PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Ezekiel Marley (ranked 4 p4p, 8 weight class) and Mike Haggar (ranked 2 p4p, 3 weight class). Marley comes to the cage accompanied by WANTED. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Marley
vs
Haggar

199 cm
26
265
18 - 2 - 0

202 cm
39
266
46 - 26 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Insanely flexible

Olympic wrestler
World class MT
Heavy handed

Conviction
Bondi MMA 🏝️

Brooklyn Threads
Furnace Performance 🔥

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Ezekiel Marley!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 46 - 26 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Mike Haggar!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Emerson Jorge and Felipe Paraventi.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Haggar lands a lovely overhand right.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Haggar, as that shot connected.
A punch lands to the side of Marley 's head but he takes it in his stride.
Mike Haggar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Haggar shoots in looking for a takedown. Marley tries to sprawl out of it but Haggar keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Marley manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Haggar takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Haggar scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.
Haggar closes this distance looking for a takedown but Marley circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Haggar keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Donk. Haggar catches Marley right on the button with a cross.
Haggar shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Marley but Marley pushes him off and we're back to square one.
We've been told by Marley's head coaches at Convicted Fight Club that he's been working on his takedown defense in preparation for this fight.
Ezekiel Marley has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Haggar.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Haggar ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Haggar shoots in but Marley avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Marley takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Haggar staying out of range there.
Marley missing with a left hand there. Haggar was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Marley leaves Haggar with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Marley takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.
Haggar moving in and out of range nicely, whilst landing the scoring shot.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Haggar sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Haggar throws out a loose jab but Marley uses good head movement to avoid it.
Marley is looking to counter with a body kick.
Haggar throws a shot from downtown. Marley moves away and avoids it.
Marley walks into a jab.
Haggar connects with a lovely jab that went straight through the gap between Marley's hands.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Haggar thuds a left hand into Marley's body.
Haggar scores with a jab to the head.
Haggar avoids the body shot from Marley.
Haggar scores with a jab to the head.
Haggar 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.
Haggar shoots for a takedown but Marley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Haggar shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Haggar pivots, looking for a leg kick but Marley is out of range and Haggar settles back down.
Haggar shoots for a takedown but Marley saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Marley throws a big counter combination but Haggar scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Haggar looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Haggar fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Marley manages to avoid it.
Marley swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Haggar is landing a lot of head punches in this opening round! Marley had better start moving his head a bit unless he wants his face to turn into mush.
Marley avoids the body shot from Haggar.
And Marley counters with a quick kick to the body but Haggar blocks it.
Haggar looks for a takedown but Marley sprawls well.
And Marley counters with a quick kick to the body but Haggar blocks it.
Haggar doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Marley counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

It looks like Mike Haggar has been cut.
Marley thows a left - swing and a miss!
Haggar throws a lazy uppercut
and Marley counters with a straight right hand.
A lazy left from Marley finds it's target.
Marley gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Marley throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Haggar.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Haggar lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Haggar scores with a shot to the body.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Haggar will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Haggar throws an ugly left hook that misses
and Marley counters with a stiff right hand.
Haggar fails with a takedown attempt.
Haggar misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Marley.

Marley lands a big uppercut and Haggar crumbles to the floor! The ref thinks about stopping the fight but Haggar looks OK. Marley waves Haggar back to his feet!

Haggar is rocked!
Haggar missing with a left hand there. Marley was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Haggar is still on wobbly legs! Can Marley finish him?
Marley lunges in with a left hook that violently twists Haggar head around and knocks him out cold! Marley hops onto the cage and yells out at the top of his lungs - Yeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaah! They're showing the replay on the big screens now; that was nasty! I hope one of the photographers got a good shot of it.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:47 of round 1, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Ezekiel Marley!
Ezekiel Marley retains his heavyweight title!
Ezekiel Marley decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.