PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Thiago Reyes (ranked 3794 p4p, 6736 weight class) and Javier Martinez (ranked 461 p4p, 623 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Reyes
vs
Martinez

195 cm
25
215
1 - 1 - 0

188 cm
19
215
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Counter fighter
Big heart

Good wrestler
Decent boxing
Powerful

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Thiago Reyes!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of New York, Javier Martinez!
The judges for this bout are Leandro Rodrigues, Paulo Santos and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reyes throws a head kick that misses

and Martinez counters by clinching up.
Reyes wants to take the fight to the mat but Martinez manages to get underhooks and keep the fight in the clinch.
Reyes digs a right hand into Martinez's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Martinez's gas tank.
Reyes tries to break the clinch but Martinez is controlling the position.
Reyes looking to stall.
With the fighters up against the cage, Reyes throws an elbow but misses.
Reyes looks to throw an elbow but misses.
Martinez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Reyes throws a nice elbow but it doesn't land.

Reyes breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Martinez staying out of range there.
Martinez is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reyes misses with a body shot

and Martinez counters by moving into the clinch.
Reyes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Reyes tries to land knees in the clinch but Martinez avoids the damage to the body.
Reyes is trying to break the clinch but Martinez is controlling him.
A knee to the head by Reyes.
Martinez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A nice right hand lands inside from Martinez.
Reyes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Martinez.
Reyes misses with a punch to the body.
Martinez has Reyes pressed against the cage, preventing Reyes from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Reyes throws a punch but it's blocked by Martinez.
Reyes tries to circle away but Martinez has him pinned against the cage.
Martinez misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reyes is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Martinez digs a right hand into Reyes's ribs. Those have got to be taking their toll on Reyes's gas tank.
Martinez lands a body punch.
Reyes struggles to land a body shot inside as Martinez controls his hands.
Reyes is trying to break the clinch but Martinez has him pressed against the cage.
Martinez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Reyes's efforts to push away.
Reyes wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Martinez has him pressed against the cage.
Martinez is leaning against Reyes and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.
Martinez tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Martinez cracks Reyes with a nice body shot.
Reyes tries to break free but Martinez pushes him back against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reyes missing with knees to the body.
Reyes tries to stall but Martinez uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Reyes tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Martinez avoids it.
Martinez avoiding damage as Reyes throws knees to the body.
Reyes tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Reyes misses with a punch on the inside.
Martinez prevents a takedown attempt there.
Martinez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Martinez on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Reyes taking a breather.
Martinez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Reyes backwards.
Reyes struggles to land a body shot inside as Martinez controls his hands.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reyes can't break the clinch.
Martinez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Reyes tries to circle away but Martinez has him pinned against the cage.
Martinez blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Martinez works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Martinez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Reyes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Reyes fails to pull guard.
Reyes goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Martinez lands a shot to the body.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Reyes is looking to break free of the clinch but Martinez has double underhooks.
Reyes lands a damaging elbow.

It looks like Javier Martinez has been cut.
Martinez scores with a hook to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Javier Martinez will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Javier Martinez's cut.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Martinez moves forwards but Reyes connects with a nice, crisp jab.
Reyes misses with a right hand
and Martinez counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Reyes throws a lazy head kick

and Martinez counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Martinez.
Reyes looking to slow down the pace here.
Martinez avoids the elbow strike from Reyes, against the cage.
Reyes drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Martinez gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Martinez lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Reyes or not.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinez lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
A right hand to the body from Martinez.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A frustrated look appears on Reyes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Martinez blocks an elbow strike from Reyes.
Martinez lands a body shot.
A left hand lands to the body for Martinez.
Martinez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Reyes's efforts to push away.
Reyes is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Reyes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Martinez's brow.
Martinez is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Martinez misses with a hook to the ribs.

