PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Bruce Darkson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martinez is bouncing up and down as he enters the arena, backed by Not Afraid- Eminem . Bruce Darkson has the edge in experience - let's see if he can make that count tonight.

Darkson
vs
Martinez

178 cm
18
178 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Bruce Darkson!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ricardo Martinez!
The judges for this bout are Frank Dennis, George Francis and Alan Glass.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Darkson gets the takedown into side control.
Martinez tries to bench press Darkson off him but Darkson keeps the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Darkson throws an elbow but Martinez slips to the side and avoids it well.
Darkson fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Martinez is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Darkson off and has taken his back!
Will Martinez go for the finish here or will he try and keep control of the position?
Darkson has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Darkson tries to roll but Martinez sticks to his back.
Darkson is breathing heavily.
Martinez is looking to control Darkson but Darkson is wriggling around and keeping busy.
Martinez lands punches and elbows.
Martinez biding his time, looking for the opening.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez trying to control.
Darkson is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Martinez tries to keep control of the position but Darkson is staying busy.
Darkson turns into Martinez and is now in his guard.
Darkson wants to control from the top but Martinez keeps moving.
Martinez wants to get back to his feet but Darkson is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Darkson loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

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.
Martinez looking to control.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.

Darkson gets caught flat footed, as Martinez shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Martinez trying to control but Darkson is working from the bottom.
Martinez is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Martinez postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Martinez postures up.

Darkson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martinez defends it easily.
Martinez postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darkson keeping moving, preventing Martinez from controlling successfully.
Martinez works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Martinez wants to take a breather but Darkson is having none of it.
Martinez is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Martinez trying to control from Darkson's half guard. Darkson has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Martinez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Darkson keeping moving, preventing Martinez from controlling successfully.
Martinez is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Martinez slips nicely into half guard.
Martinez is trying to control the action in half guard but Darkson is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Darkson moves into full guard.
Martinez showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ricardo Martinez dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Darkson is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Martinez's half guard.

Despite being in the dominant position, Ricardo Martinez just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Martinez bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.
Martinez trying to control the position but Darkson is working away.
Martinez tries to advance to mount but Darkson denies him.
Martinez wants to control but Darkson is keeping him busy.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Martinez stands up and we're back to a striking position.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Darkson has closed the distance and engaged Martinez in a clinch.
Martinez tries for a takedown but Darkson manages to get underhooks.
Darkson stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Darkson jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Martinez walks away with a smile on his face. Darkson gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Darkson tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Martinez closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Darkson is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Martinez's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Martinez's back!
Darkson softening up his opponent with strikes here.
Darkson is working the ground and pound. Can Martinez escape?

Darkson looking to break Martinez's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Martinez remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Darkson will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Martinez is in bad spot here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Darkson is working the ground and pound. Can Martinez escape?
Darkson scores with strikes from the back.
Darkson looking to soften up his opponent with punches.
Martinez rolls, trying to escape but Darkson keeps control of the position.
Ricardo Martinez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Darkson lands with a couple of good shots - one to the side of the head and one questionable shot that could be viewed as to the back of the head but the referee lets it go.
Darkson has Martinez flattened out and is raining down punches.
Martinez trying to control the position but Darkson manages to sink in the hooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Darkson wants to control but Martinez is keeping busy.

Darkson looking for the choke from the back.
Darkson is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Darkson keeps control of the position as Martinez tries to break free.
Darkson tries to keep control of the position but Martinez is staying busy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Darkson lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Martinez.
Darkson gets his hands free as Martinez looks to control.
Darkson biding his time, looking for the opening.
Darkson wants to control but Martinez is keeping busy.
Martinez is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Martinez trying to control the action but Darkson just sinks the hooks in.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Bruce Darkson dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Martinez feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Martinez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Martinez stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Darkson gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Darkson escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Martinez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Martinez is looking to stand up but Darkson won't let him.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez looking to pass the guard.
Darkson looking to control.
Darkson is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Martinez is controlling him.
Martinez lands a couple of digs.
Martinez being controlled here momentarily.
Darkson working a defensive guard here.

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.
Martinez trying to control but Darkson is working from the bottom.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Darkson with a poor takedown

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

Darkson is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Martinez is aware though and is defending well.

Darkson had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martinez defends it easily.
Martinez stands and throws Darkson's legs to the side, diving into side control.
Martinez just content to control the position.

Martinez decides to stand up, so the ref orders Darkson to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Nice jab there from Martinez.
Martinez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Darkson shoots and misses

and Martinez counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Bruce Darkson. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Darkson successfully pulls guard.
Darkson looking to hit a scissor sweep but Martinez is one step ahead there.

Darkson has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Martinez off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Darkson stuffs the takedown attempt from Martinez. Martinez gets slowly back to his feet.
Darkson falls off balance throwing a combination

and Martinez counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Darkson!
Darkson is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Darkson is squirming around, avoiding Martinez's attempts to control the action.
Darkson is trying to escape the mount.
Martinez can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Darkson is looking to escape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Darkson is trying desperately to improve position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Ricardo Martinez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Martinez has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Frank Dennis scores the fight 28:29
Judge George Francis scores the fight 28:29
Judge Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Ricardo Martinez!