PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Scott Briggs (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ivan Matesic (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The key to victory for Scott Briggs has got to be keeping the fight on the feet.

Briggs
vs
Matesic

195 cm
22
240 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

186 cm
18
243 lbs
0 - 3 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of New York, Scott Briggs!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 3 - 0, fighting out of New York, Ivan Matesic!
The judges for this bout are John Kavanagh, Reed Andrews and Lou da Vinci.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
An inside leg kick from Matesic misses.
Briggs shoots for a takedown but Matesic saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matesic stuffs the takedown attempt from Briggs. Briggs gets slowly back to his feet.
Briggs changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Matesic tries to avoid it but Briggs manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Matesic to the ground. Matesic escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Scott Briggs. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Briggs throws a half hearted mid kick.

Matesic rushes Briggs and presses him up against the cage.
Matesic wants a takedown.
Matesic lands an elbow that stopped Briggs in his tracks for a moment.

It looks like Scott Briggs has been cut.

Matesic manages to break the clinch.
Briggs wants to clinch

and Matesic moves into the clinch.
Matesic blocks a knee to the body. He'll have a nicely bruised forearm in the morning.

Matesic gets double underhooks and manages to take the fight to the ground.
Matesic trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Matesic is looking to work some ground and pound but Briggs has wrist control.
Matesic missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Matesic really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Briggs. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.

Briggs is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Matesic wants to control from the top but Briggs keeps moving.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matesic pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Briggs is keeping the position for now.
Matesic wants to control from the top but Briggs keeps moving.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Matesic changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Briggs tries to avoid it but Matesic manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Briggs to the ground. Briggs escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Matesic punishes Briggs's body with a nice straight punch.
Briggs tries to clinch

so Matesic counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Briggs wants to sweep here but Matesic controlling him for the moment.

Matesic thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matesic looks gassed!
Matesic looking to pass the guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Briggs is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Briggs keeping moving, preventing Matesic from controlling successfully.
Briggs manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Matesic wants to hold on but Briggs pushes him away.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Briggs get's back to his feet.
Briggs doesn't succeed with the takedown

and Matesic counters with a takedown into side control.
Briggs sneaks back into half guard.
Matesic prevents Briggs from improving his position.

Briggs looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Matesic lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Briggs pushes Matesic off looking to stand but Matesic dives back in and keeps control.
Briggs is staying active underneath Matesic, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
The fighters are battling for position here. Briggs manages to regain full guard. Nice work.

Briggs throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Matesic wants to control from the top but Briggs keeps moving.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matesic with a flurry of punches that miss.
Briggs bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Matesic's guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ivan Matesic dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Scott Briggs's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Briggs shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Matesic as he avoids it easily.
Briggs looks for a takedown but Matesic sprawls well.
Matesic connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Briggs fails with a takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Scott Briggs. That's going to take a lot out of him.

Matesic rushes Briggs and presses him up against the cage.
Matesic has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Briggs avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.

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

Matesic shoots in and bounces Briggs off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Matesic throwing strikes from guard but Briggs blocks nicely.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matesic trying to control the position from guard on top but Briggs is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matesic thows a big elbow that misses.
Matesic working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Ivan Matesic has got the better of the ground game so far.

Briggs is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Briggs wants to stand and escape but Matesic is having none of it.
Matesic makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Briggs has a loose triangle. He'll be looking to tighten that up but Matesic can see exactly what he's planning and manages to posture up and free himself.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Briggs looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Matesic passes into side control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matesic is maintaining the dominant position - no doubt Briggs will start to get frustrated soon if he's not already.
Briggs takes an elbow right on the bridge of the nose and winces in pain.
The ground and pound from Matesic seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Matesic lands an elbow.
Matesic trying to control the action but Briggs is working from the bottom.
Briggs is trying to control Matesic's posture but Matesic avoids it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Briggs sneaks a leg under to get back to half guard.
Briggs tries to kick Matesic off but Matesic keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Briggs throws a strike from the bottom that misses.
Matesic 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.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Matesic shoots in looking for a takedown. Briggs tries to sprawl out of it but Matesic keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Briggs manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Briggs will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Briggs shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Matesic counters by moving into the clinch.
Matesic lands punches inside but they're not really causing much damage.
Briggs prevents a takedown attempt there.

Briggs pulls Matesic into guard.
Matesic in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Briggs escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Matesic gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.

Briggs throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Briggs is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Matesic trying to control but Briggs is working from the bottom.
Matesic trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
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 Scott Briggs will probably get the nod.
The cut man is working on Scott Briggs's cut.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Briggs fakes an overhand right and shoots for a takedown. Matesic sprawls well initially but Briggs persists and gets the takedown into half guard.
Briggs wants to control but Matesic is keeping him busy.
Matesic tries to get to full guard but Briggs has control of the leg.
Briggs is trying to control. Matesic wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Briggs throwing shots but Matesic is blocking nicely.
Matesic is doing well to avoid being mounted. He's controlling the position at the moment.

Briggs wants to work for an arm triangle but Matesic is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Matesic preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matesic tries to get to full guard but Briggs has control of the leg.
Matesic is striking from the bottom but he's now found himself mounted! Oh dear - not enough focus on defense there.
Matesic tries to lock up and control but Briggs gives him a forearm to the face and pushes him away.
Matesic is wriggling around trying to escape.
Matesic is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Matesic tries to hold on but Briggs postures up.
Matesic can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Briggs controlling the position easily from mount.
Briggs looking to control but Matesic is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Briggs cracks Matesic with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.

Briggs is going olschool here, as he tries to force Matesic to tap using a forearm choke. This isn't 1993 though, so Matesic shrugs it off.
Briggs wants to control the pace but Matesic is squirming around nicely.
Matesic keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Briggs looking for a guillotine from mount but Matesic is having none of it.
Matesic is working to get back to half guard.
Briggs in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Briggs controlling his opponent.
Matesic takes a big shot to the head but keeps on trying to improve his position.
Matesic working to try and regain half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Briggs landing strikes, looking to finish!
Matesic is looking to get to half guard.
Matesic has given up his back.
Briggs gets his hands free as Matesic looks to control.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Briggs trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.

Briggs working for a RNC but it's not happening just yet.

And that's the end of the fight!
Scott Briggs showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Briggs has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 John Kavanagh scores the fight 29:28
Judge Reed Andrews scores the fight 29:28
Judge Lou da Vinci scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Scott Briggs!