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.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Reyes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Martinez's brow.
Reyes is trying to break the clinch but Martinez is controlling him.
Reyes missing with knees to the body.
Good body shot from Martinez.
Martinez avoiding damage as Reyes throws knees to the body.
Reyes's head jolts backwards as he takes an uppercut right on the button!
Martinez avoids the elbow strike from Reyes, against the cage.
Martinez blocks the elbow strike.
Reyes is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Reyes wants a takedown.
Martinez is pressed up against the cage. Reyes 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.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Reyes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reyes throws a sloppy head kick
letting Martinez counter with a right hand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reyes throws a head kick that misses.
Reyes sets himself, and Martinez steps forward looking for the clinch! Reyes avoids it this time.
Reyes ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Martinez moves away.
Reyes takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
A head kick by Reyes misses

and Martinez counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Martinez stays in close to Reyes's body and controls the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Reyes controlling Martinez's posture.
Martinez controlling from the top position.
Martinez working some strikes from top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez controlling from the top position.
Martinez really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Reyes. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Martinez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Reyes is keeping the position for now.
Martinez with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Martinez looking to pass the guard.
Martinez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Let's hope that Martinez has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Javier Martinez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Javier Martinez's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - 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.

Reyes tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Martinez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Martinez changes levels for a counter takedown but doesn't follow through with his attempt.
Reyes pushes Martinez away with a front kick.
We've been told by Reyes's head coaches at Brazilian Top Team + Ricardo Arona that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
A low kick from Reyes is predictable there

and Martinez counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Reyes scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Reyes fails in his attempt to clinch.

Martinez drives through and clinches with Reyes against the cage.
Martinez struggles to land a body shot inside as Reyes controls his hands.
Martinez blocks an elbow strike.
Reyes looking to slow down the pace here.
Reyes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez pushes Reyes back against the cage and unloads with a body punch.
Reyes jumps guard but Martinez stands there with Reyes around his waist. Reyes gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Martinez has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Reyes tries to break free but Martinez pushes him back against the cage.
With the two fighters working up against the cage, Reyes just misses with a elbow thrown towards Martinez's brow.
Reyes is trying to break the clinch but Martinez has him pressed against the cage.
Javier Martinez seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Reyes misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Martinez.
Reyes missing with knees to the body.
Martinez keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Reyes's efforts to push away.
A frustrated look appears on Reyes's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Reyes is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

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.
Reyes can't break the clinch.
A head punch on the inside from Reyes fails to land.
Reyes trying to control the position but instead, Martinez has worked for underhooks and has pushed Reyes into the cage.
Martinez lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Reyes backwards.
Still in the clinch, Martinez scores with a nice short uppercut.
Martinez managing to block the knees to the body from Reyes.
Reyes is looking to control Martinez's arms but Martinez gets an underhook and turns him. Now Reyes has his back to the cage.
Reyes utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Reyes can't get the takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Martinez throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez keeps control of Reyes as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Martinez lands a body shot.
Reyes letting Martinez take a breather here.
Reyes throws a head punch that misses.
Reyes drops down looking for an ankle pick but Martinez pulls his leg out and moves away.
Thiago Reyes has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Thiago Reyes. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Reyes thows a leg kick but Martinez checks it
and Martinez connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.
Thiago Reyes seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Reyes on the wrong end of an overhand right that came out of nowhere.
A head kick by Reyes misses

and Martinez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Martinez blocks a body shot from Reyes.
Good body shot from Martinez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Reyes is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Martinez is defending well for now.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Martinez managing to block the knees to the body from Reyes.
Reyes is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Martinez is keeping busy.
Reyes missing with knees to the body.
Nice body punch from Martinez.
Reyes trying to land knees to the body.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Martinez takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Reyes tries to land a knee to the head but Martinez blocks with his arms.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Martinez stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Javier Martinez is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Reyes misses with a hook to the ribs.
Martinez managing to block the knees to the body from Reyes.

And that's the end of the fight!
Javier Martinez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Martinez has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Leandro Rodrigues scores the fight 27:30
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Javier Martinez!