PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Matthew Phoenix (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Math Rastafari (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Phoenix comes into the arena with Bath Salt- ASVP Rocky, A$ap ANT, flatbush zombies blaring out of the sound system. The crowd giving both fighters a great reception on their way into the arena. That's good to see.

Phoenix
vs
Rastafari

194 cm
24
221 lbs
5 - 5 - 0

176 cm
29
210 lbs
21 - 13 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

BJJ Purple Belt
Good low kicks
Good gas tank

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 5 - 5 - 0, fighting out of New York, Matthew Phoenix!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 21 - 13 - 0, fighting out of New York, Math Rastafari!
The judges for this bout are Anthony Taglia, Steve Montenegro and Jonathan Paton.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Phoenix missing with a left hand there. Rastafari was out of range so wasted energy throwing that one.
Phoenix throws a right hand that misses
and Rastafari makes the exchange count by landing a cracking kick to the body. Phoenix really felt that one!
Phoenix takes one on the chin but keeps coming.
Phoenix looks to score with a jab to the body but Rastafari is just out of range.
Phoenix throws a nice looking combination but Rastafari bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.
A bone on bone clash there as Rastafari blocks the leg kick.
Phoenix misses with a wild body shot.
Phoenix wants to clinch but Rastafari slips to the side
and Rastafari counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Phoenix thinking.
Rastafari connects with a solid leg kick.
Rastafari fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Phoenix looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rastafari swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.
The sound of bone on bone echoes around the arena as Phoenix checks a leg kick.
Phoenix works his jab well there, keeping his opponent at a distance.
A head kick misses from Rastafari.
Rastafari throws a head kick that misses
letting Phoenix counter with a right hand.
Rastafari throws a good cross that connects.
Phoenix darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
Rastafari looks to land a right hand but Phoenix moved out of range.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Phoenix misses with an uppercut. Rastafari saw that one coming.
Rastafari misses with a head kick.
Phoenix shakes his hands off, looking to compose himself, but takes a jab to the jaw whilst he does it.
Phoenix will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
A big right from Phoenix misses.
Rastafari takes an uppercut right on the button but keeps his composure.
Phoenix doesn't manage to clinch there - Rastafari circles away.
A jab from Rastafari does it's job there.
Rastafari turns his hip over beautifully as he lands a nice leg kick.
Rastafari throws a head kick that misses.
Rastafari avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rastafari swats away the attempt to clinch by Phoenix.
Rastafari loads up on a big right hand but Phoenix slips the punch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Nice shot by Rastafari.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
A leg kick checked by Rastafari.
Rastafari throws a right hand that Phoenix ducks under and follows up with a left that Phoenix also avoids with ease.
Rastafari scoring well with a low kick there.
Rastafari pulls out of a head kick attempt.
Rastafari throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Rastafari avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Rastafari misses with a head kick.
Phoenix avoids a punch combination nicely.
Phoenix will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Phoenix blocks a head kick by Rastafari.
Rastafari moves away from the strike by Phoenix.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rastafari throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Phoenix tries to clinch but fails miserably
and Phoenix takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Phoenix throws a monster uppercut resembling something out of street fighter but it doesn't land.
Phoenix tries to clinch up but Rastafari circles away and keeps his distance.
Rastafari keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Phoenix.
A telegraphed right hand from Phoenix misses the target.
Jab, jab by Rastafari - just one landing.
Phoenix blocks a head kick by Rastafari.
Phoenix misses the shot to the body.
Phoenix tries to close the distance and clinch but Rastafari swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Rastafari lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Phoenix circles away quickly and effectively.
Phoenix moves in looking to clinch but Rastafari pushes him off.
Phoenix chopped to the floor by a nice leg kick but he springs right back up before Rastafari can pounce on him.
Phoenix wants to clinch up but Rastafari keeps it at a distance.
Rastafari misses with a kick to the body.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rastafari swats away the attempt to clinch by Phoenix.
Phoenix is looking to clinch but Rastafari is avoiding it.
Phoenix throws out a token jab with nothing on it.
Phoenix darts in and out, connecting with a jab.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Phoenix bobs and weaves well there to avoid the strikes.
Rastafari throws a leg kick which misses Phoenix's front leg but catches the back leg as Phoenix tries to avoid it.

The fight moves into the clinch position.
Rastafari avoiding damage as Phoenix throws knees to the body.
Rastafari is leaning against Phoenix and scores with a nice uppercut to the body.

Rastafari's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Phoenix fakes with the hands and throws a leg kick but Rastafari is out of range.
Rastafari throws a quick inside leg kick.
Phoenix is breathing heavily.
Phoenix tries to clinch but Rastafari moves out of range.
Rastafari throws a head kick that connects with a bit of head and a bit of hand.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Math Rastafari dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Phoenix takes a body punch but keeps moving.

