PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between August Maxwell (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Marshall (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Marshall has chosen Mein Herz Brennt as his entrance music. Marcus Marshall will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Maxwell
vs
Marshall

202 cm
24
194 lbs
1 - 5 - 0

173 cm
25
185 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Experienced

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Likes musicals

Team 7th Circle

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 1 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, August Maxwell!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Marcus Marshall!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Sano, Taro Takaoka and Shirou Masuda.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
A head kick misses from Marshall.
Marshall throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Maxwell tries to clinch but Marshall moves out of range.
Maxwell really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Maxwell scores with a takedown into Marshall's guard.
We must be close to a standup if these guys don't pick up the pace.
Maxwell has decided he wants to stand but the closed guard of Marshall is proving hard to escape from.
Marshall trying to control the position here.

Marshall looking for a guillotine here but Maxwell defends easily.
Marshall looks winded!
Marshall looking to control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Marshall looking for a sweep. Not yet Marshall, not yet.
Maxwell is taking a break and basically stalling. The referee will not allow him to do that for long.
Maxwell wants to stand but Marshall is controlling his posture from full guard.
Maxwell stops Marshall from standing up.
Marshall should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
Maxwell stays in close to Marshall's body and controls the position.

August Maxwell has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.

Maxwell rushes Marshall and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Maxwell can't break the clinch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Marshall tries to work over Maxwell's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.

Maxwell has managed to pull guard. Let's see whether he can work an aggressive guard. It will also be interesting to see what tactics Marshall uses from the top position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Maxwell is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Maxwell holds on and takes a little breather.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Maxwell wants to get back to his feet but Marshall is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Maxwell trying desperately to get back to his feet here but he's not having any joy at all. He's going to tire himself out if he's not careful.
Maxwell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.
Marshall won't allow Maxwell to get back to his feet.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Marshall trying to control but Maxwell is working from the bottom.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Maxwell tries to close the distance and clinch up but Marshall swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Marshall drives through and clinches with Maxwell against the cage.
Marshall stalling in the clinch but Maxwell improves position.
Marshall tries to throw a body punch but Maxwell avoids it by throwing Marshall back against the cage.

Maxwell pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Marshall throws a lazy head kick

and Maxwell counters by moving into the clinch.
Maxwell is trying to break the clinch but Marshall is controlling him.
Marshall can't break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Marshall's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Maxwell ties up his opponent against the cage and manages to drag the fight down to the ground. Maxwell no doubt will be looking to work submissions from his guard.
Maxwell keeping moving, preventing Marshall from controlling successfully.
Maxwell wants to get back to his feet but Marshall is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
We've been informed that Marshall has been working hard on his conditioning in the buildup to the fight.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Marshall throwing strikes from guard but Maxwell blocks nicely.
Marshall takes a decent strike to the side of the head.
Marshall is standing up over Maxwell. Maxwell looks to escape but Marshall dives into side control.
Maxwell is not content to let Marshall control the position.

Marshall decides to stand back up.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

Marshall forces Maxwell back against the cage and clinches.
Maxwell just leaning against Marshall, taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

August Maxwell dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Marshall shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Maxwell wants to get back to his feet.

Maxwell makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Maxwell tries to clinch there but Marshall circles away.

Marshall has Maxwell up against the cage in a clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Maxwell's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Maxwell fails to pull guard.

Marshall breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Marshall is breathing heavily.

Marshall gets the takedown into side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maxwell is trying to buck Marshall off.
Maxwell is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Marshall's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Maxwell is looking to control Marshall's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Maxwell avoid being mounted?
Marshall trying to control the action but Maxwell is working from the bottom.
Marshall stops Maxwell from getting back to his feet.
Well, if Marshall is going to just lie there, perhaps we should talk about what we're having for dinner tonight… I'm having a ham and pineapple pizza… Yum. Can't wait.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Marcus Marshall hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Maxwell moves his head to the side to avoid a jab but walks straight into a cross.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Marshall drives through and clinches with Maxwell against the cage.
Maxwell lands a shoulder strike.

