PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Apong Iii Dante (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Gregory Matice (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Matice has chosen It's a Fight as his entrance music. We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Iii Dante
vs
Matice

165 cm
18
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
140 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

Good takedowns
Brawler
Heavy handed

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the bantamweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Apong Iii Dante!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Gregory Matice!
The judges for this bout are Patrick Alders, Aafke Stam and Paulsen Ambrosius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Dante fails with a takedown attempt.
Matice is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Dante displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Matice.
Matice misses with a takedown

and Dante counters with a takedown into side control.
Dante wants to lay and pray for a moment but Matice keeps working.
Matice really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Dante. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Dante tries to move to mount but Matice blocks the move with his legs.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Matice can do anything to dispel that myth.
Dante cracks Matice with an elbow. That is naaassty.

Dante is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Matice has escaped the position, nice work there.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Dante thinks about going for a far side armbar but bails out and retains the dominant position instead.
Matice is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Matice parries the strikes from Dante easily there. Dante is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Matice to escape.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Dante looking to control but instead Matice has slipped a leg in, to regain half guard.
Dante is just content to waste time from the top position. Matice takes advantage of the situation and regains full guard.
Dante trying to control the position from guard on top but Matice is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Matice kicks Dante off and gets to his feet.
Dante fails miserably with a takedown attempt.

Matice shoots in and bounces Dante off the cage to secure the takedown into guard.
Dante is breathing heavily.

The fighters are going at a pretty good pace and they're both starting to sweat now.
Dante looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Dante is trying to keep Matice in close.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matice content to strike from guard, landing some decent shots.
Matice must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Matice stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Dante swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Matice distracts Dante with his right hand and drops a big elbow with his other arm.
Matice with a nice head shot there.
Matice postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
Matice landing some decent shots from guard.
Matice tries to free his leg and advance position but Dante is retaining full guard.
Matice is in close to Dante's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Matice postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Matice lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.
Matice connects with a couple of short punches.
Matice postures up and scores with a shot to the body and a follow up elbow to the head.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Matice decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Matice scores with a couple of good hammerfists.

Dante is rocked!
Dante is looking to control Matice's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dante avoid being mounted?
Matice working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Matice wants to free his trapped foot but Dante is holding on for dear life with his legs.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Matice lands strikes from half guard.
Matice is nestled in close to Dante, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Matice winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Matice working Dante over with strikes.
Matice working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Matice winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matice is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant 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. Matice connects with a nice short shot to Dante's temple.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matice is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Dante is looking to control Matice's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Dante avoid being mounted?
Matice winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Dante is looking for a sweep. Matice is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Dante trying to hold on to Matice's head to control him but Matice postures up.
Matice lands strikes from half guard.
Matice working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Gregory Matice has got the better of the ground game so far.
Matice winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Matice lands a nice short elbow.
Ground and pound from Matice.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matice looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dante with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.
Oh Dante is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Matice lands a nice short elbow.
Matice looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Matice working Dante over with strikes.
Matice winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Dante seems to have got his legs back now.
Matice winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
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. Matice connects with a nice short shot to Dante's temple.
Matice is nestled in close to Dante, controlling him well. He's worked in a nice elbow to the side of the head as well, for good measure.
Matice looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Dante trying to hold on to Matice's head to control him but Matice postures up.
Dante punching from the bottom.
Matice looks towards his corner to check for any instructions. The corner give him nothing to work with, so he cracks Dante with a short hammerfist. I guess that's as good as any advice he could get in this position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matice scores with a couple of good hammerfists.
Matice is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Ground and pound from Matice.
The referee walks around the fighters to get a better view of the action. Matice lands a nice short elbow.
Dante trying to control from the bottom.
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. Matice connects with a nice short shot to Dante's temple.
Matice lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Matice looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Matice lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Matice lands with a punch from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matice working some ground and pound from close in. He's looking to maintain this position and strike for a while by the looks of things... although he'll probably advance to full mount in a minute now I've said that.
Dante is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Matice scores with a couple of nice shots.
Dante taking some punishment here, with Matice in his half guard.
Matice looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Dante wants to control but Matice is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Dante taking some punishment here, with Matice in his half guard.
Dante taking some punishment here, with Matice in his half guard.
Matice is scoring with some nice ground and pound from the dominant position.
Dante might be looking to lock onto one of his opponent's long limbs for a submission, whilst we're on the ground.
Matice lands strikes from half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Dante is trying to control but can't.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Gregory Matice showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. Let's get this one finished - here comes the final round!

Dante stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Dante wants it to stay on the feet.
Apong Iii Dante is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Matice feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Dante is on top in guard.
Dante trying to control but Matice is working from the bottom.
Dante is looking to work some ground and pound but Matice has wrist control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

Matice uses the cage to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matice shoots in but no luck this time.
Left hook, right uppercut from Dante.

Matice decides to change it up a bit and drives through with a nice takedown into half guard.
Matice working Dante over with strikes.
Matice missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Matice lands with an elbow from half guard - that looked like it hurt.
Matice winds up and cracks Dante with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Dante is trying to stand up here but Matice is controlling him well.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Dante is looking for a sweep. Matice is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.
Matice moves nicely into side control.
Matice scoring with punches and elbows.
Dante is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Matice asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Matice lands some shots froms side control.
Dante taking a bit of punishment here - Matice scoring with strikes.
Matice scores with punches from side control.
Matice working the ground and pound.
Matice grinds an elbow into Dante's temple.
Dante wants to control but Matice postures up.
Matice working the head with strikes.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matice lands a knee to the body and a forearm to the face.
Matice lands a nice forearm strike.
Matice cracks Dante with a big elbow.
Matice cracks Dante with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Dante takes a couple of big shots there - the referee warns him that he has to defend himself better.
Matice tries to advance to mount but Dante denies him.
Matice landing strikes.
Matice is chipping away with strikes.
Matice lands a nice forearm strike.
Matice is putting a hurting on Dante here, landing some big shots from side control.
Matice working the head with strikes.
Matice landing with strikes to the head and body from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Matice landing strikes.
Dante can't do much from the bottom here.
Dante manages to get back to half guard.
Gregory Matice is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Matice keeping composed on the top, looking to control the action.
Dante is trying to control but can't.
Matice with a momentary lay and pray from half guard.
Dante is trying to control but can't.
Dante is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
The referee calls for the fighters to work.
Apong Iii Dante has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
The referee claps his hands together and tells the fighters to work.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Apong Iii Dante.

Matice drives through with a takedown into guard.

And that's the end of the fight!
Gregory Matice comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Matice winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. 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 Patrick Alders scores the fight 26:30
Judge Aafke Stam scores the fight 26:30
Judge Paulsen Ambrosius scores the fight 26:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Gregory Matice!