PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Josiah Holman (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jeff Molina (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.

Holman
vs
Molina

206 cm
18
150 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

171 cm
18
153 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Inexperienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight 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, Josiah Holman!
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, Jeff Molina!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Thiago Cunha and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Holman stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Holman wants it to stay on the feet.

Molina closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Molina drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.

Molina breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
A low kick from Molina is predictable there
and Holman counters with a three punch combo that has Molina backing up. Molina nods at Holman to acknowledge the strikes.

Molina has taken the fight to the clinch.
Holman is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Molina is defending well.
Holman misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Molina.
Holman tries to pull guard but Molina won't allow it.
Holman tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Molina has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Holman is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Josiah Holman has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jeff Molina.
Holman is pressed up against the cage. Molina has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Holman down to the mat. Holman avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Molina stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Holman.
Molina throws a head kick but Holman moves out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Holman manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Molina on his heels. He'll look to pass Molina's guard now, I'm sure.
Molina is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Holman not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Molina is looking to stand up but Holman isn't so interested in that idea.
Holman postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Holman trying to control but Molina is working from the bottom.
Holman won't allow Molina to get back to his feet.
Holman really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Molina escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Holman gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Molina not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Holman postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Molina looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Holman puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Molina wants to get back to his feet.
Molina looks winded!
Molina trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!
Molina tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Holman takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Molina tries to hold on but Holman pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holman with shots to the head and body - Molina looks very uncomfortable down there.
Holman cracks Molina with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Holman working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Molina tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Holman connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Holman breaks from Molina's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Holman can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Molina is looking to escape.
Molina slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Molina wants to control but Holman passes into side.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holman happy to just control the position for now.
Holman seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Molina for as long as he can get away with.
Holman trying to control the action but Molina is working from the bottom.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Molina is trying to improve his position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Holman in side control lands a decent elbow.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josiah Holman dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Nice takedown defense from Holman. No joy for Molina on that attempt.
Molina lands a nice leg kick that just misses Holman's sensitive parts.
Josiah Holman is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Molina misses the jab.
Holman scores with a body shot.

Molina gets tackled into the cage by Holman. Holman maintains the clinch.

Holman gets control of Molina's arms and successfully pulls guard. Holman will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Molina throwing strikes but missing.
Holman 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.
Holman trying to punch from his back but it's not doing any damage.
Holman keeping full guard, as Molina tries to pass.
Molina makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Molina with a flurry of punches that miss.
Holman tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Holman thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Molina working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Holman's head.
Holman is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Molina is controlling him.

Holman pushes Molina off and scrambles back to his feet.
Molina uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Holman.

Holman gets caught flat footed, as Molina shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Molina postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Molina lands a couple of elbows.
Molina loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Molina preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Holman wants to get back to his feet but Molina is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Molina wants to control from the top but Holman keeps moving.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Molina's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Molina working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Holman's head.
Molina connects with a couple of short punches.
Molina is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Holman looking to control but Molina passes into half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Molina prevents Holman from improving his position.
Molina drops an elbow to the side of Holman's head.
Molina working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Molina perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.

Holman is defending against the submission attempts here by Molina.
Molina is keen to just control but Holman is a slippery customer.
Holman is looking to improve his position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Holman is trying to stand.
Molina lands a big shot. The thud that echoes around the arena is like music to the fans' ears.
Holman has hold of Molina's hands but Molina slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Molina working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Holman on the receiving end of some nice ground and pound.
Holman looks like he's trying to stand up.
Molina is trying to control. Holman wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Molina is looking to advance position but Holman won't allow it.
Molina blocks the strikes from Holman.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jeff Molina showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! And we move into the final round!

Molina rushes Holman and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

Molina ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Molina no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Molina trying to keep a closed guard but Holman is proving a slippery customer.

Molina looks to be working for a triangle here. Oh, it looks like he might have it! Holman has picked Molina up and slammed him! Molina can't keep hold of the triangle and Holman manages to pass to side control!
Holman trying to control the position but Molina is working away.
Molina parries the strikes from Holman easily there. Holman is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Molina to escape.
Holman trying to control the position but Molina is working away.
Molina is looking to get back to his feet here but Holman is keeping cool and he's managed to take Molina's back.
Molina trying to control but not successfully.
Jeff Molina has got the better of the ground game so far.
Molina takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Molina tries to escape but Holman has the hooks in and won't let him break free.
Holman just keeping the dominant position. He can't wait too long though, otherwise the referee will stand them back up.
Molina has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
Holman is landing with strikes from the back.
Molina looking very determined here, making life difficult for Holman.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Holman biding his time, controlling Molina.
Molina tries to escape the position.
Molina tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Holman lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.
Molina tries to lock up and control but Holman gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Holman with shots to the head and body - Molina looks very uncomfortable down there.
Molina is trying to escape the mount.
Molina is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Holman looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
Holman will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Holman in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Holman scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Molina?

Holman moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Molina has worked his arm free - good work by Molina!
Molina is trying to control Holman's posture but Holman avoids it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Molina is trying to improve his position.
The referee asks Holman politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Holman prefers to stall for the moment though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A control attempt from Molina but he's now mounted!

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Josiah Holman.
I think Holman 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 Felipe Paraventi scores the fight 28:29
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 28:29
Judge Emerson Jorge scores the fight 29:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Jeff Molina!