PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ezekiel Marley (ranked 1705 p4p, 3825 weight class) and Magnus Gunnarsson (ranked 231 p4p, 488 weight class). Chooooooooon! I think Marley might be my favorite fighter, now he's come out to EMOTIONALLY SCARRED. Well, I have no idea who's going to take this one!

Marley
vs
Gunnarsson

194 cm
23
212
7 - 2 - 0

190 cm
24
213
5 - 6 - 0

Good wrestling
World class MT
Granite chin

BJJ Brown Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Conviction

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 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Ezekiel Marley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Magnus Gunnarsson!
The judges for this bout are Robert Twigg, Cecil Peabody and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gunnarsson throws a nice looking combination but Marley bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Gunnarsson throws a jab when Marley was well out of range.

Gunnarsson gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Marley's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Gunnarsson throws a jab but it's blocked by Marley.
It looked like Marley wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Marley takes one to the chin there.
Marley definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Gunnarsson ducks under a wild hook from Marley.
Gunnarsson lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Marley circles away quickly and effectively.
Gunnarsson's corner calls for a 1-2. Gunnarsson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Marley fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Nice defenses there by Gunnarsson.
Marley is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
A jab from Gunnarsson misses.
Marley tries to bum rush Gunnarsson with a series of wild strikes but Gunnarsson uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Gunnarsson darts in looking for a takedown but Marley gets double underhooks and turns Gunnarsson into the cage.
Marley lands a nice shot to the body.
Gunnarsson moves into range and lands a nice body kick.
A head kick by Marley misses
and Gunnarsson counters with a leg kick that reverborates around the arena.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunnarsson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Marley throws a low kick but his opponent is out of range.
Gunnarsson misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Magnus Gunnarsson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Gunnarsson will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Marley bobbing and weaving, closes the distance and lands a hook to the side of Gunnarsson's head.
Gunnarsson throws a solid leg kick but Marley takes the impact on his shin and smiles at Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson throws a leg kick that misses.
Gunnarsson throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Marley sees it coming and avoids it easily.

Gunnarsson has Marley up against the cage in a clinch.

Marley breaks the clinch.
Marley ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Gunnarsson moves away.
Gunnarsson has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Marley.
Gunnarsson looks to throw the jab but Marley is out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson misses the jab.
As Gunnarsson backs away, Marley returns fire with a leg kick that just misses.
Gunnarsson on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Marley. Marley obviously looking to wear him down.
Marley lands a nice leg kick that just misses Gunnarsson's sensitive parts.

Gunnarsson feints and as Marley raises his hands in defense, Gunnarsson changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.

Marley has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Gunnarsson off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Gunnarsson lands with an uppercut that bounces Marley off the cage and back into range.
The fighters circling - Gunnarsson throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Gunnarsson closes the distance and clinches up with Marley, looking for a takedown. Gunnarsson pushes Marley against the cage but Marley circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Ezekiel Marley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Magnus Gunnarsson.
Gunnarsson moves out of range as Marley strikes.
Marley misses the shot to the body.

Gunnarsson has taken the fight to the clinch.
Marley lands a left hand that snaps the head of Gunnarsson backwards.
Marley tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.

Marley breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marley misses with a low kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley misses with a right hand
and Gunnarsson counters with a body kick.
Marley takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Gunnarsson works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
A jab from Gunnarsson misses.
A nice leg kick lands there from Marley.
Marley misses with a body shot.
Gunnarsson takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Gunnarsson goes for a double leg but Marley avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Marley continues to drive forward.
A head kick misses from Marley.
Marley swings for the body but Gunnarsson moves out of range.
Gunnarsson keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Marley scores with a three punch combo!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gunnarsson walks into a straight right hand from Marley.
Marley throws a hook but Gunnarsson avoids it easily.
Gunnarsson dives in for a single leg takedown but Marley sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Gunnarsson throws a body punch but Marley moves out of range.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gunnarsson doesn't manage to clinch there - Marley circles away.
Marley swung with a counter right hand that didn't connect.
Gunnarsson dives in and grabs Marley's left leg, looking for a takedown. Marley pushes down on Gunnarsson's head and hops out.

Gunnarsson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
A short right from Marley.
Marley struggles to land a body shot inside as Gunnarsson controls his hands.

