PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a middleweight MMA rules bout between Alexander Connelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Nathan Matos (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Connelly
vs
Matos

184 cm
18
195 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

191 cm
22
193 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ White Belt
Excellent boxer
Heavy handed

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 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Alexander Connelly!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Nathan Matos!
The judges for this bout are Yves DeLean, Robert Douchet and William Peck.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matos loads up on a big right hand but Connelly slips the punch.
Matos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Connelly shoots for a takedown but Matos saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matos is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Connelly.
The fight stays on the outside here - Connelly looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Matos is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Connelly.

Connelly closes the distance and clinches.
Connelly tries a shoulder strike but it doesn't do any damage.
Connelly throws a head punch that misses.
Matos blocks a punch to the side of the head.
Connelly throws a head punch that misses.
Matos fails to pull guard.
Connelly throws a head punch that misses.
Matos goes for a takedown in the clinch but Connelly prevents it.
Connelly lands with a right to the head.
Connelly looking for a takedown.
Connelly working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Matos has Connelly pressed up against the cage and is working for takedown. Connelly manages to improve position though and keeps the fight standing.
Alexander Connelly has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Nathan Matos.
Matos jumps guard but Connelly stands there with Matos around his waist. Matos gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Connelly throws a head punch that misses.
Connelly working aggressively here.
Connelly tries a body shot but Matos blocks it.
Connelly stops a takedown attempt from Matos.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Connelly misses with a punch on the inside.
Connelly tries a body shot but Matos blocks it.
Connelly displaying some good clinch control by pressing Matos up against the cage.
Connelly has a couple of punches blocked by Matos.
Matos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Connelly fails to land.
Matos blocking some punches.
Matos is trying to drag Connelly to the mat but Connelly just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.
Connelly misses with some punches.
Matos looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
A quick uppercut on the inside from Connelly.
Connelly lands a shot to the body.
Connelly lands a right hand.
Connelly pushes Matos back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Connelly tries to work over Matos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
A bit of stalling here from Connelly.
Connelly misses with a short punch on the inside.
Connelly misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Matos is trying to drag Connelly to the mat but Connelly just about manages to keep his footing. He used the cage to his advantage there.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Connelly misses with a body punch.
Matos has had enough of the clinch but Connelly keeps him there for the moment.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Connelly.
Connelly lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Connelly tries to work over Matos's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Matos has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Connelly avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
A body shot lands from Connelly.

Connelly drags the fight down to the ground.

Matos stands up from Connelly's guard - Matos perhaps looking for a knockout.
Connelly uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Matos.
Nathan Matos is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Matos looks gassed!
The crowd cheers as Connelly lands an impressive looking overhand right. Matos doesn't seem phased though.
Matos throws out a loose jab but Connelly uses good head movement to avoid it.
Connelly looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.
Matos circles away from the clinch attempt.
Connelly tries to close the distance and clinch but Matos swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Matos throws a series of strikes that have Connelly backpedaling.

It looks like Alexander Connelly has been cut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Connelly gets through Matos's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
Connelly tries to pull guard but Matos won't allow it.
Connelly lands a body shot.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Connelly.
Connelly misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Connelly tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Matos's elbow.
Connelly swings away with an uppercut that misses.
Connelly presses Matos against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Matos blocks an uppercut.
Connelly lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Still in the clinch, Connelly scores with a nice short uppercut.
Connelly misses with the head strike.

Matos breaks from the clinch.

Connelly has managed to clinch.
Connelly wants to stall.
Matos drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Matos tries to take the fight to the ground by pulling guard but can't manage it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matos is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.

Connelly decides to pull guard.
Connelly looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Connelly is looking for a triangle here but Matos uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Connelly is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Connelly makes his way to full guard. A much better position for Connelly.
Connelly wants to sweep here but Matos controlling him for the moment.
Connelly has a closed guard, preventing Matos from standing up.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Connelly controls Matos momentarily but Matos frees himself.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

The fight stays on the outside here - Connelly looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Connelly dodges the punch combination from Matos.

Connelly gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Connelly working aggressively here.
A left hand lands to the body for Connelly.
Connelly throws a punch but it's blocked by Matos.
Connelly misses with a hook to the ribs.
A head punch on the inside from Connelly fails to land.
Matos prevents a body shot from Connelly.

Connelly jumps into guard, dragging Matos to the mat.
Matos wanted to stand there but Connelly had control of the position.
Matos is using up a lot of energy trying to get back to his feet. Perhaps he should improve his position first.
Connelly 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.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Connelly throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.
Matos must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Connelly is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Connelly is looking to take a break and control but Matos is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.
Connelly is pressing down on Matos's thigh, looking to free his foot. Matos is holding on for now.
Matos wants to get back to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Connelly is looking for a kimura here.
Connelly wants to free his trapped foot but Matos is holding on for dear life with his legs.
Connelly moves into full mount! Matos won't be happy about that!

Connelly is working on an americana here. Ooh, that looks pretty nasty! Nope, Matos has managed to escape the submission attempt.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matos's corner are shouting for him to stand up but that's bad cornering - how is he meant to stand up when he's mounted? He should be looking to improve his position on the ground before trying to stand back up.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matos is trying to escape the mount but Connelly keeps good control and instead manages to take Matos's back.

Connelly working for the rear naked choke here. He's got one arm under but Matos is defending well. A couple of punches soften him up though and Connelly has tightened the hold! This one could be all over! It is! Matos taps out!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3:34 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (RNC). Alexander Connelly!