PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between John Horwick (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jackson Marks (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). John Horwick could well score a knockout today. He has the power to get to Jackson Marks 's chin.

Horwick
vs
Marks

180 cm
25
190 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

180 cm
25
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Good chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Tends to cut

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, John Horwick!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Jackson Marks !
The judges for this bout are Ben Zyskovitsi, Johanna Lukiainen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Marks darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Marks wants to lay and pray for a moment but Horwick keeps working.
Marks is thwarting Horwick's attempts to control the position.
Marks controlling the pace.

Jackson Marks has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Horwick gets taken down but at least he's managed to land in guard.
Marks passes easily into side control. Nice work.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Marks decides to stand back up. Marks steps back and let's Horwick get back to his feet.

Horwick looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
Marks moves into full guard.
Marks is trying to control the position but Horwick postures up.
Horwick knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Marks on the ground.
Horwick won't allow Marks to sweep him here.
Marks looking to control the pace of the fight rather than finish it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marks manages to escape and get back to his feet.
Horwick fails with the takedown

and Marks counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Horwick's guard now.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Marks postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
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.
Horwick looking to hit a scissor sweep but Marks is one step ahead there.
Marks showing good wrestling skills to control the position.
Horwick is trying to keep Marks in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Horwick trying to control the position here.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Marks finds nothing but air with that leg kick attempt.
Horwick shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Marks counters with a nice double leg into side control. Horwick won't be happy with that.
Marks controlling from side mount.
Horwick tries to buck Marks off but Marks is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Horwick sneaks back into half guard.
Horwick wants to control the action here but instead Marks manages to pass to full mount!
Horwick really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
Horwick is breathing heavily.
Marks tucks in and makes sure he doesn't lose the dominant position.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Horwick really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Marks dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Marks moves into the clinch.
Marks tries to circle away but Horwick has him pinned against the ropes.
Marks wants to break free but Horwick has control.
Horwick has Marks pressed up against the ropes and is working for takedown. Marks manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Horwick is trying to maintain a safe position but Marks gets an underhook and turns Horwick into the ropes.
Marks tries to stall but Horwick uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Marks is pressed up against the ropes. Horwick has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Marks down to the mat. Marks avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Marks keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Horwick.
Horwick throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Marks 's head.
Horwick shoots and misses

and Marks moves into the clinch.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for John Horwick. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Marks is looking for a takedown up against the ropes. Horwick gets underhooks though and prevents the takedown attempt.
Marks wants to break free but Horwick has control.

Horwick jumps guard.
Horwick keeping moving, preventing Marks from controlling successfully.
Marks looking to pass the guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Horwick looking for subs off his back but Marks has passed one foot through into half guard.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Marks stands up out of the half guard.

Marks has managed to clinch.
Marks jumps guard but Horwick stands there with Marks around his waist. Marks gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.

Marks has hold of one of Horwick's legs. Horwick is fighting the takedown attempt but Marks gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.

Marks decides to stand up and beckons his opponent to follow.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horwick tries for a takedown but Marks circles away easily

and Marks counters with a nice double leg into guard.
Jackson Marks has got the better of the ground game so far.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marks is pushing down on Horwick's leg trying to pass to half guard. Horwick is fighting to maintain full guard but Marks has managed to sneak the leg through.
Horwick is trying to control but can't.
Marks controlling the action here.

Marks seems to be working for a kimura but Horwick defends the submission attempt.
Marks prevents Horwick from improving his position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marks wants to pass to mount but Horwick is defending the position.
Marks throwing shots but Horwick is blocking nicely.
Horwick trying to get back to full guard but Marks takes advantage of the position and moves to full mount!
Marks looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Horwick is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.
Marks looking to control and managing it successfully.

Marks has control of Horwick's right arm, working for a kimura. It's a bit of a token attempt though and Horwick regains control of the situation pretty easily.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Marks controlling from the full mount.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Marks is standing up out of mount! Strange tactic there - he must really want this one on the feet!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jackson Marks showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Horwick misses with a takedown attempt

and Marks counters with a shoot takedown. Horwick fights it but they end up in guard.
Horwick wants to stand and escape but Marks is having none of it.
Marks is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Marks distracts Horwick with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Marks pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Horwick is keeping the position for now.
Marks wants to control from the top but Horwick keeps moving.
Marks is stalling in the full guard.

The ref stands the fighters back up. Jackson Marks was stalling too much, according to the referee.

Horwick tries to keep at a distance but Marks has taken the fight into the clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Horwick lands with a short head shot on the inside.
Horwick stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Marks gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Marks is figuring out what he wants to do next.
Marks wants to take a breather but Horwick is having none of it.
Marks frees up his trapped foot and advances to mount.
Marks tries to control but Horwick wriggling away.
Horwick keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Horwick tries to control the position but Marks now has his back.
Watch the back of the head! Comes the shout from the referee towards Marks .
Horwick is being controlled on the ground here - he must escape this position otherwise surely the end is near.
Horwick trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Marks is hanging on to Horwick's back as he tries to escape.
Marks is punishing Horwick with some ground and pound.
Marks wants to control but Horwick manages to buck him off and is now in Marks 's guard! Nice work there by Horwick!
Marks throws a couple of shots from the bottom but they don't land.
Marks controlling Horwick's posture.
Let's hope that Marks has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Horwick wants to control from the top but Marks keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A few boos can be heard. I'm sure they will multiply if the fighters don't pick up the pace.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Horwick displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Marks throws out the jab.
Marks circles away from the clinch attempt

and Marks counters with a shoot takedown. Horwick fights it but they end up in guard.

Marks stands up from Horwick's guard - Marks perhaps looking for a knockout.
Horwick with a poor takedown

and Marks holds on and brings the fighters into a clinch.
Marks tries to break free but Horwick pushes him back against the ropes.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Marks breaks the clinch.
Horwick misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
John Horwick has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Jackson Marks is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Horwick throws a low kick but it's checked well by Marks .

And that's the end of the fight!
Jackson Marks comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Marks winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Ben Zyskovitsi scores the fight 26:30
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 26:30
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 27:30

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