Maxwell has clasped his hands together around Marshall's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
Marshall is looking to regain half guard here but Maxwell keeps moving and retains side control.
Maxwell working away.
Maxwell in side control, just content to control the action for now.
Maxwell has controlled the position for a good 20 seconds, which will no doubt be starting to frustrate his opponent.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
If this pace continues, the referee will definitely step in and force a standup.
Maxwell working away.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.

Marshall shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Maxwell's guard.
Maxwell wants to get back to his feet but Marshall is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Maxwell has his hands on Marshall's head, controlling the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Maxwell has managed to wall walk up one of the corner posts to get back to his feet. Marshall is pushing him up against the cage, looking to control the position.

Maxwell manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Maxwell pushes Marshall off and scrambles back to his feet.
Maxwell 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.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Maxwell tries to clinch but Marshall moves out of range.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Maxwell doesn't manage to clinch there - Marshall circles away.
Maxwell wants to clinch
and Marshall counters with a shot to the ribs. That looked like it hurt.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close second round but I would say that August Maxwell will probably get the nod.
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. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Maxwell doesn't manage to clinch there - Marshall circles away.

Marshall gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.

Maxwell pulls guard effortlessly.
Marshall won't allow Maxwell to sweep him here.
Maxwell throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.
Maxwell looking for a sweep. Not yet Maxwell, not yet.
Maxwell working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Marshall.
Maxwell keeping full guard, as Marshall tries to pass.
Maxwell punching from the bottom - just letting Marshall know he's still in a fight.
Marshall must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Marshall takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.
Maxwell is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Marshall is controlling him.
Marshall in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Maxwell is trying to control the position but Marshall postures up.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Maxwell pulls Marshall in close to prevent any damage.
Marshall working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Maxwell's head.
Marshall trying to control the position from guard on top but Maxwell is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Both fighters really going for it on the ground here!
Maxwell is looking to stand up but Marshall isn't so interested in that idea.
Maxwell preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Maxwell lands some strikes from the bottom.
Maxwell looking for a sweep. Not yet Maxwell, not yet.
Maxwell is trying to keep Marshall in close.

Maxwell manages to escape and get back to his feet.

Marshall changes levels and drives through with a really nice takedown into side control. Maxwell looks really pissed at himself for not defending that better.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Maxwell regains half guard, as Marshall was trying to land strikes.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Marshall trying to control the action but Maxwell is working from the bottom.
Maxwell is looking for a sweep. Marshall is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Marshall trying to pass the guard but Maxwell defending well.
Maxwell pushes Marshall off looking to stand but Marshall dives back in and keeps control.
Marshall wants to control but Maxwell is keeping him busy.
Maxwell regains full guard. Nicely done.
Marshall trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Marshall wants to control from the top but Maxwell keeps moving.
Maxwell has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Marcus Marshall wasn't active enough on the ground.

Maxwell closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.

Marshall has clasped his hands together around Maxwell's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Maxwell manages to get one leg in to regain half guard.
Maxwell slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Maxwell keeping moving, preventing Marshall from controlling successfully.
Marshall looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Maxwell holds on and takes a little breather.

Maxwell manages to wriggle out and sneak his way back up to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched up against the cage.
Maxwell has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Marshall avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

Marshall turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Marshall manages to end up in side control.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Marshall fails to land a wild elbow strike.
Marshall tries to move into full mount but can't pass Maxwell's legs.
August Maxwell overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Maxwell can't do much from the bottom here.

Maxwell sneaks out the side door and pushes Marshall away - he's back to his feet. The crowd show their appreciation for the escape.
August Maxwell is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Marshall throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Marcus Marshall has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
August Maxwell is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Maxwell tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Marshall manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

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 August Maxwell.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Maxwell, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Shigeki Sano scores the fight 29:29
Judge Taro Takaoka scores the fight 30:28
Judge Shirou Masuda scores the fight 29:29

The fight is ruled a majority draw!