PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Edwin Marquez (ranked 7877 p4p, 644 weight class) and Gregory Smith (ranked 5517 p4p, 552 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Marquez
vs
Smith

195 cm
18
187 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

172 cm
25
184 lbs
1 - 0 - 1

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the middleweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of St Petersburg, Edwin Marquez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 1, fighting out of St Petersburg, Gregory Smith!
The judges for this bout are Illya Tyunina, Ivan Kurochkin and Aleksandr Martynov.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Marquez throws a low kick but Smith avoids it.
Marquez looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.
Smith takes a push kick to the midsection and stumbles backwards.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Smith is defended easily by Marquez.
As Smith looks to move away, Marquez throws a big counter combo but Smith just gets out of the way.

Smith moves into the clinch successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Smith stalling.
Marquez lands a shoulder strike.
Smith has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Marquez is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Marquez stalling.
Marquez's corner are urging him to control the action in the clinch for a moment, rather than mount any serious offense. I'm sure the crowd appreciate those instructions... not.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez slows down the pace here.
Marquez gets a warning from the ref for wasting time.
Marquez lands a nice elbow from the clinch.
Smith blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.
Smith tries to pull guard but Marquez holds him up against the cage and eventually Smith drops back down to his feet.
Edwin Marquez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gregory Smith.

Marquez manages to break the clinch.
Marquez misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Marquez takes a shot to the body in his stride.

Smith darts in and clinches Marquez up against the cage.
Smith is looking for a takedown.

Marquez breaks from the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marquez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A head kick misses from Marquez.
Smith misses with a takedown attempt
and Marquez counters with a three punch combo that has Smith backing up. Smith nods at Marquez to acknowledge the strikes.
Marquez throws a nice head kick!

It looks like Gregory Smith has been cut.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A bone on bone clash there as Marquez blocks the leg kick.
Marquez throws a right hand that Smith ducks under and follows up with a left that Smith also avoids with ease.
Smith fails with an attempt to clinch.
A combination from Smith does no damage.
Smith chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Marquez can pounce on him.
No luck for Smith with that takedown attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Smith blocks a head kick by Marquez.
A head kick misses from Marquez.
Smith goes for a double leg but Marquez avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Marquez continues to drive forward.
Smith on the wrong end of a nice low kick. He's acting like it's no big deal but he doesn't want to take many more of those.
Smith tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Marquez defends well and Smith ends up having to push Marquez into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
Smith fails with the takedown.
Smith shoots and misses
and Marquez counters with a one-two to the body.
Smith looks winded!
Smith fails with the takedown
and Marquez cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
We've been informed that Smith has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Smith blocks a head kick by Marquez.
Smith is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Marquez is looking to counter punch.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Marquez circles away.
Smith doesn't manage to clinch there - Marquez circles away.
Marquez is looking to counter with a body kick.
Smith looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Marquez throws a big counter combination but Smith scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Marquez lands a head kick. Smith smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edwin Marquez dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Gregory Smith's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Smith throws a leg kick but Marquez sees it coming and checks it nicely.
Gregory Smith seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Marquez tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Marquez, pushing him back against the cage.
Marquez working aggressively here.

Smith gets control of Marquez's arms and successfully pulls guard. Smith will no doubt be looking for submissions off his back.
Marquez wanted to stand there but Smith had control of the position.

Marquez stands and steps away. Smith gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marquez pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Smith throws the left hand but Marquez avoids the punch easily.
Smith has a takedown stuffed.
Marquez throws a quick counter head kick but Smith was just out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marquez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smith tries to counter by closing the distance.
Smith tries to clinch up.
It appears Marquez was looking to counter with a kick there.
Edwin Marquez is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Marquez stuffs the takedown attempt from Smith. Smith gets slowly back to his feet.
Marquez lands a head kick. Smith smiles back at him and beckons him forward.
Marquez misses with a low kick as Smith jumps back.
Nice takedown defense from Marquez. No joy for Smith on that attempt.
Edwin Marquez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gregory Smith.
Marquez looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Smith throws a big counter head kick but Marquez avoids it with no problem.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marquez keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Marquez misses with a straight left.
Smith fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Marquez throws a big counter combination but Smith scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Marquez.
Smith tries to clinch up
and Marquez counters with a left and a right that stings Smith.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquez swats away the attempt to clinch by Smith.
Smith connects with a body shot that sends Marquez's belly button to the back.
Marquez is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Smith can do to turn this around?
Smith throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Marquez's waist but Marquez gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Smith off to one side.
As Smith looks to move away, Marquez throws a big counter combo but Smith just gets out of the way.
Smith throws a left and a right that both miss
and Marquez counters with a one-two to the body.

