PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Ryuu Matsumoto (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Viktor Ransom (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Matsumoto
vs
Ransom

175 cm
26
159 lbs
18 - 1 - 0

150 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Granite chin

Decent wrestler
Brawler
Enjoys gardening

MADE IN GERMANY
Tokyo Defiance

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 5 rounds, for the featherweight championship of the world!
Introducing the champion to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 18 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Ryuu Matsumoto!
And introducing the challenger to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Tokyo, Viktor Ransom!
The judges for this bout are Shigeki Fujiwara, Yukihiro Shimada and Kenichi Hosakawa.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Ransom closes the distance and clinches up with Matsumoto, looking for a takedown. Ransom pushes Matsumoto against the cage but Matsumoto circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Matsumoto fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Ransom manages to avoid it.

Matsumoto shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Ransom utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Matsumoto is looking to work some ground and pound but Ransom has wrist control.
Matsumoto working from the guard for now, landing some ground and pound.
Matsumoto throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Matsumoto trying to control the position from guard on top but Ransom is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matsumoto throws a big right hand that misses.
Matsumoto preventing the sweep.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ransom doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Ransom tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Matsumoto paws at him with a jab and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matsumoto drives through with a takedown into guard.
Ransom looking to sweep here. No luck so far.

Matsumoto is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Matsumoto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Matsumoto accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Matsumoto lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Matsumoto postures up in Ransom's guard and throws a big left but Ransom blocks it.
Ransom really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Matsumoto. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Matsumoto is looking to work some ground and pound but Ransom has wrist control.
Matsumoto lands a couple of decent looking shots.
Matsumoto postures up.
Matsumoto is looking to work some ground and pound but Ransom has wrist control.

Ransom working for a triangle but Matsumoto defends it easily.
Matsumoto is working the ground and pound from guard. He might want to try advancing position though to get more of an impact.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsumoto missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Matsumoto throwing strikes from guard but Ransom blocks nicely.
Ransom wants to stand up but Matsumoto is controlling him.
Ransom utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Ransom controls Matsumoto momentarily but Matsumoto frees himself.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Matsumoto won't allow Ransom to sweep him here.
Matsumoto will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Matsumoto loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Matsumoto works over Ransom with some ground and pound from guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matsumoto looking to pass the guard.
Matsumoto with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matsumoto is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Matsumoto chips away with some ground and pound.
Matsumoto working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Ransom can't keep his opponent in guard - Matsumoto advances to half guard, no doubt looking to mount.
Matsumoto is breathing heavily.
Ransom is looking for a sweep. Matsumoto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

Matsumoto is trying to work for a kimura but Ransom is defending well.
Matsumoto 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.
Ransom is looking for a sweep. Matsumoto is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Ransom wants to control but Matsumoto is keeping busy and won't allow it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsumoto prevents Ransom from improving his position.
Matsumoto wants to lay and pray for a moment but Ransom keeps working.
Matsumoto looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Ransom with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Matsumoto thows a huge punch but Ransom dodges it nicely.
Matsumoto throwing shots but Ransom is blocking nicely.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Matsumoto blocks a leg kick.
Ransom wants to clinch.
Matsumoto swats away the attempt to clinch by Ransom.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Ryuu Matsumoto dominated that round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action!

Ransom throws a head kick that misses.

Matsumoto drives through with a takedown into guard.
Matsumoto is in close to Ransom's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Matsumoto in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Ransom is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Matsumoto passes easily into side control. Nice work.
Matsumoto trying to control the position but Ransom is working away.
Ransom taking a bit of punishment here - Matsumoto scoring with strikes.
Matsumoto fails to land a wild elbow strike.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Matsumoto is trying to get an arm triangle but Ransom is defending well.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

That's one minute gone in the round.
You can see the frustration on Ransom's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Ransom is working to avoid the ground and pound but Matsumoto connects with a decent elbow.
Matsumoto tries to move to mount but Ransom blocks the move with his legs.
Ransom wants to control but Matsumoto postures up.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Ransom can do anything to dispel that myth.
Matsumoto landing a few strikes.
Matsumoto throwing shots but missing, from side control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matsumoto looks up at the clock and then as Ransom takes his cue and looks up at the clock too, Matsumoto smacks him right in the chops with a big elbow! How rude!
Ransom on the wrong end of some ground and pound.

Ransom is rocked!
Check out the look on Matsumoto's face as he threw that strike - that's one determined fighter!
Ransom is still in real trouble! Can Matsumoto finish him?

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matsumoto cracks Ransom with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Matsumoto working the ground and pound.

Matsumoto looking for an arm triangle but it's way too loose to do anything.
Ransom wants to control but Matsumoto postures up.
Ransom is pushing Matsumoto's head away, looking to escape. Matsumoto manages to hold on to the position though.
Ransom seems to have recovered his senses.
Matsumoto throws a strike aimed at the side of Ransom's head but Ransom avoids it well.
Matsumoto postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Ransom is trying to improve his position.
The ground and pound from Matsumoto seems to be hitting the mat more than his opponent.
Matsumoto misses with a strike but at least he's keeping busy, looking to cause some damage - that will still help him when it comes to the judges scorecards.
Ransom tries to work a leg under to get back to half guard but Matsumoto wriggles his own leg back out and remains in side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

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

and Matsumoto counters with a nice double leg into side control. Ransom won't be happy with that.
Ransom is looking for a sweep.
Matsumoto lands an elbow.
Ransom managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Matsumoto.

Matsumoto tries for a kimura but Ransom is defending well.
Ransom managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Matsumoto.
Matsumoto throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

Matsumoto working hard here to secure a kimura but he's not really in the right position for it.
Ransom is looking for a sweep.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matsumoto is looking to take a break and control but Ransom is keeping him honest, looking to work from the bottom.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Ransom wants to clinch up but Matsumoto keeps it at a distance.
Ransom with a poor takedown

and Matsumoto counters with a single leg into guard. Ransom didn't expect that.
Matsumoto postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matsumoto trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Ransom not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Matsumoto throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Ransom works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Matsumoto drops back for a leg here. A bit of a high risk move... He's looking for a kneebar by the looks of things. Now both of them are looking for submissions. Matsumoto seems to have locked his on tight now - Ransom screams in pain and taps out furiously! It certainly was a high risk move but it's paid off for Matsumoto, as he picks up the win!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 4:59 of round 2, we have a winner by way of Submission (Kneebar). Ryuu Matsumoto!
Ryuu Matsumoto retains his featherweight title!