PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Filip Matulewicz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Reay (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matulewicz comes to the cage accompanied by GrubSon. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Matulewicz
vs
Reay

199 cm
25
205 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

185 cm
20
216 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Basic striking
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the light heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Filip Matulewicz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Josh Reay!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Johanna Lukiainen and Roosa Järviläinen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Reay throws a head kick but Matulewicz moves out of range.

Matulewicz darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
Matulewicz throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
Matulewicz throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Reay is looking for a sweep. Matulewicz is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
The two fighters exchange a few words. I couldn't hear what they were saying but maybe it's more fun if you make it up yourself. Matulewicz connects with a nice short shot to Reay's temple.
Matulewicz landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Reay slips a foot under and gets full guard. Nice work.
Matulewicz working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Reay's head.
Matulewicz chips away with some ground and pound.
Matulewicz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Matulewicz is in close to Reay's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Reay working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Matulewicz.
Reay has momentary wrist control but Matulewicz slips an elbow through the middle.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matulewicz throwing strikes but missing.
Matulewicz postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Reay 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.
Matulewicz landing with the ground and pound.
Matulewicz throwing strikes from guard but Reay blocks nicely.
Matulewicz postures up.
Matulewicz postures up and lands a big shot to Reay's brow.
Matulewicz distracts Reay with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Matulewicz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matulewicz is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.
Reay is avoiding any damage by keeping wrist control.
Matulewicz throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Reay works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Reay pushes Matulewicz off and gets back to his feet.
Reay throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.

Matulewicz looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Reay!
Matulewicz pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Reay looks gassed!
Reay is in all sorts of trouble here.
Matulewicz connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
A nice elbow there by Matulewicz.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matulewicz lands a big shot there that rocks Reay but he's holding on and managing to survive for now.
Reay really trying hard to get back to half guard here.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matulewicz avoids the attempt from Reay to control.
Matulewicz with shots to the head and body - Reay looks very uncomfortable down there.
Matulewicz putting on the heat here with some good ground and pound!
Reay wants to hold on but Matulewicz pushes him away.
Matulewicz lands a big elbow.
A nice elbow there by Matulewicz.
The referee warns Reay that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
Matulewicz will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Matulewicz working the ground and pound effectively.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matulewicz has his opponent pinned against the cage, landing some nasty ground and pound that is really making a bit of a mess out of Reay's face.
Matulewicz lands a shot to the body, followed up by a shot to the exposed head of his trapped opponent.
We've seen a great period of action over the last minute or so - credit to both fighters for going all out!
Matulewicz connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Matulewicz is still in mount, landing shots to his trapped opponent. Reay can't stay in a position like this for much longer.
Matulewicz is in the full mount, landing strikes.
Matulewicz breaks from Reay's wrist control and lands an elbow.
A nice elbow there by Matulewicz.
Reay is looking to get to half guard.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Reay is persisting with the attempt to improve his position.
Reay is in a horrible position here. Matulewicz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filip Matulewicz dominated that round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Matulewicz shoots for a double leg takedown but Reay sprawls well. He's pushed Matulewicz's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Reay pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reay fails in his attempt to clinch.
Reay pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Reay fails with an attempt to clinch.
Reay throws a head kick but Matulewicz moves out of range.
Matulewicz shoots in for a double leg but Reay sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Reay with a lazy takedown attempt
and Matulewicz counters with an inside leg kick.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matulewicz throws a quick head kick that skims the top of Reay's head.

