PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between SergiO Ortiz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Josh Matson (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Ortiz comes to the cage accompanied by MY HIGHLIGHT. Josh Matson has the power to score a knockout today if he connects clean with SergiO Ortiz's chin.

Ortiz
vs
Matson

188 cm
25
215 lbs
11 - 6 - 0

190 cm
24
215 lbs
8 - 5 - 0

Good wrestling
Solid boxing
Very strong

BJJ Purple Belt
World class boxer
Granite chin

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 11 - 6 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, SergiO Ortiz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 8 - 5 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Josh Matson!
The judges for this bout are Thiago Cunha, Mauricio Rocha and Matheus Silva.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Ortiz decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Matson is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Ortiz content to sit in half guard and control for a moment.
Ortiz is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Ortiz looking to control and managing it successfully.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Ortiz's ground tactics aren't going to win him many fans. Let's hope he's got fireworks for us if he gets back to his feet because he's not doing much on the ground.
The referee is pacing around the two fighters - he looks like he's thinking about a standup.
Ortiz seems to have a rather negative gameplan on the ground. He seems keen to just score the takedown and hold down Matson for as long as he can get away with.

The ref stands the fighters back up because SergiO Ortiz just wasn't active enough.
Matson's corner calls for a 1-2. Matson obliges with the 1 part as he scores the single shot and moves back out of range.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz wants to clinch.
Matson throws a body punch but Ortiz moves out of range.
Matson wants to clinch

so Ortiz counters with a double leg into guard. Good agility.
Ortiz sitting in guard here, content to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
The referee is asking the fighters to pick up the pace.
Ortiz wants to pass the guard but Matson is keeping the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz trying to control the position from guard on top but Matson is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matson wants to sweep but no luck.

We're going to have a standup here because SergiO Ortiz wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Matson feints a jab promting Ortiz to slip. Matson then demonstrates his capabilities by jabbing again. Ortiz slips again and ducks right into an uppercut.

It looks like SergiO Ortiz has been cut.
Ortiz misses with a telegraphed body shot
and Matson counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.
Matson misses with a low kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Matson. Ortiz does a little dance to reset his feet.
Matson misses with a low kick.
Matson swings and misses with a shot to the body

and Ortiz counters with a driving takedown into guard. Nice work there by Ortiz.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Ortiz looking to pass the guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Ortiz wants to control from the top but Matson keeps moving.
Matson seems keen to control Ortiz's posture.
Matson can't do much from the bottom at the moment, as Ortiz controls the pace.
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee has ruled that neither fighter is active enough on the ground and has stood them back up.
Ortiz loads up on a big right hand but Matson slips the punch.
Matson misses with a looping left.
Matson lands a head shot.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Matson throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Ortiz wants to clinch.
Ortiz steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Matson.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

SergiO Ortiz dominated that round.
The cut man is working on SergiO Ortiz's cut.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Matson throws a jab to the body, straight down the pipe. Boom. That sent Ortiz stumbling backwards but he manages to regain his composure quickly.
Ortiz uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Matson.

Matson closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Ortiz drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Ortiz is pushing Matson up against the cage, for a bit of lean and pray action. Action being used the in the loosest possible sense of the word.
Matson tries to circle away but Ortiz has him pinned against the cage.
Ortiz just leaning against Matson, taking a breather.
Ortiz is trying to stall.
Matson is looking to control Ortiz's arms but Ortiz gets an underhook and turns him. Now Matson has his back to the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matson is trying to break free.
Matson can't break the clinch.
Ortiz looking for a takedown.
Matson prevents the takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for SergiO Ortiz. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Ortiz prevents Matson from breaking the clinch.
Matson is trying to break the clinch but Ortiz is controlling him.

Ortiz breaks the clinch.
Ortiz doesn't react quick enough there as he takes a shot to the body.
Matson takes a shot to the eye socket. That's gotta hurt.
Ortiz shoots for a takedown but Matson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matson throws a combination. Ortiz tries to block but a couple of punches get through.
Matson motions for Ortiz to come forward. Matson throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Ortiz checks a low kick. Bone on bone - not my idea of a good time.
Josh Matson is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Matson scores with a hook.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Matson lands a lovely overhand right.
Josh Matson seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
A big right from Matson misses.
Matson punishes Ortiz's body with a nice straight punch.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Ortiz shoots for a takedown but Matson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matson thuds a left hand into Ortiz's body.

Matson has managed to clinch.

Matson breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Nice body punch from Matson.
Ortiz walks into a jab.
Matson works Ortiz's body with a nice hook.
Matson digs a good hook to Ortiz's body.

Matson lands a left and a right that send Ortiz crashing to the mat, dazed. Matson thinks about following him to the mat but decides to wave him back up to his feet!
Matson swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Ortiz.

Ortiz is rocked!
Matson scores with a punch to the head.
Oh Ortiz is still all over the place! His legs are completely gone! Will he be able to recover?!!
Matson lands a nice shot to the body.
Ortiz seems to have got his legs back now.
Matson punishes Ortiz's body with a nice straight punch.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matson lands a really nice looking cross but Ortiz seems unphased.
Matson getting the better of the striking in that exchange.
Ortiz takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Matson catches Ortiz with a nice straight right. He seems pissed - ooooh, it's on now! On like donkey kong!

Matson drops Ortiz with a hook right on the temple. He thinks about going to the ground but Ortiz looks back up at him and smiles so Matson waves him back to his feet - he obviously thinks he can knock him out after that shot landed.
Matson throws a left and a right that both miss

and Ortiz counters with a nice double leg into half guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Matson wants to get back to full guard.
Matson keeping hold of Ortiz's head, controlling as best he can.
Matson tries to kick Ortiz off but Ortiz keeps his base steady and stays in half guard.
Ortiz wants to pass the guard but Matson is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matson preventing any damage for now, controlling his opponent's head.
Ortiz looking to pass the half guard. Not this time.
Matson trying to control here.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!

OK we're going to have a standup here. Josh Matson hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Matson cracks Ortiz with a good shot that sees him stumbling back into the cage.
Matson uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Ortiz.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Josh Matson showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on SergiO Ortiz's cut.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action! Let's hear some noise people - this is the final round!

Ortiz gets cracked there but stands up to it.
Ortiz shoots for a takedown but Matson saw that one coming a mile off and avoided it easily.
Matson lands a nice shot to the body.
Ortiz on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Matson cracks Ortiz with a right hand to the side of the head.
Matson cracks Ortiz with a good jab.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Matson cracks Ortiz with a big right hand that sends him to the floor! Ortiz looks wobbly but he's sprung back up to his feet straight away… can Matson finish him?
Ortiz takes a punch right to his stomach. That took the wind out of him momentarily.
Matson works Ortiz's body with a nice hook.

Matson feints and then winds up with a huge right hand that connects perfectly and sends Ortiz sprawling to the canvas! Ortiz rolls over backwards and springs off the cage and manages to regain his footing - how acrobatic! Oh, he's still wobbly - can Matson finish him?!
Matson throws an uppercut from hell that sends Ortiz clean off his feet! He's out cold! Matson stands back and admires his work as he thinks about that KO of the night award that is surely being wrapped up for him back stage.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 0:48 of round 3, we have a winner by way of KO (Punch). Josh Matson!