PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Steve Martin (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ben Lauzon (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Martin comes to the cage accompanied by 8 Mile. Man, I cannot wait for this one!

Martin
vs
Lauzon

168 cm
40
138 lbs
16 - 17 - 2

168 cm
24
145 lbs
3 - 2 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Very strong

Good wrestler
Dangerous knees
Granite chin

Voodoo Nutrition

Zenith Nutrition (160q/225$)

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 16 - 17 - 2, fighting out of Las Vegas, Steve Martin!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 3 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Ben Lauzon!
The judges for this bout are Aleksei Zolotukhin, Valeri Chadov and Viktor Lagutenko.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Lauzon moves into the clinch.
Lauzon tries to land knees in the clinch but Martin avoids the damage to the body.
Lauzon keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Martin's efforts to push away.
Martin is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Lauzon just leaning against Martin, taking a breather.

Martin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Lauzon throws a lazy head kick
and Martin counters with a good, hard body kick but Lauzon shrugs it off.
Lauzon shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Martin counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Lauzon gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Martin takes a knee right on the jaw!

Martin breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Ben Lauzon seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lauzon fails with the takedown
and Martin counters with a series of strikes. Lauzon will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauzon fails with an attempt to clinch.
Lauzon just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromMartin.

Lauzon gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Lauzon landing knees to the head.
Lauzon scores a nice knee to the body.
Lauzon prevents Martin from breaking the clinch.
A short left from Martin.
Lauzon tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lauzon is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Martin pushes Lauzon away with a front kick.
Lauzon tries to clinch but Martin is having none of it.

Lauzon darts in and clinches Martin up against the cage.
Lauzon is clearly stalling here... Pick up the pace son.
Martin is trying to break free.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A body shot lands from Lauzon.
Lauzon just leaning against Martin, taking a breather.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Martin is looking to break free of the clinch but Lauzon has double underhooks.
A frustrated look appears on Martin's face as he tries to break the clinch.
Lauzon stalling the fight.
Lauzon blocks a punch to the side of the head.

Martin breaks from the clinch.
Nice sprawl there from Martin as Lauzon shoots in.
Steve Martin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Lauzon.
Lauzon wants to clinch.
Lauzon tries to close the distance and clinch up but Martin swats him away and circles back towards the center.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lauzon.
Martin throwing a counter right hand but Lauzon manages to avoid it.

Lauzon moves into the clinch.
Lauzon with the Thai clinch, lands a knee to the head.

It looks like Steve Martin has been cut.
Lauzon tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Lauzon drops down looking for an ankle pick but Martin pulls his leg out and moves away.
Lauzon takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Lauzon dives in and grabs Martin's left leg, looking for a takedown. Martin pushes down on Lauzon's head and hops out.
Martin thinks about countering with a body kick.
Lauzon tries to clinch up.
A decent looking body kick lands there for Martin.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lauzon moves to clinch but Martin breaks away
and Martin counters with a straight right hand.
Lauzon tries to close the distance and clinch but Martin swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Lauzon shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Martin pinned against the cage. Martin gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Lauzon lands a leg kick. The shin dug right into the meat of the thigh.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Ben Lauzon will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Steve Martin's cut.
That's time! Back to the action!

Martin stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Martin wants it to stay on the feet.
Lauzon throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Martin's waist but Martin gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Lauzon off to one side.
Lauzon changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Martin tries to avoid it but Lauzon manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Martin to the ground. Martin escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Steve Martin has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Ben Lauzon.
Lauzon misses the shot to the body.
Lauzon wants to clinch but Martin slips to the side
and Martin counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Lauzon is lucky that one didn't land flush.

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

Martin breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big right from Lauzon misses.
Lauzon just manages to avoid a counter high kick fromMartin.
Lauzon looks to clinch
and Martin counters with a left and a right that stings Lauzon.
Lauzon tries to clinch but Martin moves away
and Martin counters with a nice uppercut.
Steve Martin is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauzon misses with a hook
and Martin counters with a nice body kick.
Martin uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Lauzon.
Lauzon tries to clinch up
and Martin counters with a nice uppercut.
Martin slips a jab from Lauzon.
Lauzon is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Lauzon is defended easily by Martin.
It looked like Martin was looking amped, ready to throw a big counter but didn't commit.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lauzon with a poor takedown
and Martin counters with a three punch combination, finished off with a leg kick. Nice work.
Lauzon blocks a head kick by Martin.
Lauzon looks like he wants to counter punch here.

