PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Matt Piletich (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Benny Bjerke (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Piletich's entrance music is King of Kings. A fine choice. The atmosphere really building for this one as we go over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Piletich
vs
Bjerke

185 cm
22
190 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter striker
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Solid chin

Close Quarters Combat
Yuber Nutrition

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the middleweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Matt Piletich!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Benny Bjerke!
The judges for this bout are Edson Gomes, Paulo Santos and Daniel Cesar.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Bjerke fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Piletich.
Piletich shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Bjerke pinned against the cage. Bjerke gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.
Piletich scores with a jab to the body.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Piletich.
Bjerke tries to clinch but Piletich is having none of it.

Piletich feints and as Bjerke raises his hands in defense, Piletich changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Piletich passes into half guard.
Piletich stops Bjerke from getting back to his feet.
Piletich wants to pass the guard but Bjerke is defending well.
Piletich trying to control from half guard but Bjerke is working away.

Bjerke is defending against the submission attempts here by Piletich.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bjerke tries to roll over but Piletich keeps him under control.
Piletich wants to free his trapped foot but Bjerke is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Piletich wants to control but Bjerke is keeping him busy.
Bjerke trying to control here.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Piletich closes this distance looking for a takedown but Bjerke circles away.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Matt Piletich. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Piletich has a takedown stuffed.
Piletich lands a with a good body shot.
Bjerke throws a right and a left that Piletich avoids nicely.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Bjerke fakes with a right hand and throws a good leg kick, right into the thigh. That had to hurt Piletich.
Benny Bjerke seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Bjerke tries to clinch but Piletich is having none of it.
Piletich fails with the takedown.
Piletich fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
Benny Bjerke is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Piletich is breathing heavily.
Piletich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Piletich moves out of range as Bjerke throws a body kick.
Bjerke wants to clinch.
Bjerke tries to clinch up.
Bjerke misses with a body kick.

Piletich shoots in for a takedown and gets it.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Piletich lands strikes from half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Piletich prevents Bjerke from standing back up.

Piletich is looking for a kimura but Bjerke is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Piletich to get the leverage.
Piletich stops Bjerke from getting back to his feet.
Bjerke trying to control but Piletich postures up.

Piletich is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bjerke defends it well.
Piletich prevents Bjerke from standing back up.
Bjerke won't allow Piletich to pass to mount.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Bjerke chopping away at his opponent's legs.
Piletich avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Bjerke uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Piletich.

That's four 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.
Piletich throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bjerke's waist but Bjerke gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Piletich off to one side.
Bjerke is looking to land body kicks.
Bjerke doesn't manage to clinch there - Piletich circles away.
Piletich fails to land the takedown.
Piletich swats away the attempt to clinch by Bjerke.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Piletich.
Bjerke moves in looking to clinch but Piletich pushes him off.

Piletich looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Bjerke!

Piletich has hold of Bjerke's left arm, perhaps looking for a submission. The two fighters tussle over control of the isolated limb and Bjerke manages to get his arm back to his side and away from danger.
Piletich can't quite control the action as he would like just now, as Bjerke is looking to escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Piletich dominated that round.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

Bjerke gets caught flat footed, as Piletich shoots in with a quick takedown into guard.
Piletich passes into half guard.
Bjerke is refusing to be controlled, as Piletich sits in half guard.
Piletich not doing much here.

Piletich wants to work for an arm triangle but Bjerke is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Bjerke won't allow Piletich to pass to mount.
Piletich is trying to control the action in half guard but Bjerke is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Bjerke is controlling Piletich's trapped leg to prevent Piletich from advancing to side control.
Piletich trying to control from half guard but Bjerke is working away.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fight is doing enough on the ground.

Bjerke gets a clinch.
Bjerke throws a knee to the head but misses.
Bjerke unloads a knee to the mid-section. Piletich lets out a prehistoric sounding urrrrgh.
Bjerke tries to land knees in the clinch but Piletich avoids the damage to the body.
Bjerke has a body lock and is looking for a takedown. Piletich is bouncing around trying to prevent the takedown and somehow he has indeed managed to stay on his feet.
Bjerke jumps guard but Piletich stands there with Bjerke around his waist. Bjerke gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Bjerke is breathing heavily.
Bjerke trying to stall but Piletich improves his position.
Bjerke lands a knee to the body.
Bjerke manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Piletich on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Piletich managing to block the knees to the body from Bjerke.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bjerke gets double underhooks to prevent a takedown attempt from Piletich.
Bjerke jumps guard but Piletich stands there with Bjerke around his waist. Bjerke gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Matt Piletich has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Benny Bjerke.
Bjerke throws an elbow but it's blocked.
Piletich managing to block the knees to the body from Bjerke.
Bjerke is trying to slow down the pace in the clinch, to catch his breath.
Bjerke has Piletich pushed against the cage.
Bjerke tries to land a knee to the head but Piletich blocks with his arms.
Bjerke fails to pull guard.
Bjerke stalling against the cage.
Piletich blocking some punches.
Bjerke gets underhooks to prevent Piletich's takedown attempt.
Piletich can't get the takedown.
Bjerke tries to stall but Piletich uses the opportunity to gain a better position.
Bjerke trying to land knees to the body.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Piletich gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Piletich trying to control from Bjerke's half guard. Bjerke has other ideas though and has regained full guard.
Piletich pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bjerke is keeping the position for now.
Bjerke wants to stand up but Piletich is controlling him.
Bjerke keeping moving, preventing Piletich from controlling successfully.
Piletich stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Bjerke swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Piletich works a leg free and moves into half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Bjerke is refusing to be controlled, as Piletich sits in half guard.
Bjerke moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.
Piletich is looking to work some ground and pound but Bjerke has wrist control.
Bjerke wants to get back to his feet but Piletich is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Bjerke is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Piletich prevents Bjerke from getting back to his feet.
Piletich won't allow Bjerke to sweep him here.

