PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Marlon Raynard (ranked 426 p4p, 1058 weight class) and Jerome Spong (ranked 52 p4p, 136 weight class). Spong has chosen Bullet For My Valentine - In Loving Memory as his entrance music. Jerome Spong will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Raynard
vs
Spong

180 cm
29
180
14 - 3 - 0

185 cm
22
186
7 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Shadow Realm Apparel

Conviction
Stoner's Killer Apparel

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the welterweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 14 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marlon Raynard!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 7 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Jerome Spong!
The judges for this bout are Valeri Chadov, Vladimir Khabensky and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Spong pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Raynard tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Spong manages to circle out of the way.
Raynard moves away from the strike by Spong.
Spong bobs and weaves and throws out a fast jab that snaps Raynard's head backwards.

It looks like Marlon Raynard has been cut.
Spong throws a series of punches but Raynard avoids them all with ease.
Nice jab there from Spong.
A left and a right from Spong both land. Nice combination.
Spong throws out a loose jab but Raynard uses good head movement to avoid it.
Raynard is trying to close the distance and clinch up, after that failed offence from Spong.
Spong lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Spong.
Spong throws a sloppy head kick

and Raynard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Spong's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Spong missing with a left hand there. Raynard was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Spong throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Raynard counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Spong thinking.
A head kick by Spong misses

and Raynard counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Raynard.
Spong tries to break the clinch but Raynard is controlling the position.
I was talking to Raynard's coach per-fight and he was telling me that they'd been working on the clinch in the runup to this fight.
Spong wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Raynard has him pressed against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Spong tries to circle away but Raynard has him pinned against the cage.
Raynard misses with a punch to the body.

Spong's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Raynard takes a head kick and keeps coming.
Spong throws a body shot but no joy.
Raynard appears to be looking for a counter punch to the body.
Spong throws a lazy uppercut

and Raynard counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Raynard jumps guard but Spong turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
Raynard works on Spong's body with a couple of short punches.
Raynard tries to pull guard but Spong won't allow it.
Raynard misses with a punch to the body.
Raynard fails to pull guard.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Marlon Raynard. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Raynard tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Spong tries to circle away but Raynard has him pinned against the cage.
Raynard tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Spong smiles and moves away.
A slow jab from Spong misses its intended target.
A counter left hand to the body from Raynard misses its target.
This fight brought to you by 5M nutrition - it's mmmmm tasty. Nice jab by Spong.
Spong is looking to slow Raynard down with leg kicks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Spong misses with an uppercut. Raynard saw that one coming.
Spong connects with a nice looking jab.
Spong might want to mix his strikes up a bit more. He's just going for head shots at the moment and that can become a bit predictable.
A punch combination from Spong misses.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Raynard moves out of range of the strikes.
Spong throws a sloppy head kick and Raynard moves out of range easily.
Spong throws a hook but Raynard avoids it easily.
Jerome Spong seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Spong misses with a straight left.
Raynard tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Spong manages to circle out of the way.
Spong's jab looks to have found its range, popping Raynard under the eye.
Spong misses with a lunging right hand
and Raynard counters with a straight right hand.

It looks like Jerome Spong has been cut.
Spong misses with a looping left.
It looked like Raynard wanted to counter with a hook but didn't fully commit.
Raynard ducks under an overhand right and circles away with a smile on his face.
As Spong tries to get set, Raynard tries to push him back and clinch up but Spong manages to avoid the attempt.
Spong throws a right hand that Raynard ducks under and follows up with a left that Raynard also avoids with ease.
A little feinted left hand from Raynard on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
Spong throws a hook to the side of Raynard's head but Raynard sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Raynard is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Spong scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Spong fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Spong throws a hook but Raynard avoids it easily.
A little feinted left hand from Raynard on the counter but he doesn't commit to it.
A cross from Spong lands.
Raynard drops his hands momentarily and Spong takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Spong throws a poor cross that misses
and Raynard cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Spong is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Raynard.
Raynard tries to counter by clinching up but Spong breaks away and moves out of range.
Spong throws a right high kick that is partially blocked by Raynard.
Spong jabs Raynard to the body, keeping him at a distance.
Spong throws a head kick that misses.
Spong throws a poor cross that misses
and Raynard cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.

Spong is rocked!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Spong waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Raynard.
Raynard is looking to counter punch.
Spong is still on wobbly legs! Can Raynard finish him?
Spong throws a hook to the side of Raynard's head but Raynard sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Raynard scores with a punch to the gut of his opponent.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Spong misses with a right hand
and Raynard counters with a huge left! Spong is in big trouble! He's backing up but Raynard isn't giving him chance to recover. Under a barage of punches the ref has to step in to save Spong from any more damage. A dominating finish by Raynard!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:08 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Marlon Raynard!
Marlon Raynard retains his welterweight title!
After the big win, Marlon Raynard made sure to do all the important stuff like thanking his sponsors Shadow Realm Apparel and telling the interviewer how much he loves him.