It looks like Matthew Phoenix has been cut.
Phoenix connects with a leg kick. Rastafari looked like he was expecting something else and didn't defend it.
Phoenix wants to clinch.
Phoenix tries to clinch up.
The fighters circling - Phoenix throws out the jab but it was never going to land.

Phoenix clinches up against the cage.

Rastafari breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.

Phoenix moves into range and clinches up with Rastafari.
Phoenix managing to block the knees to the body from Rastafari.
Rastafari wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Rastafari comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Phoenix lands with a light punch inside.

Rastafari escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Phoenix looks to score with a jab to the body but Rastafari is just out of range.
Math Rastafari seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rastafari lands a nice leg kick that just misses Phoenix's sensitive parts.

That's one minute gone in the round.
A low kick from Phoenix is predictable there
and Rastafari counters with a low kick, right behind Phoenix 's knee.
Rastafari slips under a jab from Phoenix.
Phoenix tries to close the distance and clinch up but Rastafari swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Rastafari swats away the attempt to clinch by Phoenix.
Rastafari lands with a thumping leg kick.
Rastafari stuns Phoenix with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Rastafari lands a front kick.
Phoenix walks into a stiff left hand from Rastafari.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Phoenix crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Rastafari - the referee stops the clock and Phoenix gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Rastafari. Phoenix manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Rastafari throws a right and a left that both miss.
Phoenix moves out of range of the body kick from Rastafari.
Rastafari lands with a cross to side of his opponent's head.
Phoenix waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Rastafari.
Rastafari throws a hook but Phoenix blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rastafari.
Phoenix avoids the head kick by Rastafari.
Rastafari tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Rastafari misses the shot to the body.
Rastafari tries to score with a low kick but Phoenix moves his leg out of the way.
The fighters circling - Rastafari throws out the jab but it was never going to land.
Phoenix throws a jab but it's blocked by Rastafari.
Phoenix tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Rastafari rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Phoenix moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rastafari misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Phoenix.
Phoenix has his hands up protecting his head but a hook from Rastafari finds it's way round the side to connect with Phoenix's head.
Rastafari stuns Phoenix with a nice body shot, before stepping back out of range.
We are yet to see a takedown attempt from Rastafari in the fight. On paper you would think he is the more dominant ground fighter so let's see if these unusual tactics pay off.
Rastafari tries to move into range but Phoenix moves to the side and lands with a nice right hand.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rastafari. Phoenix does a little dance to reset his feet.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Rastafari lands a high kick!
Rastafari changes levels and scores with a jab to the body.
Rastafari lands a jab to the head.
Phoenix keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Rastafari throws a head kick but Phoenix moves out of range.
A lazy left from Rastafari finds it's target.
Phoenix throws out a loose jab but Rastafari uses good head movement to avoid it.
Phoenix uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rastafari.
Rastafari scores with a reasonable looking shot to the body. Phoenix doesn't seem bothered though.
Rastafari lands a really nice looking cross but Phoenix seems unphased.
A swing and a miss from Phoenix.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Nice body kick there by Rastafari.
Rastafari connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Sloppy strikes from Rastafari. Those never looked like landing.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rastafari feints and then cracks Phoenix's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Phoenix down.
Nice uppercut there from Rastafari.
Phoenix throws a looping overhand right but Rastafari ducks down to avoid it.
Rastafari goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.

Matthew Phoenix's cut is getting worse.
Rastafari dips down and scores with a jab to the body.
A swing and a miss from Rastafari.
Phoenix throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Rastafari scores with a nice looking left hook and follows it up with an uppercut!
Rastafari lands with a nice body punch.
A nice leg kick lands there from Rastafari.
The crowd are going absolutely nuts as the round comes to an end - what a fantastic round of action!
Rastafari fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Phoenix has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Rastafari.
Rastafari lands a jab to the nose.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Math Rastafari showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The cut man is working on Matthew Phoenix's cut.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action. This is the final round!

Rastafari scores with a jab to the head.
Rastafari scores with a jab to the jaw.
Rastafari wants to slow Phoenix down by chopping away at his legs.
Rastafari connects with a hook to the side of his opponent's head.
Rastafari swings and misses with a hook to the body.
A low kick from Rastafari misses
and Phoenix cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rastafari looks to throw the jab but Phoenix is out of range.
Rastafari misses with a wild body shot.
Rastafari lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Rastafari.
Phoenix misses with a jab and misses with a cross straight after too.
Phoenix looks like he's developed a pretty tasty lump over his left eye. He'll need to avoid taking much more damage to that.
Rastafari throws a mid kick that lands with a slap.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rastafari slips a straight right by Phoenix.
Phoenix connects nicely with a jab. Noted by the judges no doubt.
Rastafari swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Phoenix.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Rastafari throws a perfectly timed hook that sends Phoenix crashing down! Phoenix tries to stagger back to his feet but Rastafari just hammers him until the ref stops the fight! A confused Phoenix asks the ref what just happened. Poor fella.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 1:06 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Math Rastafari!