PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Sydney Joseph (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Rafal Materla (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Rafal Materla will no doubt be trying to keep this one on the feet, where he has a distinct advantage.

Joseph
vs
Materla

204 cm
24
162 lbs
3 - 1 - 0

176 cm
23
168 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Likes comics

BJJ White Belt
Excellent MT
Tends to cut

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 3 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Sydney Joseph!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Rafal Materla!
The judges for this bout are Albert Achterberg, Wagner Zegers and Patrick Alders.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Materla tests Joseph's chin there with a solid looking shot.
Joseph misses with a shot to the body

and Materla counters by clinching up.
Materla utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.

Joseph gets a nice trip takedown into half guard.
Materla tries to get to full guard but Joseph has control of the leg.
Neither fighter is being very active at the moment, with Joseph in particular looking to stall.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Materla wants to control but Joseph is keeping busy.

Sydney Joseph has forced the referee to step in and bring the fight back to the feet.
Nice body punch from Materla.
Joseph shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Materla but Materla pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Donk. Materla catches Joseph right on the button with a cross.
Joseph takes a swing at Materla's ribcage but misses.

Materla gets a clinch.
Joseph is trying to force a seperation but Materla has the dominant position.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Materla is struggling to control the position.
Materla continues to stall. The referee tells him to work or he's going to break them up.
Joseph drops down for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Materla stalling here - the referee won't stand for too much of that.
Joseph looking to slow down the pace here.
Materla stalling against the cage.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Materla receives a warning from the referee for stalling.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Rafal Materla.
Joseph takes a body punch but keeps moving.

Joseph closes the distance and clinches.
Joseph is looking to break free of the clinch but Materla has double underhooks.
Joseph wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Materla has him pressed against the cage.
Materla has Joseph pushed against the cage.
Materla tried to land a shot to the body but connects with Joseph's elbow.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph wants a takedown but no success here.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sydney Joseph. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Materla leaning against his opponent.

Joseph breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Materla avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joseph tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
A lazy body kick from Joseph

and Materla counters by moving into the clinch. Good anticipation by Materla.
Some stalling of biblical proportions here from Materla.
Joseph really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Materla is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Joseph is defending well for now.
Materla manages to get underhooks and slows down the pace for a moment.
The crowd are getting on Materla's back here. They're not happy about his lack of aggression in the clinch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

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

Joseph tries a switch kick but it misses it's target.
Materla tries to clinch there but Joseph circles away.
Joseph misses with a two punch combination.
Materla throws a good cross that connects.
Materla swats away the attempt to clinch by Joseph.
Materla connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Joseph momentarily.
Joseph fails with the takedown

and Materla counters into the clinch. Nicely done.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Joseph on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Materla will no doubt start fighting again in a minute but for now he's just having a little rest, leaning Joseph up against the cage.
Materla creates a bit of distance and throws an elbow that only just misses.
Materla stalls.
Materla prevents a takedown attempt there.

Joseph breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Materla connects with a looping left hand that seems like it dazed Joseph momentarily.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Materla tries to clinch but Joseph moves out of range.
Sydney Joseph is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.
Joseph misses with a takedown attempt - Materla sprawls well and throws a nice strike on the way out which just misses.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sydney Joseph. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Joseph takes an uppercut right on the jaw but it doesn't phase him.
Joseph avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joseph has a takedown stuffed.

Materla rushes Joseph and pushes him back against the cage in a clinch.
Materla stalling the fight.
Materla stops a takedown attempt from Joseph.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph misses with a punch on the inside.
Materla stalling the fight.
Joseph goes for a takedown attempt but Materla pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Materla defends well against a solid takedown attempt from Joseph.
Materla tries to clinch up.
Materla lands a pitter patter jab to the forehead of his opponent.
Joseph is looking to clinch but Materla is avoiding it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph fails to land the takedown.
Joseph takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.
Joseph misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Joseph misses with a body kick.
Joseph throws a leg kick but Materla sees it coming and moves out of range.

Materla moves into the clinch successfully.
Materla leaning against his opponent.
Joseph on the defensive, avoiding the knees to the body.
Materla just leaning against Joseph, taking a breather.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Rafal Materla showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Joseph on the wrong end of a nice jab.
Joseph wants to clinch up but Materla keeps it at a distance.
Materla tries to clinch but Joseph moves out of range.
Materla tries to close the distance and clinch up but Joseph swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Materla tries to clinch but Joseph moves out of range.
Joseph avoids the clinch attempt nicely.
Joseph throws a sloppy head kick and Materla moves out of range easily.
Horrible takedown by Joseph or perhaps it was just good defense by Materla which made him look bad.
Materla slips in close and lands a nice hook before moving back out of range.
Joseph shoots in and drives through. Materla sprawls well.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Materla is looking to clinch but Joseph is avoiding it.
Materla works the jab nicely.
Materla misses with a half-hearted attempt at a head kick.
Materla scores with a kick to the midsection.
Materla goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Materla lands a head shot.
Materla lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.
Joseph takes one to the side of the head.
Joseph tries to score a power double leg takedown but Materla sees that one coming and sprawls well. That will dishearten Joseph somewhat.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Sydney Joseph. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Joseph tries to check the leg kick but that clearly hurt him.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Materla tries to close the distance and clinch up but Joseph swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Joseph tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Joseph tries for a takedown but Materla circles away easily

and Materla counters into the clinch. Nicely done.
Materla holding his opponent close, against the cage.
Joseph wants a takedown.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Materla is stalling here. The referee will be looking to step in if he doesn't pick up the pace.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Joseph tries for a takedown. No joy.
Joseph is looking for a takedown.
Materla has Joseph pressed against the cage.
Materla lands a nice knee to the body.
Materla dictating the pace here, as the fighters clinch against the cage.
The ref breaks the fighters up, due to lack of action by Rafal Materla.
Joseph walks into a straight right hand from Materla.
Rafal Materla is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Joseph takes a jab right on the kisser.
Joseph closes the distance and takes a jab right on the nose as he does so.
Materla lands a beauty of a right hand that gets the crowd cheering.

Materla darts in and clinches Joseph up against the cage.
Materla slowing the pace effectively.
Joseph drops down looking for an ankle pick but Materla pulls his leg out and moves away.
Joseph shoots in with a takedown attempt and he has Materla pinned against the cage. Materla gets the underhooks and manages to circle away.

And that's the end of the fight!
Rafal Materla comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Materla 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 Albert Achterberg scores the fight 27:30
Judge Wagner Zegers scores the fight 27:30
Judge Patrick Alders scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Rafal Materla!