Marquez gets caught napping as Smith dives in and scores a takedown. Marquez manages to retain guard.

Marquez is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Smith presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Smith is breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Marquez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marquez goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marquez pivots, looking for a leg kick but Smith is out of range and Marquez settles back down.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Smith.
Marquez throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Smith's head.
Smith stuns Marquez with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Smith is looking to clinch.
Marquez goes for a high kick. It partially lands.
Smith tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Marquez manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Edwin Marquez dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Gregory Smith's cut.
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. This is the final round!

Smith darts in looking for a takedown but Marquez gets double underhooks and turns Smith into the cage.
A head kick misses from Marquez.
Marquez tries to work over Smith's front leg with a kick but Smith checks it.
Marquez throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
A head kick misses from Marquez.
Smith gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily
and Marquez counters with a series of strikes. Smith will be more careful next time no doubt.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marquez throws a leg kick that is checked

and Smith counters with a nice double leg into guard.

Marquez manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Smith is working for takedown but Marquez is calmly controlling the position for now.
Edwin Marquez has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Gregory Smith.

Marquez escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Smith misses with a double jab
and Marquez counters with a nice body kick.
Marquez misses with the body kick
and Smith counters with a good low kick that Marquez was not able to check.
Marquez has not gone for a single takedown so far in this fight, which seems like a very strange tactic when you consider that he has the superior wrestling and BJJ.
Marquez fakes a jab and scores with a low kick.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch but Marquez swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Marquez misses with a few strikes there.
Marquez throws a head kick but Smith moves out of range.
No luck with that takedown attempt from Smith.
Marquez throws a big counter combination but Smith scrambles out of danger and avoids any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Smith looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Marquez is fending him off so far but Smith persists. Nope, Marquez circles away and we're back to standing.
Marquez seem to be loading up, looking for a big counter.
Smith swings for the body but Marquez moves out of range.
Smith fails with the takedown.
The fighters are starting to get sweaty, which will make takedowns a bit more tricky.
Marquez throws a leg kick which misses Smith's front leg but catches the back leg as Smith tries to avoid it.
Smith on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Marquez. Marquez obviously looking to wear him down.
Edwin Marquez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Smith shoots in for a takedown but Marquez shows good takedown defense.
Marquez keeps the fight on the outside.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marquez throws a right and a left that Smith avoids nicely.
Marquez misses with a head kick.
Smith wants to clinch.
Smith avoids a kick to the body.
Smith fails in his attempt to clinch.
Smith closes this distance looking for a takedown but Marquez circles away.
Smith doesn't succeed with the takedown
and Marquez counters with a series of strikes. Smith will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marquez throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.
Despite the aggression on Smith's face he doesn't fully commit to the counter.
Smith has a nice red mark on his side after a thudding body kick by Marquez.
Smith checks a leg kick nicely.
Smith tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marquez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Smith avoids the head kick by Marquez.
Smith avoids the head kick by Marquez.

Smith fakes with an overhand right and moves in to clinch with Marquez, pushing him back against the cage.
Gregory Smith has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Edwin Marquez is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Marquez misses with an elbow over the top.

And that's the end of the fight!
Edwin Marquez showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Marquez has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Illya Tyunina scores the fight 30:27
Judge Ivan Kurochkin scores the fight 30:27
Judge Aleksandr Martynov scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Edwin Marquez!
In his post fight interview, Edwin Marquez gave a big smile as he said 'I hate your face. But, like, really. I really hate your face.'.