PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Jason Eli (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marion Bualuga (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.

Eli
vs
Bualuga

218 cm
23
279 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

196 cm
20
282 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ White Belt
Counter striker
Very confident

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Jason Eli!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Marion Bualuga!
The judges for this bout are Steve Erwin, Bruno Hogan and Winston Howard.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Bualuga shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Eli napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Eli is looking to reverse the position.
Bualuga connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Eli some visible discomfort.
Eli tries to improve position but can't.
Bualuga has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Eli is wriggling around trying to escape.
Bualuga controlling from mount.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!

Bualuga gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Eli throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Eli ducks low and lands a nice hook to the body of his opponent.
Bualuga scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.

Bualuga shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Bualuga controlling the action here.
Bualuga passes the guard and advances to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eli is trying to escape the mount.
Eli is squirming around, avoiding Bualuga's attempts to control the action.
Eli is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Eli is working hard here to advance position.
Bualuga looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Bualuga wants to control the pace but Eli is squirming around nicely.
Bualuga looks gassed!

Bualuga is standing up, even though he is in mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bualuga tries to clinch but Eli is having none of it.
Eli throws a jab when Bualuga was well out of range.
Eli shoots and misses
and Bualuga counters with a flying knee. Nice.
Eli throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Bualuga looking to land some kicks to the body here.
Bualuga with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Eli swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Eli jabs away that one connects to the head of his opponent.
Bualuga uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Eli.
The fight stays on the outside here - Eli looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Eli circles away from the clinch attempt.
Eli tries to clinch
and Bualuga counters with a slapping leg kick.
Bualuga moves forwards but Eli connects with a nice, crisp jab.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Eli keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bualuga misses the shot to the body.
Bualuga circles away from the clinch attempt

and Bualuga counters by moving into the clinch.
Bualuga landing knees to the body.
Bualuga has Eli pressed against the cage, preventing Eli from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
Bualuga keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Eli's efforts to push away.
Eli prevents Bualuga from breaking the clinch.

Bualuga breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Eli fails to land with a series of punches.

Bualuga moves into the clinch.
Eli wants to get back to striking at distance but Bualuga won't allow it.

Bualuga breaks the clinch.
Bualuga with a nice looking leg kick. You could hear that one land in a back row.
Bualuga uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Eli.
Bualuga dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Bualuga drops down and drives through with a powerful takedown into guard.
Eli keeping moving, preventing Bualuga from controlling successfully.
Eli wants to get back to his feet but Bualuga is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bualuga sitting in guard here, content to control.
Eli wants to stand but Bualuga is controlling the position.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.

Bualuga stands and steps away. Eli gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Eli with a lazy takedown attempt
and Bualuga counters with a left to the body.
Bualuga 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.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
The fighters circling - Eli throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Eli is looking to clinch but Bualuga is avoiding it.

Bualuga shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marion Bualuga dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bualuga circles away from the clinch attempt

and Bualuga counters by clinching up.
A frustrated look appears on Eli's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Bualuga working Eli over with knees to the body.
Bualuga misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Eli.
Eli is looking to break free of the clinch but Bualuga has double underhooks.
Bualuga prevents Eli from breaking the clinch.
Eli managing to block the knees to the body from Bualuga.
Eli has had enough of the clinch but Bualuga keeps him there for the moment.
Bualuga leaning against his opponent.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Eli pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eli looks to land a right hand but Bualuga moved out of range.
Bualuga misses with a wild body shot.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Bualuga staying out of range there.
Jason Eli seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bualuga lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Bualuga pulls out of a head kick attempt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bualuga ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Eli moves away.
Some wild striking there from Bualuga.

Eli clinches up with Bualuga and pushes him back against the cage.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Bualuga obliges.

Eli pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
The fight stays on the outside here - Bualuga looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Eli defending well as Bualuga loads up on a big left hand.
Bualuga thows a body shot but no joy.
Eli swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Bualuga digs a good hook to Eli's body.
Eli swats away the attempt to clinch by Bualuga.
Bualuga uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Eli.
Eli with a lazy takedown attempt

and Bualuga counters by moving into the clinch.

