PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Marshall Mathers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Sammy Sullivan (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Mathers comes to the cage accompanied by Superman. Sullivan is bobbing his head along to his entrance song: Blood on the ground. 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.

Mathers
vs
Sullivan

180 cm
32
165 lbs
16 - 7 - 2

185 cm
28
155 lbs
13 - 10 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
World class boxer
Powerful

5th Round Clothing
TFP Graphics - Pit Inc

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the lightweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 16 - 7 - 2, fighting out of Tokyo, Marshall Mathers!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 13 - 10 - 0, fighting out of Helsinki, Sammy Sullivan!
The judges for this bout are Marco Blurström, Matti Vanhoillinen and Tarja Halkonen.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathers walks straight into a jab right on the nose. That one stung - he's blinking and trying to clear his head.
Sullivan swings widly with a right hand
and Mathers makes him pay by landing a thudding low kick.
Sullivan throws a right hand that Mathers ducks under and follows up with a left that Mathers also avoids with ease.
Mathers shoots for a double leg takedown but Sullivan sprawls well. He's pushed Mathers's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.
Sammy Sullivan seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Sullivan misses with a looping right.
Sullivan misses with an uppercut
letting Mathers counter with a right hand.
Mathers lands an overhand left. A wild punch that just about connected.
Horrible takedown by Mathers or perhaps it was just good defense by Sullivan which made him look bad.

Mathers throws a loose over hand right and dives in with a double leg takedown. Sullivan tries to sprawl but it's too late and the fighters hit the mat. Mathers is in Sullivan's guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Sullivan has a closed guard, preventing anything of note from happening. Perhaps he's looking to stall.
Sullivan has momentary wrist control but Mathers slips an elbow through the middle.
Sullivan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan is pulling down on Mathers's head to control his posture.
Sullivan is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Mathers trying to control but Sullivan is working from the bottom.
Mathers pushes down on Sullivan's leg and manages to get into half guard.
Sullivan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mathers.
Sullivan is staying active underneath Mathers, who seems content to just control the action from this position.
Mathers looks to land a strike but Sullivan avoids it nicely and regains full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Mathers landing with the ground and pound.
Mathers stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Sullivan swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Mathers is in close to Sullivan's body, working some short punches and elbows.
Sullivan is trying to keep Mathers in close.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mathers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mathers makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mathers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Sullivan preventing the ground and pound from doing any damage.
Sullivan has Mathers pulled in close to control his posture.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers tries to free his leg and advance position but Sullivan is retaining full guard.
Mathers trying to control the position from guard on top but Sullivan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Sullivan can do anything to dispel that myth.
Mathers tries to free his leg and advance position but Sullivan is retaining full guard.
Sullivan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mathers postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mathers loading up with the ground and pound but he's missing more than he's landing in this flurry.
Mathers throws a strike but Sullivan rolls with it and manages to sweep. Now he's in guard on top.
Sullivan tries to stand but Mathers is controlling from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers is pulling down on Sullivan's head. It's preventing any offense from Sullivan, at least for the moment.
Sullivan slows down the pace of the fight, as he sits in guard.
Mathers managing to control the position.

Well, the referee has seen enough. Neither fighter is active enough on the ground so he's stood them back up.
Sullivan takes a jab on the nose. He smiles like he loves it and keeps coming.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A lazy left from Mathers finds it's target.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marshall Mathers dominated that round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Sullivan lands a jab.
Sullivan tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
Sullivan blocks a head kick by Mathers.
Sullivan connects with a right hand. Mathers shakes it off.
An inside leg kick from Mathers misses.
Mathers with a poor takedown
and Sullivan counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.
Mathers avoids a punch combination nicely.
Mathers bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Mathers lands a right hook to the body.
Mathers fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
Mathers tries a low kick but Sullivan avoids it.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathers tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Sullivan just misses with a punch to the body.
Sullivan connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Mathers takes a shot right to the liver - Bas would have been proud of that punch.
Mathers gets cracked with a nice right hand there by Sullivan.
Mathers misses with a hook.
Mathers moves away from the strike by Sullivan.
Mathers throws a shot from downtown. Sullivan moves away and avoids it.
Sullivan throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Sullivan moves out of range of the body kick from Mathers.
Mathers fails with the takedown.
Sullivan misses the shot to the body.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sullivan misses with a jab to the body
and Mathers counters with a low kick, right behind Sullivan 's knee.
Mathers on the wrong end of a decent looking cross there.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Mathers throws a head kick that Sullivan semi-blocks.
Marshall Mathers is winning the standup battle so far.
Sullivan fakes high and swings low for a body shot but Mathers manages to avoid it.
Sullivan takes a swing at Mathers's ribcage but misses.
A jab from Mathers does it's job there.
Sullivan throws a body punch but Mathers moves out of range.

