PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a bantamweight MMA rules bout between Barton Mathis (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Criss Defou (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Defou's choice of entrance music: Grimskunk - Rooftop Killer . We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Mathis
vs
Defou

184 cm
24
141 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

150 cm
25
130 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Decent boxing
Solid chin

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 Hilo, Barton Mathis!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Criss Defou!
The judges for this bout are Roger Salmon, Chris Saunders and Colin Fray.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Mathis will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Defou swings wildly with a couple of big hooks
and Mathis counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

Defou clinches with his opponent.
Mathis is trying to pull guard but Defou turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Defou throws a head punch that misses.

Defou breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Defou misses with a wild combination.
Defou is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Defou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Defou misses with a few strikes there.
Nice sprawl there from Defou as Mathis shoots in.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Barton Mathis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Defou stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Defou wants it to stay on the feet.
Criss Defou seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Defou has closed the distance and engaged Mathis in a clinch.

Defou pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Defou tries to clinch up.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Defou tries to keep at a distance but Mathis has taken the fight into the clinch.

Defou breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Defou tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Defou moves out of range as Mathis throws a body kick.
Mathis avoids a punch combination nicely.
A punch combination from Defou misses.
Defou displays good takedown defense there as he swats away a double leg from Mathis.
Mathis tries to land with a swinging hook to the body but Defou was well out of range. Poor timing from Mathis.
Defou throws a series of punches but Mathis avoids them all with ease.
Mathis fails in his attempt to clinch.
Defou misses with a double jab
and Mathis counters with a series of strikes. Defou will be more careful next time no doubt.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Some wild striking there from Mathis.

Defou drives through and clinches with Mathis against the cage.

Mathis breaks the clinch.
Mathis is trying hard to land a takedown here. Defou sprawls well and keeps this one on the feet.
Defou misses with a jab, cross combination.
Defou looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Mathis tries to bum rush Defou with a series of wild strikes but Defou uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Defou dodges the punch combination from Mathis.
Defou swings away but doesn't land with a series of punches.

Mathis clinches.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Defou has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Defou.
Defou has had enough of the clinch and is looking to separate.
Mathis tries to circle away but Defou has him pinned against the cage.

Mathis breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Defou misses with a two punch combination.
A telegraphed takedown attempt from Defou is defended easily by Mathis.
Defou looks winded!
Mathis throws a body kick but he was well out of range there.
Mathis really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
Mathis shoots in but Defou avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Defou fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Defou.

Defou tries to keep at a distance but Mathis has taken the fight into the clinch.
Defou tries to circle away but Mathis has him pinned against the cage.
Mathis throws an elbow but it misses.
Mathis prevents Defou from breaking the clinch.
Defou working hard to break the clinch.
A frustrated look appears on Defou's face as he tries to break the clinch.

Defou's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
A punch combination from Mathis misses.
Mathis fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.
Defou fails with an attempt to clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close round but Criss Defou will probably get the nod.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business.

Defou misses with a jab, cross combination.
Mathis misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Mathis avoids a low kick by using good footwork.
Mathis throws a right hand that Defou ducks under and follows up with a left that Defou also avoids with ease.
Mathis moves in looking to clinch but Defou pushes him off.
Defou fails with an attempt to clinch.
Barton Mathis is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Mathis swings away with a leg kick that misses.
Mathis tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Mathis walks into a jab.
Criss Defou seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Mathis tries to drive through with a takedown attempt but Defou defends well and Mathis ends up having to push Defou into the cage where they will battle it out in the clinch.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Mathis.
A bit of stalling here from Mathis.
Defou swings wildly with an uppercut but Mathis uses good head movement to avoid it.
An uppercut on the inside fails to land for Defou.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Defou lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Mathis backwards.
Defou goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Mathis pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Defou clinches with his opponent.

Defou's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Defou motions for Mathis to come forward. Defou throws a leg kick but it misses it's target.
Defou misses with the combination.
Defou is looking to clinch but Mathis is avoiding it.
Defou misses with a wild combination.
Defou throws a sloppy body shot
and Defou takes a counter punch right on the button for his troubles.
Defou looks to score with a combo but nothing lands.
Defou is breathing heavily.
Mathis fails to land the takedown.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Defou shoots for a double leg takedown but Mathis sprawls well. He's pushed Defou's face into the mat and manages to get back to his feet relatively easily.

