PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a light heavyweight MMA rules bout between Mike Matthews (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Marcus Almeida (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). On his way into the cage it seems that Mike Matthews has been attacked by a crazed fan! It looks like it might have been the just bleed guy! Luckily Mike Matthews seems to be OK! I thought that lunatic was in prison!?

Matthews
vs
Almeida

205 cm
22
200 lbs
6 - 10 - 0

192 cm
26
220 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

BJJ Purple Belt
Decent elbows
Cardio machine

BJJ Brown Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

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 6 - 10 - 0, fighting out of London, Mike Matthews!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of London, Marcus Almeida!
The judges for this bout are Daniel Bishop, Donald Grub and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Matthews cracks Almeida with an open hand slap.
Matthews fails to land with a series of punches.
Matthews keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Almeida.
Mike Matthews seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Both fighters circling a little - Matthews finishes the exchange with a kick to the body.
Almeida fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Matthews avoids it really well and circles away.
Matthews is looking to clinch but Almeida is avoiding it.
Almeida takes a shot to the body in his stride.
Almeida has a takedown stuffed.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
An inside leg kick lands from Matthews.
Matthews lands with a two punch combination before moving back out of range.

It looks like Marcus Almeida has been cut.
A really sloppy takedown attempt there from Almeida.
Mike Matthews has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Marcus Almeida.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matthews tries to clinch there but Almeida circles away.
Matthews cracks the inside of Almeida's front leg.
Matthews lands with a nice body punch.
Almeida shoots in looking for a takedown. Matthews tries to sprawl out of it but Almeida keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Matthews manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Matthews fakes and then throws a beautiful body shot. Almeida looks a bit winded and takes a step backwards to take a breath.

Matthews shoots in looking for a single leg takedown. Almeida is trying to defend but Matthews finishes it well and ends up in half guard. Let's see if he can advance position further.
Almeida moves into full guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida keeping full guard, as Matthews tries to pass.
Almeida has a butterfly guard looking to sweep but Matthews has passed into side control.
Matthews working the ground and pound.
Matthews works to advance to full mount. Almeida defends for a few seconds but eventually he succumbs.
Wooooo! Give it up for these two warriors! They are putting on a show!
Almeida is in all sorts of trouble here.
Matthews will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
Matthews definitely looks more muscular than last time we saw him fight.
Matthews lands a couple of good shots and Almeida has given up his back, trying to escape the position!
Matthews landing with strikes.
Almeida wants to control his opponent's hands but Matthews gets his hands free.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Matthews controlling well, preventing Almeida from escaping the position.
Almeida manages to reverse the position and now he's in Matthews's guard. Nice work there by Almeida.
Almeida throws an elbow that misses. Matthews uses the momentum to reverse the position. He's now in Almeida's guard. Nice move by Matthews!

Almeida looking for submissions from the bottom but instead Matthews passes into side control.
Matthews wants to stand but Almeida is controlling his arm.
Almeida is looking to reverse the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Almeida regains half guard.
Matthews wants to stand up but Almeida is controlling the position.
Almeida is trying to get back to full guard.
Almeida is refusing to be controlled, as Matthews sits in half guard.

Almeida looking to work for a kimura from the bottom.
Matthews trying to control from half guard but Almeida is working away.
Almeida is holding on to half guard well.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Matthews dominated that round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Almeida's cut.
Well, the break between rounds is over. Let's get back to the scrappin!