Mathers shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Sullivan's guard.
Mathers throws a big elbow that misses.
Mathers cracks Sullivan with a solid left hand.
Marshall Mathers overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Mathers won't allow Sullivan to get back to his feet.
Sullivan is trying to keep Mathers in close.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mathers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mathers postures up and lands a big shot to Sullivan's brow.
Sullivan utilising some decent striking defenses from the guard, preventing the ground and pound.
Sullivan really doesn't want to stay on the ground with Mathers. If he can't get it back to his feet, it's only a matter of time before he'll be tapping out.
Mathers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sullivan looking to hit a scissor sweep but Mathers is one step ahead there.
Mathers postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.
Mathers 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.
Mathers in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Sullivan looking for a sweep. Not yet Sullivan, not yet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathers with a flurry of punches that miss.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Mathers accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Mathers is sitting in guard, working some ground and pound.
Mathers wants to pass the guard but Sullivan is keeping the position.
Mathers trying to control the position from guard on top but Sullivan is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Mathers missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Mathers lands a couple of digs.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Mathers missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Sullivan is a painfully thin specimen of a man. You do wonder whether a good body kick would snap him clean in two.
Sullivan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Marshall Mathers dominated that second round.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Mathers is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Sullivan.
Mathers connects with a nice looking jab.
Mathers uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Sullivan.
Sullivan uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Mathers.
Sullivan fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Mathers on the side of the head.
Sullivan throws a left and a right that both miss
and Mathers counters with a series of strikes. Sullivan will be more careful next time no doubt.
Mathers fakes low and throws an overhand right that catches Sullivan on the side of the head.

Sullivan is rocked!
Sullivan scores with a sloppy punch to the body. Not much technique there but it did the business.
Sullivan is still on wobbly legs! Can Mathers finish him?
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Mathers scores with a leg kick.
Sullivan seems to have recovered his senses.
Mathers avoids a punch combination nicely.
Sullivan scores with a three punch combo!

That's one minute gone in the round.
Sullivan swings and misses with a hook to the body.
Mathers connects with a crisp jab.
Mathers with a lazy takedown attempt
and Sullivan counters with a lovely straight right hand!
A slow jab from Sullivan misses its intended target.
Sullivan misses with a body shot.
Sullivan walks straight into an uppercut. Luckily it didn't land flush.
Sullivan missing with a left hand there. Mathers was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
A head kick misses from Mathers.
Sullivan works over Mathers's head and body with a nice combination.
Sullivan thuds a left hand into Mathers's body.
Mathers pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Mathers shoots in and drives through. Sullivan sprawls well.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Sullivan lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.
Boom, another hit is landed. "You're gunna get knocked out" taunts Sullivan, as that shot connected.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Sullivan dips down and scores with a jab to the body.

Sullivan tries to sprawl but Mathers drives through with a takedown into half guard.
Mathers passes to side control.
Sullivan taking a bit of punishment here - Mathers scoring with strikes.
Sullivan is moving his hips around well on the bottom and has managed to get back to half guard.
Sullivan blocking the ground and pound attempt from Mathers.
Sullivan wants to control but Mathers is keeping busy and won't allow it.
Sullivan is trying is best to control the position here.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathers thumps the canvas. Not on purpose obviously - he just missed Sullivan's head.
Mathers not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Mathers drops an elbow to the side of Sullivan's head.
Mathers is trying to control the action in half guard but Sullivan is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Mathers missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Mathers working Sullivan over with strikes.
Sammy Sullivan has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Mathers is trying to control. Sullivan wants to improve his position but can't escape this time.
Mathers throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Mathers winds up and cracks Sullivan with a swinging punch to the side of the head.
Sullivan regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Mathers.
Mathers wants to control from the top but Sullivan keeps moving.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Sullivan trying to strike from the bottom but really, it's not the best position to be doing that from!
Mathers wants to control from the top but Sullivan keeps moving.
Sullivan has control of Mathers's left arm, preventing Mathers from doing any damage.
Sullivan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mathers trying to land body shots but he keeps hitting the mat.
This has been an exciting period of action!
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Sullivan avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.
Mathers throws a big elbow that misses.
Sullivan trying to strike off his back.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marshall Mathers showed his dominance in that final round.
Well I reckon that's a shut out for Mathers, winning every round. Will the judges agree? They are the ones who matter, even if they are often depressingly incompetent. 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 Marco Blurström scores the fight 30:27
Judge Matti Vanhoillinen scores the fight 30:27
Judge Tarja Halkonen scores the fight 30:27

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Marshall Mathers!
Marshall Mathers got down on his knees post fight and begged the management for a title shot. 'Please, I want that title shot so bad! Give it to me!'