PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a super heavyweight MMA rules bout between Marv Statler (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Roman Braga (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Statler
vs
Braga

220 cm
26
300 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

203 cm
19
291 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good takedowns
Excellent boxer
Experienced

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the super heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Marv Statler!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of London, Roman Braga!
The judges for this bout are Colin Fotheringham, Paul Tew and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Braga shoots in for a takedown! He's got it and he's managed to land in full mount! That's better than Braga was expecting from the takedown attempt, I'm sure!
Statler is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Braga trying to control but he's not successful this time.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Statler is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Braga throws a wild left hand from mount and Statler manages to wriggle his way back to half guard.
Statler has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. Braga is working away from the top position though.
Braga throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Statler wants to get back to his feet.
Statler is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Statler is trying to maintain the position but Braga is very close to passing his half guard.

Statler kicks off Braga and gets to his feet.
Braga displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Statler throws out the jab.
Statler tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Braga paws at him with a jab and circles away.

Braga scores with a takedown into Statler's guard.
Statler keeping moving, preventing Braga from controlling successfully.
Braga won't allow Statler to get back to his feet.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Statler keeping moving, preventing Braga from controlling successfully.
Statler can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Braga controls the pace.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Braga's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Braga trying to control the position from guard on top but Statler is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Roman Braga wasn't active enough on the ground.
Braga moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Statler has his takedown stuffed

and Braga counters with a shoot takedown into half guard.
Statler won't allow Braga to pass to mount.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Statler trying to control but Braga postures up.
Braga looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Statler with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Braga thows a huge punch but Statler dodges it nicely.
Braga throwing shots but Statler is blocking nicely.
Braga missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Braga misses with a head shot. Statler uses the momentum to regain guard.

Braga drops back, looking for a kneebar! Statler looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Statler looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Statler!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Statler working the head with strikes.
Sloppy strikes there by Statler.
Statler misses with an attempted head punch from side control.
Sloppy strikes there by Statler.
Statler is working Braga over with some ground and pound from side control.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Check out the look on Statler's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Statler fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Statler advances to mount.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that Marv Statler will probably get the nod.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Braga smiles there as he lands a nice right hand right on the button.
Marv Statler is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Statler falls off balance throwing a combination
and Braga counters with a slapping leg kick.
Statler clinches but Braga breaks the clinch
letting Braga counter with a right hand.
Statler wants to clinch but Braga slips to the side
and Braga cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Statler cracks Braga with an open hand slap.

It looks like Roman Braga has been cut.
Statler closes the distance looking to clinch

and Braga counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Statler!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Braga throwing shots from mount but they're not landing.
Statler can't escape the position.
Braga connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Statler tries to reverse the position but Braga maintains control.
Braga landing strikes from the mount and Statler is in trouble!
Statler is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Braga working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Statler tries to lock up and control but Braga gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Braga misses with a head shot.
Braga tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Braga raining down shots from the mount!
Braga scoring with strikes but Statler is staying in there.
Braga controlling his opponent.
Statler manages to regain half guard. Good work.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Statler gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Statler manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Braga wants to try and get back to his feet.
Roman Braga has got the better of the ground game so far.
Statler thuds his fist into the canvas! Oooouch!
Statler pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Statler thowing shots but they're missing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Statler scoring with strikes but Braga is staying in there.
Statler punching from mount but Braga doing a good job of avoiding damage.
Statler throwing sloppy strikes here. Perhaps if he tightened up his striking from such a dominant position, he'd be able to finish easier.
Statler misses with a head shot.
Statler working the ground and pound effectively.
Statler has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Braga's face.
Braga is breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Statler lands a big shot there that rocks Braga but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Poor strikes thrown by Statler there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marv Statler dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Roman Braga's cut.
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. And we move into the final round!

Statler tries to clinch up

and Braga counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Statler has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Braga throws a strike but Statler rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Statler is looking to work some ground and pound but Braga has wrist control.
Statler missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Statler tries to free his leg and advance position but Braga is retaining full guard.
Statler is working hard here to advance position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Statler trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Statler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Braga works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Statler works a leg free and moves into half guard.
Statler sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Braga defending well though.
Statler sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Braga defending well though.
Statler throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Statler not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Statler is nestled in close to Braga, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Statler misses with a head shot. Braga uses the momentum to regain guard.
Statler postures up and lands a big shot to Braga's brow.
Braga takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Statler in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Statler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Statler throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Braga works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Statler makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Statler wants to pass the guard but Braga is keeping the position.
Statler loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Statler is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Statler accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Statler throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Statler missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Statler trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Braga avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Statler missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.

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.
Statler trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Statler throws a big right hand that misses.
Statler tries to free his leg and advance position but Braga is retaining full guard.
Statler scoring with punches to the head and body.
Statler wants to pass the guard but Braga is keeping the position.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marv Statler showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Statler 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 Colin Fotheringham scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paul Tew scores the fight 30:27
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 30:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marv Statler!