Marley breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gunnarsson checks a leg kick.
Marley connects with a crisp jab.
Good work by Marley as he checks the leg kick.
Marley swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Gunnarsson ducks under a wild hook from Marley.
Gunnarsson throws out a loose jab but Marley uses good head movement to avoid it.
A counter left hand to the body from Marley misses its target.
Marley tried to score with a low kick but Gunnarsson checks it.
Marley with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Gunnarsson to score with a decent uppercut.
The crowd applaud the fighters' efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gunnarsson takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Gunnarsson misses with a looping right.
Gunnarsson avoids the head kick by Marley.
Gunnarsson dives in for a single leg takedown but Marley 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.

Ezekiel Marley dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Gunnarsson wants to clinch.

Marley gets caught flat footed, as Gunnarsson shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Gunnarsson postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Gunnarsson throwing strikes but missing.

Gunnarsson thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Gunnarsson with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Gunnarsson has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Marley has momentary wrist control but Gunnarsson slips an elbow through the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gunnarsson throwing strikes but missing.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Gunnarsson trying to control but Marley is working from the bottom.
Gunnarsson stands up over Marley, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Gunnarsson not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Gunnarsson trying to control the position from guard on top but Marley is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Gunnarsson in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Gunnarsson scores with a decent looking elbow strike.
Gunnarsson throws a big right hand that misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Marley manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Gunnarsson misses the body punch
and Marley counters with a nice uppercut.
Gunnarsson ducks right into an uppercut from Marley.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Gunnarsson.
Marley lands a right hook to the body.
Marley throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Marley misses with a hook. Gunnarsson ducked under it nicely.
Marley misses with a looping left.
Gunnarsson scores with a hook.
Gunnarsson misses with the combination.
Gunnarsson looks for a takedown but Marley sprawls well.
Ezekiel Marley is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gunnarsson tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Marley swivels and escapes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marley loads up on a big right hand but Gunnarsson slips the punch.
Gunnarsson looks like he wants to counter punch here.
Gunnarsson throws a quick inside leg kick.
Marley cracks a nice hook into Gunnarsson's ribs.
Gunnarsson misses with a wild body shot.

Gunnarsson moves into range and clinches up with Marley.
Marley gets through Gunnarsson's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Gunnarsson wants a takedown.
Ezekiel Marley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Magnus Gunnarsson.
Marley lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Marley scores with a shot to the side of Gunnarsson's head.
Gunnarsson fails to pull the fight into his guard.

Marley breaks from the clinch.
A head kick misses from Marley.
That kick from Gunnarsson tenderised Marley's leg. Marley is trying to keep his angry face on.
Gunnarsson bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Marley's head backwards.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Gunnarsson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marley paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A slow jab from Gunnarsson misses its intended target.
A little feinted left hand from Marley on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Marley moves into range and connects with a jab.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marley throws a shot from downtown. Gunnarsson moves away and avoids it.
Gunnarsson looks to land a left hand but Marley moved out of range nicely.
Gunnarsson tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marley paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Marley getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Gunnarsson tries a head kick but it misses.
Ezekiel Marley is winning the standup battle so far.
Gunnarsson closes the distance looking to clinch
and Marley counters with a lovely straight right hand!
Gunnarsson keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Marley.
Gunnarsson tries to move into range but Marley moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
Gunnarsson blocks a head kick by Marley.
Marley ducks under a wild hook from Gunnarsson.
Marley is looking to counter punch.
Gunnarsson lands with a kick to the ribs.
Gunnarsson takes one to the side of the head.
Marley looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ezekiel Marley dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Gunnarsson wants to slow Marley down by chopping away at his legs.
Gunnarsson fails in his attempt to clinch.
Marley connects with an inside leg kick.
Gunnarsson tries to grapple but his opponent circles
and Marley counters with a good low kick that Gunnarsson was not able to check.
Marley misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Gunnarsson.
Some bone on bone action there as Marley checks a low kick. Luckily it wasn't a particularly hard one.
Gunnarsson throws a leg kick but Marley moved away.
Marley lands a brutal head kick. Gunnarsson looks out on his feet and Marley throws more strikes until the ref is forced to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:41 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Kick and Punches). Ezekiel Marley!
Ezekiel Marley took his opportunity to call for a title shot in his post fight interview.