PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Uriah Faber (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcos Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Uriah Faber has the better chin. Will he look to stand and bang today?

Faber
vs
Martinez

195 cm
27
215 lbs
12 - 5 - 0

188 cm
24
205 lbs
5 - 12 - 0

Good wrestling
Brawler
Very quick

Good takedowns
Basic striking
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 12 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Uriah Faber!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 12 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Marcos Martinez!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Daniel Cesar and Mauricio Rocha.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Martinez is defended easily by Faber.
Nice takedown defense from Faber. No joy for Martinez on that attempt.
Faber half commits to a counter takedown before pushing away, out of range.
Martinez has been working on his striking defense in training and it's paying off as Faber is landing a low percentage of strikes.

Faber shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Martinez manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Faber trying to control but Martinez is working from the bottom.

Faber drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Faber jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Martinez looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Faber wants to pass the guard but Martinez is keeping the position.
Martinez bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Faber's guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber trying to keep a closed guard but Martinez is proving a slippery customer.
Martinez stopping the sweep attempt from Faber.

Faber has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Martinez can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
Faber working a defensive guard here.

Martinez is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Faber has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Martinez has passed into side control.

Martinez working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Faber defending against the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faber parries the strikes from Martinez easily there. Martinez is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Faber to escape.
Faber tries to buck Martinez off but Martinez is having none of it.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Martinez is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Faber has escaped the position, nice work there.
Faber is working to avoid the ground and pound but Martinez connects with a decent elbow.
Martinez tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.
Faber manages to get back to half guard.
Martinez sitting in half guard, looking to land shots. Faber defending well though.

Martinez is looking for a kimura here.

Faber is defending against the submission attempts here by Martinez.
Faber trying to control here but he's found himself mounted! Oh no!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber regains half guard.
Faber manages to get to full guard.
Martinez content to stall in guard here.
Faber bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Martinez's guard.

Martinez keeping moving, preventing Faber from controlling successfully.
Faber forces his way into half guard.
Faber works his way into side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez is trying to get back to half guard.
Faber prevents Martinez from escaping the position.
Faber wants to lay and pray for a moment but Martinez keeps working.
Martinez is looking to reverse the position.
The referee asks Faber politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Faber prefers to stall for the moment though.
Martinez tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Faber wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.
Faber trying to control the position but Martinez is working away.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Martinez struggling a bit here.
Faber wants to control but Martinez is keeping him busy.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Marcos Martinez will probably get the nod.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Martinez shoots in and bounces Faber off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Martinez distracts Faber with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.

Faber is looking for a guillotine. You can't force these things though and Martinez defends well.
Martinez stands up over Faber, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

Faber working for a triangle but Martinez defends it easily.
Martinez stands up over Faber, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Martinez has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinez loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Martinez wants to control from the top but Faber keeps moving.
Martinez throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Faber works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Faber looking for a sweep. Not yet Faber, not yet.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Faber is on top in guard.

Martinez tries to strike from the bottom.

Martinez is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Faber trying to control but Martinez is working from the bottom.

Martinez looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Faber passes Martinez's left leg - he's now in half guard.
Martinez tries to roll over but Faber keeps him under control.
Martinez is looking to control Faber's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Martinez avoid being mounted?

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Faber is working for a kimura but Martinez is defending it quite comfortably.
Martinez is looking to improve his position.
Faber tries to pass the half guard into mount. Martinez knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Martinez looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Martinez wants to control the action here but instead Faber manages to pass to full mount!
Martinez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

Faber is thinking about an arm triangle here, looking to tighten it up before moving to side control. Martinez can see it coming though and defends well with a couple of strikes to the head and some good arm positioning.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber looking to control but Martinez is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Marcos Martinez has got the better of the ground game so far.
Faber is dominating on the ground here - he's now on his opponent's back, looking to sink in the hooks. Martinez is in real trouble.
Faber is looking to control Martinez but Martinez is wriggling around and keeping busy.

Faber looking to break Martinez's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Martinez remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Faber will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Good control from Faber.
You can see the frustration on Martinez's face… He knows he is in trouble unless he improves his position sooner rather than later.
Martinez is still trying to improve position.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Martinez preventing the rear naked choke attempt from Faber.

Faber looking for the choke but no joy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martinez tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Faber fails to advance to Martinez's back.
Martinez is wriggling around trying to escape.
Faber wants to control the pace but Martinez is squirming around nicely.

Martinez defends a decent attempt at a guillotine from Faber.
Martinez can't escape the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Faber working for a guillotine from mount but Martinez is in no mood to give up.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Uriah Faber dominated that second round.
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. Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Martinez looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Faber!
Faber is looking to regain half guard here but Martinez keeps moving and retains side control.
Martinez lands a decent elbow from side control.
Martinez trying to control the action but Faber is working from the bottom.
Martinez throws a strike aimed at the side of Faber's head but Faber avoids it well.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Faber gets one leg under and gets the fight to half guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Faber makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Faber.

Faber looking for a guillotine here but Martinez defends easily.
Faber looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martinez drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Martinez jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Martinez is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Faber wants to sweep here but Martinez controlling him for the moment.
Martinez lands a couple of digs.
Faber looking for a sweep. Not yet Faber, not yet.
Faber trying to control the position.
Martinez in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Martinez accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Martinez is looking to work some ground and pound but Faber has wrist control.
Martinez postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Faber has momentary wrist control but Martinez slips an elbow through the middle.
Martinez with a nice head shot there.
Faber is trying to control the position but Martinez postures up.
Martinez pushes down on Faber's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Faber makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Faber.
Martinez scores with a decent looking elbow strike.

Faber had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martinez defends it easily.
Faber looking to control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Faber keeping moving, preventing Martinez from controlling successfully.
Faber controls Martinez momentarily but Martinez frees himself.
Martinez is looking to work some ground and pound but Faber has wrist control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Faber is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Faber utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Martinez working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Faber's head.
Faber bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Martinez's guard.

Martinez tries to strike from the bottom.
Martinez trying to keep a closed guard but Faber is proving a slippery customer.
Faber trying to control but Martinez is working from the bottom.
Martinez looking to hit a scissor sweep but Faber is one step ahead there.
Faber pushes down on Martinez's leg and manages to get into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Martinez is looking to sinch up a guillotine here but Faber pulls his head out easily.
Martinez slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Faber passes Martinez's right leg, so he's now in half guard.
Martinez wants to improve his position but Faber is controlling well.
Faber controlling the pace.
Martinez is not content to let Faber control the position.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Faber is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
Martinez works his way to full guard. Good work.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcos Martinez comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Martinez 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 Edson Gomes scores the fight 28:29
Judge Daniel Cesar scores the fight 29:28
Judge Mauricio Rocha scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by split decision... Uriah Faber!
Uriah Faber seemed lost for words in his post fight interview but he remembered to thank his fans and directed everyone to his website.