PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Lamar Page (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jun Mar Fajardo (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Page
vs
Mar Fajardo

155 cm
24
140 lbs
2 - 4 - 0

179 cm
24
139 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 4 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Lamar Page!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jun Mar Fajardo!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Josh West.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fajardo shoots in looking for a takedown but Page manages to keep the fight standing, pushing Fajardo's face into the canvas for good measure before circling away.

Fajardo has taken the fight to the clinch.

Page tightens his grip and picks Fajardo up, before dumping him to the ground. Fajardo manages to land in guard.

Page decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Fajardo, up you get!
Fajardo shoots in but Page avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Page is looking to counter punch.

Fajardo pushes Page up against the cage in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Page has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Fajardo is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Fajardo tries to pull guard but Page holds him up against the cage and eventually Fajardo drops back down to his feet.
Lamar Page has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jun Mar Fajardo.
Fajardo leaning against his opponent.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.

Fajardo pulls Page into guard.
Page throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Page trying to stand up but can't free himself from Fajardo's guard.
Page stopping the sweep attempt from Fajardo.
Fajardo seems keen to control rather than go for a submission, at least for now.

Page stands and steps away. Fajardo gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

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

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fajardo manages to break the clinch.
Fajardo moves out of range as Page strikes.
Fajardo has his takedown stuffed

and Page counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Fajardo is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Page takes a shot to the head.

Page manages to pull guard.
Fajardo must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Fajardo has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Page is proving hard to escape from.
Page has control of Fajardo's left arm, preventing Fajardo from doing any damage.
Fajardo pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Page is keeping the position for now.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Page throwing strikes off his back to little effect.
Page could do with losing a few pounds - he looks very soft around the mid section, to put it politely.
Page controlling the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Page has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Fajardo has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.

Page lands a takedown into guard.

Page decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Page goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Page forces Fajardo back against the cage and clinches.

Fajardo pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Jun Mar Fajardo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Page scores with a takedown into Fajardo's guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Page stops Fajardo from standing up.
Fajardo throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Fajardo is trying to hold Page in close to prevent damage but Page has managed to pass into half guard.
Fajardo tries to get to full guard but Page has control of the leg.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

A bone on bone clash there as Fajardo blocks the leg kick.
A slow jab from Page misses its intended target.
Fajardo avoids the head kick by Page.
Fajardo darts in looking for a takedown but Page gets double underhooks and turns Fajardo into the cage.
Page tries to counter by clinching up but Fajardo breaks away and moves out of range.
Fajardo misses with a takedown

and Page counters by moving into the clinch.
Fajardo tries for a takedown. No joy.
Lamar Page has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jun Mar Fajardo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Page changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Fajardo fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Fajardo fails to land the takedown.
Page tries to counter by moving into the clinch but Fajardo manages to circle out of the way.
Page misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Fajardo rushes Page and presses him up against the cage.
A real battle for position is taking place between these two warriors.
Page tries for a takedown but Fajardo manages to get underhooks.
Fajardo gets underhooks to prevent Page's takedown attempt.

Page pulls Fajardo into guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Page seems keen to control Fajardo's posture.
Fajardo would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.

Page manages to escape and get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Fajardo moves into range and clinches up with Page.
Fajardo connects with a knee to the head.
Page is pressed up against the cage. Fajardo has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Page down to the mat. Page avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Fajardo is breathing heavily.
Fajardo stuffs the takedown.
A chopping leg kick lands by Page.
Page misses with a double jab.

Fajardo looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Page gets full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fajardo wants to stand but Page has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Page is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.

Page is looking for a triangle but Fajardo pushes his legs off easily.
Page might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Page pulls Fajardo in close to his closed guard and prevents Fajardo from doing any damage or advancing position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Fajardo looking to sit in guard and control but Page gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Page controlling from the guard. I say controlling but really, he's stalling.
Page postures up.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Fajardo wants to stand and escape but Page is having none of it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Lamar Page dominated that second round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Fajardo shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Page holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Fajardo jumps guard but Page stands there with Fajardo around his waist. Fajardo gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Fajardo is looking to break free of the clinch but Page has double underhooks.

Fajardo's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fajardo throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Page's waist but Page gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Fajardo off to one side.
Lamar Page has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jun Mar Fajardo.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Page displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Fajardo.
Fajardo takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Page tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Fajardo lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.
Page takes a big uppercut there. He seems a bit wobbly but no, he's OK.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Page misses with a combination
and Fajardo counters with a series of strikes. Page will be more careful next time no doubt.

Fajardo gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Page is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Fajardo can do to turn this around?

Page has picked Fajardo up - he's going for a ride! Page dumps his opponent to the mat with a thud and settles into half guard.
Page sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Fajardo defending well though.
Page content to control rather than advance.
Fajardo trying to hold on to Page's head to control him but Page postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Page slows the pace down in half guard.
Page seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Fajardo for as long as he can get away with.
Fajardo wants to control but Page is keeping busy.

Page stands, ready to strike. The ref makes him back up and allows Fajardo to get to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fajardo stalks Page and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Page's face. Page staggers backwards, shaken.
Horrible takedown attempt by Fajardo or perhaps it was just good defense by Page, which made it look bad.
Lamar Page is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Fajardo moves into the clinch successfully.
Fajardo tries a body shot but Page blocks it.

Page decides to pull guard.

Page pushes Fajardo off and gets back to his feet.

Fajardo pushes Page up against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Page fails to pull the fight into his guard.
Fajardo taking a break, stalling in the clinch.

Page breaks the clinch.
Fajardo gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Page moves into the clinch.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Both guys are working to get underhooks.
Page is trying to work for a single leg takedown but Fajardo pulls him back up using the underhooks.
Jun Mar Fajardo has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Lamar Page is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Fajardo throws an elbow but it's blocked.

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 Lamar Page.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Page, 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 30:28
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 30:27
Judge Josh West scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Lamar Page!