Defou closes the distance and clinches.
Defou is trying to push Mathis away but Mathis has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.
Defou wants to break the clinch but can't.
Mathis slows down the pace here.
Mathis is trying to pull guard but being pressed up against the cage enables Defou to keep the fight standing.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Barton Mathis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Defou wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mathis has him pressed against the cage.

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

Mathis clinches with his opponent.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Defou has a couple of punches blocked by Mathis.
Mathis tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Defou just stands there and leans against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Mathis goes for a takedown in the clinch but Defou prevents it.

The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Defou's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Mathis circles away from the clinch attempt.
Mathis tries to clinch but Defou is having none of it.
Defou tries to close the distance and clinch but Mathis swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.

Defou moves into the clinch.
Defou tries to circle away but Mathis has him pinned against the cage.
Defou wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Mathis has him pressed against the cage.
A battle for position here, against the cage.
Defou is trying to push Mathis away but Mathis has him pressed against the cage, so he's going nowhere.

Defou breaks from the clinch.
Mathis avoids the clinch attempt nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Defou lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Mathis circles away quickly and effectively.
Mathis doesn't manage to clinch there - Defou circles away.
Mathis swats away the attempt to clinch by Defou.
Defou stuffs the takedown attempt from Mathis. Mathis gets slowly back to his feet.
Mathis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Defou.
Defou throws a right and a left that both miss.
Defou tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
The fight stays on the outside here - Mathis looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Mathis shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Defou as he avoids it easily.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Criss Defou 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!

Mathis changes levels and looks for a double leg takedown. Defou tries to avoid it but Mathis manages to keep hold of a leg and drag Defou to the ground. Defou escapes though and pops straight back up to his feet.
Defou fails to land with a series of punches.
Mathis fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Defou avoids it really well and circles away.
Mathis showing good head movement there, avoiding the strikes from Defou.
Defou waving his hands out in front of him, looking to distract Mathis.
Defou throws a left and a right that both miss

and Mathis counters by clinching up.
Defou lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.

Defou breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Defou stuffs a takedown. It's all about dictating where the fight takes place and Defou wants it to stay on the feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Barton Mathis. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Defou wings a very wild body shot but it does the job and lands to the midsection.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Mathis shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Defou but Defou pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
A punch combination from Defou misses.
Defou keeps the fight on the outside.
Defou throws a combination that misses
and Mathis counters with a lovely straight right hand!
No luck with that takedown attempt from Mathis.
Mathis avoids a punch combination nicely.
Defou moves in looking to clinch but Mathis pushes him off.

Mathis rushes Defou and presses him up against the cage.

Defou pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.

Defou moves into the clinch successfully.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Defou pushes off and circles away, back to the middle of the mat.
Defou doesn't manage to clinch there - Mathis circles away.
Defou fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.

Mathis throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Defou was covering up waiting for the punch and Mathis finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Mathis trying to control but Defou is working from the bottom.
Defou will have to put a bit more behind his punches if he's going to do any damage from this position.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Mathis with a flurry of punches that miss.
Defou is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Defou doesn't do any damage with a couple of strikes from the bottom.
Mathis being controlled here momentarily.
Defou is trying to keep Mathis in close.

OK we're going to have a standup here. Criss Defou hasn't been effective enough on the ground and the referee wants a restart.
Mathis closes the distance and clinches up with Defou, looking for a takedown. Mathis pushes Defou against the cage but Defou circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Mathis darts in looking for a takedown but Defou gets double underhooks and turns Mathis into the cage.
Criss Defou seems to be working more effectively in the clinch in the fight so far.

Defou manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Mathis tries to bum rush Defou with a series of wild strikes but Defou uses good footwork to avoid the assault.
Defou throws a right hand that Mathis ducks under and follows up with a left that Mathis also avoids with ease.
Nice sprawl there from Defou as Mathis shoots in.
Danga de danga de dang - Defou scores with a four punch combination!
Defou misses with a jab, cross combination.
Defou throws a right and a left that Mathis avoids nicely.

Mathis has Defou up against the cage in a clinch.
Mathis tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Defou just stands there and leans against the cage.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
A head punch on the inside from Defou fails to land.
Mathis has had enough of the clinch but Defou keeps him there for the moment.
Barton Mathis has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Criss Defou is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.
Defou blocks a couple of punches on the inside.

And that's the end of the fight!
Criss Defou comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Defou 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 Roger Salmon scores the fight 27:30
Judge Chris Saunders scores the fight 27:30
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Criss Defou!
Post fight, an emotional Criss Defou said 'Someone can tell me where I am? And who's the fuck you all are?'.