PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Joey Marks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Andy A (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.

Marks
vs
A

187 cm
18
160 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
19
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Solid chin

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Joey Marks!
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, Andy A!
The judges for this bout are Luis Engracia, Thiago Cunha and Paulo Santos.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marks tries to land a leg kick but A saw it coming and moves away.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from A.
Marks tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
A throws a half hearted mid kick.
A swats away the attempt to clinch by Marks.
Marks shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and A counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Marks!
A can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Marks is looking to escape.
BOOM! A connects with a massive shot to the dome!
A tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
Marks regains half guard.
Marks really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Marks has a hand on A's thigh, trying to get back to full guard. A takes advantage of the position though and mounts him!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marks wants to control but A is having none of it.
Marks is desperately trying to improve his position but A has a good base and remains in mount.
A controlling the pace for now.
Marks tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Marks is working hard here to advance position.
Marks gets back to half guard.
Marks is trying is best to control the position here.

That's two 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.
A wants to lay and pray for a moment but Marks keeps working.
A looks gassed!
Marks trying to control here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marks is looking to improve his position.
Marks has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. A is working away from the top position though.
Marks is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because A is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Marks throws a strike from the bottom that misses.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Marks fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Marks goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Marks misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marks tries to keep at a distance but A has taken the fight into the clinch.
A drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Marks gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A tries to pull guard but Marks won't allow it.
Joey Marks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andy A.
A prevents Marks from breaking the clinch.
Marks drops to a knee looking for a takedown but A gets the underhooks and prevents it.
A tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Marks just stands there and leans against the cage.
Marks stalling in the clinch but A improves position.

A pulls guard.
A keeping moving, preventing Marks from controlling successfully.
Marks stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. A swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Marks trying to control but A is working from the bottom.
Marks postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. A is keeping the position for now.
Marks prevents A from getting back to his feet.
A looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.
Marks lands a couple of decent looking shots.

Marks stands up and waves to A to follow him.
Marks avoids the head kick by A.
Marks tries to clinch but A moves away
and A counters with a nice uppercut.
Marks throws a head kick but A moves out of range.
Joey Marks seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Andy A dominated that round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Marks tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Marks throws a head kick that A semi-blocks.

It looks like Andy A has been cut.
Marks looks to clinch

and A holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.

Marks breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Marks closes the distance looking to clinch

and A counters with a takedown into side control.
A trying to control the action but Marks is working from the bottom.
Marks tries to contro but end up mounted... ooooh, that's bad.
A trying to control but he's not successful this time.
Marks regains half guard.
A is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marks looking for submissions off his back.
A is tying to control. Marks wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
A moves nicely into side control.
Marks gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
Marks makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Marks.

Marks working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. A doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. A manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.

Marks had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. A is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. Marks Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take A's back instead.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A looks to control his opponent's hands but he's not mananging it at the moment.

Marks patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
A tries to break free.
A has the hand control, trying to stop the rear naked choke.
A takes a big shot to the side of the head.
Marks gets his hands free as A looks to control.
You can see the frustration on A's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.

Marks is persistently looking for the submission but A is defending it well.
The crowd hopeful of a finish here - Marks's supporters are on their feet, screaming for him to go for the rear naked choke.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

A fending off the submission attempt from Marks.
A trying to get back to his feet but Marks is in full control for now.

Marks patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?

A is having to fend off submission attempts from Marks, who is looking to sink in the choke. Marks doesn't have the hooks in though and A manages to reverse position! He's now on top, in his opponent's guard.
A is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marks looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Marks can't keep his opponent in guard - A advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Marks regains full guard. Nicely done.

Marks is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Marks controlling A's posture.

Marks has his foot on A's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. A works his way back into a safe position though.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Marks 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.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Joey Marks dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Andy A's cut.
That's time! Marks's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. So, we enter the final round. Let's see if either fighter can bring us a finish, or whether we're going to the judges scorecards.

Marks pushes A up against the cage in a clinch.
A jumps guard but Marks stands there with A around his waist. A gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
A tries for a takedown. No joy.
A tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Marks smiles and moves away.
Joey Marks has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Andy A.
A dodges the punch combination from Marks.
A doesn't manage to clinch there - Marks circles away.
Marks wants to clinch

and A moves into the clinch.
A goes for a takedown in the clinch but Marks prevents it.

Marks breaks the clinch.
A takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Marks misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.

Marks has closed the distance and engaged A in a clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marks successfully pulls guard.
Marks controls A momentarily but A frees himself.
Marks keeping moving, preventing A from controlling successfully.
Marks will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
A is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Let's hope that A has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Marks lands a beautiful switch and he's in full mount! That could spell trouble for A!
A regains half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A is trying to get back to full guard.
Marks wants to stand up but A manages to regain full guard.

A had isolated an arm as going for an omaplata. Marks is defending the submission well but is in a very vulnerable position. A Is leaning forward trying to finish the omaplata but decides to abandon it, and take Marks's back instead.
A doesn't have the hooks in and Marks manages to turn into his guard.
A not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
A is looking to stand up but Marks isn't so interested in that idea.
A keeping moving, preventing Marks from controlling successfully.
A looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Marks wants to pass the guard but A is keeping the position.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
A shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Marks throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
A scores with a hook.
A works over Marks's head and body with a nice combination.
A shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Marks counters with a single leg into guard. A didn't expect that.
A keeping full guard, as Marks tries to pass.
A is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.
Marks wants to stand and escape but instead A has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A advances position into side control!
A controls the position.
Marks tries to slip a leg under to move to half guard but A presses down on the leg and jumps into full mount!
Marks tries to hold on but A postures up.
Marks is working to get back to half guard.
A looking to control and managing it successfully.
A looking to finish Marks with some ground and pound. This is bad for Marks!

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 Joey Marks.
Well Marks has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Luis Engracia scores the fight 29:28
Judge Thiago Cunha scores the fight 29:29
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Joey Marks!