Piletich drops back looking for a heel hook - he quickly realises he's not going to get it but Bjerke manages to dive on top of him before he can escape and now Piletich has Bjerke in his guard.
Bjerke tries to stand but Piletich is controlling from the bottom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Piletich dominated that second round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Piletich stalks Bjerke and leaps in with a furious combination of punches. Uppercuts and crosses smash into Bjerke's face. Bjerke staggers backwards, shaken.
Piletich throws a looping left and ducks down for a takedown. He's got his arms around Bjerke's waist but Bjerke gets an underhook and avoids the takedown by throwing Piletich off to one side.
Piletich on the receiving end of a decent leg kick there by Bjerke. Bjerke obviously looking to wear him down.
Bjerke is looking to clinch but Piletich is avoiding it.
Piletich throws a jab when Bjerke was well out of range.
Bjerke throws a right hand that misses

and Piletich counters with a shoot takedown. Bjerke fights it but they end up in guard.
Piletich is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Piletich prevents Bjerke from getting back to his feet.
Bjerke keeping moving, preventing Piletich from controlling successfully.
Piletich works a leg free and moves into half guard.

Piletich is working for a submission of some sort.

Piletich is looking for a kimura. It's going to be difficult to finish that from half guard though and Bjerke defends it well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Piletich is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Bjerke has managed to free his arm - good work.

Piletich is looking for a kimura but he's never going to get it from there.

Bjerke makes some distance and scrambles quickly back to his feet. Nice work!
Bjerke darts in trying to clinch

and Piletich counters with a nice single leg takedown and he's in Bjerke's guard now.
Bjerke keeping full guard, as Piletich tries to pass.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Bjerke is looking to stand up but Piletich isn't so interested in that idea.
Piletich slips nicely into half guard.
Bjerke regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Piletich.

Piletich drops back looking for a leg! Bjerke is in trouble here! The fighters roll with the hold and Bjerke manages to kick Piletich off! Piletich jumps back into Bjerke's guard.
Piletich pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Bjerke is keeping the position for now.
Piletich advances to half guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Bjerke wants to control but Piletich is keeping busy.
Piletich performing his best blanket impression for a moment.

Piletich is trying to work for a kimura. He's got his hands clasped together - this could be trouble! No, Bjerke has managed to free his arm - good work.
Piletich wants to pass to mount but Bjerke is defending the position.
Piletich moves into full mount! Bjerke won't be happy about that!

Piletich goes for an armbar but he's fallen flat on his backside there and now Bjerke is on top in guard.
Bjerke tries to stand but Piletich is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Piletich working for submissions but it's allowed Bjerke to get to half guard.
Piletich tries to roll over but Bjerke keeps him under control.
Piletich is working hard here to advance position.
Piletich moves his hips nicely and gets into full guard.

Piletich working for a triangle but Bjerke defends it easily.
Piletich controls Bjerke momentarily but Bjerke frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Piletich clearly takes that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Piletich displaying good standup as he scores with a three punch combination.
Bjerke tries to clinch up but Piletich circles away and keeps his distance.

Piletich scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Piletich working Bjerke over with strikes.
Piletich tries to pass the half guard into mount. Bjerke knows what he's doing though and prevents the attempt.

Piletich is working for submissions here but there's nothing on.

Piletich seems to be working for a kimura but Bjerke defends the submission attempt.
Bjerke is in trouble now - Piletich has advanced to mount!
Piletich prevents Bjerke from getting the reversal.
It's got to the stage where if one of these guys blows hard enough, the other might fall over.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Piletich swings around for an armbar but it's a sloppy attempt and Bjerke is now in Piletich's guard. A big mistake from Piletich there, giving up the dominant position!
Bjerke trying to control but Piletich is working from the bottom.

Piletich escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Bjerke gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Piletich is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Bjerke wanted to stand there but Piletich had control of the position.

Piletich is active off his back here, looking for submissions.

Piletich is working actively from the bottom, looking for submissions. He's escaped his hips to the side and he's going for an armbar! Bjerke has his hands clasped together but Piletich extends an breaks Bjerke's desperate grasp, forcing a tap out due to armbar! Nice BJJ displayed there by Piletich.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:04 of round 4, we have a winner by way of Submission (Armbar). Matt Piletich!
Matt Piletich retains his middleweight title!