PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Phillip Anselmo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Henrique Martins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Anselmo
vs
Martins

188 cm
22
208 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

188 cm
18
200 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes ground

Cage Wars: Rocha Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Phillip Anselmo!
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, Henrique Martins!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Felipe Paraventi and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Anselmo tries to clinch up but Martins circles away and keeps his distance.
Anselmo shoots in looking for a takedown. Martins tries to sprawl out of it but Anselmo keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Martins manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Anselmo will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Martins throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Martins avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Anselmo has a takedown stuffed.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Phillip Anselmo. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Martins gets a clinch.
Anselmo wants a takedown.
Anselmo with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

Martins pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Martins shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Martins wants to control the pace but Anselmo is squirming around nicely.
Martins takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Martins thowing strikes but they're hitting the gloves, not doing any damage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Anselmo is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Martins pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Anselmo tries to control the position but Martins now has his back.
Anselmo staying busy and making it hard for Martins to control.
Anselmo just trying to survive but Martins is wriggling into a better position, looking to finish.
Martins slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
Anselmo trying to control the hands but Martins won't let him.
Anselmo tries to roll but Martins sticks to his back.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
So, who will make the next big move? In this position it could be crucial.
Martins trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Anselmo covering up well under a barage of strikes.
You can see the frustration on Anselmo's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Martins is staying calm and holding on to the back position, whilst working on a rear naked choke. Anselmo is defending well though. Martins let's go of the attempt for now.
Martins keeps control of the position as Anselmo tries to break free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Martins avoiding Anselmo 's attempts to control his hands.
Anselmo tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Martins looks gassed!

Martins stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Anselmo scores with a jab to the head.
Anselmo misses with a few strikes there.
Phillip Anselmo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Anselmo goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Anselmo looks to clinch

and Martins counters with a nice double leg into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Martins decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Anselmo, up you get!
Anselmo misses with a takedown attempt

and Martins counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Anselmo's guard now.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Anselmo wants to sweep here but Martins controlling him for the moment.
Martins trying to control the position from guard on top but Anselmo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Anselmo trying to keep a closed guard but Martins is proving a slippery customer.
Anselmo keeping moving, preventing Martins from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Anselmo is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Henrique Martins dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Anselmo with a poor takedown

and Martins counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Martins wants to lay and pray for a moment but Anselmo keeps working.
Henrique Martins has got the better of the ground game so far.
Anselmo wants to get back to full guard.
Anselmo won't allow Martins to pass to mount.
Anselmo wants to control but Martins is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Anselmo is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Martins's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Martins's back!

Anselmo working for the choke.
Anselmo trying to control momentarily.
Martins has his hands over his head blocking the strikes from Anselmo.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martins preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Anselmo.
Martins trying to control the position but Anselmo manages to sink in the hooks.

Anselmo patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Anselmo is trying to stick to Martins's back but Martins is turning into Anselmo. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Anselmo's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Martins.
Anselmo keeping moving, preventing Martins from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Martins lying in Anselmo's guard like a wet fish here, stalling away. Anselmo decides he's had enough of all that nonsense - he escapes his hips and locks up an armbar! Wow, that was slick! Martins taps! This one is aaaaaaaaaaall over!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Phillip Anselmo!