PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between James Martain (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and George Gilbert (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both these guys have solid standup skills and neither is particularly fantastic on the ground, so let's hope for a nice standup war!

Martain
vs
Gilbert

194 cm
26
207 lbs
2 - 2 - 0

190 cm
27
215 lbs
3 - 2 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Big right hand

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Good gas tank

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 2 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, James Martain!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 1, fighting out of Sydney, George Gilbert!
The judges for this bout are Bruno Hogan, Hugh Johnson and Donatello Bradman.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Gilbert throws a big shot that misses.
Martain lands a nice looking body shot.
Gilbert throws the left hand but Martain avoids the punch easily.

Gilbert clinches with his opponent.
Martain is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Gilbert has Martain pressed against the cage, preventing Martain from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Martain looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Gilbert wants a takedown.
Gilbert tries for a takedown but Martain manages to get underhooks.
James Martain has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Gilbert.
Martain tries to break free but Gilbert pushes him back against the cage.

Gilbert manages to break the clinch.
Martain misses with a wild combination.
Martain lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Gilbert circles away quickly and effectively.
Gilbert throws a right hand that Martain ducks under and follows up with a left that Martain also avoids with ease.
Martain feints a jab promting Gilbert to slip. Martain then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Gilbert slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martain lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Gilbert looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Martain is fending him off so far but Gilbert persists. Nope, Martain circles away and we're back to standing.
Gilbert tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Martain manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gilbert throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Gilbert takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Martain pushing out the jab but it's not landing.

Gilbert rushes Martain and presses him up against the cage.
Gilbert can't get the takedown.
Martain has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Martain struggles to land a body shot inside as Gilbert controls his hands.
Gilbert has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Martain is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Martain wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Gilbert has him pressed against the cage.
Martain wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martain wants to get back to striking at distance but Gilbert won't allow it.
Martain is trying to break the clinch but Gilbert is controlling him.
Gilbert keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Martain's efforts to push away.
Martain wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Martain is trying to break the clinch but Gilbert has him pressed against the cage.
Martain wants to break free but Gilbert has control.
Gilbert goes for a takedown in the clinch but Martain prevents it.
Gilbert keeps control of Martain as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martain fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Martain prevents the takedown attempt.
Martain wants to break the clinch but can't.
Gilbert has Martain pressed against the cage, preventing Martain from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Gilbert keeps control of Martain as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Martain tries to break free but Gilbert pushes him back against the cage.
Gilbert drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Martain gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Martain tries to circle away but Gilbert has him pinned against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martain prevents the takedown attempt.
Gilbert keeps control of Martain as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Martain stops a takedown attempt from Gilbert.
Gilbert can't get the takedown.
Martain is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Gilbert is keeping busy.
Martain working hard to break the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Gilbert blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Gilbert as Martain tries to tie him up.
Gilbert tries to pull guard but Martain holds him up against the cage and eventually Gilbert drops back down to his feet.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James Martain dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Martain throws a series of punches but Gilbert moves out of range.
Gilbert is trying hard to land a takedown here. Martain sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Gilbert tries to clinch up.
Martain lands with a nice body punch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Gilbert shoots in and drives through. Martain sprawls well.
Gilbert swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Gilbert closes the distance and clinches up with Martain, looking for a takedown. Gilbert pushes Martain against the cage but Martain circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
James Martain has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Gilbert.
Martain tries to bum rush Gilbert with a series of wild strikes but Gilbert uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gilbert slips under a jab.
Gilbert avoids a punch combination nicely.
Martain throws a right hand that Gilbert ducks under and follows up with a left that Gilbert also avoids with ease.
Martain rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Gilbert moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Martain ducks right into an uppercut from Gilbert.

Gilbert moves into the clinch.

Gilbert breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Gilbert shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Martain defends it nicely.
Gilbert throws a series of punches but Martain avoids them all with ease.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilbert misses with a straight left.
Martain throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Martain lands a powerful looking uppercut that connected with his opponent's jaw.
Gilbert gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
No joy there for Martain, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Martain misses with a wild combination.
Martain fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Gilbert manages to avoid it.
Martain throws a nice looking combination but Gilbert bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
James Martain is winning the standup battle so far.
Martain misses with a looping left.
Martain slips a jab from Gilbert.
Gilbert is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
James Martain is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Gilbert tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Martain swivels and escapes.
A slapping body kick lands there for Gilbert.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
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!
Gilbert connects with a slap. Keep your fist closed son.
A big right from Gilbert misses.
Gilbert throws a couple of head shots and lands with the final one - a decent hook, which struck Martain on the side of the head.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Martain displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Gilbert.
Gilbert misses with a jab, cross combination.

Gilbert has managed to clinch.
Martain can't break the clinch.
Martain working hard to break the clinch.
Gilbert goes for a takedown attempt but Martain pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Martain misses with a series of wild punches.
Gilbert shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Martain as he jumps to the side.
Gilbert misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Martain throws a series of punches but Gilbert avoids them all with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Gilbert avoids a punch combination nicely.
Martain misses with a jab, cross combination.
Gilbert dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
Martain looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Gilbert misses with a wild combination.
Gilbert looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Martain is fending him off so far but Gilbert persists. Nope, Martain circles away and we're back to standing.
Martain thows a left - swing and a miss!
Martain throws a nice looking combination but Gilbert bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Martain misses with a double jab.
Gilbert tries to bum rush Martain with a series of wild strikes but Martain uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Gilbert connects with the punch.
Gilbert's hands are dropping dangerously low here and Martain connects clean with a right hook that sends him down to one knee! Gilbert scrambles back to his feet.

Gilbert bobbing and weaving well here. And he's unloaded with a massive right hand that drops Martain! He dives into his guard looking to finish!

Martain is rocked!
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Martain keeping moving, preventing Gilbert from controlling successfully.
Oh Martain is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!

Gilbert drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Gilbert jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Gilbert passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Martain is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Gilbert is controlling him well.

Gilbert thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Martain seems to have got his legs back now.
Gilbert passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Martain!

Gilbert goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Martain is on top in guard.

Gilbert had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martain defends it easily.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Gilbert throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

George Gilbert showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Gilbert tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Martain manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Gilbert 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.
A looping hook to the body misses from Martain. Gilbert does a little dance to reset his feet.
Gilbert loads up on a big right hand but Martain slips the punch.
Gilbert tries to close the distance and clinch but Martain swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Gilbert rushes Martain and presses him up against the cage.
Gilbert tries to score a body lock takedown but Martain shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Martain has had enough of the clinch but Gilbert keeps him there for the moment.
Martain tries to break free but Gilbert pushes him back against the cage.
Gilbert is trying to drag Martain to the mat but Martain just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Martain misses with a hook to the ribs.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Gilbert has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Martain avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
James Martain has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of George Gilbert.
Martain gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Gilbert.
Martain has had enough of the clinch but Gilbert keeps him there for the moment.
Gilbert goes for a takedown attempt but Martain pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Martain throws out a loose jab but Gilbert uses good head movement to avoid it.
Martain throws a series of punches but Gilbert moves out of range.
Gilbert lands with a big left! Martain is wobbled badly! Gilbert comes in with a flurry of punches and drops Martain to the floor. The ref jumps in to save him from unneccessary punishment.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:58 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). George Gilbert!
After the fight, George Gilbert was humble in paying tribute to his opponent but made it clear he wants to go on to bigger and better things. It seemed to go down well with the crowd who cheered him loudly.