PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Arthur Halo (ranked 1068 p4p, 149 weight class) and Martinez Eluard (ranked 1481 p4p, 205 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Halo
vs
Eluard

187 cm
33
180 lbs
20 - 11 - 0

180 cm
35
178 lbs
21 - 17 - 3

Abu Dhabi Champ
Excellent boxer
Insanely flexible

Excellent grappler
World class boxer
Good gas tank

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 20 - 11 - 0, fighting out of London, Arthur Halo!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 17 - 3, fighting out of Las Vegas, Martinez Eluard!
The judges for this bout are Jonathan Paton, Jorge Garcia and Reed Andrews.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Eluard takes a kick to the side of the head.

Eluard gets caught napping as Halo dives in and scores a takedown. Eluard manages to retain guard.
Halo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Halo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Halo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Halo's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Halo prevents Eluard from getting back to his feet.
Halo is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Eluard has his hands on Halo's head, controlling the position.
Halo throws a big right hand that misses.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Halo trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

Halo drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Eluard manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Halo has Eluard in his guard.

Eluard avoids a guillotine attempt easily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Eluard trying to control the position from guard on top but Halo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Eluard looking to pass the guard.
Eluard trying to control but Halo is working from the bottom.

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.
Eluard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Halo wants to sweep here but Eluard controlling him for the moment.
Eluard trying to control but Halo is working from the bottom.
Eluard looking to pass the guard.
Halo manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Eluard manages to get himself to full guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Halo advances to half guard.
Halo stops Eluard from getting back to his feet.

Halo is working for an americana but Eluard has been sneaky and has managed to get back to half guard, whilst Halo was thinking about the submission.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Halo's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Halo trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Our spies down at at Samran Muay Thai inform us that Eluard has really been working on his submissions in the buildup to this fight. Will it pay off?
Halo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Eluard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Halo is working hard here to advance position.
Eluard trying to control the position.
Halo stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Eluard swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Halo content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Halo got a little sloppy there for a moment and Eluard has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Halo has managed to get both his arms back between Eluard's legs - danger averted.
Halo tries to free his leg and advance position but Eluard is retaining full guard.
Halo postures up and lands a big shot to Eluard's brow.
Halo missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Halo throws a big elbow that misses.
Halo is working Eluard over from the guard. He should look to pass the guard and do a little more damage with these strikes.
Halo trying to move into half guard but instead Eluard has managed to sweep!

Halo definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Eluard trying to control the position from guard on top but Halo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Halo keeping full guard, as Eluard tries to pass.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Arthur Halo dominated that round.
That's time! Halo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Halo changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Eluard ducks down and throws a hook to the body.
Halo is pinned up against the cage taking some big shots here. The referee is looking closely deciding whether he should stop the fight.
Nice straight punches there by Eluard. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Eluard.
Halo looks to score with a jab to the body but Eluard is just out of range.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Eluard works the jab nicely.
Eluard tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Halo was well out of range. Poor timing from Eluard.
Halo takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Eluard gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Halo postures up.

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

Halo bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Eluard's guard.

Eluard keeping full guard, as Halo tries to pass.
Halo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Eluard avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Halo advances position into side control!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halo throws a strike aimed at the side of Eluard's head but Eluard avoids it well.
Sloppy strikes there by Halo.

Halo goes for an armbar here - this could be all over! But no, Eluard has escaped beautifully and is now on top in side control! Oh, that's unlucky for Halo but great work by Eluard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Eluard works to advance to full mount. Halo defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Eluard trying to control but Halo is having none of it.
Eluard is trying to control here but Halo has managed to regain half guard.
Halo tries to roll over but Eluard keeps him under control.
Eluard trying to control the action but Halo is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are battling for position here. Halo manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Halo looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Eluard trying to control the position from guard on top but Halo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Eluard might have to switch it up a bit here because his efforts to control Halo haven't been going to plan, at least at the current moment in time.
Eluard trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Eluard is pushing down on Halo's leg trying to pass to half guard. Halo is fighting to maintain full guard but Eluard has managed to sneak the leg through.
Halo is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Eluard trying to control the action but Halo is working from the bottom.
Halo wants to improve his position but Eluard is controlling well.
Halo slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Halo keeping moving, preventing Eluard from controlling successfully.
Eluard pushes down on Halo's leg and manages to get into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Martinez Eluard showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's time! Halo's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight. This is the final round!

Halo throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Eluard tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Halo is in Eluard's guard.

Eluard is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.

Eluard breaks the clinch.
Eluard shuffles to his left behind two crisp jabs. Halo eats them both and turns towards Eluard to reposition himself and eats a stinging right hand-left hook combo.
Eluard throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Eluard showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Halo.
It seemed like Eluard was going to counter with the hook but didn't fully commit to it.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Halo.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Halo shoots in for a takedown but Eluard shows good takedown defense there and keeps this one on the feet.
Eluard is clearly trying to counter these attacks from Halo with a body shot.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Halo is defended easily by Eluard.
Arthur Halo seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Eluard darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Eluard misses with a looping left.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Halo misses with a takedown attempt
enabling Eluard to counter with a crisp jab.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Arthur Halo. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Halo shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Eluard sprawls well. Eluard wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Halo gets slowly back to his feet.
A countering left hand to the body from Eluard misses.
Halo connects with the punch.
Eluard looks to throw the jab but Halo is out of range.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Halo feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Halo throws a strike but Eluard rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Eluard trying to control the position from guard on top but Halo is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Eluard sitting in guard, not really doing much.
Eluard looking to sit in guard and control but Halo gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Halo is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Halo with a flurry of punches that miss.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Halo looking to pass the guard.
Halo is in close to Eluard's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Eluard is trying to control the position from the bottom.

Halo drops back, looking for a kneebar! Eluard looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Eluard looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Eluard!

Eluard passes to full mount! That's big trouble for Halo!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Eluard wants to take Halo's back here but Halo is holding on to an arm, himself looking to escape.
Halo is trying to escape the mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Martinez Eluard comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Eluard 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 Jonathan Paton scores the fight 28:29
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 28:29
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Martinez Eluard!
During a confident post fight interview, Martinez Eluard thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.
Arthur Halo spoke after the fight, saying 'No big deal. I'll go back to training now. '.