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.
Eli tries to circle away but Bualuga has him pinned against the cage.
Bualuga avoiding damage.

Bualuga breaks the clinch.
Bualuga throws a quick inside leg kick.
Bualuga connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Bualuga keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Eli.
Nice defenses there by Bualuga.

Bualuga closes the distance and pushes Eli back into the cage.

Bualuga manages to break the clinch.
Bualuga lands with a nice low kick. That'll leave a bruise.
Bualuga circles away from the clinch attempt.
A big left from Eli misses.
Bualuga lands a straight punch to the body, keeping Eli at a distance.
Eli keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Bualuga keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Eli.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Bualuga closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Bualuga's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Eli throws a leg kick

and Bualuga counters by moving into the clinch.

Bualuga pulls guard effortlessly.
Bualuga is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Eli wants to stand but Bualuga is controlling his posture from full guard.
Bualuga controlling the position.
Bualuga looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Eli is looking to stand up but Bualuga won't let him.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bualuga trying to keep a closed guard but Eli is proving a slippery customer.

Marion Bualuga has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Eli misses with a leg kick
and Bualuga counters with a good, hard body kick but Eli shrugs it off.
Eli looks to land a combination but Bualuga avoids it well.
Eli tries to clinch but Bualuga moves away

and Bualuga counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Bualuga.

Eli breaks the clinch.
Eli darts in and out, connecting with a jab.

Bualuga shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Eli manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Bualuga looking to pass the guard.
Eli 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.

Bualuga drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Bualuga jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marion Bualuga showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Eli misses with an uppercut.
Bualuga throws a right and a left that both miss.

Bualuga clinches.

Eli breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Bualuga uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Eli.
Bualuga wants to clinch up but Eli keeps it at a distance.
Eli lands a jab to the head.
Eli cracks Bualuga with a nice right hand that draws applause from the crowd.
Eli tests Bualuga's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Eli moves into range and connects with a jab.
Marion Bualuga is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Eli throws out a loose jab but Bualuga uses good head movement to avoid it.
Eli gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Bualuga counters with a nice low kick that buckles Eli's knee momentarily.
Bualuga is throwing a lot of body shots here, looking to wear down Eli rather than just go for the knockout.
Bualuga misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Eli.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bualuga slips under a jab from Eli.
A punch combination from Bualuga misses.
Eli tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Bualuga paws at him with a jab and circles away.
A solid leg kick lands there for Bualuga.

Bualuga clinches with his opponent.
Bualuga controlling the action here for a moment.
Eli is looking to break free of the clinch but Bualuga has double underhooks.

Bualuga escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Bualuga keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Eli.
Eli loads up on a big right hand but Bualuga slips the punch.
Eli on the wrong end of a kick to the body.
Bualuga throws a combination. Eli tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Eli misses with a straight left.
Bualuga looks to land a left hand but Eli moved out of range nicely.

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.
Bualuga takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Eli swings for the body but Bualuga moves out of range.
Bualuga misses the shot to the body.
Bualuga slips under a jab from Eli.
Eli takes a thudding leg kick, right into the meat of the thigh.
Eli loads up on a big right hand but Bualuga slips the punch.
Eli stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Bualuga.
Jab from Eli.

Bualuga moves into the clinch.

Bualuga manages to break the clinch.

Bualuga shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Oh and he's advanced to full mount straight away.
Eli is really trying hard to get back to his feet.

Bualuga is working for a guillotine from mount but Eli frees his head quite easily.
Bualuga looking to control but Eli is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Eli is trying desperately to improve position.
Bualuga controlling his opponent.
Bualuga prevents Eli from getting the reversal.
Bualuga landing strikes from the mount.

That's four 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.

Bualuga working to secure an arm triangle but it's not happening for him just yet.
Bualuga sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Eli tries to reverse the position but Bualuga maintains control.
Bualuga lands a big shot there that rocks Eli but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Eli working to try and regain half guard.
Bualuga content just to control the position here.
Marion Bualuga is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

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 Jason Eli.
I think Bualuga 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 Steve Erwin scores the fight 28:29
Judge Bruno Hogan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Winston Howard scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marion Bualuga!