PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Vitor Roque (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Tj Marks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Roque comes to the ring accompanied by Parangolé - Balacobaco. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Roque
vs
Marks

175 cm
20
136 lbs
4 - 5 - 0

167 cm
24
138 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Good chin

Good takedowns
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 4 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Vitor Roque!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Tj Marks!
The judges for this bout are Gregory Folan, Dillan Fox and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Roque fails with the takedown

and Marks counters with a nice double leg into side control. Roque won't be happy with that.
Marks throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Marks decides to take the fight back to the feet.
Roque looks to score with a jab to the body but Marks is just out of range.
Roque misses with an uppercut. Marks saw that one coming.
Marks takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Marks shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Roque sprawls well. Roque wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Marks gets slowly back to his feet.
Marks wants to clinch up but Roque keeps it at a distance.
Roque swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Roque has managed to clinch.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Roque takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Marks tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.
Roque has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Marks is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marks tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Roque avoids it.
Marks tries to jump guard but he falls flat on his backside. Roque smiles and moves away.
Vitor Roque has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Tj Marks.
Roque throws a body punch but Marks moves out of range.

Marks 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.
Marks trying to control the position from guard on top but Roque is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Marks trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Marks won't allow Roque to get back to his feet.
Roque is breathing heavily.
Marks wants to stand and escape but instead Roque has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.
Marks avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marks looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Roque wants to stand but Marks is controlling his posture from full guard.
Marks looking to hit a scissor sweep but Roque is one step ahead there.
Roque looking to sit in guard and control but Marks gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.
Marks trying to control but Roque is working from the bottom.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marks stops Roque from standing up.

Roque wriggles free and stands up.
Roque looks to score with a jab to the body but Marks is just out of range.
Good exchange - Roque coming out on top.
Vitor Roque seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Roque tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Marks was well out of range. Poor timing from Roque.
Roque connects with a good right hand that stumbles Marks. Marks circles away out of range and recomposes himself.
No joy there for Roque, who threw a few shots but didn't land.

Marks scores with a takedown into Roque's guard.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Marks won't allow Roque to sweep him here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marks forces his way into half guard.
Roque is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Marks's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Marks's back!
Marks is keeping busy.
Marks tries to escape the position.
Roque missing with strikes.
Marks is trying to get back to his feet but he's not managed it yet.
Roque tries to get the hooks in deep but Marks pushed the leg off.
Roque is not going to allow Marks to sit and survive in this position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tj Marks dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the ring so we can get back down to business.

Roque lands with a cross.
Roque swats away the attempt to clinch by Marks.
Marks tries to clinch up against the ropes, rushing in the close the distance. Roque manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Marks closes the distance and looks for a trip takedown... aaaand he's got it - Marks lands in his opponent's guard.
Marks stays in close to Roque's body and controls the position.

Roque had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Marks defends it easily.
Marks stopping the sweep attempt from Roque.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marks slips effortlessly into side control - very nice.
Roque wants to control but Marks postures up.
Marks wants to control but Roque is keeping him busy.
Roque wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

That's two 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.
Roque can't do much from the bottom here.
Roque is trying to get back to his feet.
Marks trying to control the position but Roque is working away.
Roque wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marks advances to mount.
Marks tries to control but Roque wriggling away.
Roque slips a leg in and gets back to half guard.

Roque is defending against the submission attempts here by Marks.
Roque tries to kick Marks off but Marks keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marks is looking to advance position but Roque won't allow it.
Marks stops Roque from getting back to his feet.
Marks thows a huge punch but Roque dodges it nicely.
Roque wants to stand back up but Marks manages to pass into side control.
Roque can't do much from the bottom here.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Roque prevents Marks from improving position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Tj Marks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. And we move into the final round!

Roque scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
A combination from Roque does no damage.
Roque throws a body punch but Marks moves out of range.
Roque is looking to wear down Marks with body shots, infact he's throwing more body shots than head shots at the moment.

Roque gets caught flat footed, as Marks shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Marks wants to control from the top but Roque keeps moving.
Roque wants to get back to his feet but Marks is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Marks tries to free his leg and advance position but Roque is retaining full guard.
Marks is standing up over Roque. Roque looks to escape but Marks dives into side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Roque is trying to escape and get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marks trying to control the action but Roque is working from the bottom.
Roque is trying to control Marks's posture but Marks avoids it.
Marks throws an elbow but Roque slips to the side and avoids it well.

That's two 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.
Roque is looking for a sweep.
Marks tries to move into full mount but can't pass Roque's legs.
Tj Marks has got the better of the ground game so far.

Marks tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Roque is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Marks is controlling him well.
The referee asks Marks politely if he wouldn't mind getting on with it and actually doing something. Marks prefers to stall for the moment though.
Roque manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marks controlling the action here.
Roque is trying to stand up here but Marks is controlling him well.
Roque moves into full guard.
Marks trying to control the position from guard on top but Roque is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Roque has his feet on Marks's hips. He pushes off and gets to his feet. Nice work.

That's four 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.

Roque closes the distance and after a bit of a stuggle, scores a takedown into Marks's guard.
Marks wants to sweep here but Roque controlling him for the moment.
Marks controls Roque momentarily but Roque frees himself.
Marks wants to sweep here but Roque controlling him for the moment.

Roque stands up from Marks's guard - Roque perhaps looking for a knockout.
Roque lands with an uppercut that bounces Marks off the ropes and back into rage.
Vitor Roque has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Tj Marks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Roque throws a wild combination but nothing lands.

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 Vitor Roque.
I think Marks 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 Gregory Folan scores the fight 28:29
Judge Dillan Fox scores the fight 28:29
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Tj Marks!