PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matt James (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Cain Velasquez (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Velasquez has chosen Roy Jones - Cant be touched as his entrance music. James is coming into this fight with a significant injury, which will no doubt have an effect on his cardio. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

James
vs
Velasquez

198 cm
23
265 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

187 cm
18
245 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Good kicks
Self confident

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Granite chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the heavyweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Matt James!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Cain Velasquez!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

James scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
James is breathing heavily.
Velasquez trying to hold on to James's head to control him but James postures up.
Velasquez pushes James off looking to stand but James dives back in and keeps control.
Velasquez has no desire to be mounted, so is trying to control. James is working away from the top position though.

Velasquez actively working from the bottom here.
Velasquez gets back to full guard.
Velasquez is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Velasquez is working the butterfly guard. He manages to land a nice scissor sweep and is now in half guard on the top. Nice move.
Velasquez not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez is trying to control the action in half guard but James is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.

Velasquez seems to be working for a kimura but James defends the submission attempt.
Velasquez tries to stand but his arm is trapped.

That's two 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.

Velasquez is looking for a kimura here.
Velasquez wants to lay and pray for a moment but James keeps working.
Velasquez wants to free his trapped foot but James is holding on for dear life with his legs.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Velasquez shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says James as he avoids it easily.
Velasquez shoots in looking for a takedown. James tries to sprawl out of it but Velasquez keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. James manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Velasquez dives in and grabs James's left leg, looking for a takedown. James pushes down on Velasquez's head and hops out.
Matt James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cain Velasquez.
No joy there for Velasquez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
No joy there for Velasquez, who threw a few shots but didn't land.
Velasquez misses with a jab, cross combination.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Velasquez.
Velasquez fails with an attempt to clinch.
James is looking to clinch but Velasquez is avoiding it.
James displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Velasquez.

James moves into range and clinches up with Velasquez.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez throws a punch but it's blocked by James.
James lands with a right to the head.
James lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Velasquez misses with a punch on the inside.
James blocks a punch to the side of the head.
A body shot lands from James.
Velasquez misses with a short punch on the inside.
James scores with a shot to the side of Velasquez's head.
A right handed body shot lands from James.
James lands an uppercut.
Velasquez wants to break the clinch but can't.
Velasquez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Velasquez takes a shot to the head.
Velasquez lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Velasquez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but James has him pressed against the cage.
James lands a hook that snaps the head of Velasquez backwards.
Velasquez is trying to break free.
James has Velasquez pressed against the cage, preventing Velasquez from circling away and getting back to striking at range.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Velasquez lands a hook to the side of the head.
James lands a nice uppercut.
James lands with a short punch from the clinch.
James blocks an uppercut.
Velasquez is pressed up against the cage. James has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Velasquez down to the mat. Velasquez avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
James tries to close the distance and clinch up but Velasquez swats him away and circles back towards the center.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt James dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Velasquez shoots for a double leg takedown but James sprawls well. He's pushed Velasquez's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
James tries to clinch up.
Velasquez shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts James as he jumps to the side.
Velasquez wants to clinch up but James keeps it at a distance.
Velasquez shoots in looking for a double leg takedown. James defends it nicely.
Matt James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cain Velasquez.
The fight stays on the outside here - James looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Velasquez wants to clinch

and James counters with a takedown into side control.
Velasquez is trying to control James's posture but James avoids it.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Velasquez tries to improve position but can't.
Velasquez regains half guard, as James was trying to land strikes.
James passes the guard and advances to mount!
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez is trying desperately to improve position.
James fakes a shot to the body and cracks his opponent in the head. Nice ground and pound there!
Velasquez is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Velasquez tries to hold on but James pushes him away.
Velasquez can't escape the position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
James looking to ground and pound his opponent to a finish here.
Velasquez wants to hold on but James pushes him away.
James lands with some strikes.
Velasquez is in a horrible position here. James smacks him with another shot as he tries to escape the position.
Velasquez is squirming around, avoiding James's attempts to control the action.
James scoring with some good ground and pound from mount here. Will he manage to finish Velasquez?
James lands with some vicious ground and pound - can Velasquez hang on?
The referee warns Velasquez that he has to improve his position here as he takes two more clean shots to the head.
James with a couple of short strikes.
Velasquez is writhing around trying to get back to his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
James postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Velasquez looks a forlorn figure.
James postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Velasquez looks a forlorn figure.
James working the ground and pound effectively.
James prevents Velasquez from getting the reversal.
Velasquez is in a horrible position here, under a barrage of strikes, he's managing to avoid any damage.
Velasquez should think about turning a few of those tyres round his middle into muscle if he wants people to take him seriously as an athlete.
James landing strikes, looking to finish!

