PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Dean Lister (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Santino Marella (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rumors backstage are that the fighters have been paid to keep it standing but we know that would never happen in MMA!

Lister
vs
Marella

185 cm
26
194 lbs
4 - 1 - 0

182 cm
26
194 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Dean Lister!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Santino Marella!
The judges for this bout are Timothy Bukovac, Don Winkell and Frank Antenori.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lister shoots in and drives through. Marella sprawls well.
Lister tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Marella paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Lister misses with a jab, cross combination.
Marella tries a head kick but it misses.
Marella displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lister.
Lister misses with a wild combination.
Marella tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Lister throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Marella tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Lister is in Marella's guard.
Lister has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Marella is proving hard to escape from.
Lister is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Lister postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lister wants to pass the guard but Marella is keeping the position.
Marella trying to keep a closed guard but Lister is proving a slippery customer.

Lister avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Marella controls Lister momentarily but Lister frees himself.
Marella keeping moving, preventing Lister from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lister pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Marella is keeping the position for now.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Dean Lister.

Lister clinches up against the cage.

Marella has picked Lister up - he's going for a ride! Marella dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Lister missing with punches from the bottom.
Marella throws a strike but Lister avoids it easily and moves to full guard.
Marella really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Lister. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Marella stands up from Lister's guard - Marella perhaps looking for a knockout.
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!
Lister misses with a series of wild punches.
Marella shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Lister as he jumps to the side.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lister defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Marella.
Lister with a lazy takedown attempt
and Marella counters with a head kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Lister. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marella just misses with a punch to the body.
Lister tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.

Marella throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Lister was covering up waiting for the punch and Marella finishes the takedown easily into guard.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Marella accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Lister is trying to hold Marella in close to prevent damage but Marella has managed to pass into half guard.
Marella is looking to take a break and control but Lister is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lister trying to control from the bottom.
Marella not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Marella prevents Lister from improving his position.
Lister slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Marella must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Lister wants to sweep here but Marella controlling him for the moment.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lister being controlled here, momentarily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Santino Marella will probably get the nod.
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.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Lister wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Marella wants to break free but Lister has control.
Lister drops down looking for an ankle pick but Marella pulls his leg out and moves away.
Lister keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Marella displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Lister.
Dean Lister is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Marella misses with a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marella darts in and clinches Lister up against the cage.

Lister jumps guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Lister is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Lister tries to land a sweep but no joy.

Lister is looking for a triangle but Marella pushes his legs off easily.
Marella stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lister swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Lister striking off his back but it's not causing Marella any problems.
Lister wants to control but Marella passes easily into half guard.

Marella wants to work for an arm triangle but Lister is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lister wants to get back to his feet.
Lister trying to control here.
Lister gets back to full guard.
Lister trying to control the position.

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

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marella wants to pass the guard but Lister is keeping the position.
Lister seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.
Lister keeping moving, preventing Marella from controlling successfully.
Lister not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
We may be looking at a referee standup if the pace doesn't pick up soon.
Marella stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Lister swivels though and keeps the full guard.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Lister swats away the attempt to clinch by Marella.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marella stumbles momentarily as he takes a strong leg kick from Lister.
Lister fails with the takedown
and Marella counters with a nice body kick.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Dean Lister. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Marella gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Marella is trying to keep Lister in close.
Lister trying to control but Marella is working from the bottom.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Marella is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Marella keeping moving, preventing Lister from controlling successfully.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Dean Lister dominated that second round.
That's time! Back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Lister throws a nice looking combination but Marella bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Marella tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Lister paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Marella drops his hands momentarily and Lister takes advantage with a crisp shot to the head.
Lister shoots in for a takedown but Marella shows good takedown defense.
Marella swats away the attempt to clinch by Lister.
Lister doesn't manage to clinch there - Marella circles away.
Lister throws a combination that misses
and Marella finishes the little exchange by landing a big kick to the body.
Marella throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Lister.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Marella instigates a clinch.

Marella gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.

Marella stands up from half guard.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Marella fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Lister, pushing him back against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marella has dropped down and is looking to force the takedown but it's defended by Lister after a bit of a struggle.
Lister tries to pull guard but Marella won't allow it.

Marella jumps guard and drags Lister to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Lister is pushing down on Marella's leg trying to pass to half guard. Marella is fighting to maintain full guard but Lister has managed to sneak the leg through.
Marella trying to control from the bottom.
Nice strikes from Lister there.
Lister works his way into full mount!
Marella is trying desperately to improve position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Lister looking to isolate an arm here. Marella doesn't see it coming and as Lister extends the arm, he's forced to tap out! Nice submission by Lister!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:20 of round 3, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Dean Lister!