PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Yasser Arafat (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Matt Lincoln (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Lincoln's choice of entrance music: Mottaka by Queso. I can't wait for this one - let's get the fighter introductions out of the way and get this one started!

Arafat
vs
Lincoln

177 cm
23
152 lbs
4 - 2 - 0

171 cm
22
148 lbs
5 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Cardio machine

Good wrestler
Lethal high kicks
Granite chin

Vandal Fight Boutique & Laundry

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 4 - 2 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Yasser Arafat!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Matt Lincoln!
The judges for this bout are Jack Bonds, and Timothy Bukovac.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Lincoln tries to score with a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Lincoln takes a jab on the nose there. A little bit of blood seems to be coming out. Hopefully that won't affect his breathing.
Lincoln misses with a hook. Arafat ducked under it nicely.
Nice straight punches there by Arafat. You know Roy Jones Jr respects the hands of Arafat.
Arafat on the wrong end of a nice hook.
Arafat is the aggressor but that punch slipped nicely by Lincoln.
Lincoln gets his head snapped back by a nice shot there.
Lincoln swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.

Lincoln clinches up against the cage.
Lincoln presses Arafat against the cage and delivers a mid-strength body shot.
Arafat blocks an uppercut.
Arafat is working hard here but doesn't seem to be able to control effectively, up against the cage.
A head punch on the inside from Lincoln fails to land.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lincoln keeps control of Arafat as he tries to wriggle out of the double underhooks.
Lincoln working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Lincoln throws a hook to the body. More of an arm punch but it's all scoring with the judges.
Arafat tries to break free but Lincoln pushes him back against the cage.
A short left from Lincoln.
Lincoln tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Arafat's elbow.
Lincoln scores with a shoulder strike.
A hook to the body from Lincoln.
Lincoln misses with a hook to the ribs.
Lincoln lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Arafat blocks an uppercut.
A right hand to the body from Lincoln.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
A head punch on the inside from Lincoln fails to land.
A short right hand to the side of the head by Lincoln.
Still in the clinch, Lincoln scores with a nice short uppercut.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Lincoln.
Lincoln stalling in the clinch.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lincoln lands with a quick shot inside that doesn't really do much damage.
Lincoln tries to throw a body punch but Arafat avoids it by throwing Lincoln back against the cage.
Lincoln scores with a shot to the side of Arafat's head.
Arafat blocks an uppercut.
Arafat wants to break free but Lincoln has control.
Still in the clinch, Lincoln scores with a nice short uppercut.
Lincoln displaying some good clinch control by pressing Arafat up against the cage.
Lincoln misses with a shot to the kidneys.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arafat wants to strike at distance but he can't break free of the clinch.
Nice body punch from Lincoln - that landed with a thud.
Lincoln fails to land with a short punch on the inside.
Arafat wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Lincoln has him pressed against the cage.
Lincoln working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Lincoln lands with a short punch from the clinch.

Arafat is rocked!
Lincoln keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Arafat's efforts to push away.
Lincoln can't find room to land a body shot as Arafat controls the action.
Lincoln will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Arafat up against the cage.
Arafat blocks a body shot from Lincoln.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Lincoln breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Arafat misses with a right hand
and Lincoln counters with a good low kick that Arafat was not able to check.
Arafat misses with a looping left.
Lincoln pivots as if he's going to throw a leg kick but stops half way.
Lincoln lands a nice looking body kick.
Arafat takes a shot to the nose. Hopefully that hasn't broken it.
Lincoln scores with a leg kick.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A thudding body kick lands there by Lincoln!
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!

Lincoln clinches with his opponent.
Lincoln lands a body shot.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Lincoln dominated that round.
The fighters' corners scream their final instructions, as the referee calls time. Here we go, back to the action!

Arafat throws a jab when Lincoln was well out of range.
Lincoln throws the kick towards the body but Arafat avoids it.
Ouch! a nice leg kick from Lincoln, right into the meat.
Lincoln throws a hook to the side of Arafat's head but Arafat sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Arafat moves out of range as Lincoln throws a body kick.
Lincoln lands with a cross.

Lincoln has Arafat up against the cage in a clinch.
Lincoln lands a nice uppercut.
Lincoln lands a left hand.
Lincoln lands with a light punch inside.
Lincoln is struggling to control the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Lincoln has a couple of punches blocked by Arafat.
Lincoln holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Lincoln's coach down at CW's Elite Kung-Fu Academy was telling us pre-fight that they have been working on Lincoln's balance. Obviously they view that as a key factor in the outcome of this fight.
Arafat trying to stall but Lincoln improves his position.
Lincoln misses with a hook from the clinch.
Arafat prevents a body shot from Lincoln.
Arafat blocks a couple of punches on the inside.
Arafat blocks an uppercut.
Matt Lincoln seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.
Lincoln misses with a hook from the clinch.
Lincoln scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Lincoln working aggressively here.
Lincoln prevents Arafat from breaking the clinch.
Arafat definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln misses with a punch to the body.

