PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Dane Markwick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sonny Lopez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Markwick
vs
Lopez

175 cm
21
135 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

170 cm
21
155 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Malicious Intent Fight Gear

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Dane Markwick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Sonny Lopez!
The judges for this bout are Cecil Peabody, Tiny Johnson and Gwen Towbar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Markwick tries to clinch there but Lopez circles away.
Markwick with a poor takedown

and Lopez counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Lopez with the ground and pound but Markwick uses the opportunity to regain guard.
Markwick tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Markwick is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Markwick controls Lopez momentarily but Lopez frees himself.
Lopez postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Markwick looking to sweep using the butterfly guard but Lopez puts pay to that idea as he passes nicely into half guard.
Markwick wants to get back to full guard.
Lopez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Markwick trying to keep hold of his opponent's head but Lopez manages to pass to mount!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lopez lands a nice shot to the head.

Lopez stands up from mount. Strange move.

Markwick forces Lopez back against the cage and clinches.
Markwick is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Lopez to keep the fight standing.
Markwick taking a breather.

Lopez has hold of one of Markwick's legs. Markwick is fighting the takedown attempt but Lopez gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Markwick looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Lopez controlling from the top position.

Markwick kicks Lopez off and gets to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Lopez dives in and grabs Markwick's left leg, looking for a takedown. Markwick pushes down on Lopez's head and hops out.
Lopez swats away the attempt to clinch by Markwick.
Markwick fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dane Markwick. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Nice sprawl there from Markwick as Lopez shoots in.
Markwick fails with a takedown attempt.
Markwick is breathing heavily.

Lopez clinches.
Both fighters working to control the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Lopez.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is struggling to control the position.
Lopez jumps guard but Markwick stands there with Lopez around his waist. Lopez gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Lopez is trying to break free.
Lopez tries to break free but Markwick pushes him back against the cage.

Markwick breaks from the clinch.

Markwick darts in and clinches Lopez up against the cage.
Lopez stalling.
Lopez tries to pull guard but Markwick won't allow it.
Markwick is looking for a takedown.

Markwick manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lopez avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

Markwick darts in and clinches Lopez up against the cage.
Markwick tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lopez smiles and moves away.
Markwick tries to close the distance and clinch up but Lopez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Lopez shoots in and drives through. Markwick sprawls well.
Markwick fails with the takedown.

Lopez shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Markwick manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
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.
Markwick is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sonny Lopez 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.

Markwick doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Lopez counters with a takedown into side control.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Markwick tries to improve position but can't.
Markwick really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Lopez decides to stand up, so the ref orders Markwick to his feet.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lopez is defended easily by Markwick.

Lopez moves into range and clinches up with Markwick.
Lopez fails to pull guard.
Markwick tries to throw a body punch but Lopez avoids it by throwing Markwick back against the cage.
Markwick stalling against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Markwick tries to land knees in the clinch but Lopez avoids the damage to the body.

Markwick breaks the clinch.
Lopez circles away from the clinch attempt.
Markwick shoots and misses

and Lopez counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Lopez.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Lopez gets to his feet - Markwick follows without any prompting.
Markwick misses with a head kick.
Markwick tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Markwick gets a clinch.
Lopez missing with knees to the body.
Lopez is trying to force a seperation but Markwick has the dominant position.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lopez is trying to pull guard but Markwick has him pressed against the cage.
Dane Markwick has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sonny Lopez.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez is defending well against a takedown attempt.
Lopez has Markwick pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Markwick manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.

Lopez turns his hips and lands a very nice judo throw into side control!
Sonny Lopez has got the better of the ground game so far.
The strikes coming from Lopez are missing the target in this wave of attacks.
Lopez taking a breather here.
Lopez advances to mount.

Lopez gets to his feet and calls his opponent to stand. Here come the fireworks!
Lopez leaves Markwick with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lopez fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Lopez tries to close the distance and clinch but Markwick swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Lopez instigates a clinch.
Markwick wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Lopez is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Markwick is trying to pull guard but Lopez turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.

Markwick manages to pull guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lopez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Markwick pulls Lopez in close to prevent any damage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lopez stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Lopez shoots in looking for a takedown but Markwick manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Lopez's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.
Markwick misses with a straight right.
A head kick by Markwick misses

and Lopez decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Markwick's guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Lopez decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Markwick leaves Lopez with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.

Markwick moves into the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Sonny Lopez showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
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!

Markwick changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Lopez tries to avoid it but Markwick manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Lopez to the ground. Lopez escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Markwick slaps away a takedown attempt from Lopez, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Markwick lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Lopez circles away quickly and effectively.
Lopez slaps away a takedown attempt from Markwick, before circling back to the center of the mat.

Markwick moves into the clinch successfully.

Markwick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Markwick tries to clinch there but Lopez circles away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lopez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Lopez tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Lopez fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Markwick manages to avoid it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A right-left combo lands from Markwick.
Lopez is trying hard to land a takedown here. Markwick sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Lopez swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Markwick counters with an inside leg kick.
Lopez tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Markwick swivels and escapes.
Dane Markwick has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Sonny Lopez.
Lopez drops his hands momentarily and Markwick takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Dane Markwick is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Markwick fails with a takedown attempt.

Markwick gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Markwick tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Lopez smiles and moves away.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lopez displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Markwick.
Nice sprawl there from Markwick as Lopez shoots in.
Markwick tries a head kick but it misses.
Lopez throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Markwick scores with a head kick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lopez is defended easily by Markwick.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Markwick lands with a head kick! That's gotta hurt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Markwick slaps away a takedown attempt from Lopez, before circling back to the center of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Dane Markwick has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Lopez tries to circle away but Markwick has him pinned against the cage.
Markwick tries for a takedown. No joy.
Lopez is trying to pull guard but Markwick has him pressed against the cage.

Markwick breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Markwick closes this distance looking for a takedown but Lopez circles away.
Dane Markwick is winning the standup battle so far.
Lopez tries to score a power double leg takedown but Markwick sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Lopez somewhat.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Markwick lands a jab to Lopez's midsection.
Lopez shoots in but Markwick avoids the takedown attempt easily.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Markwick.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lopez is defended easily by Markwick.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Markwick is looking to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
Dane Markwick showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Lopez 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 Cecil Peabody scores the fight 28:29
Judge Tiny Johnson scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gwen Towbar scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Sonny Lopez!
Sonny Lopez decided to thank the fans in attendance for making a great atmosphere. It seemed to go down pretty well.