PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Bob Marley (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and James Toney (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Bob Marley has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Marley
vs
Toney

190 cm
22
243 lbs
1 - 1 - 1

178 cm
22
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
KO power

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Bob Marley!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, James Toney!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Illya Tyunina.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marley ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Toney moves away.
Marley keeps the fight on the outside.
Marley keeps the fight on the outside.
Toney tries to clinch there but Marley circles away.
Toney tries to clinch but Marley moves out of range.
Toney tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Toney is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Marley avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Toney tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marley paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Toney tries to clinch there but Marley circles away.
Toney fails in his attempt to clinch.
Toney tries to clinch up.
Toney doesn't manage to clinch there - Marley circles away.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toney wants to clinch up but Marley keeps it at a distance.
Toney tries to clinch there but Marley circles away.

Marley drives through and clinches with Toney against the cage.
Marley drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Toney gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Marley.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Toney manages to break the clinch.
Toney wants to clinch but Marley slips to the side

and Marley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Marley.
Toney is pressed up against the cage. Marley has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Toney down to the mat. Toney avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Marley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toney closes the distance looking to clinch

and Marley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

Toney breaks the clinch.

Toney has closed the distance and engaged Marley in a clinch.
Marley tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Toney just stands there and leans against the cage.
Marley tries a knee to the head but he's missed.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marley drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Toney gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Toney tries to break free but Marley pushes him back against the cage.
Toney is pressed up against the cage. Marley has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Toney down to the mat. Toney avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
James Toney seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Toney wants to clinch but Marley slips to the side

and Marley counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.

Marley drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Marley jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Marley is breathing heavily.
Marley prevents Toney from getting back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Toney can do anything to dispel that myth.

Toney kicks Marley off and gets to his feet.
Toney tries to clinch up

and Marley counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toney wants to break the clinch but can't.
Marley goes for a takedown attempt but Toney pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Toney avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Toney wants to clinch but Marley slips to the side

and Marley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Marley.
Toney wants to break free but Marley has control.
Toney gets underhooks to prevent Marley's takedown attempt.
Toney is trying to force a seperation but Marley has the dominant position.
Marley tries to pull guard but Toney won't allow it.
Marley drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Marley drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

Toney works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.
Toney wants to get up but he can't break Marley's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

Marley had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Toney defends it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Bob Marley will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Toney closes the distance looking to clinch

and Marley counters by clinching up.
Marley drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Toney gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Marley tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Toney smiles and moves away.
Toney is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Toney tries to clinch but Marley moves out of range.
Marley circles away from the clinch attempt.
Toney wants to clinch up but Marley keeps it at a distance.

Toney closes the distance and clinches.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Toney has had enough of the clinch but Marley keeps him there for the moment.
Marley is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Toney pulls him back up using the underhooks.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Marley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Toney is trying to force a seperation but Marley has the dominant position.
Marley goes for a takedown in the clinch but Toney prevents it.
Marley is working for takedown but Toney is calmly controlling the position for now.
Toney looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Marley is trying to drag Toney to the mat but Toney just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Toney goes for a takedown attempt but Marley pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
James Toney is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Toney wants to clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Toney fails in his attempt to clinch.
Toney wants to clinch but Marley slips to the side
and Marley counters with a thumping low kick.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Toney rushes Marley and presses him up against the cage.
Marley prevents Toney from breaking the clinch.
Marley tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Toney avoids it.
Marley jumps guard but Toney stands there with Marley around his waist. Marley gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Marley tries for a takedown. No joy.
Toney has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Marley has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Toney avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Toney wants to get back to striking at distance but Marley won't allow it.
Marley prevents a takedown attempt there.

Toney escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Toney tries to clinch

and Marley counters by clinching up.

Toney manages to break the clinch.
Toney closes the distance looking to clinch

and Marley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Marley.
Toney gets underhooks to prevent Marley's takedown attempt.

Toney breaks the clinch.
Toney tries to clinch

and Marley counters by moving into the clinch.

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

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Toney wants to clinch up but Marley keeps it at a distance.
Marley swats away the attempt to clinch by Toney.
Bob Marley is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Toney tries to clinch but Marley moves away

and Marley counters by clinching up.
Marley looking for a takedown.
Marley keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Toney's efforts to push away.
Toney working hard to break the clinch.
Toney drops down looking for an ankle pick but Marley pulls his leg out and moves away.
Toney tries to clinch but fails miserably

and Marley counters by moving into the clinch.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Toney tries to break free but Marley pushes him back against the cage.
Marley drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Toney gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Toney has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Marley uses from the top position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but James Toney will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Back to the action! This is the final round!

Toney tries to clinch

and Marley counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Marley.
Marley is trying to drag Toney to the mat but Toney just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Marley is looking for a takedown up against the cage. Toney gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.

Toney pulls Marley into guard.
Toney keeping moving, preventing Marley from controlling successfully.
Toney wants to get back to his feet but Marley passes into half guard.
Toney is trying to stand.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marley seems very keen to just sit and control from half guard but Toney does not like that idea so much and is remaining active off his back.
Marley prevents Toney from standing back up.
Marley is looking to take a break and control but Toney is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Toney clinches but Marley breaks the clinch

and Marley holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Marley jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Toney walks away with a smile on his face. Marley gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bob Marley. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Toney wants to clinch

and Marley counters by moving into the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.
Marley is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Toney changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Marley fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Toney clinches but Marley breaks the clinch

and Marley counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Toney wants to stand up but Marley is controlling him.
Toney really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Marley. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Toney utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Marley slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.

Marley tries for a kimura but Toney is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marley wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Toney, who protects the arm well.

Marley is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Toney is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Toney wants to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.

Marley tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Marley has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
Marley trying to control the action but Toney is working from the bottom.

And that's the end of the fight!
Bob Marley showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Marley has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 30:28
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 29:29
Judge Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Bob Marley!