Lincoln breaks the clinch.
Arafat throws a body punch but Lincoln moves out of range.
Lincoln doesn't manage to clinch there - Arafat circles away.
Lincoln throws a series of punches but Arafat moves out of range.
Arafat blocks a head kick by Lincoln.
Lincoln slips a straight right by Arafat.
Lincoln fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Arafat checks it well.
Lincoln jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Arafat has his front leg slapped to the side - a nice low kick landing there from Lincoln.
A thudding body kick lands there by Lincoln!
Arafat throws a jab but it's blocked by Lincoln.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arafat misses with a looping right.
Lincoln tries to work over Arafat's front leg with a kick but Arafat checks it.
Arafat dodges the punch combination from Lincoln.

Lincoln instigates a clinch.
Lincoln stalling against the cage.
Lincoln lands a right hand that snaps the head of Arafat backwards.
Lincoln tries a body shot but Arafat blocks it.
Lincoln just leaning against Arafat, taking a breather.
Lincoln tries to throw a body punch but Arafat avoids it by throwing Lincoln back against the cage.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln slowing the pace effectively.
Lincoln scores with a shoulder strike.
Arafat manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
Lincoln working some nice short punches in the clinch.
Lincoln scores with an uppercut up the middle.
Lincoln swings away with an uppercut that misses.

Lincoln's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Arafat blocks a low kick nicely.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Lincoln tries to land a front kick but Arafat steps back. That was a bit too telegraphed.
Ooooh, nice body kick lands from Lincoln. Arafat shrugs it off though.
Arafat tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Matt Lincoln showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Lincoln scores with a slapping inside leg kick.
Arafat ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Lincoln moves away.
Lincoln lands a nice looking body kick.
Arafat thows a left - swing and a miss!
Lincoln fails with an attempt to clinch.
Like a baseball bat into the meat of his leg there - nice leg kick by Lincoln.
Lincoln lands a kick to the ribs of his opponent. Nice work there - in and out in a flash.
Arafat throws a big shot that misses.
Arafat is really head hunting here, hardly looking to strike to the body at all.

Lincoln moves into the clinch.
Lincoln lands a body punch in the clinch.

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

That's one minute gone in the round.
Arafat rushes in with a sloppy looking punch
and Lincoln counters with a good low kick that Arafat was not able to check.
Arafat is hobbling a little on that front leg after taking quite a few leg kicks so far in this fight.
Arafat avoids a kick to the body.
Lincoln lands three nice shots there - that looked like it hurt!

Lincoln pushes Arafat up against the cage in a clinch.

Lincoln's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Crunch! Lincoln slams his shin into Arafat's torso.
Lincoln looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Lincoln lands a jab to the nose.
Matt Lincoln seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Arafat scores with a body shot.
Lincoln swinging wildly here.
Arafat throws a hook but Lincoln blocks it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln connects with a leg kick. He turned his hip over nicely there.
Lincoln throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Arafat sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Lincoln tried to score with a low kick but Arafat checks it.
Arafat sees a low kick coming and goes to check it, but it's actually a body kick and it thuds into his unprotected ribs.
Arafat cracks a nice hook into Lincoln's ribs.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Lincoln moves into range and lands a nice leg kick.
Arafat takes a jab right on the nose. That must have hurt but he shrugs his shoulders and looks to return the favor.
Lincoln needs to keep his hands up - Arafat had a free shot at his head there.
Arafat takes a nice looking leg kick right on the meat of his thigh there.
Lincoln lands a leg kick that knocks Arafat off balance momentarily.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Arafat misses the shot to the body.
Matt Lincoln seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Lincoln is looking to clinch but Arafat is avoiding it.
Lincoln slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Lincoln throws out a leg kick but Arafat moves out of range and Lincoln only half commits.
Lincoln swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Lincoln throws a nice outside leg kick.
Arafat waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Lincoln.
A solid leg kick lands there for Lincoln.
Lincoln throws a decent looking leg kick but it doesn't land clean.
Lincoln uses good footwork to avoid the strikes from Arafat.
Matt Lincoln is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Lincoln has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Lincoln connects with a looping right hand.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Lincoln's jab looks to have found its range, popping Arafat under the eye.
Arafat misses with a left hand
and Lincoln counters with a good low kick that Arafat was not able to check.
Lincoln lands a jab followed by a nice looking cross.
Lincoln throws a push kick but Arafat slaps the foot to one side.
Arafat blocks the body kick.
Yasser Arafat has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
That's a knee to de groin and it's over and out! Arafat crumples to the ground after an illegal strike from Lincoln - the referee stops the clock and Arafat gets 5 minutes to recover from that one. "I'm sorry" says Lincoln. Arafat manages to get back to his feet and the fight resumes.
Lincoln cracks Arafat with an open hand slap.
Lincoln cracks Arafat with a right hand to the side of the head.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Lincoln lands a jab. Then a cross. Then finally a nice hook to the body. Good work there by Lincoln.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Lincoln throws a sloppy head kick and Arafat moves out of range easily.

And that's the end of the fight!
Matt Lincoln comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Lincoln 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 Jack Bonds scores the fight 27:30
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight 27:30
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Matt Lincoln!
During a confident post fight interview, Matt Lincoln thanked all his fans. He seemed very genuine when describing how motivated his fans keep him.