Almeida has his head snapped back a nice jab. A little nod from Almeida there as he acknowledges the shot.
Matthews slaps away a takedown attempt from Almeida, before circling back to the center of the mat.
Almeida shoots in looking for a takedown. Matthews tries to sprawl out of it but Almeida keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Matthews manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Matthews drops down looking for a counter takedown but Almeida sprawls and moves away.
Matthews throws a right hand that Almeida ducks under and follows up with a left that Almeida also avoids with ease.
Matthews fakes a head punch and goes low to the body. Nicely done.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Almeida throws a jab when Matthews was well out of range.
Matthews scores with a nice strike.
Matthews wants to clinch.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matthews shoots in and gets a takedown into Almeida's guard.
Matthews tries to free his leg and advance position but Almeida is retaining full guard.
Matthews really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Almeida is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Matthews content to stall in guard here.
Matthews trying to control the position from guard on top but Almeida is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Almeida is doing well to control the posture of his opponent and prevent any damage.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matthews wants to control from the top but Almeida keeps moving.
Almeida keeping full guard, as Matthews tries to pass.
Matthews postures up and lands some nice ground and pound.
Matthews working some strikes from top position.
Matthews postures up.
Matthews trying to control but Almeida is working from the bottom.
Matthews won't allow Almeida to sweep him here.
Matthews slips nicely into half guard.
Almeida gets back to full guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Almeida throwing his legs up looking for a triangle.

Almeida looking for subs off his back but Matthews has passed one foot through into half guard.
Matthews prevents Almeida from improving his position.
Almeida desperately trying to maintain half guard.
Matthews is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Almeida can do to turn this around?
Matthews thows a huge punch but Almeida dodges it nicely.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.
Matthews wants to take a breather but Almeida is having none of it.
Mike Matthews overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Almeida has hold of Matthews's hands but Matthews slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.
Almeida won't allow Matthews to pass to mount.
Matthews landing with strikes to the body and head, softening up his opponent.
Almeida is trying to get back to full guard.
Matthews is taking a breather. Almeida says something to him but it's hard to make out. Perhaps he's telling him to get on with it and actually do something.
Almeida trying to control from the bottom.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Almeida moves into full guard.

Matthews got a little sloppy there for a moment and Almeida has worked his way into a loose triangle - can he finish it?! No, Matthews has managed to get both his arms back between Almeida's legs - danger averted.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Mike Matthews dominated that second round.
The cut man is working on Marcus Almeida's cut.
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!

Matthews throws a nice outside leg kick.

Almeida dives in and scores a takedown into Matthews's guard.
Almeida throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Matthews works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Matthews keeping full guard, as Almeida tries to pass.
Matthews keeping moving, preventing Almeida from controlling successfully.
Almeida stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matthews swivels though and keeps the full guard.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matthews avoiding any damage from the ground and pound.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Almeida missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
Almeida landing some decent shots from guard.
Almeida trying to control the position from guard on top but Matthews is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Almeida looking to sit in guard and control but Matthews gets the butterfly guard and sweeps. He's now in the guard on the top.

Almeida throws his legs up looking for a submission but Matthews uses it to pass to side control.
Matthews wants to stand but Almeida is controlling his arm.
Matthews wants to lay and pray for a moment but Almeida keeps working.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Almeida has one of Matthews's arms on lockdown, trying to prevent him from doing any damage.
Almeida is trying to improve his position.
Almeida manages to get back to half guard.
Matthews works his foot free and advances to mount.
Almeida bucks up and manages to get a nice reversal! He's in guard on the top - nicely done!
Almeida postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Almeida accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Almeida wants to pass the guard but Matthews is keeping the position.
Almeida throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Almeida stands and throws Matthews's legs to the side, diving into side control.

Almeida is trying to get an arm triangle but Matthews is defending well.

Almeida tries for a kimura but Matthews is defending well.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Well. There's a bit of a lull in the action here and the crowd are starting to get restless.

Almeida tries for an arm triangle. That looks pretty tight to me. Is this one over!?! Possibly, maybe, no Almeida has let go of the choke. Obviously it wasn't as tight as we thought!
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Matthews parries the strikes from Almeida easily there. Almeida is wary of posturing up too much because it might enable Matthews to escape.
Mike Matthews is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!

Almeida is looking for a kimura. He might have it! No, Matthews has escaped the position, nice work there.
Almeida postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.

And that's the end of the fight!
Marcus Almeida comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Matthews has outscored his opponent in every aspect of the fight today. Only a scarily incompetent judge or two will keep him from a well deserved win... 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 Daniel Bishop scores the fight 29:28
Judge Donald Grub scores the fight 29:28
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight 29:28

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Mike Matthews!
A victorious Mike Matthews thanked his army of followers in his post fight interview, telling people to make sure they follow him on Twitter.