PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Aisopos Markos (ranked 5601 p4p, 4727 weight class) and Chris Dowse (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Aisopos Markos has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Markos
vs
Dowse

185 cm
25
180
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
185
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Good kicks
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Aisopos Markos!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Chris Dowse!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Paulo Santos and Alexandre Firmino.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Markos throws a head kick but Dowse moves out of range.
Markos looks exhausted already! Oh dear, he should have come in in better shape than this!
Dowse shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Markos sprawls well. Markos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Dowse gets slowly back to his feet.
Dowse is trying hard to land a takedown here. Markos sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Dowse tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Markos defends well and Dowse ends up having to push Markos into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Aisopos Markos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Dowse.
Dowse throws a head kick but Markos moves out of range.
Markos looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.

Dowse moves into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Markos lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Dowse pressing his opponent against the cage.
Dowse prevents Markos from breaking the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markos misses with a hook to the ribs.
The referee is keeping an eye on Dowse - much more stalling and he will separate the fighters.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Markos.

Dowse pulls guard successfully.
Markos has been talking about how he's improved his wrestling in the run up to the fight so let's see if that's enough to sway the balance.
Markos being controlled here momentarily.
Dowse is continuing to stall.

Dowse looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Dowse escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Markos gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Markos missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Dowse seems keen to control Markos's posture.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Dowse bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Markos's guard.

Markos utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Dowse sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Dowse loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Dowse slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Dowse sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Markos is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.

Dowse decides to stand back up.
Dowse shoots for a double leg takedown but Markos sprawls well. He's pushed Dowse's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Markos throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dowse holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Dowse connects with a nasty looking knee right to Markos's face.

Dowse breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Markos throws a one two combo.
Markos stuffs the takedown attempt from Dowse. Dowse gets slowly back to his feet.
Markos is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Dowse.

Dowse drives through and clinches with Markos against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Markos is trying to maintain a safe position but Dowse gets an underhook and turns Markos into the cage.
Markos stops a takedown attempt from Dowse.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Chris Dowse dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Dowse has managed to clinch.
Dowse has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Dowse goes for a takedown in the clinch but Markos prevents it.
Dowse scores with an uppercut up the middle.

Dowse breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Dowse shoots and misses
and Markos counters with a three punch combo that has Dowse backing up. Dowse nods at Markos to acknowledge the strikes.
Dowse shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Markos sprawls well. Markos wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Dowse gets slowly back to his feet.
Aisopos Markos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Dowse.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Dowse cracks Markos with a hook to the jaw. Both fighters smile at eachother and high-five before getting back down to business.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dowse looks for a takedown but Markos sprawls well.
Dowse dives in and grabs Markos's left leg, looking for a takedown. Markos pushes down on Dowse's head and hops out.

Dowse gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Dowse blocks an uppercut.
Markos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Dowse drops down looking for an ankle pick but Markos pulls his leg out and moves away.

Dowse closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dowse jumps guard but Markos stands there with Dowse around his waist. Dowse gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Dowse ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Dowse no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Dowse is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Dowse lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Dowse wants to control from the top but Markos keeps moving.
Dowse is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Dowse missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Markos pushes Dowse off and scrambles back to his feet.
Dowse has a takedown stuffed.
Dowse connects with a good right hand that stumbles Markos. Markos circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
Dowse looks for a takedown but Markos sprawls well.
Dowse shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Dowse tries for a takedown but Markos sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Markos thinks about countering with a head kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Markos throws a series of punches but Dowse avoids them all with ease.
Aisopos Markos is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Markos throws a sloppy head kick and Dowse moves out of range easily.

Dowse closes the distance and clinches.

Markos breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Markos blocks a head kick by Dowse.
Markos tries to counter by clinching up but Dowse breaks away and moves out of range.

Dowse closes the distance and pushes Markos back into the cage.
Markos blocks an elbow strike from Dowse.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Dowse jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Markos walks away with a smile on his face. Dowse gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Dowse with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Dowse shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Markos pinned against the cage. Markos gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Chris Dowse will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Markos. Dowse shrugs it off though.
Dowse shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Markos but Markos pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Markos wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.

Dowse closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Markos leaning his opponent against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Dowse blocks a body shot from Markos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Dowse has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Markos is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Dowse lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Dowse stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.
Markos lands with a light punch inside.

Dowse's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Nice sprawl there from Markos as Dowse shoots in.
Aisopos Markos has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Chris Dowse.
Dowse fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Markos was looking to counter that last move with a shot to the body but he didn't commit.
Dowse shoots in but Markos avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Markos scores with a crisp jab that stopped Dowse in his tracks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dowse throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Markos's waist but Markos gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Dowse off to one side.
Dowse slips under a jab from Markos.

Dowse fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Markos, pushing him back against the cage.
Dowse wants a takedown but no success here.
Markos prevents the takedown attempt.
Dowse tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Dowse misses with some punches.
Dowse has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Markos after a bit of a struggle.
Markos lands with a light punch inside.
Dowse tries to pull guard but Markos forces him back to his feet, against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Markos works for underhooks and lands a body shot in the process.
Markos misses with a body punch.
Markos tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Dowse's elbow.
Dowse blocks a body shot from Markos.
Markos gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Dowse.
Dowse misses with a short punch on the inside.
Dowse tries to pull guard but Markos holds him up against the cage and eventually Dowse drops back down to his feet.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Markos.

Dowse manages to break the clinch.
Dowse fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Markos avoids it really well and circles away.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Dowse takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Dowse wants to counter the offense by Markos and move into the clinch position.
Aisopos Markos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Markos misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Dowse doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Markos counters with a one-two to the body.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Markos misses with the combination.

And that's the end of the fight!
Aisopos Markos showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Dowse has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alexandre Firmino scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Chris Dowse!