PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Francois Marais (ranked 1320 p4p, 0 weight class) and John Baker (ranked 2161 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Marais
vs
Baker

171 cm
27
154 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

169 cm
26
152 lbs
4 - 4 - 0

Good wrestling
Counter fighter
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Counter fighter
Good gas tank

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of The Island, Francois Marais!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 4 - 0, fighting out of The Island, John Baker!
The judges for this bout are Peter Branson, Daniel Franklin and David Hoff.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Marais closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Baker quickly recovers to half guard.
Marais is looking to advance position but Baker won't allow it.
Baker is trying to stand back up but Marais is controlling him
Baker won't allow Marais to pass to mount.
Baker is trying to stand up here but Marais is controlling him well.
Marais wants to pass the guard but Baker is defending well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marais is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker wants to get back to his feet.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Marais gets a takedown into half guard.
Marais prevents Baker from standing back up.
Marais wants to control but Baker is keeping him busy.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Baker is looking to escape.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
John Baker is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Marais scores with a takedown into Baker's guard.
Marais has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Marais wants to control from the top but Baker keeps moving.
Baker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Baker keeping moving, preventing Marais from controlling successfully.
Baker is looking to stand up but Marais isn't so interested in that idea.
Marais trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Baker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Marais trying to control the position from guard on top but Baker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Baker is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Marais is controlling him.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.

Marais shoots in with a lovely double leg takedown. Baker manages to land in full guard to minimise the damage.
Marais prevents Baker from getting back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Marais trying to control the position from guard on top but Baker is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marais controlling from the top position.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Marais changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Baker looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francois Marais dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Marais shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Baker is looking to stand up but Marais isn't so interested in that idea.
Marais is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Baker can do to turn this around?
Baker keeping moving, preventing Marais from controlling successfully.
Marais definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Baker wants to stand but Marais is controlling the position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marais stays in close to Baker's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marais wants to pass the guard but Baker is keeping the position.

The referee has motioned to the fighters to stand back up. He just wasn't happy with the level of activity.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Marais.
Baker is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Marais has just dragged him back down to the mat.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marais tries to advance to mount but Baker denies him.
Baker is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

Marais looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Marais wants to control but Baker is keeping him busy.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.

Marais scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Baker tries to get back to his feet but has found himself mounted instead. Damn, that's gotta suck.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marais pushing the pace here, looking to move to his opponents back and work for a finish.
Baker is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Francois Marais overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Baker is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Marais has hold of Baker's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Baker manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Marais fails to move to back control.
Baker tries to buck Marais off but he can't manage it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Francois Marais 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. And we move into the final round!

Marais is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Baker's half guard.
Baker tries to kick Marais off but Marais keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

Marais is working for a kimura here but Baker manages to reverse the position and he's now in Marais's guard.
Marais has a closed guard, preventing Baker from standing up.
Marais tries to land a sweep but no joy.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Marais has a closed guard, preventing Baker from standing up.

Marais escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Baker gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Baker wants to stand and escape but instead Marais has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Baker is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Baker has been taking part in the yoga sessions down at Buoy Training. Presumably he's going to look for a slick submission... Or maybe he's looking to avoid one.
Marais passes into half guard.
Baker is trying to stand.
Baker is staying active underneath Marais, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Baker is trying to stand up here but Marais is controlling him well.

Marais is looking for a kimura but Baker is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Marais to get the leverage.

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.
Baker is looking to escape.

Marais looking for a kimura but he'll have to free his other leg if he wants to finish that. Perhaps he's just using it as a distraction technique.
Marais is working hard to pass the guard. He's done it - he's now in full mount! Trouble for Baker!
Baker is trying to get to the cage to help him get back to his feet.
Marais trying to control but Baker is having none of it.
Baker's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marais trying to control but Baker is having none of it.
Baker is trying to escape but when you're mounted that's not too easy.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are hurling abuse towards the fighters... You can hardly blame them though because there isn't a lot going on in the fight.

Marais moves into side control, trying to work for a kimura. That looks painful! Will he finish!!?? No, Baker has worked his arm free - good work by Baker!

Marais is trying to land an Americana. He has the arm isolated but Baker is keeping cool and he's avoided the danger for now.
Baker is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Marais asserts his dominance and retains side control.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

Marais looking to score a takedown here. Baker is defending well but Marais drives through and ends up in Baker's guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Francois Marais showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Marais 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 Peter Branson scores the fight for Francois Marais!
Judge Daniel Franklin scores the fight for Francois Marais!
Judge David Hoff scores the fight for Francois Marais!

Francois Marais wins by unanimous decision!