PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Codey Fabinal (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jacob Mason (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Both fighters really staring each other down here, as Jacob Mason enters the cage!

Fabinal
vs
Mason

168 cm
18
143 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

172 cm
21
145 lbs
0 - 2 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Good chin

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Determined

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Codey Fabinal!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Jacob Mason!
The judges for this bout are Wesley Smith, Chris Downing and Frank Dennis.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Mason clinches with his opponent.

Mason breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Mason moves into the clinch.

Mason breaks the clinch.

Mason has taken the fight to the clinch.

Mason breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Fabinal shoots and misses

and Mason counters with a shoot takedown. Fabinal fights it but they end up in guard.
We could do with one of the fighters taking the initiative a bit more on the ground - they're both waiting to capitalize on a mistake.
Mason wants to control from the top but Fabinal keeps moving.
Fabinal is breathing heavily.
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!
Hammerfist, elbow! yells Mason's corner. There ya go! There ya go!
Fabinal is trying to control the position but Mason postures up.
Mason pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Fabinal is keeping the position for now.
Mason sitting in guard here, content to control.
Mason scoring with some ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fabinal keeping moving, preventing Mason from controlling successfully.

Jacob Mason has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.

Mason closes the distance and clinches up, looking for a takedown. He shifts his weight and gets a nice trip into half guard.
Mason content to control rather than advance.
Fabinal is looking to control Mason's leg but it's slowly edging free. Can Fabinal avoid being mounted?

Mason is looking for a kimura but Fabinal is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mason to get the leverage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Mason wants to work for an arm triangle but Fabinal is really keeping half guard well and defending the submission attempt.
Mason not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.

Mason is looking for a kimura but Fabinal is holding onto that half guard position, so it's hard for Mason to get the leverage.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Mason in particular looking to stall.
Mason throwing shots but Fabinal is blocking nicely.
Fabinal is not content to let Mason control the position.
Fabinal trying to control but Mason postures up.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Fabinal tries to roll over but Mason keeps him under control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mason is looking to pass the guard... He's managed it - he's now in full mount!
Mason controlling his opponent.
Fabinal has given up his back here.
Mason slows the pace down here. Having a little breather whilst he's in a dominant position, looking to rest and regain some energy, ready to go for the finish.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

Mason has his opponent's back and is working for the choke.
Fabinal is very frustrated here, being controlled quite effectively by Mason.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason looking to soften up his opponent with punches.

Mason working for a choke but Fabinal is defending well.
Fabinal trying to control but not successfully.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fabinal is really stuck here.
Mason trying to secure his dominant position for a moment - making sure Fabinal doesn't escape.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Mason dominated that round.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business.

Fabinal tries to keep at a distance but Mason has taken the fight into the clinch.
Mason putting his Muay Thai to good use. He has Fabinal in a tight clinch and is doing some damage with knees to the body.
Mason stays in close to his opponent and throws a right hand to the body.

Mason's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Fabinal misses with a takedown attempt

and Mason counters with a nice double leg into side control. Fabinal won't be happy with that.
Fabinal trying to remain calm as Mason controls from the top position.

Mason decides to stand back up.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Fabinal gets tackled into the cage by Mason. Mason maintains the clinch.

Mason breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.

Mason gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Mason escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.

Mason has managed to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Mason pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Mason throws a right and a left that Fabinal avoids nicely.

Mason scores a trip takedown into side control. Nice.
Mason trying to control the action but Fabinal is working from the bottom.
Mason working the head with strikes.
Fabinal can't do much from the bottom here.
Mason lands some shots froms side control.

Mason is looking to finish here, going for an Americana. Fabinal knows the correct defense though, so he's OK.
Fabinal gets back to half guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fabinal is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Mason's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Mason's back!

Mason is trying to get back to his feet. He's worked up on to his knees and now he's on his feet with his head on the canvas, trying to shake Fabinal off. It looks like it's working - Fabinal slides off, much to his dismay, and we're back to standing! Mason displaying calm under pressure there.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.

Mason shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Fabinal napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Mason tries to land with some ground and pound but misses.

Mason is trying to get an arm triangle but Fabinal is defending well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fabinal is not content to let Mason control the position.
Fabinal struggling a bit here.
Fabinal is looking to regain half guard here but Mason keeps moving and retains side control.

Mason tries for a kimura. Not really close to a finish though.
Fabinal is positioning himself to get back to half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fabinal is working hard here to advance position.

Mason decides to stand back up. Mason steps back and let's Fabinal get back to his feet.

Mason takes the fight into the clinch.

Mason lands a nice trip takedown into half guard.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Fabinal trying to control from the bottom.
Mason working over Fabinal with some ground and pound. Fabinal looks like he wants out of this position, which is understandable.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jacob Mason showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin! This is the final round!

Mason instigates a clinch.

Mason's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Mason looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into mount! Oh, that's bad for Fabinal!
Fabinal trying desperately to get to his feet.

Mason working for a guillotine from mount but Fabinal is in no mood to give up.
Mason takes a little breather and maintains the position. The referee will be looking for him to stay active from such a dominant position though.
Mason in mount throwing good strikes here, bouncing his opponent's head off the canvas.
Fabinal wants to hold on but Mason pushes him away.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mason raining down hammerfists from mount.

Mason wants to finish this one by submission but Fabinal is holding onto his waist, trying to prevent any attacks from Mason.
Fabinal keeping his composure momentarily, calmly looking to get back to half guard.
Mason landing punches.
Mason controlling his opponent.
Mason pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Fabinal tries to reverse the position but Mason maintains control.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fabinal tries to improve his position but instead Mason has taken his back!
Mason is looking cool and calm here, just waiting for a good opportunity to attack and finish the fight from this dominant position.
Let's hope that Mason has the urge to step up the pace any second now because for the last 15 or 20 seconds he's just been holding on tight.

Mason patiently working for the choke. Which fighter will keep their nerve here?
Mason is trying to stick to Fabinal's back but Fabinal is turning into Mason. He's managed to reverse the position - now he's in Mason's guard. Polite applause from the crowd in appreciation of some nice Jiu Jitsu by Fabinal.
Mason wants to stand and escape but Fabinal is having none of it.
Mason throws a couple of weedy looking strikes off his back.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

The ref calls for a clean break and stands the fighters back up. Jacob Mason wasn't active enough on the ground.

Mason shoots in and scores a nice double leg takedown into half guard.
Mason wants to take a breather but Fabinal is having none of it.
Jacob Mason has got the better of the ground game so far.

Mason decides to stand up.
Fabinal wants to clinch up but Mason keeps it at a distance.

Mason shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Fabinal's guard.
Mason trying to control but Fabinal is working from the bottom.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mason won't allow Fabinal to sweep him here.
This has been an exciting period of action!

Mason 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.
Mason has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Mason seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.

And that's the end of the fight!
Jacob Mason comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Mason has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. 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 Wesley Smith scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Downing scores the fight 27:30
Judge Frank Dennis scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Jacob Mason!