PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Berry Strickland (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Mike Marsh (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.

Strickland
vs
Marsh

172 cm
18
177 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

175 cm
18
179 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Berry Strickland!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Mike Marsh!
The judges for this bout are Steve Smith, Trevor Gratis and Robert Douchet.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Marsh closes the distance and clinches.
Marsh taking a breather.
Strickland wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Marsh has him pressed against the cage.

Strickland successfully pulls guard.
Marsh sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Marsh throws an elbow that misses. Strickland uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Marsh's guard. Nice move by Strickland!

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Strickland gets to his feet and steps away from his opponent.
Marsh fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Strickland is out of range.
Strickland wants to clinch up but Marsh keeps it at a distance.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marsh takes the fight into the clinch.
Marsh leaning his opponent against the cage.
Marsh drops down looking for an ankle pick but Strickland pulls his leg out and moves away.

Strickland clinches with his opponent.

Marsh manages to pull guard.
Marsh working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Strickland.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marsh not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Marsh manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Strickland shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Marsh sprawls well. Marsh wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Strickland gets slowly back to his feet.
Strickland gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Strickland tries to clinch but Marsh moves out of range.
Marsh dives in and grabs Strickland's left leg, looking for a takedown. Strickland pushes down on Marsh's head and hops out.
Marsh throws a leg kick that is checked
and Strickland counters with a head kick.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strickland tries to keep at a distance but Marsh has taken the fight into the clinch.
Strickland prevents the takedown attempt.
Berry Strickland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Marsh.
Strickland fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Marsh as Strickland tries to tie him up.
Marsh is trying to push Strickland away but Strickland has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Marsh manages to pull guard.
Marsh has a closed guard, preventing Strickland from standing up.
Marsh looking for a sweep. Not yet Marsh, not yet.

Strickland drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Marsh dives on top into guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marsh is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Marsh stands up from guard. Let's bang!
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Marsh moves into the clinch.
Strickland being controlled against the cage.
Marsh wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Marsh dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Strickland looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Strickland defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Marsh.
Strickland swung with a counter punch to the body but it didn't connect.
Mike Marsh seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Strickland checks the leg kick nicely there.
Strickland looked to counter with a high kick but didn't commit.
Strickland stuffs the takedown.

Marsh has managed to clinch.
Marsh trying to stall but Strickland improves his position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marsh is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Strickland to keep the fight standing.
Berry Strickland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Marsh.
Marsh drops down looking for an ankle pick but Strickland pulls his leg out and moves away.
Strickland tries to clinch up.
Strickland displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Marsh.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marsh throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Strickland gets a clinch.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Strickland tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Strickland is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Marsh drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Strickland gets the underhooks and prevents it.
Marsh is trying to pull guard but Strickland has him pressed against the cage.
Marsh is breathing heavily.
Marsh is trying to force a seperation but Strickland has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Strickland is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Marsh pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Marsh looking to stall.
Marsh is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.
Marsh wants to break the clinch but can't.
Strickland tries a body shot but Marsh blocks it.
Marsh tries to pull guard but Strickland holds him up against the cage and eventually Marsh drops back down to his feet.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Marsh is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.

Strickland's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Marsh has been the more effective fighter overall so far.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Strickland rushes Marsh and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Strickland leaning his opponent against the cage.
Strickland slowing the pace effectively.

Marsh jumps guard.

Strickland is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Marsh is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Marsh has escaped and now he's on top!

Strickland working away from the bottom but not quite defensive enough there because Marsh has passed into half guard!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strickland blocking the ground and pound attempt from Marsh.
Marsh is looking to stall here but Strickland recovers full guard.
Marsh wants to control from the top but Strickland keeps moving.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that Berry Strickland will probably get the nod.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Marsh shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Strickland's guard.
Marsh throws a big elbow that misses.
Marsh loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Marsh accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Marsh showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Mike Marsh has got the better of the ground game so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marsh is continuing to stall.
The referee wants the fighters to be more active or he's going to reset them on the feet.
Marsh is looking to pass into half guard but Strickland pushes him away with his feet and jumps on top - now Strickland is in guard.

Strickland stopping the sweep attempt from Marsh.
Marsh has control of Strickland's left arm, preventing Strickland from doing any damage.
Strickland tries to stand but Marsh is controlling from the bottom.
Marsh has Strickland pulled in close to control his posture.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.
Marsh misses with a takedown
and Strickland makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.

Marsh clinches.
Strickland fails to pull guard.
Marsh is pushing Strickland up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Marsh can't break the clinch.
Mike Marsh seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Strickland manages to break the clinch.
Marsh goes for a double leg but Strickland avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Strickland continues to drive forward.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marsh scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Strickland doesn't seem bothered though.
Marsh shoots in for a takedown but Strickland shows good takedown defense.
Berry Strickland has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Mike Marsh.
Marsh takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Strickland fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Marsh, pushing him back against the cage.
Strickland could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Strickland takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Marsh fails to pull guard.
Strickland tries to circle away but Marsh has him pinned against the cage.
Marsh is working for takedown but Strickland is calmly controlling the position for now.
Marsh is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Strickland is defending well.
Marsh is working on a leg, looking for a takedown but Strickland is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Strickland is pushing Marsh up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Strickland stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.

Strickland has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Marsh uses from the top position.
Marsh postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Strickland throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Strickland wants to control but instead he gets his guard passed and Marsh is now in half guard.
Marsh is pressing down on Strickland's thigh, looking to free his foot. Strickland is holding on for now.

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 Berry Strickland.
I think Strickland has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Smith scores the fight 29:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 29:28
Judge Robert Douchet scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Berry Strickland!