PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Wockhardt (ranked 3076 p4p, 24764 weight class) and Marco Ephieldifos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marco Ephieldifos looks lathargic as he enters the arena. Wake up son, you're about to have a fight!

Wockhardt
vs
Ephieldifos

199 cm
25
259
0 - 0 - 0

193 cm
26
210
1 - 3 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Self confident

Decent wrestler
Basic striking
Intelligent

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Wockhardt!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marco Ephieldifos!
The judges for this bout are Donatello Bradman, Summer Carpenter and Ben Watson.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ephieldifos keeps the fight on the outside.
Ephieldifos looks really tired already! That doesn't bode well for a good, competitive fight!

Wockhardt manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Ephieldifos on his heels. He'll look to pass Ephieldifos's guard now, I'm sure.
Wockhardt wants to pass the guard but Ephieldifos is keeping the position.
Ephieldifos trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Wockhardt pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Ephieldifos is keeping the position for now.
Wockhardt controls from within his opponent's guard.
Wockhardt wants to control from the top but Ephieldifos keeps moving.
Ephieldifos wants to sweep here but Wockhardt controlling him for the moment.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ephieldifos thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Wockhardt trying to control but Ephieldifos is working from the bottom.
Wockhardt slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ephieldifos keeping full guard, as Wockhardt tries to pass.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ephieldifos can do anything to dispel that myth.
Wockhardt would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Wockhardt throws a feint and then finishes with a kick to the body.

Wockhardt shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Wockhardt showed some decent athleticism there.
Ephieldifos flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Wockhardt wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ephieldifos keeps working.
Wockhardt scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Wockhardt trying to mount his opponent but Ephieldifos defends it.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Wockhardt is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ephieldifos misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ephieldifos is staying active underneath Wockhardt, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Wockhardt looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ephieldifos with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

Wockhardt wants to work for an arm triangle but Ephieldifos is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Wockhardt seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Ephieldifos does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Wockhardt looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ephieldifos with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Wockhardt knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Ephieldifos on the ground.
Wockhardt is looking to take a break and control but Ephieldifos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Wockhardt tries to stand but can't do so whilst Ephieldifos controls his leg.
Wockhardt blocks the strikes from Ephieldifos.
Wockhardt wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ephieldifos keeps working.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Wockhardt wants to free his trapped foot but Ephieldifos is holding on for dear life with his legs.

Wockhardt seems to be looking for submissions.
Wockhardt blocks the strikes from Ephieldifos.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Ephieldifos fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Wockhardt avoids it really well and circles away.
Wockhardt thows a body kick. Ephieldifos tries to catch it but that hurt him.
Wockhardt uses good footwork to get in and out and land a nice right hand before Ephieldifos has time to react.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
No joy there for Wockhardt, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Horrible takedown attempt by Wockhardt or perhaps it was just good defense by Ephieldifos, which made it look bad.

Ephieldifos drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
In the pre-fight buildup videos we saw Ephieldifos working his ground and pound in the gym. He isn't landing a great percentage of his ground strikes so far though.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Ephieldifos accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Ephieldifos working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ephieldifos throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Ephieldifos lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Ephieldifos throwing strikes but missing.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ephieldifos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Wockhardt throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Ephieldifos throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Wockhardt works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James Wockhardt dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Ephieldifos closes this distance looking for a takedown but Wockhardt circles away.
Wockhardt fails with a takedown attempt.
Wockhardt shoots in for a takedown but Ephieldifos shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Ephieldifos feints the counter takedown.
Ephieldifos takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.

Ephieldifos tries to sprawl but Wockhardt drives through with a takedown into half guard.

Wockhardt seems to be looking for submissions.
Wockhardt is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ephieldifos flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Wockhardt trying to control the action but Ephieldifos is working from the bottom.
Wockhardt seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ephieldifos misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Ephieldifos tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ephieldifos flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.
Wockhardt is trying to control. Ephieldifos wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Wockhardt wants to pass the guard but Ephieldifos is defending well.
Ephieldifos wants to get back to full guard.
Wockhardt lands with a punch from half guard.
Wockhardt blocks the strikes from Ephieldifos.
Ephieldifos landing rabbit punches to the side of Wockhardt's head. Not doing much damage but still scoring a few points.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Wockhardt gets a takedown into half guard.
Ephieldifos flails away from the bottom but he's not doing any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ephieldifos misses with some strikes from the bottom.
Wockhardt is trying to control the action in half guard but Ephieldifos is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Ephieldifos punching from the bottom.
Wockhardt blocks the strikes from Ephieldifos.