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez wants to control but James is having none of it.
James with a couple of short strikes.
Velasquez tries to reverse the position but James maintains control.
James cracks Velasquez with a nasty head shot there - the crowd let out an audible gasp there, as the noise reverberated around the arena.
Velasquez tries to hold on but James pushes him away.
Velasquez working to try and regain half guard.

James looking for an armbar but decides to keep the dominant position instead.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt James dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! Ladies and gentlemen, this is the final round!

Velasquez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and James counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
Velasquez wants to stand up but James is controlling him.

James stands up from guard. Let's bang!
Velasquez shoots and misses

and James counters with a nice shoot takedown that brings the fighters to the ground.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
James landing some decent shots from guard.
Velasquez is trying to control the position from the bottom.
Velasquez thows some rabbit punches from the bottom but they don't do any damage.
Matt James overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Velasquez looking to control but James passes into half guard.
Velasquez is staying active underneath James, who seems content to just control the action from this position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Velasquez wants to get back to full guard.
Velasquez is trying to stand.
James lands strikes from half guard.
James throwing shots but Velasquez is blocking nicely.

It looks like we're going to have a standup here. Neither fighter is doing enough on the ground.
Velasquez shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and James counters by clinching up.
Matt James has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Cain Velasquez.
James blocks a punch to the side of the head.
James keeps control of Velasquez as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
James throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
A short body shot lands from James as the two fighters clinch.
Nice body punch from James.
Velasquez wants to break free but James has control.
James is stalling here.
Velasquez wants to break free but James has control.
The two fighters are working to gain dominance in the clinch.
James blocks an uppercut.
Velasquez wants to break free but James has control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A short left from James.
Velasquez misses with a hook from the clinch.
Velasquez is trying to break free.
James lands on the inside with an uppercut.
Velasquez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
A left hand lands to the body for James.
Good body shot from James.
A head punch blocked on the inside by James.
Velasquez can't break the clinch.
James dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
James lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
James lands a nice uppercut.
Velasquez has a couple of punches blocked by James.
James gets through Velasquez's defenses to land a nice punch to the side of the head.
James lands a body punch.
James lands a body shot.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as James takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Velasquez tries to circle away but James has him pinned against the cage.
A frustrated look appears on Velasquez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
James softening up his opponent with strikes, against the cage.
James lands a hook to the side of the head.
Velasquez wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but James has him pressed against the cage.
James keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Velasquez's efforts to push away.
James lands an uppercut.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Velasquez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
James throws a blind hook that connects with the side of Velasquezs head.
James lands a nice uppercut.
Stalling in the clinch from James.
A head punch on the inside from Velasquez fails to land.
James lands an uppercut.
Velasquez doesn't land with the attempted body shot.
Velasquez is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
Velasquez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.

James has hold of one of Velasquez's legs. Velasquez is fighting the takedown attempt but James gets the trip and lands the takedown into guard.
Velasquez tries to land a sweep but no joy.
Velasquez trying to keep a closed guard but James is proving a slippery customer.
James stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Velasquez swivels though and keeps the full guard.
James trying to control but Velasquez is working from the bottom.
James looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
James trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
Velasquez not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.

Neither fighter is doing enough for the referee's liking and he's decided to stand them back up.
Velasquez tries to grapple but his opponent circles

and James counters by clinching up.
A frustrated look appears on Velasquez's face as he tries to break the clinch.
James digs a right hand underneath Velasquez's ribcage. Velasquez let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Velasquez misses with a hook from the clinch.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Velasquez is trying to force a seperation but James has the dominant position.
A right hand to the body from James.
Velasquez has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
James working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Velasquez fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Cain Velasquez has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
James lands a nice shot to the body.
Velasquez swings away with an uppercut that misses.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt James showed his dominance in that final round.
Well James 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 Andi Peters scores the fight 30:26
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 30:26
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt James!