PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Lapa Mato (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Ricardo Chavez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ricardo Chavez will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Mato
vs
Chavez

184 cm
22
210 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

195 cm
22
220 lbs
4 - 0 - 0

Good wrestling
Dangerous knees
Big heart

BJJ White Belt
Decent boxing
Granite chin

Weight Loss Specialists

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the light heavyweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Lapa Mato!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 4 - 0 - 0, fighting out of London, Ricardo Chavez!
The judges for this bout are James Ackerman, Colin Fotheringham and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Chavez misses with a hook. Mato ducked under it nicely.
Mato tries to clinch up.
Mato is looking to clinch.
Mato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Chavez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Chavez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Chavez moves into range and throws a lovely three punch combination.
Mato is looking to clinch but Chavez is avoiding it.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mato looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Chavez swats away the attempt to clinch by Mato.

Mato closes the distance and clinches.
Mato with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mato throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Chavez blocks it with crossed arms.
Mato keeps control of Chavez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Mato with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.
Chavez is looking to break free of the clinch but Mato has double underhooks.
Chavez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Chavez wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Mato misses with a knee strike.
Chavez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mato has him pressed against the ropes.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Chavez breaks from the clinch.
Wow, both these guys are really going for it!
Mato doesn't manage to clinch there - Chavez circles away.
Mato avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
Chavez's corner calls for a 1,2 combination and Chavez duly obliges.
Chavez throws a combination but it was largely blocked by Mato.
Mato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Chavez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Mato fails in his attempt to clinch.
Mato is looking to clinch but Chavez is avoiding it.
Mato avoids a punch combination nicely.
Chavez misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Ricardo Chavez seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mato keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Chavez.
A big left from Chavez misses.
Mato tries to close the distance and clinch up against the ropes but Chavez paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Chavez just misses with a punch to the body.
Chavez drops Mato with a right and a left! Chavez comes rushing in but Mato regains his composure and manages to keep Chavez in guard.

Mato is rocked!

It looks like Lapa Mato has been cut.
Mato looking to sweep here. No luck so far.
Oh Mato is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
Chavez passes into half guard under a barage of strikes.
The fighters are tangled up in the ropes here. We might need a restart if the fighters can't break free themselves.
Mato wants to get back to full guard.
Mato wants to get back to full guard but Chavez has passed into side control.
Chavez looking to control and managing it successfully.
Mato seems to have got his legs back now.
Chavez looks gassed!
Mato is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
The fighters are trapped in the ropes so we're going to have a reposition here. The ref calls for a break and repositions the fighters in the center of the ring.
Chavez controlling his opponent.
Mato is looking to get to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mato is working hard here to advance position.
Mato throwing punches from his back. He's mounted here but still fighting back.

Chavez stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Mato moves in looking to clinch but Chavez pushes him off.
Mato wants to clinch up but Chavez keeps it at a distance.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mato looks like he's thinking about clinching though.

Mato gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Mato throws a knee to the head but misses.
Mato scores with a knee to the head.
Mato scores with a knee to the head.
Mato tries a knee to the head but Chavez blocks it.
Chavez wants to break free but Mato has control.
Mato with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Chavez is trying to break the clinch but Mato has him pressed against the ropes.
Mato with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Mato tries to land a knee to the head but Chavez blocks with his arms.
Mato with the Thai clinch. He's looking to land a big knee but he's not managed it this time.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mato tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mato misses with a knee strike.
Mato using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Chavez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Chavez can't break the clinch.
Mato using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Chavez has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Chavez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.

Chavez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mato avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Chavez will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Chavez takes a step towards his opponent and connects with a left hand, before circling away.
Mato tries to close the distance and clinch up but Chavez swats him away and circles back towards the center.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Mato looking to slow down the pace here.
Mato looking to throw knees to the head but Chavez is blocking nicely.
Mato misses with a knee strike.
Mato tries to land a knee to the head but Chavez blocks with his arms.
Chavez can't break the clinch.
Mato tries a knee to the head but Chavez blocks it.
Mato looking to throw knees to the head but Chavez is blocking nicely.
Chavez is trying to break free.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Chavez.
Chavez wants to break free but Mato has control.
Chavez wants to get back to striking at distance but Mato won't allow it.
Chavez wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Mato tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Mato throws a punch but it's blocked by Chavez.

Chavez breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Mato tries to clinch up.
Mato has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Mato there as he acknowledges the shot.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Mato showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Chavez.
Chavez throws a nice looking combination but Mato bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
Mato misses with a leg kick.
Mato wants to clinch.
Chavez fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Mato wants to clinch up but Chavez keeps it at a distance.
Chavez misses with a two punch combination.
Chavez tries to bum rush Mato with a series of wild strikes but Mato uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Chavez throws a series of punches but Mato avoids them all with ease.
Mato is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Chavez scores with a jab to the jaw.
Chavez is using his reach advantage to land shots from outside his opponent's range.
Chavez connects with a good straight punch right through the guard and follows up with a right hook and a left hook! That last one sent Mato tumbling to the canvas! Chavez pours on the pressure with more strikes and the referee has no hesitation diving in to stop the fight! Mato was done - good stoppage!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:37 of round 1, we have a winner by way of TKO (Punches). Ricardo Chavez!
Ricardo Chavez is the new light heavyweight champion!