Wockhardt is thinking about going for an arm triangle but he can't free his leg.
Wockhardt is figuring out what he wants to do next.
It looks like Wockhardt is going to stand back up.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up.
Wockhardt lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ephieldifos fails with the takedown.
Wockhardt moves in looking to clinch but Ephieldifos pushes him off.
Ephieldifos takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Wockhardt fails with an attempt to clinch.
Wockhardt is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Ephieldifos shoots for a double leg takedown but Wockhardt sprawls well. He's pushed Ephieldifos's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
James Wockhardt has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Ephieldifos.
Ephieldifos darts in looking for a takedown but Wockhardt gets double underhooks and turns Ephieldifos into the cage.
Wockhardt seemed to be looking to counter by closing the distance.

Ephieldifos tries to keep at a distance but Wockhardt has taken the fight into the clinch.

Wockhardt manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Wockhardt trying to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ephieldifos's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Ephieldifos throwing strikes from guard but Wockhardt blocks nicely.
Ephieldifos stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Wockhardt swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Ephieldifos lands a couple of digs.
Ephieldifos throws a big elbow that misses.
Ephieldifos loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Ephieldifos's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Wockhardt looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Ephieldifos has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Ephieldifos content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

James Wockhardt dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Wockhardt shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Ephieldifos as he avoids it easily.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Ephieldifos.
James Wockhardt is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Wockhardt tries a head kick but it misses.
Wockhardt shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Ephieldifos defends it nicely.
Ephieldifos is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.
James Wockhardt is winning the standup battle so far.
Wockhardt misses with a body shot.
Ephieldifos moves out of range of the body kick from Wockhardt.

Wockhardt drives through with a takedown into guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Ephieldifos tries to strike from the bottom.
Ephieldifos throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Ephieldifos striking off his back but it's not causing Wockhardt any problems.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Ephieldifos tries to land a sweep but no joy.
James Wockhardt overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Ephieldifos throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ephieldifos throws some sloppy strikes off his back.
Ephieldifos tries to strike from the bottom.
Ephieldifos throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Wockhardt shoots in and bounces Ephieldifos off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Wockhardt controlling from the top position.
Ephieldifos lands a couple of decent looking body shots there.
Wockhardt is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Ephieldifos throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Wockhardt stands and throws Ephieldifos's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Wockhardt is looking to take a break and control but Ephieldifos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wockhardt working the ground and pound.
Ephieldifos tries to strike from the bottom but misses.
Ephieldifos throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.
Wockhardt is looking to take a break and control but Ephieldifos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Wockhardt is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Ephieldifos is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Wockhardt looking to punish the body of his opponent here but Ephieldifos is avoiding damage well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ephieldifos throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.

Wockhardt stands up and beckons Ephieldifos to his feet.
Ephieldifos fails with a takedown attempt.
Wockhardt misses with a takedown attempt - Ephieldifos sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for James Wockhardt. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Ephieldifos gets a double leg takedown into Wockhardt's guard.
Ephieldifos throws an elbow that misses. Wockhardt uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Ephieldifos's guard. Nice move by Wockhardt!

Wockhardt stands up out of Ephieldifos's guard for a moment - Ephieldifos manages to land a nice upkick.
Ephieldifos trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Ephieldifos is striking off his back. Wockhardt thinks nothing of it though and passes easily into half guard.
Ephieldifos tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Wockhardt wants to pass to mount but Ephieldifos is defending the position.
Ephieldifos tries to strike from the bottom but it doesn't land.
Ephieldifos gets full guard.
Ephieldifos throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Ephieldifos trying to strike off his back.
Ephieldifos punching from the bottom.
Wockhardt is looking to stand up but Ephieldifos won't let him.
Ephieldifos being controlled here, momentarily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Ephieldifos striking off his back but it's not causing Wockhardt any problems.

And that's the end of the fight!
James Wockhardt showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Wockhardt has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Donatello Bradman scores the fight 30:27
Judge Summer Carpenter scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ben Watson scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James Wockhardt!