PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between James May (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marco Ponce Marquez (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.

May
vs
Ponce Marquez

179 cm
25
139 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

170 cm
18
133 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

Decent wrestler
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Inexperienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, James May!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Marco Ponce Marquez!
The judges for this bout are Elvis Blanc, Yves DeLean and Alec Ball.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marquez fails with the takedown
and May counters with a series of strikes. Marquez will be more careful next time no doubt.

May closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.
Marquez wants to get back to his feet.
Marquez keeping control of the position.
Marquez tries to roll over but May keeps him under control.

Marquez looking for submissions off his back.

Marquez has one foot on May's thigh - he pushes off and manages to get back to his feet.

Marquez tries to sprawl but May drives through with a takedown into half guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Still in half guard, May seems content to control.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marquez blocking the ground and pound attempt from May.
May is looking to take a break and control but Marquez is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

May is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Marquez defends it well.
Marquez is looking to control May's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Marquez avoid being mounted?

May is looking for a kimura but Marquez is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for May to get the leverage.
Marquez gets full guard.
May wants to stand but Marquez has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marquez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.

Marquez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. May doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. May manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
Marquez is trying to keep May in close.
May has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Marquez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in May's guard.
May wants to sweep but no luck.
May looking to control.
Marquez wants to control from the top but May keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
May punching from the bottom.
Marquez pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. May is keeping the position for now.
Marquez trying to control the position from guard on top but May is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

May escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Marquez gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Marquez wants to control from the top but May keeps moving.
May knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Marquez on the ground.
Marquez being controlled here momentarily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
May working a defensive guard here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
May lands with a nice body punch.
Nice body punch from May.
May is moving around nicely and scores here with a single head shot.

May shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Marquez napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Marquez looks gassed!
Marquez regains half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marquez wants to get back to his feet.
May trying to pass the guard but Marquez defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James May dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

May scores with a takedown into Marquez's guard.
May wants to pass the guard but Marquez is keeping the position.
Marquez is trying to control the position but May postures up.
Marquez is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst May is controlling him.
May trying to control the position from guard on top but Marquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
May scoring with some ground and pound.

Marquez is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and May defends well.

Marquez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. May defends it easily.
James May overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Marquez is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
May stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Marquez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Marquez can do anything to dispel that myth.

Marquez is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.

May got a little sloppy there for a moment and Marquez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, May has managed to get both his arms back between Marquez's legs - danger averted.

Marquez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
May really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marquez has his foot on May's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. May works his way back into a safe position though.
May's corner is telling him to maintain position.

Marquez working from the bottom, still in full guard. He's managed to get a loose triangle. May doesn't seem to be doing much to defend here, obviously he feels comfortable in the position. May manages to throw the legs off his shoulder and he's back into guard - no problem.
May wants to control from the top but Marquez keeps moving.
May wants to stand but Marquez is controlling his posture from full guard.
May pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Marquez is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
May postures up and lands a big shot to Marquez's brow.
May stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Marquez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
May trying to control the position from guard on top but Marquez is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
May with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
May is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
May looking to pass the guard.
Marquez striking off his back.
May wants to control from the top but Marquez keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marquez escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. May gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
May trying to control but Marquez is working from the bottom.

The ref stands the fighters back up. James May wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Marquez shoots and misses

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

May has picked Marquez up - he's going for a ride! May dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
May keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Marquez wants to get back to full guard.
May looks over to his corner - he wants some instructions but his corner are not responding.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

James May dominated that second round.
That's time! May's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

May rushes Marquez and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

May has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Marquez regains guard immediately.

Marquez has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes May off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.
May scores with a three punch combo!
May connects with a looping right hand.
Marquez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Marquez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Marquez doesn't succeed with the takedown

and May decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Marquez's guard.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Marquez is looking to stand up but May isn't so interested in that idea.
Marquez takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.

May drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and May jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Marquez is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
May wants to stand and escape but instead Marquez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
May is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Marquez got a little sloppy there for a moment and May has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Marquez has managed to get both his arms back between May's legs - danger averted.
May can't keep his opponent in guard - Marquez advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
May is not content to let Marquez control the position.
Marquez is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Marquez avoids the attempt from May to control.
May is in all sorts of trouble here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
May tries to hold on but Marquez postures up.
A nice elbow there by Marquez.
Marco Ponce Marquez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Marquez lands a nice shot to the head.
May wants to hold on but Marquez pushes him away.

Marquez get's back to his feet.

May has taken the fight to the clinch.
Marquez goes for a takedown in the clinch but May prevents it.
May effectively controlling the action here.
May prevents the takedown attempt.
James May has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marco Ponce Marquez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

May breaks the clinch.

May shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
May perhaps working for something from half guard, or maybe not. It looks like he's just sitting there.
May prevents Marquez from improving his position.
May scoring with strikes to the body and head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marquez is trying to get back to full guard.
James May is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.

Marquez actively working from the bottom here.

And that's the end of the fight!
James May showed his dominance in that final round.
Well May 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 Elvis Blanc scores the fight 30:27
Judge Yves DeLean scores the fight 30:27
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... James May!