PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lawrence Mars (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Basheer Saleh (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mars comes to the cage accompanied by Avenged Sevenfold's Nightmare. Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Mars
vs
Saleh

167 cm
23
141 lbs
9 - 6 - 0

168 cm
28
146 lbs
9 - 7 - 0

Great wrestler
Solid boxing
Cardio machine

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Solid chin

Charlie Wang's Nutrition and 95 % Laundry

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 9 - 6 - 0, fighting out of New York, Lawrence Mars!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 9 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Basheer Saleh!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Bruno Lombardi and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mars checks a leg kick.
Mars throws a body punch but Saleh moves out of range.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.

Mars throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Saleh tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mars is in Saleh's guard.
Mars wants to control from the top but Saleh keeps moving.
Mars wants to pass the guard but Saleh is keeping the position.
Saleh wants to sweep but no luck.
Mars thows a big elbow that misses.
Saleh keeping full guard, as Mars tries to pass.
Saleh looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mars is one step ahead there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Saleh is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Mars defends well.
Mars is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Saleh is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mars wants to control from the top but Saleh keeps moving.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Mars throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Saleh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mars throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Saleh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Saleh has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Mars can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Saleh keeping full guard, as Mars tries to pass.
Saleh utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Saleh working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Mars.
Mars is looking to work some ground and pound but Saleh has wrist control.
Mars is looking to work some ground and pound but Saleh has wrist control.
Mars missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Saleh is trying to control the position but Mars postures up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mars tries to free his leg and advance position but Saleh is retaining full guard.
Mars distracts Saleh with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Mars trying to control but Saleh is working from the bottom.
Mars in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Mars stands up over Saleh, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Mars looking to sit in guard and control but Saleh gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Saleh trying to control the position from guard on top but Mars is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mars scores with a nice shot.
Mars bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Saleh's guard.
Saleh preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Mars working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Saleh's head.
Saleh utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mars with a flurry of punches that miss.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Mars looking to pass the guard.
Mars throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Saleh works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lawrence Mars dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Mars throws a body punch but Saleh moves out of range.
Saleh lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Mars circles away quickly and effectively.
Mars moves out of range as Saleh throws a body kick.
Saleh fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Mars checks it well.
Saleh throws a right and a left that Mars avoids nicely.
A head kick misses from Saleh.
Saleh tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Mars paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Saleh misses with a series of wild punches.
Mars throws a jab when Saleh was well out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Saleh steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Mars.
Mars shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Saleh as he avoids it easily.
Saleh throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Mars misses with a straight left.
Mars scores with a body shot.
Saleh throws a right hand that Mars ducks under and follows up with a left that Mars also avoids with ease.
Good exchange - Mars coming out on top.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mars throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Basheer Saleh is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Saleh moves out of range as Mars strikes.
Saleh looks to land a combination but Mars avoids it well.
Saleh closes the distance looking to clinch
and Mars counters with a quick right hand to the jaw.
Mars misses with a body shot.
Mars misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Saleh.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Saleh wants to clinch.
Saleh slips under a jab from Mars.
Saleh misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Saleh avoids the body shot from Mars.
Saleh throws a leg kick but he was too far away and it doesn't land.
Saleh on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Saleh keeping at a good range here, avoiding a leg kick.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Saleh misses with a looping right.
A combination from Saleh does no damage.

Mars is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Saleh's half guard.
Mars passes the guard and advances to mount!
Saleh is bucking up trying to escape but Mars cracks him with another couple of good strikes.
Lawrence Mars overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mars looking to finish Saleh with some ground and pound. This is bad for Saleh!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lawrence Mars dominated that second round.
That's time! Mars's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Saleh stuffs the takedown.
Saleh tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Mars misses with a looping right.
Mars thows a body shot but no joy.
Mars takes a swing at Saleh's ribcage but misses.
Mars ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Saleh moves away.
A combination from Saleh does no damage.
Saleh throws a low kick but Mars avoids it.
Basheer Saleh is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Well, he's not going to score with shots like that. A lazy body kick attempt from Saleh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mars thows a left - swing and a miss!
Saleh avoids the body shot from Mars.
Mars tries to score with a low kick but Saleh moves his leg out of the way.
Mars misses with a straight left.
Saleh goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Mars thows a body shot but no joy.
Saleh avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Jab, jab by Mars - just one landing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mars looks to throw the jab but Saleh is out of range.
Saleh throws a leg kick but Mars sees it coming and moves out of range.
Mars looks to score with a jab to the body but Saleh is just out of range.
Saleh throws a body kick but he wasn't in range.
Saleh keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Mars missing with a left hand there. Saleh was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Saleh walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Mars checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Mars looks to land a left hand but Saleh moved out of range nicely.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mars misses with a low kick.
Mars takes a hook to the side of the head. I wonder if that's got his ears ringing.

Mars scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Mars connects with a nice short shot to Saleh's temple.
Mars working the head and body with strikes.
Mars is just content to waste time from the top position. Saleh takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Saleh utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Saleh keeping moving, preventing Mars from controlling successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mars postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Saleh trying to keep a closed guard but Mars is proving a slippery customer.
Mars trying to control but Saleh is working from the bottom.
Mars throwing strikes from guard but Saleh blocks nicely.
Lawrence Mars is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Saleh looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mars is one step ahead there.
Mars is stalling in the full guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Lawrence Mars showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Mars has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 30:27
Judge Bruno Lombardi scores the fight 30:27
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lawrence Mars!