Lauzon takes the fight into the clinch.
Martin tries to break the clinch but Lauzon is controlling the position.
Ben Lauzon seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Lauzon is trying to wear down his opponent with knees to the body.
Martin can't break the clinch.
Lauzon makes some space for himself and lands an uppercut.
Martin wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lauzon has him pressed against the cage.
Lauzon with a knee to the head.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!

Martin escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Martin swats away the attempt to clinch by Lauzon.
Martin is looking to counter punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Lauzon.
And Martin counters with a quick kick to the body but Lauzon blocks it.

Lauzon moves into the clinch.
Lauzon will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Martin up against the cage.
Martin blocks an uppercut.
Lauzon tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Martin avoids it.

Martin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Lauzon closes the distance, clinches up and gets a nice trip takedown into side control. Very smooth.
Lauzon trying to control the action but Martin is working from the bottom.
Martin sneaks back into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Martin trying to control here.
Lauzon is looking to take a break and control but Martin is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Lauzon seems to be working for a kimura but Martin defends the submission attempt.

Lauzon is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.
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 Steve Martin will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Steve Martin's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! This is the final round!

Martin misses with a kick to the body
and Lauzon counters with a straight right hand.

Lauzon throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Martin tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Lauzon is in Martin's guard.
Lauzon throws a strike but Martin rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Martin throws a strike but Lauzon rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.

Lauzon being controlled here momentarily.
Lauzon wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lauzon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Martin is controlling Lauzon's posture.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lauzon wants to control from the top but Martin keeps moving.
Lauzon is looking to work some ground and pound but Martin has wrist control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Martin trying to control the position.
Martin preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Lauzon postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Lauzon accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Martin keeping moving, preventing Lauzon from controlling successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.

Lauzon is holding a leg here, probably looking for an ankle lock - he drops back and goes for it! Martin is in trouble! Is it all over??? No! Martin has escaped and now he's on top!

Martin working some strikes from top position.
Martin wants to stand and escape but instead Lauzon has hit a sweep and he's now on top in guard.

Lauzon throws an elbow that misses. Martin uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Lauzon's guard. Nice move by Martin!

Martin wants to control from the top but Lauzon keeps moving.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Martin is looking to stand up but Lauzon won't let him.
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Martin's corner. There ya go! There ya go!

Lauzon is looking for a triangle but Martin pushes his legs off easily.

Lauzon had isolated an arm as going for a kimura. Martin defends it easily.

Martin stands and steps away. Lauzon gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.
Lauzon tries to clinch
and Martin counters with a stiff right hand.

Lauzon rushes Martin and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lauzon tries a knee to the head but Martin blocks it.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Lauzon obliges.
Martin is trying to break the clinch but Lauzon has him pressed against the cage.
Martin has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Lauzon using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Martin has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Lauzon looking to throw knees to the head but Martin is blocking nicely.
Lauzon tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Lauzon prevents Martin from breaking the clinch.
Lauzon looking to throw knees to the head but Martin is blocking nicely.

Martin pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Martin connects with a high kick.
Steve Martin is winning the standup battle so far.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Lauzon wants to clinch
and Martin counters with a kick to the head that grazes his opponent. Lauzon is lucky that one didn't land flush.

And that's the end of the fight!
I would just about give that final round to Ben Lauzon.
I think Lauzon 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 Aleksei Zolotukhin scores the fight 29:29
Judge Valeri Chadov scores the fight 28:29
Judge Viktor Lagutenko scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by majority decision... Ben Lauzon!
Ben Lauzon decided to hype himself up post fight. It was going well but he went on about it a bit too long and the crowd turned on him a little.
The defeated Steve Martin had this to say: 'I'm surprised the fuck'.