PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Reni Manfield (ranked 1985 p4p, 5614 weight class) and Thomas Martins (ranked 213 p4p, 433 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Manfield
vs
Martins

163 cm
19
153
5 - 0 - 0

175 cm
20
150
3 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Very quick

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Nutritional Shaved Ice

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Reni Manfield!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Thomas Martins!
The judges for this bout are William Gold, Andrew Berry and Colin Fotheringham.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Manfield wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.
Martins takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Manfield has been working on his boxing with his coaches at MY YARD 'Resurrect' in the buildup to the fight.

Manfield has managed to clinch.
Manfield can't find room to land a body shot as Martins controls the action.
Martins missing with knees to the body.
Martins is trying to stall.
Manfield tries to throw a body punch but Martins avoids it by throwing Manfield back against the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martins misses with a body punch.
Martins tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Manfield avoids it.
Martins keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Manfield's efforts to push away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Manfield lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Martins scrambles, trying to get to his feet, but Manfield manages to mount him!
Martins in a bad spot here, taking shots to the head.
Manfield is landing with some decent strikes but Martins is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.
Manfield raining down shots from the mount!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Martins wants to control but Manfield is having none of it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Manfield raining down hammerfists from mount.
Manfield trying to control but Martins is having none of it.

Manfield has hold of Martins's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Martins manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Martins is in a horrible position here. Manfield smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Manfield scoring with strikes but Martins is staying in there.
Martins felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Manfield lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The referee warns Martins that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Manfield raining down shots from the mount!
Martins keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Manfield trying to control but Martins is having none of it.
Martins is in all sorts of trouble here.
Manfield controlling the position easily from mount.
Manfield is landing with some decent strikes but Martins is trying to advance his position so the referee is letting the fight continue.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Manfield looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
A nice elbow there by Manfield.

Martins is rocked!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Manfield working Martins over with strikes here.
Martins is still in real trouble! Can Manfield finish him?
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Manfield controlling from the full mount.
Martins seems to have recovered his senses.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Manfield lands a couple of good shots and Martins has given up his back, trying to escape the position!

Manfield is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Martins defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Good control from Manfield.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

Reni Manfield dominated that round.
That's time! Manfield's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Manfield comes forward and lands a shot to the body, then darts back out of range.
Manfield tries to clinch up.
Manfield throws a right and a left that Martins avoids nicely.
Manfield lets the fists fly and connects with a left straight followed by a right hook.
Manfield just misses with a punch to the body.
Manfield thumps Martins with a low kick.
Manfield connects with a body shot that sends Martins's belly button to the back.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manfield looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Martins is fending him off so far but Manfield persists. Nope, Martins circles away and we're back to standing.
Martins is definitely looking for the counter takedowns here.

Manfield rushes Martins and presses him up against the cage.

Manfield breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Thomas Martins is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Martins takes one on the button.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martins throws a leg kick
and Manfield counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Manfield is looking to wear down Martins with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.
Manfield thuds a left hand into Martins's body.
Manfield tries to close the distance and clinch up but Martins swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Martins connects with a high kick.

Martins tries to keep at a distance but Manfield has taken the fight into the clinch.
Martins misses with a body punch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Manfield.
Manfield lands a right hand that snaps the head of Martins backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martins throws a punch but it's blocked by Manfield.
Manfield is trying to break the clinch but Martins is controlling him.
A short right from Manfield on the inside.
Manfield tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Martins prevents a body shot from Manfield.
Martins throws a punch but it's blocked by Manfield.
Manfield goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Martins fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Manfield blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Manfield is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Martins can do to turn this around?
Martins dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
Martins leaning his opponent against the cage.
Manfield misses with a punch to the body.
Manfield landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Martins.
Manfield could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Martins's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.
Manfield blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Manfield changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Martins fights it off and pushes away nicely.

Manfield clinches up with Martins and pushes him back against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Martins missing with knees to the body.
And that is the end of the round. The fighters go back to their corners.

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

Manfield just misses with a punch to the body.
A solid leg kick lands there for Manfield.
Manfield scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.

Manfield clinches with his opponent.
Manfield misses with a body punch.

Manfield is trying to trip Martins. He has hold of a leg but Martins is hopping around, keeping his balance for the moment. Manfield persists though and gets the takedown into guard.
Martins can't keep his opponent in guard - Manfield advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Manfield wants to lay and pray for a moment but Martins keeps working.
Martins blocking the ground and pound attempt from Manfield.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Manfield controlling the action here.
Martins is trying to control but can't.
Martins really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Manfield. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Manfield is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.

Manfield is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Manfield is looking to stall here but Martins recovers full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Martins working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. Manfield doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. Manfield manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Manfield throws a big elbow that misses.
Manfield trying to control but Martins is working from the bottom.

Manfield has gone for a leg lock! Martins slips out almost immediately though and dives into Manfield's guard.

Martins wanted to stand there but Manfield had control of the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Manfield is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Martins defends well.
Manfield is trying to keep Martins in close.

Manfield is looking for a triangle here but Martins uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Martins in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martins landing strikes.
Manfield is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Martins's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Martins wants to stand but his hand is trapped. Manfield uses the opportunity to regain full guard.

Manfield is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Martins has his hands clasped together but Manfield extends and breaks Martins's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Manfield.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:51 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Reni Manfield!
Reni Manfield retains his featherweight title!
Reni Manfield seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.