PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Magnus Maxi (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Abner Martins (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Maxi
vs
Martins

189 cm
18
207 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
205 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Big heart

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Magnus Maxi!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Abner Martins!
The judges for this bout are Emerson Jorge, Paulo Santos and Luis Engracia.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Maxi shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Maxi stops Martins from standing up.
Martins trying to control the position.
Maxi preventing the sweep.

Martins looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Martins keeping full guard, as Maxi tries to pass.
Maxi wants to control from the top but Martins keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Martins has his foot on Maxi's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Maxi works his way back into a safe position though.
Maxi trying to control the position from guard on top but Martins is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maxi seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

Martins is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Maxi is stalling in the full guard.
Maxi looking to pass the guard.
Maxi controls from within his opponent's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maxi stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Martins swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Martins controlling the position.
Martins manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
Poor strikes thrown by Martins there. More accuracy and less frantic strikes would help!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Martins is trying to take his opponent's back.

Martins goes for an armbar but Maxi turns quickly into his guard - lovely anticipation from Maxi.
Martins looks gassed!
Maxi showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magnus Maxi dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Martins throws a head kick that looked like it stung.
Martins looks for a takedown but Maxi sprawls well.
Maxi keeps the fight standing with a nice sprawl.
Maxi is looking to clinch.
Martins circles away from the clinch attempt.

Maxi closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Maxi lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Maxi content to control rather than advance.
Martins is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maxi is looking to take a break and control but Martins is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maxi controlling the pace.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Martins gets full guard.
Martins being controlled here, momentarily.
Maxi postures up in Martins's guard and throws a big left but Martins blocks it.
Martins keeping moving, preventing Maxi from controlling successfully.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee stands the fighters back up. Magnus Maxi just wasn't active enough from the dominant position.
Maxi doesn't manage to clinch there - Martins circles away.

Maxi shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
Maxi is trying to get back to his feet now but his leg is trapped.
Martins wants to control but Maxi is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maxi is stalling here. Martins is in no mood to hang around though. He's locked up a kimura from the bottom! Maxi seems to be keeping calm but he's forced to roll out of the hold and Martins has ended up in side control on the top. Nice work.

Martins is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Maxi knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Maxi sneaks back into half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Magnus Maxi dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Maxi looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Maxi is looking to stand up but he'll have to free his leg first. Instead, Martins manages to get to full guard.

Martins is edging up against the cage. He's using the cage to get back to his feet. Nice work there - the fighters are clinched.
Maxi'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.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Martins escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Martins has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Martins there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maxi fails with the takedown.
The fight stays on the outside here - Maxi looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Martins feints and as Maxi raises his hands in defense, Martins changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Martins won't allow Maxi to sweep him here.
Martins sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Maxi's guard.
Maxi is looking for a sweep. Martins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Martins is looking to take a break and control but Maxi is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Maxi trying to control from the bottom.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maxi wants to get back to his feet.
Martins is controlling the pace.

Martins seems to be working for a kimura but Maxi defends the submission attempt.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Maxi gets back to full guard.

Martins drops back, looking for a kneebar! Maxi looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Maxi looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Maxi!
Magnus Maxi overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Martins prevents Maxi from improving position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
A bit of a lull in the action. I'm sure it will pick up again soon... even if the ref has to physically pick them up and put them back on their feet.
Maxi wants to lay and pray for a moment but Martins keeps working.
Martins struggling a bit here.

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 Magnus Maxi.
Well Maxi 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 Emerson Jorge scores the fight 30:27
Judge Paulo Santos scores the fight 30:27
Judge Luis Engracia scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Magnus Maxi!