PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Mathias Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Joe Kelly (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Kelly has chosen Killing In The Name as his entrance music. Both fighters look fresh as a daisy as they make their way towards the cage.

Matthews
vs
Kelly

175 cm
20
160 lbs
0 - 1 - 0

181 cm
25
168 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
KO power

BJJ Purple Belt
Excellent boxer
Granite chin

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 0 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Mathias Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Joe Kelly!
The judges for this bout are Micheangelo Fripello, Colin Fray and Paul Gruel.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Kelly swings and misses with a hook to the body.

Kelly tries to keep at a distance but Matthews has taken the fight into the clinch.
Matthews leaning his opponent against the cage.
Kelly wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Matthews has him pressed against the cage.
Matthews trying to land knees to the body.
Matthews lands a nice elbow.
Matthews lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!

It looks like Joe Kelly has been cut.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Matthews jumps into guard, dragging Kelly to the mat.
Kelly pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Matthews is keeping the position for now.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matthews looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Matthews working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Kelly.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matthews looking for a sweep. Not yet Matthews, not yet.
Matthews is trying to keep Kelly in close.

Kelly drops back, looking for a kneebar! Matthews looks panicked! The fighters roll across the mat, one looking to finish, one looking to escape. Matthews looks to have wriggled free... Yes, he's got his leg free and he's dived into side control! Good work there from Matthews!

Matthews avoids the strikes from the bottom by Kelly.
Kelly tries to get back to half guard but can't.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Matthews tries for a kimura but Kelly is defending well.
Kelly is trying to get back to half guard. He's pushing on Matthews's leg. He's managed it. Nice work.
Kelly felt the need to train up his defensive grappling in the buildup to the fight. Presumably he was expecting to be in a difficult position like this, so let's see if he can get out of it.
Matthews uses his free foot to push down on Kelly's thigh. Eventually he works his other foot free and he's advanced to mount - this is trouble for Kelly.
Kelly tries to control the position but Matthews now has his back.
Kelly trying to control but he's just got himself in more trouble.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews has the hooks in. Kelly is trying to push off one leg but he has to do so cautiously to avoid being submitted.

Matthews is working really hard to secure the rear naked choke. Kelly defends successfully for a significant amount of time. Both fighters are looking very determined.
Matthews avoiding Kelly 's attempts to control his hands.
Even with his hooks in, Matthews manages to miss with strikes from the back.
Kelly wants to escape the position.
Matthews lands with a big left hand that may well have hurt his opponent. Can Kelly hold on?!
Matthews connects with a series of strikes and the referee is calling for Kelly to escape the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matthews seems to be going for a rear naked choke. He has an arm under Kelly's chin but Kelly turns very nicely into Matthews's guard. Good BJJ skills being displayed there by Kelly.
Kelly throws a big right hand that misses.
Matthews not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Matthews keeping moving, preventing Kelly from controlling successfully.
Kelly throws a big right hand that misses.
Matthews is breathing heavily.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kelly slips nicely into half guard.

Kelly seems to be looking for submissions.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mathias Matthews dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Joe Kelly's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action.

Kelly throws a nice looking combination but Matthews bobs and weaves to avoid any damage.

Matthews closes the distance and clinches.
Matthews avoiding damage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Matthews gets the body lock takedown. After a quick scramble, Kelly regains guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly wants to stand but Matthews is controlling the position.
Matthews has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.
Kelly trying to control the position.
Matthews with a flurry of punches that miss.
Matthews trying to control the position from guard on top but Kelly is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.

Kelly looking for submissions from the bottom here. Moving his hips around, possibly looking for an armbar.
Matthews trying to control the position from guard on top but Kelly is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matthews looks to be in better condition than last time we saw him fight. Obviously he's been working hard on his cardio.
Mathias Matthews overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are showing their displeasure at the lack of action as loud boos ring out around the arena.

Matthews drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Matthews jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.

Kelly escapes his hips to the side and looks to be working for an armbar. Matthews gives him a little smile and shakes his head. No chance.
Matthews trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Matthews trying to control the position from guard on top but Kelly is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Matthews is going to have to think about doing something other than just controlling because Kelly is managing to avoid having the position dictated to him.
Both fighters are absolutely exhausted here.
Matthews postures up in Kelly's guard and throws a big left but Kelly blocks it.
Matthews is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Kelly can do to turn this around?

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Kelly looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Kelly is looking to stand up but Matthews isn't so interested in that idea.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Kelly not looking particularly offensive just at the moment.
Kelly keeping moving, preventing Matthews from controlling successfully.

Kelly is active off his back here, looking for submissions.
Kelly looking for a sweep. Not yet Kelly, not yet.
Kelly is trying to control the position but Matthews postures up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Kelly has his foot on Matthews's thigh. He's trying to push off and get in position for a triangle, I think. Matthews works his way back into a safe position though.
Kelly throwing strikes off his back to little effect.

Kelly working for a triangle but Matthews defends it easily.

Matthews avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Kelly wants to sweep but no luck.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Kelly is throwing his legs up, looking for submissions. Matthews is aware though and is defending well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

A close second round but Joe Kelly will probably get the nod - 10:9.
The cut man is working on Joe Kelly's cut.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Kelly falls off balance throwing a combination

and Matthews counters with a takedown into side control.
Kelly tries to escape but Matthews is in control.
Kelly can't do much from the bottom here.
Kelly seems a little lost for a moment, as Matthews dominates the positioning.
Matthews cracks Kelly with a big right hand but Kelly just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.

Matthews wants to work for a kimura but he's foiled early by Kelly, who protects the arm well.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Kelly looking for a sweep but Matthews has passed into full mount! Oh no!
Matthews landing shots from mount.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Kelly really wants to buck Matthews off and get back to his feet.
Kelly working to try and regain half guard.
Matthews postures up and cracks his opponent a couple of times before moving back into close ground control. Kelly looks a forlorn figure.
Matthews connects with a couple of good shots from mount.
Kelly wants to control but Matthews is having none of it.
Matthews tries to control but Kelly wriggling away.
Matthews controlling from mount.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matthews lands a couple of good shots and Kelly has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Matthews gets his hands free as Kelly looks to control.
Kelly wants to escape the position.
Matthews gets his hands free as Kelly looks to control.
Kelly rolls, trying to escape but Matthews keeps control of the position.
Matthews lands shots from the back.

Kelly is displaying good submission defense - not really looking in danger of submitting to the rear naked choke at the moment. That could change in an instant of course if Matthews gets his way!
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Matthews is working the ground and pound here and the referee is taking a close look at Kelly. He must escape soon or this one will be stopped.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Kelly tries to escape the position - he's now mounted. Is that better or worse? Hard to tell!
Matthews avoids the attempt from Kelly to control.
Kelly is desperately trying to get back to half guard.
Matthews pausing momentarily but resumes with a couple of decent strikes that do a bit of damage.
Kelly wants to improve position but instead he's given up his back.
Kelly is really stuck here.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Matthews is working for the rear naked choke. He has one arm under the chin but Kelly has hold of the other arm. A bit of a stalemate here.
Kelly trying to get back to his feet but Matthews is in full control for now.
Kelly can't escape the position.
Matthews wants to control but Kelly is keeping busy.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Kelly is trying to stand back up.

And that's the end of the fight!
Mathias Matthews showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Matthews has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. 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 Micheangelo Fripello scores the fight 29:27
Judge Colin Fray scores the fight 29:27
Judge Paul Gruel scores the fight 29:27

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