PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Francisco Marquez (ranked 4648 p4p, 0 weight class) and Dexter Varela (ranked 4581 p4p, 0 weight class). Dexter Varela has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with Francisco Marquez's chin.

Marquez
vs
Varela

182 cm
25
157 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

175 cm
25
152 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

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 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Francisco Marquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Dexter Varela !
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Santiago Holmes and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A slapping body kick lands there for Marquez.

Varela gets tackled into the cage by Marquez. Marquez maintains the clinch.
Varela gets underhooks to prevent Marquez's takedown attempt.
The pace really dropping off here, momentarily.

Marquez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Varela lands a jab-cross combination.

It looks like Francisco Marquez has been cut.
A head kick misses from Varela .

Marquez closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Varela prevents the takedown attempt.
Marquez throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Varela blocks it with crossed arms.
Marquez lands a glancing elbow in the clinch.

Varela manages to break the clinch.
Marquez fails with a takedown attempt from distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Francisco Marquez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Varela counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Marquez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Varela fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Varela keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Varela slaps away a takedown attempt from Marquez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Marquez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Varela counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Marquez is looking to break free of the clinch but Varela has double underhooks.
Varela is looking for a takedown.
Marquez lands a right hand that snaps the head of Varela backwards.
Varela is trying to pull guard but Marquez turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Stalling in the clinch from Marquez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Varela escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Marquez rushes Varela and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Varela breaks the clinch.
Varela changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Marquez tries to avoid it but Varela manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Marquez to the ground. Marquez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Varela tries to clinch there but Marquez circles away.
Varela throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

Marquez darts in and clinches Varela up against the cage.
Marquez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Varela fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Left hook, right uppercut from Varela .
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Some wild striking there from Marquez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Varela decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.

Marquez is rocked!
Varela is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Oh Marquez is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Varela is working for a submission of some sort.
Marquez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Varela is working away from the top position though.
Varela content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Marquez is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Varela jumps into side control!
Marquez seems to have got his legs back now.
Marquez tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Varela tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Varela has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Varela wants to control but Marquez is keeping him busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marquez gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Marquez is trying to control but can't.
Marquez tries to get to full guard but Varela has control of the leg.
Marquez is looking to control Varela 's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Marquez avoid being mounted?
Marquez holds on for dear life, maintaining half guard for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dexter Varela dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Francisco Marquez's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nice takedown defense from Marquez. No joy for Varela on that attempt.
Varela throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Marquez's waist but Marquez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Varela off to one side.
Varela shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Marquez but Marquez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Francisco Marquez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Dexter Varela .
Varela shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Marquez but Marquez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
As Varela tries to get set, Marquez tries to push him back and clinch up but Varela manages to avoid the attempt.
Marquez keeps the fight on the outside.
Marquez defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Varela .
Marquez scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Varela doesn't seem bothered though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Varela circles away from the clinch attempt.
Marquez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Varela counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Varela has had enough of the clinch but Marquez keeps him there for the moment.
Varela fails to pull the fight into his guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marquez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Varela throws a combination that misses

and Marquez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Marquez is trying to pull guard but Varela turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Marquez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Varela walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Marquez checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Marquez closes this distance looking for a takedown but Varela circles away.
Marquez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Varela .
Marquez tries to counter by clinching up but Varela breaks away and moves out of range.
Marquez shoots in for a double leg but Varela sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Varela is trying to avoid his opponent's strikes and get into the clinch.
Varela pulls out of a head kick attempt.

Marquez scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Marquez wants to stand but Varela has his arm trapped.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Varela is trying to get back to half guard.

Marquez wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Varela , who protects the arm well.
Marquez tries to move to full mount but Varela actually manages to regain half guard.
Varela preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Varela keeping his head moving to avoid the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Varela wants to sweep but Marquez has passed to side control!
Varela is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Marquez staying calm.
Marquez wants to stand but Varela is controlling his arm.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Varela tries to bench press Marquez off him but Marquez keeps the position.
Varela regains half guard there - taking advantage of Marquez's attempt to lay and pray for a moment.
Varela wants to control but Marquez is keeping busy.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Marquez blocks the strikes from Varela .

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.
Marquez shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Varela but Varela pushes him off and we're back to square one.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francisco Marquez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Francisco Marquez's cut.
That's time! Marquez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. 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.

Varela shoots for a double leg takedown but Marquez sprawls well. He's pushed Varela 's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Marquez is looking for a counter combo.

Marquez fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Varela , pushing him back against the cage.

Marquez's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Marquez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Marquez blocks the body kick.
Marquez shoots in for a takedown but Varela shows good takedown defense.
Marquez leaves Varela with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Marquez throws a head kick but Varela moves out of range.
Francisco Marquez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marquez closes the distance and clinches up with Varela , looking for a takedown. Marquez pushes Varela against the cage but Varela circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Varela is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Varela moves into the clinch successfully.
Varela wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Marquez fails to pull the fight into his guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Francisco Marquez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Marquez misses with a hook to the ribs.

Marquez manages to pull guard.
Marquez is trying to control the position but Varela postures up.
Varela wanted to stand there but Marquez had control of the position.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Marquez holds on and takes a little breather.
Varela trying to move into half guard but instead Marquez has managed to sweep!

Varela trying to keep a closed guard but Marquez is proving a slippery customer.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marquez passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Marquez moves into full mount!
Marquez thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Marquez trying to control but he's not successful this time.

Marquez working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquez prevents Varela from getting the reversal.
Marquez wants to control the pace but Varela is squirming around nicely.
Varela avoids a series of strikes thrown by Marquez.
Marquez wants to control the pace but Varela is squirming around nicely.
Poor strikes thrown by Marquez there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
Francisco Marquez overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Varela tries to hold on but Marquez postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marquez throwing strikes here but Varela is writhing around nicely and avoiding any serious damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marquez controlling from mount.
Marquez looking to ground and pound but Varela is blocking nicely.
Varela tries to buck Marquez off but he can't manage it.
Marquez tries to control but Varela wriggling away.

Marquez moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Varela has worked his arm free - good work by Varela !
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Varela is looking for a sweep.

And that's the end of the fight!
Francisco Marquez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Marquez 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 29:28
Judge Santiago Holmes scores the fight 29:28
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Francisco Marquez!