PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Matt Edgar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Markus Warren (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.

Edgar
vs
Warren

170 cm
18
144 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

163 cm
18
133 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Matt Edgar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Markus Warren!
The judges for this bout are Donald Grub, Andrew Berry and Chris Edwards.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Edgar throws a head kick that misses.

Warren closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Edgar is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Warren has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Warren misses with the ground and pound.
Edgar is looking for a sweep.
Warren scoring with punches and elbows.
Warren trying to control the action but Edgar is working from the bottom.
Warren throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Edgar manages to get back to half guard.
Nice strikes from Warren there.
Warren scoring with strikes to the body and head.
Edgar is looking to escape.
Warren is thwarting Edgar's attempts to control the position.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Edgar wants to get back to full guard.
Warren is trying to control the action in half guard but Edgar is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Warren missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Warren missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Edgar tries to kick Warren off but Warren keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Warren scores with a jab to the jaw of his opponent.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Warren.
Warren landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.
Warren prevents Edgar from escaping the position.
Edgar taking punishment in the form of punches.
Edgar takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.
Edgar is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Warren in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Edgar is breathing heavily.
Warren grinds an elbow into Edgar's temple.
Edgar is trying to get back to half guard.
Warren cracks Edgar with a big right hand but Edgar just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Warren lands a nice forearm strike.
Warren is chipping away with strikes.
Edgar takes a nasty elbow to the side of the head.

Warren is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Edgar knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Edgar manages to get back to half guard.
Warren is keeping good posture, landing some ground and pound.
Edgar is staying active underneath Warren, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Warren 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.
Edgar landing small, sideways elbows.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Edgar is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Warren working over Edgar with some ground and pound. Edgar looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar gets back to full guard.
Warren looking to sit in guard and control but Edgar gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Edgar trying to control the position from guard on top but Warren is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Warren looking for a guillotine here but Edgar defends easily.
Warren wants to sweep here but Edgar controlling him for the moment.
Edgar throwing strikes but missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Edgar tries to stand but Warren is controlling from the bottom.

Warren is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Connects with an elbow from the bottom, proving to the judges that he's still active off his back.
Warren looking for a sweep. Not yet Warren, not yet.
Edgar scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Edgar drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Warren manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Edgar has Warren in his guard.
Warren lands a couple of digs.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markus Warren dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Warren uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Edgar.
Edgar is looking to clinch but Warren is avoiding it.

Edgar clinches with his opponent.
Warren stops a takedown attempt from Edgar.

Warren jumps guard.
Warren looking to hit a scissor sweep but Edgar is one step ahead there.
Warren throwing short punches from the bottom.
Warren preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Warren trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Warren striking off his back, scoring a few points.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Warren can do anything to dispel that myth.
Warren throwing some rather feeble looking strikes off his back.

Warren is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Edgar won't allow Warren to sweep him here.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Edgar loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Edgar is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Edgar wants to clinch.
Warren shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
A combination from Edgar does no damage.
The fight stays on the outside here - Edgar looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Warren fails to land the takedown.
Matt Edgar seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Edgar throws a hard body shot but it just misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Warren shoots in for a double leg but Edgar sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Matt Edgar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Markus Warren.
Warren swats away the attempt to clinch by Edgar.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Edgar.
Warren throws an elbow to the body but it doesn't land.

Edgar decides to stand back up. Edgar steps back and let's Warren get back to his feet.
Warren avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Warren moves into the clinch.
Warren is trying to drag Edgar to the mat but Edgar just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

Edgar pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Warren avoids the body shot from Edgar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Warren has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Edgar.

Warren scores with a takedown into Edgar's guard.
Warren keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Edgar's head.
Warren trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Warren gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.

Warren gets the takedown into side control.
Warren connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Edgar some visible discomfort.
Edgar wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Warren landing strikes.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Warren working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Edgar is trying to get back to his feet.
Edgar tries to strike from the bottom but misses.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Edgar tries to clinch but Warren moves away

and Warren counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Edgar!
Warren punishing his opponent with strikes.
Edgar trying to punch from the bottom. They're landing but they're really not going to hurt Warren.
Warren fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Edgar flailing away with punches but nothing is landing.
Edgar wants to try and get back to his feet.
Edgar keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Warren lands a nice shot to the head.
Warren fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Markus Warren showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action! This is the final round!

Warren throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Edgar's waist but Edgar gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Warren off to one side.
A head kick misses from Edgar.
Warren misses with a jab, cross combination.
Nice uppercut lands for Edgar. That snapped Warren's head back.
Edgar lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Edgar.
Warren lands a really nice looking cross but Edgar seems unphased.

Edgar gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Edgar wants to stand up but Warren is controlling him.
Warren connects with a couple of short punches.
Warren must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Warren is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Warren landing with the ground and pound.
Warren trying to control the position from guard on top but Edgar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Edgar is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Edgar is looking to stand up but Warren isn't so interested in that idea.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.

Warren drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Edgar trying to keep a closed guard but Warren is proving a slippery customer.
Warren with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
Warren postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Warren won't allow Edgar to get back to his feet.
Warren cracks Edgar with a solid left hand.
Edgar looking to control.
Edgar thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Warren misses with a jab, cross combination.
Warren circles away from the clinch attempt

and Warren counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Warren.
Warren gets underhooks to prevent Edgar's takedown attempt.
Warren wants a takedown but no success here.
Warren goes for a takedown in the clinch but Edgar prevents it.
Matt Edgar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Markus Warren.
Edgar is pressed up against the cage. Warren has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Edgar down to the mat. Edgar avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
No joy there for Warren, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Warren throws a right hand that Edgar ducks under and follows up with a left that Edgar also avoids with ease.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Edgar throws a head kick that misses
and Warren counters with a straight punch to the midsection.
Edgar misses with an attempted mid kick.
A head kick misses from Edgar.
Warren takes a step back and watches a body kick go sailing past his mid section.
Edgar tries to clinch but Warren moves away

so Warren counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Edgar throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.

Warren stands and steps away. Edgar gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Warren shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Edgar as he avoids it easily.
Edgar tries to clinch up

and Warren counters by moving into the clinch.

Edgar manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Warren looking for a takedown here - he's got it.

Edgar had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Warren is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Edgar Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Warren's back instead.
Warren trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Edgar is throwing strikes from the back here. Oh that last one was to the back of the head. Edgar gets a warning from the referee. He throws another strike to the back of the head straight away though and the referee has seen enough. He breaks up the two fighters and stands them back up. Edgar gets a real talking to here and is lucky not to get a point deducted. Edgar apologises and we restart here on the feet.

Warren drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Warren is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Edgar knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Edgar sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Markus Warren comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Warren winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Donald Grub scores the fight 27:30
Judge Andrew Berry scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Edwards scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Markus Warren!