PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Rogelio Baltazar (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ze Marto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marto has chosen meant to life as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Baltazar
vs
Marto

175 cm
19
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

178 cm
22
176 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Rogelio Baltazar!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ze Marto!
The judges for this bout are Yasuomi Hirokawa, Shigeki Fujiwara and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marto fails with the takedown.

Marto shoots in and bounces Baltazar off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Marto pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Baltazar is keeping the position for now.
Marto trying to control but Baltazar is working from the bottom.
Baltazar keeping full guard, as Marto tries to pass.
Marto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marto trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Marto has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Baltazar is proving hard to escape from.
Marto throws and elbow that misses. Baltazar uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Marto's guard. Nice move by Baltazar!
Marto trying to keep a closed guard but Baltazar is proving a slippery customer.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Marto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baltazar paws at him with a jab and circles away.

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.
Marto is looking to clinch but Baltazar is avoiding it.
Marto is looking to clinch but Baltazar is avoiding it.
Marto moves out of range of the strikes.
Marto tries to close the distance and clinch up but Baltazar swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Marto walks into a straight right hand from Baltazar.

It looks like Ze Marto has been cut.
Baltazar thows a left - swing and a miss!
Baltazar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Marto lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

It looks like Rogelio Baltazar has been cut.
Baltazar misses with a looping right.
Marto tries to clinch but Baltazar moves out of range.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Marto.
Marto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baltazar paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marto takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Marto walks into a stiff left hand from Baltazar.
Baltazar avoids the head kick by Marto.
Marto looks gassed!
Marto tries to close the distance and clinch but Baltazar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Baltazar throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Marto.
Baltazar throws a big shot that misses.
Marto shoots in for a takedown but Baltazar shows good takedown defense.
Rogelio Baltazar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ze Marto.
Nice uppercut there from Baltazar.
Marto tries to close the distance and clinch but Baltazar swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Marto with poor footwork there. He got himself in a bit of a tangle, enabling Baltazar to score with a decent uppercut.
Baltazar cracks Marto with a right hand to the side of the head.
Ze Marto seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marto tries to move into range but Baltazar moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baltazar lands a head shot.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Marto tries a head kick but it misses.
Baltazar bobs and weaves and unloads with a good uppercut.
Baltazar scores with a straight right hand, right through his opponent's guard.
Baltazar scores with a crisp jab that stopped Marto in his tracks.
Marto takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Baltazar throws a hook but Marto blocks it.
Marto tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Baltazar paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Baltazar is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.
The fight stays on the outside here - Marto looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Baltazar misses with a two punch combination.
Rogelio Baltazar is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Danga de danga de dang - Baltazar scores with a four punch combination!
Marto slips under a jab.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogelio Baltazar dominated that round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Marto takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.
Baltazar leaves Marto with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Marto fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Baltazar avoids it really well and circles away.
Marto closes the distance and clinches up with Baltazar, looking for a takedown. Marto pushes Baltazar against the cage but Baltazar circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Rogelio Baltazar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ze Marto.
Baltazar with a body punch. A glancing blow.
Baltazar scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Marto takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Marto takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Marto walks into a stiff left hand from Baltazar.
Baltazar scores with a jab.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marto defending well as Baltazar loads up on a big left hand.
Baltazar swinging wildly here.
Marto fails in his attempt to clinch.
Baltazar lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Baltazar.
Marto wants to clinch up but Baltazar keeps it at a distance.
Marto fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Baltazar throws out a powerful jab.
Marto shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Baltazar as he avoids it easily.
Rogelio Baltazar is winning the standup battle so far.
Baltazar connects with a good right hand that stumbles Marto. Marto circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

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.
Marto shoots in and drives through. Baltazar sprawls well.
Baltazar scores with the left hand. Marto knows he should have avoided that one.
Marto wants to clinch.

Baltazar has closed the distance and engaged Marto in a clinch.
Marto has a pretty nasty looking mouse under his right eye.
Marto tries to land a knee to the head but Baltazar blocks with his arms.
Marto fails to pull guard.
Marto fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Marto tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Baltazar smiles and moves away.
Jab, jab by Baltazar - just one landing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baltazar throws out a powerful jab.
Baltazar throws a nice looking combination but Marto bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Marto feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Martois looking to pass into half guard but Baltazar pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Baltazar is in guard.
Baltazar is looking to stand up but Marto won't let him.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marto is pulling down on Baltazar's head to control his posture.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Baltazar trying to stand up but can't free himself from Marto's guard.
Marto seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rogelio Baltazar dominated that second round.
Both fighters have cut men working on them during the interval.
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. This is the final round!

Marto shoots in but Baltazar avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Nice straight punches there by Baltazar. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Baltazar.
Baltazar throws the left hand but Marto avoids the punch easily.
Marto shoots for a double leg takedown but Baltazar sprawls well. He's pushed Marto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
A punch combination from Baltazar misses.
Baltazar circles away from the clinch attempt
and Baltazar cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marto will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Rogelio Baltazar has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ze Marto.
Marto shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Baltazar sprawls well. Baltazar wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Marto gets slowly back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baltazar darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Baltazar swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Marto staying out of range there.
Baltazar blocks a head kick by Marto.
Marto slips a straight right by Baltazar.
Baltazar misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ze Marto is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marto goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Nice straight punches there by Baltazar. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Baltazar.
Baltazar darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Baltazar connects with a good right hand that stumbles Marto. Marto circles away out of range and recomposes himself.

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.
Marto shoots in but no luck this time.
Marto has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Marto there as he acknowledges the shot.
Baltazar's corner calls for a 1-2. Baltazar obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.
Marto tries to clinch
and Baltazar cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Marto shoots in for a takedown but Baltazar shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Marto tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Baltazar looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Marto shoots for a double leg takedown but Baltazar sprawls well. He's pushed Marto's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Marto decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Marto seems content to maintain position for now, rather than mounting any offense.
Marto is looking for the mount but instead finds himself back in full guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marto trying to control the position from guard on top but Baltazar is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marto in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Baltazar is looking to stand up but Marto isn't so interested in that idea.

That's four 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.

Marto stands up from Baltazar's guard - Marto perhaps looking for a knockout.
Marto uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Baltazar.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Baltazar throws the left hand but Marto avoids the punch easily.
Rogelio Baltazar is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Marto shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. Baltazar defends it nicely.
Ze Marto has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marto misses with a head kick.

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 Rogelio Baltazar.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Baltazar, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Yasuomi Hirokawa scores the fight 30:27
Judge Shigeki Fujiwara scores the fight 30:27
Judge Kenichi Hosakawa scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rogelio Baltazar!