PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Franko Sicciro (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martinez is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Paparazzi. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Sicciro
vs
Martinez

201 cm
22
253 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

225 cm
20
255 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent elbows
Very strong

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Prefers standup

Beast Fightwear
TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Franko Sicciro!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Matt Martinez !
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Sicciro shoots in looking for a takedown. Martinez tries to sprawl out of it but Sicciro keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Martinez manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Martinez tries to clinch but Sicciro moves out of range.
A right-left combo lands from Martinez .
Martinez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sicciro circles away quickly and effectively.
Martinez doesn't manage to clinch there - Sicciro circles away.
Martinez wants to clinch up but Sicciro keeps it at a distance.
Martinez is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Martinez looks to land a combination. Sicciro sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

Sicciro clinches up against the cage.

Sicciro turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!

Sicciro is trying to get an arm triangle but Martinez is defending well.
Martinez tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Sicciro creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Martinez sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Sicciro landing strikes.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Sicciro asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Sicciro scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Martinez to see if he's OK.
You can see the frustration on Martinez 's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Sicciro lands a few punches from side control.
Sicciro postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Sicciro looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Martinez is avoiding damage well.
Martinez defending against the ground and pound.
Sicciro looks up at the clock and then as Martinez takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Sicciro smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Sicciro is breathing heavily.
Sicciro working the head with strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martinez defending against the ground and pound.
Sicciro 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.
Martinez is looking for a sweep.
Martinez is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.

Sicciro is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Martinez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Sicciro in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Sicciro tries to score with some ground and pound. Martinez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sicciro throwing strikes but Martinez manages to buck up and roll into a nice reversal - now he's on top in side control!
Sicciro might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Sicciro striking from the bottom but nothing landed.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sicciro showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Martinez .
Martinez wants to clinch

and Sicciro counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Martinez misses with a punch to the body.
Sicciro blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Martinez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sicciro has him pressed against the cage.
Martinez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Sicciro has him pressed against the cage.
Martinez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Martinez can't break the clinch.
Martinez is trying to break free.
With the fighters clinched against the cage, Martinez creates a bit of distance for himself and scores with a nice uppercut.
Martinez prevents the takedown attempt.
Sicciro blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Sicciro goes for a takedown attempt but Martinez pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franko Sicciro. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Martinez has managed to clinch.
Martinez wants to stall.
Martinez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Sicciro pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Sicciro is on the wrong end of a nice combination from Martinez .
Sicciro dodges the punch combination from Martinez .
Left hook, right uppercut from Martinez .
Sicciro shoots for a takedown but Martinez saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Martinez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and Sicciro counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Sicciro.
Sicciro keeps control of Martinez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Martinez is pressed up against the cage. Sicciro has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Martinez down to the mat. Martinez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
A nice combination there by Martinez .
Martinez moves into range and throws a combination. A nice jab followed by a hook to the body.
Martinez darts in trying to clinch

and Sicciro counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Martinez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Sicciro. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Sicciro thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
Martinez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franko Sicciro dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Martinez moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Martinez closes the distance looking to clinch

and Sicciro counters by clinching up.
Martinez can't break the clinch.
Sicciro has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Martinez avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Sicciro using the Thai clinch to land knees to the body.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Martinez .
Sicciro tries for a takedown. No joy.
Sicciro lands a body punch in the clinch.

Sicciro gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Martinez regains guard.

Sicciro drops back, looking for a kneebar! Martinez looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Martinez looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Martinez !
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sicciro throws a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Sicciro tries to improve position but can't.
Sicciro is not content to let Martinez control the position.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sicciro misses with a strike from the bottom.
Sicciro tries to bench press Martinez off him but Martinez keeps the position.
Martinez is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Sicciro will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Sicciro is looking to reverse the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Martinez tries to clinch

and Sicciro counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Sicciro.
Sicciro throws a big right hand that misses.
Franko Sicciro overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sicciro throws a strike but Martinez rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Sicciro looking for a guillotine here but Martinez defends easily.
Sicciro trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.

Sicciro is looking for a triangle but Martinez pushes his legs off easily.
Martinez stays in close to Sicciro's body and controls the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez wants to stand but Sicciro has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Sicciro keeping moving, preventing Martinez from controlling successfully.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Martinez lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Matt Martinez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sicciro shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Martinez but Martinez pushes him off and we're back to square one.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Franko Sicciro. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Martinez is looking to clinch.
Martinez lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Sicciro circles away quickly and effectively.
Martinez goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Martinez lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.

Sicciro shoots in and bounces Martinez off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Sicciro is one step ahead there.

Sicciro is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Martinez is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Martinez has escaped and now he's on top!

Sicciro looking for a guillotine here but Martinez defends easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Franko Sicciro dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Martinez throws a combination. Sicciro tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Martinez tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Sicciro paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Sicciro keeps the fight on the outside.
Martinez wants to clinch up but Sicciro keeps it at a distance.
A right-left combo lands from Martinez .
Sicciro swats away the attempt to clinch by Martinez .

Sicciro scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.

Sicciro thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.

Sicciro tries for a kimura but Martinez is defending well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Martinez avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Sicciro.
Sicciro in side control, throwing shots but Martinez defends.
Sicciro throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Martinez is trying to improve his position.

Sicciro goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Martinez has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Sicciro but great work by Martinez .

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.
Sicciro tries to get back to half guard but can't.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Martinez lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Martinez fails to land with a series of punches.
Left hook, right uppercut from Martinez .
Martinez lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!
Sicciro swats away the attempt to clinch by Martinez .
Franko Sicciro is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Martinez doesn't manage to clinch there - Sicciro circles away.

Sicciro shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Martinez 's guard.
Martinez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sicciro postures up in Martinez 's guard and throws a big left but Martinez blocks it.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Sicciro accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Sicciro is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Martinez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sicciro.
Martinez trying to control the position.
Sicciro postures up in Martinez 's guard and throws a big left but Martinez blocks it.
Sicciro with a flurry of punches that miss.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Sicciro avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Sicciro clinches with his opponent.
Martinez lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Sicciro or not.
Martinez is trying to break free.
Martinez lands a right hand that snaps the head of Sicciro backwards.
Sicciro landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Sicciro has hold of one of Martinez 's legs. Martinez is fighting the takedown attempt but Sicciro gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Martinez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sicciro.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sicciro is looking to work some ground and pound but Martinez has wrist control.
Sicciro stands up over Martinez , holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Sicciro missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sicciro won't allow Martinez to get back to his feet.
Martinez has momentary wrist control but Sicciro slips an elbow through the middle.
Martinez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Sicciro.
Sicciro in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Martinez darts in trying to clinch

and Sicciro counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Matt Martinez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Sicciro loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

And that's the end of the fight!
Franko Sicciro showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Sicciro, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:27
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:27
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Franko Sicciro!