PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Diego Marquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and pj veenstra (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). pj veenstra told me before the fight that he's been watching a lot of DVDs so let's see if that helps him in this one! I can't wait to find out!

Marquez
vs
veenstra

175 cm
23
165 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

165 cm
19
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
KO power

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Inexperienced

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 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Diego Marquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, pj veenstra!
The judges for this bout are Alan Glass, Robert Twigg and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marquez shoots in and drives through. veenstra sprawls well.
veenstra slips a jab and a cross from Marquez.
veenstra falls off balance throwing a combination

and Marquez counters with a takedown into side control.
veenstra defending against the ground and pound.
Marquez is looking to take a break and control but veenstra is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Marquez working away.
Marquez misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Marquez has control of an arm but veenstra manages to advance to Marquez's back!
Marquez is really stuck here.
veenstra has the hooks sunk in and you can see the will to fight slowly draining out of Marquez's body.
Marquez looking very determined here, making life difficult for veenstra.

That's one minute gone in the round.
veenstra is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Marquez looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.
Marquez rolls, trying to escape but veenstra keeps control of the position.
veenstra trying to control.
Marquez wants to escape the position.
veenstra is riding his opponent, not letting Marquez buck him off.
veenstra throwing sloppy strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
veenstra is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Despite being in the dominant position, pj veenstra just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

veenstra scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
veenstra wants to lay and pray for a moment but Marquez keeps working.
veenstra prevents Marquez from improving his position.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
veenstra is keen to just control but Marquez is a slippery customer.
veenstra looks gassed!
veenstra perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
Marquez tries to get to full guard but veenstra has control of the leg.
veenstra slows the pace down in half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marquez looking for submissions off his back.
Marquez wants to control but veenstra is keeping busy and won't allow it.
veenstra keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
veenstra works his foot free and advances to mount.
Marquez tries to lock up and control but veenstra gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.

That's four 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.
veenstra takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Marquez keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
veenstra sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

Despite being in the dominant position, pj veenstra just isn't active enough and the referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Marquez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Marquez misses with a takedown

and veenstra counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by veenstra.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

veenstra shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Marquez napping and manages to drive through into side control!
veenstra is staying tight to Marquez's torso, preventing him from escaping.
veenstra trying to control the position but Marquez is working away.
veenstra working away.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
veenstra trying to control the position but Marquez is working away.

veenstra decides to take the fight back to the feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
veenstra takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.

veenstra tries to keep at a distance but Marquez has taken the fight into the clinch.
veenstra wants a takedown.

Marquez successfully pulls guard.
veenstra trying to control the position from guard on top but Marquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marquez tries to strike from the bottom.
veenstra wants to pass the guard but Marquez is keeping the position.
Marquez looking to control.
Marquez manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Marquez wants to control the pace but veenstra is squirming around nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd growing excited in anticipation of a finish here! Right on cue, Marquez cracks his opponent with a massive right hand that draws loud cheers!
veenstra tries to hold on but Marquez pushes him away.
Marquez trying to control but he's not successful this time.
veenstra is desperately trying to improve his position but Marquez has a good base and remains in mount.
veenstra is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
veenstra slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.
Marquez is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for veenstra!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
veenstra is trying desperately to improve position.
Marquez tries to control but veenstra wriggling away.
veenstra sneaks a leg back under and regains half guard and is working straight away to try and get back to guard. He hasn't managed just yet though.
veenstra tries to roll over but Marquez keeps him under control.
veenstra is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
veenstra should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
veenstra trying to control but Marquez postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
Marquez wants to get back to his feet.
Marquez is trying to control the action in half guard but veenstra is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
veenstra has his takedown stuffed
and Marquez counters with a low kick, right behind veenstra 's knee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but pj veenstra will probably get the nod - 10:9.
That's time! Marquez's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

veenstra looks to clinch

and Marquez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Marquez.
veenstra trying to control the position.
Marquez has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of veenstra is proving hard to escape from.
veenstra keeping moving, preventing Marquez from controlling successfully.
Marquez trying to pass the guard. He's being very persistent here but veenstra manages to land a sweep and now he's on top!
veenstra postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
veenstra sitting in guard, not really doing much.

That's one minute gone in the round.
veenstra trying to control but Marquez is working from the bottom.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
veenstra forces his way into half guard.

veenstra is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.
Marquez is looking to escape.
veenstra seems to be taking a bit of a break to think of his next move. He lands a short punch in the meantime.
veenstra controlling the action here.
Marquez trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Marquez wants to get back to his feet.
Marquez is looking to improve his position.
veenstra not doing much here.
veenstra is looking to take a break and control but Marquez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Marquez shoots in but veenstra avoids the takedown attempt easily.

Marquez gets caught flat footed, as veenstra shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Marquez can't keep his opponent in guard - veenstra advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
veenstra trying to control from half guard but Marquez is working away.
Marquez punching from the bottom.
veenstra controlling the pace.
Marquez wants to control but veenstra is keeping busy and won't allow it.

veenstra is looking for an arm triangle, whilst trying to pass to side control. Marquez doesn't seem that keen to cooperate though. No luck this time veenstra.
pj veenstra has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
veenstra looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
veenstra tries for a takedown but Marquez circles away easily

and Marquez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in veenstra's guard.
Marquez looking to pass the guard.
Marquez trying to control the position from guard on top but veenstra is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marquez is fighting to break veenstra's control of his arms but veenstra is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

And that's the end of the fight!
Diego Marquez showed his dominance in that final round.
I think veenstra has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. 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 Alan Glass scores the fight 28:29
Judge Robert Twigg scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... pj veenstra!