PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a lightweight MMA rules bout between Reed Burch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jerko Matas (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Reed Burch has a significant reach advantage - let's see if he can make it count.

Burch
vs
Matas

206 cm
20
161 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

177 cm
18
158 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Cuts easily

BJJ Blue Belt
Brawler
Intelligent

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 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Reed Burch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Amsterdam, Jerko Matas!
The judges for this bout are Nard Betker, Paul Aken and Daniel Blasius.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Burch gets in close and instigates a clinch.

Matas breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Jerko Matas seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Matas throws a lazy right hand but Burch sees it coming a mile off and sidesteps it easily.
Matas shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Burch counters with a body kick that stops Matas in his tracks momentarily.
Burch throws a front kick that sends Matas stumbling back into the cage.

Burch moves into the clinch.
Good anti-grappling being displayed by Burch as Matas tries to tie him up.
Matas looking to stall.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Matas stalling.
Matas looks winded!

Matas breaks the clinch.
Matas misses with a low kick.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Matas gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Burch tries to throw a body punch but Matas avoids it by throwing Burch back against the cage.
Matas wants a takedown.
Matas is trying to pull guard but Burch has him pressed against the cage.
Reed Burch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jerko Matas.
Burch wants to break free. God knows he wants to breaaaak freeee.
Burch pushes Matas back against the cage and lands a hook to the side of the head.
Matas takes a knee to the side of the body.
Burch scores with a shot to the side of Matas's head.

Burch breaks the clinch.

Burch moves into the clinch.
Burch tries to pull guard but Matas holds him up against the cage and eventually Burch drops back down to his feet.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Matas goes for a takedown attempt but Burch pushes him away and we're back to fighting at a distance.
Burch really does look like a pencil wearing a pair of gloves. Let's hope he has a gameplan to suit that ridiculous body shape.

Burch moves into the clinch.

Burch jumps into guard, dragging Matas to the mat.
Matas stopping the sweep attempt from Burch.
Burch wants to get back to his feet but Matas is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Burch manages to sweep nicely, so he's now on top. Matas manages to get himself to full guard.

Burch will need to keep those long limbs tucked in whilst he's on the ground, to prevent any submissions.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Burch stands up over Matas, holding his feet. He dives back in and lands a decent shot to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Burch thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Burch accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Matas wants to get back to his feet but Burch is in a dominant position and won't allow it.
Burch working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Matas's head.
Burch lands a nice shot whilst sitting in his opponent's guard.

Burch stands up from Matas's guard - Burch perhaps looking for a knockout.

Burch closes the distance and clinches.
Burch jumps guard but Matas turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Burch breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burch clinches up with Matas and pushes him back against the cage.
Matas wants a takedown but no success here.
Burch is trying to break free.
Burch fails to pull guard.
Matas goes for a body shot but it's blocked.
Knees in the clinch landing for Burch.

Burch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Burch is looking to clinch but Matas is avoiding it.

Burch moves into the clinch.
Burch jumps guard but Matas turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reed Burch dominated that round.
That's time! Burch's corner gives him a slap on the ass as he gets ready to fight.

Burch has Matas up against the cage in a clinch.
Matas has hold of a leg and is looking for a trip takedown. Burch avoids it nicely though and we remain in the clinch.
Reed Burch has scored more points in the clinch so far.

Matas manages to break the clinch.

Burch gets to the clinch - let's see what his plan is here.
Matas jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Burch walks away with a smile on his face. Matas gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
Burch tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Matas manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.

Burch closes the distance and pushes Matas back into the cage.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The referee calls for Burch to work.
Matas tries to pull guard but Burch holds him up against the cage and eventually Matas drops back down to his feet.
Reed Burch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jerko Matas.
Matas is breathing heavily.

That's one minute gone in the round.

Burch escapes the clinch and we're back to striking.
Matas closes this distance looking for a takedown but Burch circles away.
Burch looked to counter that last move with a leg kick but didn't pull the trigger.

Burch clinches up with Matas and pushes him back against the cage.
Burch is really dominating this fight. Is there anything that Matas can do to turn this around?
Burch struggles to land a body shot inside as Matas controls his hands.
A right hook to the body lands for Burch.
Burch struggles to land a body shot inside as Matas controls his hands.
Burch jumps guard but Matas stands there with Burch around his waist. Burch gives up and drops back to his feet. We remain in the clinch.
Burch missing with knees to the body.
Burch lands a short shot on the inside that snaps the head of Matas backwards.

