PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jose Armando (ranked 4149 p4p, 4603 weight class) and Shannon Marshall (ranked 459 p4p, 502 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Armando
vs
Marshall

180 cm
19
251
1 - 1 - 0

190 cm
18
278
1 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Can Moonwalk

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 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Jose Armando!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Shannon Marshall!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Yves DeLean and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A low kick from Marshall misses
and Armando counters with a three punch combo that has Marshall backing up. Marshall nods at Armando to acknowledge the strikes.
Marshall fails with an attempt to clinch.
Armando half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Armando tries to clinch up.
Armando does a little shimmy and throws a leg kick. The leg kick missed by a considerable margin though, making him look a little bit silly for doing the shimmy.
Armando misses with a two punch combination.

Marshall changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Armando looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
Armando on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Armando tries to get out of the position.
Armando keeps Marshall under control for a moment.
Marshall scoring with punches and elbows.
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Armando parries the strikes from Marshall easily there. Marshall is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Armando to escape.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Armando is trying to control Marshall's posture but Marshall avoids it.
Armando tries to escape but Marshall is in control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Armando takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.

It looks like Jose Armando has been cut.
Marshall wants to lay and pray for a moment but Armando keeps working.
Armando sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Marshall connects with a nice short shot to Armando's temple.
Marshall has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Marshall with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Armando wants to get back to his feet.
Marshall controlling the action here.
Marshall trying to control the action but Armando is working from the bottom.
Armando keeping hold of Marshall's head, controlling as best he can.
Armando is trying to stand back up but Marshall is controlling him

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armando is concentrating on defense, preventing Marshall from advancing position.

Armando kicks off Marshall and gets to his feet.
Marshall avoids the head kick by Armando.
Marshall looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Armando throws a low kick but Marshall moves out of range easily.
Marshall looks to throw the jab but Armando is out of range.
Armando throws a series of punches but Marshall avoids them all with ease.
Marshall shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Armando holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Armando drops down looking for an ankle pick but Marshall pulls his leg out and moves away.
Marshall misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Marshall shoots for a takedown but Armando saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Jose Armando has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shannon Marshall.

Marshall takes the fight into the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshall will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Armando up against the cage.
Armando working Marshall over with knees to the body.

Marshall breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marshall throws a body punch but Armando moves out of range.
Good leg kick by Armando.
Marshall dodges the punch combination from Armando.
Armando misses with a two punch combination.
Marshall throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Armando.
Marshall tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Armando manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
It looked like Armando was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marshall stuffs the takedown attempt from Armando. Armando gets slowly back to his feet.
Armando throws the kick towards the body but Marshall avoids it.
Marshall darts in looking for a takedown but Armando gets double underhooks and turns Marshall into the cage.
As Marshall looks to move away, Armando throws a big counter combo but Marshall just gets out of the way.
Marshall misses with a looping right.
Armando throws a sloppy head kick and Marshall moves out of range easily.
Armando lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Marshall at a distance.

Armando feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Armando's corner is telling him to maintain position.
Marshall is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Armando trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Marshall not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Armando decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Marshall, up you get!
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Armando dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Jose Armando's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Marshall misses with a wild body shot.
The fighters circling - Marshall throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Armando slaps away a takedown attempt from Marshall, before circling back to the center of the mat.
It really doesn't seem like the step up in weight is hurting Armando here at all. He's more than holding his own against the bigger man.
Armando swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
Marshall swings for the body but Armando moves out of range.
Marshall has a takedown stuffed.
Jose Armando is winning the standup battle so far.
Armando lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Marshall.
Jose Armando has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shannon Marshall.
Marshall fails to land with a series of punches.
Marshall throws a right hand that misses

and Armando counters by clinching up.
Armando goes for a takedown in the clinch but Marshall prevents it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall letting Armando take a breather here.
Marshall stops a takedown attempt from Armando.
Armando has Marshall pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Marshall manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Armando gets underhooks to prevent Marshall's takedown attempt.

Marshall breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Marshall rushes Armando and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Armando's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Jose Armando is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marshall tries to clinch there but Armando circles away.

Marshall drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Marshall keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Armando's head.
Marshall looking to sit in guard and control but Armando gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Armando trying to control but Marshall is working from the bottom.
Armando has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Marshall controls Armando momentarily but Armando frees himself.
We've been hearing that Armando has been drilling a lot of ground and pound in training, so let's see if he get the finish.
Marshall keeping moving, preventing Armando from controlling successfully.

Marshall throws his legs up looking to secure a triangle. Oh, that looks pretty tight, I gotta say! Armando escapes and throws Marshall's legs to the side, diving into side control!
Marshall is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Armando has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marshall takes a big shot right to the temple there but he's taken it well.
Armando works to advance to full mount. Marshall defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Armando can't control as he wanted to and Marshall manages to get the fight back to his half guard.
Marshall gets back to full guard.
Marshall keeping moving, preventing Armando from controlling successfully.
Marshall looking to hit a scissor sweep but Armando is one step ahead there.
Armando passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Marshall is trying to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Armando misses with the ground and pound.
Armando throwing strikes but missing, from side control.
Marshall looking for a sweep but Armando has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Armando takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Armando thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.
Armando scoring with strikes but Marshall is staying in there.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Armando looking to control but Marshall is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Armando dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Jose Armando's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Marshall shoots in for a takedown but Armando shows good takedown defense.
Marshall shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Armando as he jumps to the side.
Marshall fails to land the takedown.
Jose Armando has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Shannon Marshall.
Marshall tries to clinch but Armando moves out of range.

Marshall has closed the distance and engaged Armando in a clinch.

Armando breaks from the clinch.
The fight stays on the outside here - Armando looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Armando darts in and clinches Marshall up against the cage.
Marshall struggles to land a body shot inside as Armando controls his hands.
Armando has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Marshall is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

Armando has hold of one of Marshall's legs. Marshall is fighting the takedown attempt but Armando gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!

Marshall is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Armando defends well.
Marshall not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Armando engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marshall lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Armando wants to stand up but Marshall is controlling him.
Armando is pulling down on Marshall's head. It's preventing any offense from Marshall, at least for the moment.

Armando looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Armando working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marshall.
Marshall postures up and lands a big shot to Armando's brow.
Marshall trying to control but Armando is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Armando trying to control the position.
Armando keeping moving, preventing Marshall from controlling successfully.
Armando has Marshall pulled in close to control his posture.
Marshall stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Armando swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Armando tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.

Armando is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Marshall working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.

That's four 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.
Armando wants to sweep here but Marshall controlling him for the moment.
Jose Armando is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Marshall looking to pass the guard.
Marshall keeps trying to improve his position.
Marshall landing some decent shots from guard.
Marshall throws a big elbow that misses.
Marshall stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Armando swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Marshall loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Marshall is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Shannon Marshall has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Armando seems keen to control Marshall's posture.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Shannon Marshall.
I think Armando 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 29:28
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 29:28
Judge William Peck scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jose Armando!