Matulewicz closes the distance and clinches.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Matulewicz turns his back and goes for a hip toss. It's a bit messy but it gets the job done and Matulewicz manages to end up in side control.
Matulewicz cracks Reay with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Matulewicz cracks Reay with a big right hand but Reay just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matulewicz working the body and head with strikes.
Reay wants to control but Matulewicz postures up.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Reay tries to bench press Matulewicz off him but Matulewicz keeps the position.
Reay is not in a great position here, taking some shots.
Matulewicz grinds an elbow into Reay's temple.
Matulewicz in side control lands a nice looking series of punches and elbows.
Matulewicz working the head and body with strikes.
Matulewicz works a knee to the body and follows up with a nice elbow to the head.
Reay parries the strikes from Matulewicz easily there. Matulewicz is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Reay to escape.
Matulewicz lands a nice forearm strike.
Reay is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Matulewicz is controlling him well.
The strikes coming from Matulewicz are missing the target in this wave of attacks.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Reay regains half guard, as Matulewicz was trying to land strikes.
Matulewicz thows a wild elbow that connects with the canvas.
Reay is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Reay closes the distance looking to clinch

and Matulewicz counters with a takedown into full mount! That could mean trouble for Reay!
Matulewicz in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Reay is in a horrible position here. Matulewicz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Matulewicz scoring with strikes but Reay is staying in there.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Reay is desperately trying to improve his position but Matulewicz has a good base and remains in mount.
Filip Matulewicz overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
The referee warns Reay that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.

Matulewicz looking for a guillotine from mount but Reay is having none of it.
Reay tries to reverse the position but Matulewicz maintains control.
Matulewicz working away from the top, dropping strikes.
Matulewicz lands with some strikes.
Reay swinging wildly from the bottom but he's not landing.
Reay keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Reay is in a horrible position here. Matulewicz smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Matulewicz with shots to the head and body - Reay looks very uncomfortable down there.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Filip Matulewicz dominated that second round.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Matulewicz is looking to clinch.
Filip Matulewicz is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Matulewicz shoots in and bounces Reay off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Reay trying to keep a closed guard but Matulewicz is proving a slippery customer.
Matulewicz is looking to work some ground and pound but Reay has wrist control.
Matulewicz in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Matulewicz throwing strikes from guard but Reay blocks nicely.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matulewicz thows a big elbow that misses.
Reay bucks up whilst keeping hold of a body lock, managing to reverse the position. Now he's in top in Matulewicz's guard.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Reay working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Matulewicz has been looking to land a fair amount of strikes on the ground. He might be looking to soften his opponent up in order to work for a submission.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Reay stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matulewicz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Matulewicz wants to get back to his feet but Reay is in a dominant position and won't allow it.

Reay decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Matulewicz, up you get!
Reay with a lazy takedown attempt

and Matulewicz counters with a nice double leg into side control. Reay won't be happy with that.
Reay tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Matulewicz looks up at the clock and then as Reay takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Matulewicz smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matulewicz with the ground and pound but Reay regains half guard under the barage of strikes.
Matulewicz looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Reay with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Reay wants to improve his position but Matulewicz is controlling well.
Reay trying to control from the bottom.
Matulewicz not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Matulewicz is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Reay can do to turn this around?
Reay wants to improve his position but Matulewicz is controlling well.

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

Matulewicz feints and as Reay raises his hands in defense, Matulewicz changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Reay looking for a sweep. Not yet Reay, not yet.

Reay looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matulewicz with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matulewicz throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Matulewicz stands up over Reay, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.
Reay working a defensive guard here.
Reay looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Matulewicz trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Matulewicz shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Reay counters with a two punch combo.
Matulewicz gets his takedown attempt stuffed easily

and Reay counters with a nice double leg into side control. Matulewicz won't be happy with that.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matulewicz is looking to regain half guard here but Reay keeps moving and retains side control.
Matulewicz struggling a bit here.
Reay landing a few strikes.
Filip Matulewicz is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Matulewicz is positioning himself to get back to half guard.
Josh Reay has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Matulewicz struggling a bit here.

And that's the end of the fight!
That was a close round. You could make an argument for either fighter but I would give it to Filip Matulewicz.
Well Matulewicz has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Johanna Lukiainen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Roosa Järviläinen scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Filip Matulewicz!