PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Robert Martinez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jack Lester (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Lester is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Five finger death punch - jekyll and hyde. Jack Lester struggled to make weight for this fight. He only made it down to 171.4lbs at the first attempt and had to take the additional two hours to make the official bout weight. Let's see how much it's taken out of him. Robert Martinez has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Martinez
vs
Lester

189 cm
25
180 lbs
2 - 1 - 0

175 cm
21
184 lbs
3 - 3 - 0

BJJ Brown Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid Muay Thai
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Robert Martinez!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Jack Lester!
The judges for this bout are Eddie Farnsworth, Jorge Garcia and John Kavanagh.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lester darts in and clinches Martinez up against the cage.
Lester goes for a takedown attempt but Martinez pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Martinez has his head slapped from side to side by a 3 punch combination. That must have hurt him.
Martinez dives in for a single leg takedown but Lester sprawls and the fighters end up clinched against the cage.
Martinez shoots in for a takedown. He's persisting with it as Lester sprawls well. Lester wins this battle and keeps the fight standing. Martinez gets slowly back to his feet.
Martinez shoots in but Lester avoids the takedown attempt easily.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Robert Martinez. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Lester drives through with a takedown into guard.
Martinez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Lester throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Lester working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Martinez trying to keep a closed guard but Lester is proving a slippery customer.
Martinez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Lester pushes Martinez off and gets back to his feet.

Lester clinches.

Lester manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.
Martinez stops Lester from standing up.

The fighters are working up against the cage. Lester manages to wriggle his way back to his feet, so the fighters are now clinched against the cage.
Lester is working for a takedown up against the cage. He can't get it on this occasion though.

Lester has double underhooks and is working for a body lock takedown. He's got it. The fighters land in half guard but Martinez regains guard immediately.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Martinez avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

Lester drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Martinez dives on top into guard.

Lester really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Martinez. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lester keeping moving, preventing Martinez from controlling successfully.
Martinez sneaks a leg through and gets to half guard. That was like a knife through butter how easily he passed Lester's guard.
Martinez throwing shots but Lester is blocking nicely.

Lester makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Lester displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Martinez.
Martinez is breathing heavily.
Martinez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Lester darts in and clinches Martinez up against the cage.

Martinez breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Martinez drops to a knee looking for a takedown but Lester gets the underhooks and prevents it.

Lester pulls Martinez into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lester wants to stand and escape but Martinez is having none of it.
Martinez would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Lester utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Lester looks more muscular than last time we saw him. He must have been on the weights.
Martinez will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Martinez stops Lester from standing up.

Lester has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Martinez off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

Lester drives through with a takedown into guard.
Martinez working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Lester.

Lester stands up and waves to Martinez to follow him.

Lester moves into the clinch successfully.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lester pulls guard successfully.

Martinez thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Lester has scooted to the edge of the canvas and used the cage to get back to his feet. Martinez has stuck on his opponent and is forcing him back against the cage.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!

Lester has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Martinez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
Martinez is defending well here and trying to improve his position.
Lester not allowing Martinez to control his hands.
Martinez is in a bad position, trying to hold on for dear life but he is really struggling to maintain any sort of control.
Lester is punishing Martinez with some ground and pound.
Can Martinez hold on?! Lester is landing more strikes to his hapless foe.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Lester gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Lester drags the fight down to the ground.
Martinez wants to stand but Lester has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
Lester wants to get back to his feet but Martinez is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Lester is wriggling around but Martinez manages to pass to half guard.

Lester kicks off Martinez and gets to his feet.

Lester moves into range and clinches up with Martinez.
Martinez tries to stall but Lester uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Lester gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Martinez regains guard.

Martinez throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lester with a flurry of punches that miss.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Martinez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Lester throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Martinez works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Lester with a flurry of punches that miss.
Lester throwing strikes but missing.
Lester wants to stand and escape but instead Martinez has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Lester is scooting his butt against the cage and has managed to get back to his feet. Martinez presses him back against the cage, presumably looking to take the fight back to the mat.
Lester is pressed up against the cage. Martinez has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Lester down to the mat. Lester avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Lester throws a series of punches but Martinez avoids them all with ease.
Martinez tries to counter by clinching up but Lester breaks away and moves out of range.

