PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Johnny Markham (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tim Hunter (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Hunter has chosen Galneryus - Everlasting as his entrance music. Tim Hunter has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Markham
vs
Hunter

178 cm
25
160 lbs
1 - 1 - 0

180 cm
22
165 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Johnny Markham!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Tim Hunter!
The judges for this bout are Dirk Anderson, Daniel Franklin and Bart Greer.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Hunter decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Hunter throwing shots but Markham is blocking nicely.
Hunter stops Markham from getting back to his feet.
Hunter throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Hunter takes a deep breath and rests his weight momentarily on top of his opponent, to control the position.
Hunter looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Markham pushes Hunter off looking to stand but Hunter dives back in and keeps control.

Markham makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Markham closes the distance but Hunter moves to the side
and Hunter cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Hunter is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Markham stuffs the takedown.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hunter. Markham does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hunter wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Hunter closes this distance looking for a takedown but Markham circles away.
Hunter checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
The fight stays on the outside here - Hunter looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Markham prevents Hunter from breaking the clinch.
Hunter struggles to land a body shot inside as Markham controls his hands.
Hunter tries to throw a body punch but Markham avoids it by throwing Hunter back against the cage.
Hunter dodges an elbow strike from Markham.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Markham is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Hunter is defending well for now.
Hunter tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.

Hunter has picked Markham up - he's going for a ride! Hunter dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Markham is trying to stand.
Hunter wants to control but Markham is keeping him busy.
Markham tries to kick Hunter off but Hunter keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Markham makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Hunter misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hunter will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Johnny Markham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Hunter.
Markham just misses with a punch to the body.
Hunter darts in trying to clinch
and Markham counters with a nice body kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Markham rushes Hunter and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Hunter misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Markham throws a punch but it's blocked by Hunter.
Hunter doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Hunter tries to score a body lock takedown but Markham shows good agility there to stay on his feet.
Hunter displaying some good clinch control by pressing Markham up against the cage.
Markham missing with knees to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Hunter.

Hunter is working on a single leg takedown against the cage. Markham can't fight it off and eventually Hunter manages to take the fight to the floor. Markham looks annoyed but at least he's managed to land in guard.

Markham scrambles and gets back to his feet.
Johnny Markham is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Markham stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Markham wants it to stay on the feet.
Markham scores with a nice body kick.
Markham looking to take his opponent's legs away with the low kicks.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Hunter pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Markham throws a low kick, looking for Hunter's leg but Hunter calmly moves out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tim Hunter dominated that 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.

Markham misses with a wild combination.
Hunter avoids the head kick by Markham.
A looping hook to the body misses from Hunter. Markham does a little dance to reset his feet.
Hunter tries to clinch there but Markham circles away.

Hunter moves into the clinch.
Hunter is pushing Markham up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hunter is trying to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markham working aggressively here.
Markham is trying to stall.
A hook to the body from Markham.
Nice body punch from Markham - that landed with a thud.
Hunter is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
Markham is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Hunter is keeping busy.
The referee calls for Hunter to work.
Hunter trying to control the position but instead, Markham has worked for underhooks and has pushed Hunter into the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Tim Hunter.
Hunter swings away with a body shot that misses
and Markham counters with a series of strikes. Hunter will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hunter swings for the body but Markham moves out of range.
A head kick from Markham lands but Hunter takes it in his stride.
Markham circles away from the clinch attempt.
Hunter tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Markham manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Markham defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Hunter.
Hunter tries to clinch there but Markham circles away.
Hunter tries to close the distance and clinch but Markham swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Hunter is trying hard to land a takedown here. Markham sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Hunter tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Markham counters with a low kick, right behind Hunter 's knee.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Hunter is defended easily by Markham.
Johnny Markham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Hunter.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hunter shoots in and gets a takedown into half guard. Hunter showed some decent athleticism there.
Markham tries to kick Hunter off but Hunter keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Markham is staying active underneath Hunter, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Hunter prevents Markham from standing back up.
Tim Hunter has got the better of the ground game so far.
Hunter thows a huge punch but Markham dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Markham is trying to stand.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Hunter thows a huge punch but Markham dodges it nicely.
Markham is trying to stand up here but Hunter is controlling him well.
Markham is refusing to be controlled, as Hunter sits in half guard.
Hunter controlling the action here.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Hunter looks to clinch
and Markham counters with a head kick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Hunter waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Markham.
Markham throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Hunter.
Hunter darts in trying to clinch
and Markham counters with a one-two to the body.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Tim Hunter will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Hunter tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Markham tries to keep at a distance but Hunter has taken the fight into the clinch.
Markham has a couple of punches blocked by Hunter.
Markham is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Hunter taking a breather.
Markham tries to work over Hunter's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Hunter misses with a punch to the body.
Nice body punch from Hunter.
Hunter tries to stall but Markham uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Hunter is looking to take this one to the mat.
Hunter taking a breather.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markham is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Hunter tries to work over Markham's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Tim Hunter seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Hunter is looking to take this one to the mat.
Johnny Markham has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tim Hunter.
Hunter misses with a hook to the ribs.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Markham as Hunter tries to tie him up.
Hunter stalling.
Hunter looking to slow down the pace here.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Tim Hunter.
Hunter tries to close the distance and clinch but Markham swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Markham throws a head kick but Hunter moves out of range.
Tim Hunter seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Hunter tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Markham paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Hunter looks to land a right hand but Markham moved out of range.
Hunter is looking to clinch but Markham is avoiding it.

Hunter is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Markham's half guard.
Markham wants to get back to his feet.
Still in half guard, Hunter seems content to control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Markham wants to get back to his feet.

Markham has managed to escape just enough to sneak back to his feet but Hunter is on him like a limpet, forcing Markham back against the cage.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Markham misses with the head strike.
Markham leaning against his opponent.
Hunter presses Markham against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Hunter misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Markham prevents the takedown attempt.
Hunter is pushing Markham up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Hunter misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Hunter tries to score a body lock takedown but Markham shows good agility there to stay on his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Markham stalling against the cage.
Hunter goes for a takedown in the clinch but Markham prevents it.
Hunter slowing the pace effectively.
Hunter drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Markham gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Hunter is looking to take this one to the mat.
Johnny Markham has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Markham stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Tim Hunter is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Markham blocks a body shot from Hunter.

And that's the end of the fight!
Tim Hunter comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Hunter has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Dirk Anderson scores the fight 27:30
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 27:30
Judge Bart Greer scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tim Hunter!
After winning the bout, Tim Hunter thanked all his fans and promised he'd do even better in his next fight. The crowd seemed to love his humility.
Johnny Markham was interviewed post fight and said 'Pray for me.'.