PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Giovanni Marella (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Magnus Friese (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marella comes to the cage accompanied by "La Vittoria è Mia (Victory Is Mine)" by Jim Johnston. On his way into the cage it seems that Giovanni Marella has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Giovanni Marella seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Marella
vs
Friese

166 cm
22
165 lbs
3 - 5 - 1

177 cm
18
166 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Excellent boxer
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 5 - 1, fighting out of The Island, Giovanni Marella!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Magnus Friese!
The judges for this bout are Santiago Holmes, Dirk Anderson and Michael Johnstone.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Friese looks to land a combination but Marella avoids it well.
Marella wants to take advantage of his opponent's missed offense by moving into the clinch.
Friese throws a wild combination but nothing lands.
Friese misses with a two punch combination.
Friese lands with a straight right. Marella didn't see that one coming.
Friese throws a combination that misses

and Marella counters with a takedown into side control! That could mean trouble for Friese!
Friese tries to wriggle free to get back to his feet but he's given up his back! Oops.
Marella thows a huge left but connects with the canvas and not his opponent.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Marella scores with strikes from the back.
Marella cracks Friese with a big shot to body and one to the head - really punishing Friese from the back mount here, looking to soften him up.
Friese really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Marella. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marella is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Friese grimaces as he takes a shot to the body.
Marella is controlling his opponent, waiting for an opportunity to finish.
Marella has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

Marella looking to break Friese's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Friese remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Marella will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
You can see the frustration on Friese's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Marella has good solid back control here.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Friese looking very determined here, making life difficult for Marella.
Friese rolls and manages to get back to half guard. Nicely done.
Marella performing his best blanket impression for a moment.
Marella prevents Friese from standing back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Friese trying to control but Marella postures up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Friese blocking the ground and pound attempt from Marella.
Marella tries to pass the half guard into mount. Friese knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.
Friese is in trouble now - Marella has advanced to mount!
Marella prevents Friese from getting the reversal.
Marella cracks Friese with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Marella unloading with bombs!
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Marella working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Friese is in all sorts of trouble here.
Marella lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Marella content just to control the position here.
Marella fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!

Friese is rocked!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giovanni Marella dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Friese gets caught flat footed, as Marella shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.

It looks like Magnus Friese has been cut.
Friese is looking to sweep but instead, Marella has passed into half guard.
Friese is staying active underneath Marella, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Friese wants to improve his position but Marella is controlling well.
Marella passes the half guard and he's now in mount! Big trouble for Friese!
Marella with a couple of short strikes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marella landing strikes from the mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marella sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.
Friese wants to control but Marella is having none of it.
Marella with shots to the head and body - Friese looks very uncomfortable down there.
Marella has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.
Marella prevents Friese from getting the reversal.
Friese taking shots to the head.
Friese is still in real trouble! Can Marella finish him?
Marella wants to control the pace but Friese is squirming around nicely.
Friese seems to have recovered his senses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marella breaks from Friese's wrist control and lands an elbow.
Marella prevents Friese from getting the reversal.
Marella wants to control the pace but Friese is squirming around nicely.
Marella is really struggling to control Friese but he's trying to hold on to the position.
Marella postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Friese looks a forlorn figure.
Friese regains half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marella is keen to just control but Friese is a slippery customer.
Friese wants to control but Marella passes into side.
Marella is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Friese can do to turn this around?
Friese trying to control but Marella flips him over like a cheap hooker and has his back!
Marella gets his hooks in and is throwing strikes.
I would not like to be Friese right now.
Marella lands with a nice looking elbow that stuns Friese.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Friese trying to control the hands but Marella breaks the grip.
Marella is hanging on to Friese's back as he tries to escape.
Friese manages to reverse the position and now he's in Marella's guard. Nice work there by Friese.
Marella seems to have improved his submission grappling technique since last time we saw him. Let's see if he can pull off a submission.
Friese wants to pass the guard but Marella is keeping the position.

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

Marella throws a big elbow that misses.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Giovanni Marella dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Magnus Friese's cut.
That's time! Marella's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. The crowd applaud as we get ready to start the final round!

Marella closes the distance and scores a nice trip takedown into half guard. Friese did well to prevent Marella getting side control.
Marella content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Marella throws a big elbow that misses, also allowing Friese to regain full guard.
Friese being controlled here, momentarily.
Marella preventing the sweep.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Friese wants to control but Marella passes easily into half guard.
Marella is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Friese wants to improve his position but Marella is controlling well.
Giovanni Marella overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Marella wants to lay and pray for a moment but Friese keeps working.
Friese trying to control from the bottom.
Friese is trying to control but Marella manages to pass to mount!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are getting on the fighters' backs, as the pace has dropped off in the last minute or so.
Friese working to try and regain half guard.
Marella lands a couple of nice shots there from mount.
Friese can't escape the position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Marella tries to control but Friese wriggling away.
Friese tries to lock up and control but Marella gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Marella sitting in mount, just looking to control for the moment.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marella avoids the attempt from Friese to control.
Marella looking to finish Friese with some ground and pound. This is bad for Friese!
Friese tries to lock up and control but Marella gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Marella can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Friese is looking to escape.
Friese is looking to improve his position but Marella isn't that keen on the idea.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marella punishing his opponent with strikes.
Marella could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Friese is trying to escape the mount.
Marella working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Friese wants to hold on but Marella pushes him away.
Friese is squirming around, avoiding Marella's attempts to control the action.
Friese is working to get back to half guard.
Magnus Friese has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Giovanni Marella is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Marella controlling the position easily from mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Giovanni Marella showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Marella, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Santiago Holmes scores the fight 30:27
Judge Dirk Anderson scores the fight 30:27
Judge Michael Johnstone scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Giovanni Marella!
A relieved looking Giovanni Marella thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.