That's two minutes gone in the round.

Burch's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.
Burch tries to clinch there but Matas circles away.
And Matas tries to counter it with a takedown but Burch pushes his down on his head and steps out.
Burch fails in his attempt to clinch.
Matas tries a counter takedown but it's more of a dummy move, and he uses it to push himself away.
Nice takedown defense from Burch. No joy for Matas on that attempt.
It appears Burch was looking to counter with a kick there.

Burch moves into range and clinches up with Matas.

Burch manages to pull guard. Let's see whether he can land a sub off his back.

Burch looking for submissions off his back, moving his hips, looking for an opening.
Burch lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Burch lands a couple of elbows.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burch with a nice head shot there.
Burch working some strikes from top position.

Burch drops back for a leg! It's a sloppy attempt though and Burch jumps back into guard quickly, to retain the dominant position.
Burch stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Matas swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Burch throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Matas works some decent striking defense from the bottom.

Burch stands up from guard. Let's bang!

Burch rushes Matas and presses him up against the cage.
Burch missing with knees to the body.
Burch works on Matas's body with a couple of short punches.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Burch stalling the fight.
Burch slowing the pace effectively.
Burch misses with a punch to the body.
Burch lands a right uppercut that snaps the head of Matas backwards.
Matas misses with a body punch.
Matas is trying to break free.
Matas tries to pull guard but Burch forces him back to his feet, against the cage.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.

Burch jumps into guard, dragging Matas to the mat.
Reed Burch overall seems to be getting the better of the ground position in the fight so far.
Burch lands a beautiful sweep and he's now moved into his opponent's guard.

Matas working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Burch.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Reed Burch dominated that second round.
The referee calls time. The cornermen exit stage left and we're back to business. This is the final round!

Matas gets tackled into the cage by Burch. Burch maintains the clinch.
Matas trying to land knees to the body.
Matas can't get the takedown.
Burch working on landing some head shots here - that one got through nicely.
Matas jumps guard but Burch turns him against the cage and keeps the fight standing.

Burch breaks the clinch and we return to the middle of the mat.
Burch is looking to take this fight into the clinch.
Matas feints the counter takedown.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
The fight stays on the outside here - Burch looks like he's thinking about clinching though.
Burch tries to clinch but Matas is having none of it.
Matas tries a quick counter leg kick but Burch is wise to it.
Matas takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Matas shoots in and drives through. Burch sprawls well.
Burch thinks about countering with a body kick.
Reed Burch has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jerko Matas.
Burch tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Matas swats away the attempt to clinch by Burch.
Burch tries to close the distance and clinch up but Matas swats him away and circles back towards the center.
Matas swats away the attempt to clinch by Burch.

Burch gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Burch landing knees to the body. They look like they could hurt.

Burch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Reed Burch is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Burch tries to clinch up but Matas circles away and keeps his distance.
Matas now looks to counter with a shot at the body.

Matas gets in close and instigates a clinch.
Burch lands on the inside with an uppercut.

Burch pulls guard successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Burch is on top in guard.

Burch is trying to work a guillotine from the top, or something like that? Don't know how he thinks he's going to get a finish from there.
Burch makes a bit of distance and scores with some ground and pound, still in guard.

Burch thinks about going for a leg but decides against it, in order to maintain the position.

Burch decides he's had enough of playing guard and decides to stand. Come on Matas, up you get!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Burch tries to close the distance and clinch but Matas swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Nice sprawl there from Burch as Matas shoots in.
Burch wants to clinch up but Matas keeps it at a distance.
Burch tries to clinch but is not successful on this occasion.
Burch tries to close the distance and clinch up but Matas swats him away and circles back towards the center.

Burch moves into the clinch successfully.
Burch is trying to force a seperation but Matas has the dominant position.

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

Matas gets a clinch.

Burch manages to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.

Burch instigates a clinch.
Matas keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Burch's efforts to push away.

Burch breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.

Burch darts in and clinches Matas up against the cage.
Matas misses with a short punch on the inside.
Burch misses the knee to the body. Nice hip positioning from Matas.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Matas looks like he'd prefer to be striking at range right now.
Jerko Matas has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!
Reed Burch is fighting for a decision here - he's started to take the cautious approach.
Burch stalling the fight.

And that's the end of the fight!
Reed Burch showed his dominance in that final round.
Well Burch 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 Nard Betker scores the fight 30:26
Judge Paul Aken scores the fight 30:26
Judge Daniel Blasius scores the fight 30:26

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Reed Burch!