torres thuds a mid kick into his opponent's body. That will wear on Ford if he has to take too many more of those.
A punch combination from Torres misses.
Torres looks to throw a body kick

and Ford counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Ford not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Ford throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Ford with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

Ford is trying to work for a kimura. This could be trouble! No, Torres has managed to free his arm - good work.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
It looks like Ford is going to stand back up.
Torres avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Ford.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Ford decides to return to a standing position.
Torres takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Torres throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Nicolas Torres is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Torres throws a body kick despite being completely out of range

and Ford counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Torres utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ford works over Torres with some ground and pound from guard.
Ford cracks Torres with a solid left hand.
Ford missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Ford cracks Torres with a solid left hand.
Ford trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Torres being controlled here, momentarily.
Ford working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ford distracts Torres with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Ford with a flurry of punches that miss.
Ford is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Ford loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Ford is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Ford tries a head kick but it misses.
Ford will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Nicolas Torres seems to be getting the better of the standup.

Ford changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Torres looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Ford looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
The referee asks Ford politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Ford prefers to stall for the moment though.
Ford lands a nice forearm strike.
Ford controlling from side mount.

Ford goes for an armbar! This could be all over! Wait, no, Torres rolls with the submission and now he's on top in Ford's guard! Nice work there by Torres!
Ford pulls Torres in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ford continues to stall.

Ford is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Torres trying to stand up but can't free himself from Ford's guard.
Torres trying to control but Ford is working from the bottom.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ford controlling Torres's posture.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcellus Ford showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Torres has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Nicolas Torres!