PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Paul Mars (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Patrick Hale (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mars comes to the cage accompanied by Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Mars
vs
Hale

175 cm
18
150 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

163 cm
18
155 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Determined

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 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Paul Mars!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Patrick Hale!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Stewart Dunkirk and Daniel Franklin.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mars throws a leg kick but Hale sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Hale on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Mars misses with a takedown

and Hale counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Hale.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Hale would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Mars is trying to control the position but Hale postures up.
Hale wants to control from the top but Mars keeps moving.
Hale would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Hale is fighting to break Mars's control of his arms but Mars is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Mars goes for a double leg but Hale avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Hale continues to drive forward.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mars jumps guard and drags Hale to the mat. He's obviously going to be looking for submissions off his back.
Hale throwing strikes from guard but Mars blocks nicely.
Hale wanted to stand there but Mars had control of the position.
Mars is adopting a defensive guard.
Mars can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Hale controls the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mars is pulling down on Hale's head to control his posture.
Hale 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.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Mars shoots for a takedown but Hale saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Paul Mars. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Mars tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Hale paws at him with a jab and circles away.
No luck for Mars with that takedown attempt.

Hale drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Mars looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Hale throwing shots but missing, from side control.
Hale misses with the ground and pound.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Hale has had enough of the ground for now and decides to stand.

A momentary lapse in concentration from Mars enables Hale to shoot in and score with a neat double leg. Mars manages to secure a closed guard as the fighters hit the mat.
Hale trying to control but Mars is working from the bottom.
Hale trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Mars knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Hale on the ground.
Hale engaging in some classic timewasting tactics.
Hale has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Mars pulls Hale in to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Patrick Hale.
Mars shoots in for a double leg but Hale sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.

Hale drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Mars is breathing heavily.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Hale slows the pace down.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Hale tries to stand but Mars is controlling his head.
Hale just content to control the position.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Hale working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Patrick Hale dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Mars closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hale quickly recovers to half guard.
Mars is thwarting Hale's attempts to control the position.
Mars is keen to just control but Hale is a slippery customer.
Hale trying to control from the bottom.
Mars with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Patrick Hale.
Hale tries to close the distance and clinch but Mars swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mars attempts a leg kick but it's missed by a good margin.
Mars looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.

Mars throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Hale tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mars is in Hale's guard.
Mars trying to control but Hale is working from the bottom.
Mars slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Hale trying to keep a closed guard but Mars is proving a slippery customer.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Hale tries to land a sweep but no joy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Hale wants to control here, rather than go for any submissions from the bottom. At least for now.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Paul Mars wasn't doing enough on the ground.
Hale tries to clinch up.
Mars throws out a loose jab but Hale uses good head movement to avoid it.

Mars closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Hale quickly recovers to half guard.
Mars working over Hale with some ground and pound. Hale looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Hale tries to roll over but Mars keeps him under control.
Mars is thwarting Hale's attempts to control the position.
Mars looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Hale is trying to get back to full guard.
Hale is trying to control but can't.
Hale has his hands clasped together around Mars's back. He's all about the action.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Patrick Hale wasn't active enough on the ground.
Mars tries to clinch but Hale is having none of it.

Mars moves into range and clinches up with Hale.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hale manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Mars looking to sit in guard and control but Hale gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Hale wants to pass the guard but Mars is keeping the position.
Mars keeping moving, preventing Hale from controlling successfully.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Mars trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Paul Mars dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Mars shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Hale but Hale pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Mars throws a head kick but Hale moves out of range.
Paul Mars seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Mars gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Mars controls Hale momentarily but Hale frees himself.
Hale postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mars tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Mars is working hard here to advance position.
Hale trying to control but Mars is working from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mars not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Paul Mars.
Mars fails with an attempt to clinch.
Hale moves out of range of the body kick from Mars.

Hale looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Mars is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Mars keeping moving, preventing Hale from controlling successfully.
Hale preventing the sweep.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mars keeping moving, preventing Hale from controlling successfully.
Hale wants to get up but he can't break Mars's closed guard. He needs to be careful trying to break the legs open, as he's open to submissions here.

The ref stands the fighters back up, due to lack of action by Patrick Hale.

Mars gets caught napping as Hale dives in and scores a takedown. Mars manages to retain guard.
Mars on his back here. We all know that wrestlers don't like being on their back so let's see if Mars tries to get out of the position.
Mars 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.
Mars working a defensive guard but Hale passes into half guard.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Hale is taking a breather. Mars says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Let's hope that Hale has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
Hale not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Mars wants to control but Hale is keeping busy.
Hale controlling the action here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Hale is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Mars defends it well.

Hale is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Hale is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Hale content to control rather than advance.

And that's the end of the fight!
Patrick Hale comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Hale 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 28:29
Judge Stewart Dunkirk scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Patrick Hale!
A relieved looking Patrick Hale thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.
In defeat, Paul Mars stepped up to the mic, saying 'He is a great fighter. I got to train more and be better next time.'.