Lester clinches up against the cage.

Lester has clasped his hands together around Martinez's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
Martinez is looking to reverse the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lester scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Martinez to see if he's OK.
Lester throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.

Lester thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Martinez is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Lester asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Lester working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.
Jack Lester has got the better of the ground game so far.

Lester decides to stand back up. Lester steps back and let's Martinez get back to his feet.

Lester closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Lester in side control, throwing shots but Martinez defends.
Lester working away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Lester lands an elbow.
Lester lands an elbow.

Lester is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Martinez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

Lester is trying to get an arm triangle but Martinez is defending well.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Lester is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Martinez knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.
You can see the frustration on Martinez's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Martinez tries to improve position but can't.
Lester tries to score with some ground and pound. Martinez controls his posture well this time though and the shots don't do any damage.
Lester scores with a couple of short elbows.
Lester scoring with punches from side control.

Lester working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Lester has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Martinez is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jack Lester showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Lester shoots in and gets a takedown into Martinez's guard.

Martinez looking for a guillotine here but Lester defends easily.
Lester working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Lester chips away with some ground and pound.
Lester trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Lester's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Lester drops back for a leg but he's not going to get it - he lets go and Martinez dives on top into guard.

We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martinez makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Lester is looking to stand up but Martinez isn't so interested in that idea.
Martinez wants to pass the guard but Lester is keeping the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Martinez trying to control the position from guard on top but Lester is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Lester wants to stand up but Martinez is controlling him.
Lester is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Martinez slows down the pace of the fight for a moment. He'll need to remain active if he doesn't want to see the fight stood back up.
Lester is looking to stand up but Martinez isn't so interested in that idea.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

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.
Martinez tries to clinch but Lester is having none of it.
Robert Martinez is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Lester forces Martinez back against the cage and clinches.

Lester pulls guard effortlessly.
Lester keeping moving, preventing Martinez from controlling successfully.
Lester is looking to get back to his feet but can't, whilst Martinez is controlling him.
Martinez throwing strikes from guard but Lester blocks nicely.

Lester pushes Martinez off and scrambles back to his feet.
Lester punishes Martinez's body with a nice straight punch.

Lester closes the distance and clinches.
Martinez with an attempt at a knee that misses.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martinez changes levels and goes for a takedown here. Lester fights it off and pushes away nicely.
Martinez swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Jack Lester seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Martinez tries a head kick but it misses.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Lester gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Martinez regains guard.
Lester in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

Martinez had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Lester defends it easily.
Lester throwing strikes but missing.

Lester got a little sloppy there for a moment and Martinez has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Lester has managed to get both his arms back between Martinez's legs - danger averted.
Lester lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lester postures up and lands a big shot to Martinez's brow.

Martinez is working an open guard so Lester takes the opportunity to get back to his feet.

Lester has taken the fight to the clinch.

Lester has moved round to his opponent's back and is looking for a suplex! Oh snap! He's tossed Martinez clear over his head and slammed him to the mat!
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lester is looking to finish with some ground and pound!

Martinez is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Lester gets his way!

Lester looking to break Martinez's wrist control so he can sink in the choke. Martinez remaining controlled and patient though - he really has to keep calm otherwise Lester will wrap this one up with the rear naked choke!
Robert Martinez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Martinez manages to reverse the position and now he's in Lester's guard. Nice work there by Martinez.
Martinez is looking to work some ground and pound but Lester has wrist control.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jack Lester comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lester has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Eddie Farnsworth scores the fight 27:30
Judge Jorge Garcia scores the fight 27:30
Judge John Kavanagh scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jack Lester!
An intense looking Jack Lester took to the microphone post fight and gave a little speech: 'This victory goes out to the kids that think they can't win Train hard Fight hard Be a champion :) '.